Are leaders born or made?

What is leadership? I’ve heard John Maxwell say it’s simply this – Influence – nothing more and nothing less. If that’s the case, everyone leads. I have a philosophy on sales and it’s this – everyone sells. From kids, to teachers, to coaches, to parents, to lawyers, to doctors, to nurses….to “professional” sales people. Everyone sells. I believe these two go hand in hand. We all lead and we all sell. Of course, there are different proficiencies and skill sets for each but here’s the cool thing – both can be cultivated and you can get better at each.

Leaders are born AND made. So, you’re born to lead – YES! But, to get really good…to master the craft, you must work intentionally and with curiosity to get better. It’s like watering a garden. You need to put in time in the unseen hours to master the craft. So, if you want to be a better leader, what are you doing to get better? Seek out people you respect. Seek out people that you believe lead well. Ask them how they do it. Read about it. And, take what you’ve learned and try some things. Put some things into practice. Same with sales. Learn and practice. Learn and practice.