Posted by Dmytro Dodenko
The Myth of the “Born Leader”
It is a common belief that great leaders are born. This idea, known as “Trait Theory,” argues that leadership requires a special set of innate qualities: charisma, decisiveness, and confidence. According to this theory, if nature hasn’t endowed you with these traits, your chances are zero.
But this is not true. And that is excellent news for all of us.
Modern management has long proven that “Trait Theory” has very limited value. No research has been able to identify a universal set of qualities that guarantees a leader’s success in every situation.
A leader who is effective in a startup might fail in a large corporation. Someone who manages brilliantly during a crisis might be less effective in stable times.
Reality: Leadership Is What You Do
New approaches, such as “Style Theory” (Behavioral Theory) and “Situational Theory,” have proven that a leader’s effectiveness depends not on who they are, but on what they do and how they adapt.
- Style Theory shows that a leader can be task-oriented or people-oriented.
- Situational Theory goes further: the best style depends on specific conditions—the maturity of the team, the urgency of the task, and the level of uncertainty.
This means that leadership is not a gift, but a skill. It is a set of tools (communication, delegation, motivation, strategic thinking) that anyone can develop.
How to Develop Leadership Based on Your Strengths
You don’t need to break yourself to become someone else. Use your natural inclinations as a foundation for developing leadership skills.
If You Are an Analyst-Introvert (Strength in Systems and Depth)
You might find it easier to do everything yourself rather than explaining and supervising. Direct your analytical abilities not towards doing the work instead of the team, but towards creating an effective management system.
- Delegate systematically: Distribute tasks according to abilities and skills. Set clear “checkpoints” (deadlines, scope, intermediate results) and check progress based on them, rather than hovering over people.
- Teach through analysis: If the quality of work is unsatisfactory, don’t redo it silently. Ask your colleague exactly how they performed the task. Analyze their approach and calmly explain how it can be done better.
- Act proactively: Use your analytical skills to anticipate problems. Analyze the causes of failures and eliminate them systemically. Protect the team’s interests by relying on facts and data.
If You Are a Communicator-Extrovert (Strength in People and Energy)
It is easy for you to inspire people, but it might be difficult to sit still and systematically bring things to completion. Your energy is a resource that needs to be channeled.
- Structure your communication: Your sociability is a plus, but it shouldn’t replace clear processes. Introduce short but regular meetings with a specific agenda. Record agreements in writing.
- Practice active listening: You love to talk, but leadership is the ability to hear. Consciously pause, ask open-ended questions, and let the team speak first.
- Create a tracking system: Don’t rely solely on verbal agreements. Use simple tools (Trello, Asana, a shared Excel sheet) so everyone can see the status of tasks. This will allow you to control less personally but still keep your finger on the pulse.
Conclusion
Leadership is not about being the loudest in the room or having answers to all questions. It is about taking responsibility: for the result, for the team’s well-being, and for relationships within the group.
And this path is open to everyone.
