THE MYTH OF THE ‘BORN LEADER’: Why Leadership Development is Your Company’s Secret Weapon
If you think great leaders just happen — like thunderstorms or tech IPOs — you might want to reconsider.
Yes, history loves to romanticise “natural” leaders. Think of the charismatic commander, the boardroom visionary, or the startup guru in a hoodie. But spoiler alert: behind every so-called natural leader is a long trail of missteps, mentors, and — increasingly — leadership development training.
In short: leaders aren’t born, they’re trained. And if your company isn’t investing in leadership development, you’re not just falling behind - you’re leading from behind.
Why Leadership Training Isn’t Optional Anymore
According to a 2023 McKinsey study, 75% of employees say their leaders are the biggest influencers of workplace culture — but only 30% believe those leaders are equipped to lead effectively (McKinsey & Co., 2023). That’s a bit like trusting your Uber driver without checking if they know how to drive.
Meanwhile, Deloitte found that organisations with strong leadership development programs are 1.5 times more likely to be high-performing (Deloitte, 2023 Human Capital Trends). This isn’t about filling seats in the C-suite — it’s about improving team cohesion, innovation, and resilience across all levels.
Leadership Is a Skill, Not a Personality Type
Introvert? Extrovert? Ambivert? (Yes, that’s a thing.) Doesn’t matter. Leadership isn’t a personality trait — it’s a skill set. Emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, communication, delegation — these can be taught, practiced, and refined.
Daniel Goleman, the godfather of emotional intelligence, found that nearly 90% of leadership success is driven by EQ rather than technical expertise or IQ (Goleman, Harvard Business Review, 2004). You don’t need to be born with a silver tongue or the gravitas of David Attenborough. You just need to learn how to listen, empathise, and lead with intent.
Training Prevents the Peter Principle
The Peter Principle — coined by Laurence J. Peter — is the idea that people get promoted until they reach a level of incompetence. Promotions based on performance in a current role, not potential for a future one, often create a leadership house of cards.
Leadership development is your organisation’s vaccine against the Peter Principle. It prepares future leaders before they’re promoted and empowers current leaders to adapt as the stakes rise.
It’s Cheaper Than Cleaning Up a Leadership Mess
According to Gallup, poor management costs companies up to $550 billion annually in lost productivity (Gallup, 2022). In contrast, leadership development programs yield returns in increased employee engagement, reduced turnover, and better decision-making. Even a modest investment can translate into measurable ROI — especially when you train middle managers, often the unsung heroes of organisational culture.
The Ripple Effect of Good Leadership
Strong leaders don’t just hit KPIs — they create environments where people thrive. Leadership development training cultivates psychological safety, fosters innovation, and improves cross-functional collaboration. It’s not just about making better bosses — it’s about building better teams, better products, and better futures.
When leaders grow, so does everyone around them. Like compound interest, the effect multiplies over time.
Bottom Line: Train Now, Thrive Later
If your company has a strategy for growth but no plan for who’s going to lead that growth, you’re playing organisational roulette. Leadership development is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. So stop waiting for a “natural” leader to walk through your door. Instead, build them. Train them. Invest in them.
Because great leaders aren’t born. They’re developed.
GET IN TOUCH today, and let’s talk about how our management training can support your team’s development, motivation and purpose, leading to long lasting change.
References:
McKinsey & Company. (2023). The State of Leadership in 2023. mckinsey.com
Deloitte. (2023). 2023 Global Human Capital Trends. deloitte.com
Goleman, D. (2004). What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review.
Gallup. (2022). The Cost of Poor Management. gallup.com
Peter, L. J., & Hull, R. (1969). The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong.