Everyone is born with certain strengths and weaknesses. Physical characteristics are obvious: some people are born taller, or shorter, some are physically stronger, others more flexible. Some of these traits can be improved through training, but our genetic makeup nevertheless put limits on the goals we are able to achieve. People are also born with different cognitive capacities: some are born with a high IQ, others have strong reasoning abilities, highly developed emotional intelligence, or are able to feel empathy. Studying, reasoning, curiosity, and learning a language can help increase our reasoning skills, but we will always be confined by our DNA.
A good leader has certain innate skills, such as eloquence (being able to communicate ideas simply and clearly), the capacity to break down a complex problem into smaller and simpler parts, charisma and self-confidence, and the ability to read people’s behaviour and sense their thoughts and mood swings.
All these characteristics are largely innate, but we often don’t know if we possess them or not, until we start to test our own limits. Eloquence can be developed by reading and writing, and trying to communicate our thoughts in an increasingly linear way. Analytic skills can be improved by dividing up problems and formulating simpler solutions, which involves dedication and chiselling away as much as possible, just as Michelangelo suggested when sculpting a block of marble. To increase our ability to read people’s behaviour, we can start paying attention to someone’s body language, including their tone of voice. Identifying a person’s usual facial expressions allows us to notice every change in their mood simply because they will behave differently. Developing charisma is perhaps the hardest part for a leader, since some people naturally have a certain magnetism. What we can do is learn by observing someone who is innately charismatic, for example, by observing their posture or gestures.
Although we can strengthen our leadership skills, it would be unrealistic to think that someone who doesn’t naturally possess any of them could go on to become a great leader, just like it would be unrealistic to try and turn an Olympic marathon champion into a champion weightlifter.
However, there is one more secret for people who lack these skills, but who want to try their hand at leadership: building a team that counterbalances their weaknesses.
