Leaders are made, not born

Research carried out over a 25 year period has revealed the key to effective leadership lies not primarily in abilities we are born with, but in techniques, skills, ìaction logics,î and character that we can continue to develop throughout life. The research carried out by UK performance management consultancy, Harthill, and published in the current edition of the Harvard Business Review, concludes that individuals can transform their leadership capabilities as adults.

The research combines survey work of more than 6,000 managers and professionals at hundreds of companies in diverse industries, compiled over a 25 year period. It reveals that leadership is not governed by the personality of the individual or their philosophy of leadership, but their own internal ëaction logicí. This means that the way a leader interprets the world around them and reacts when their power or safety is challenged is central to developing strong and effective leadership qualities. Leaders are classified into one of seven distinctive Action Logic categories ñ the Opportunists, Diplomats and Experts, and progressing gradually to the Achievers, Individualists, Strategists and Alchemists. Individuals who work to understand their own qualities can implement a programme to transform themselves into more radically effective leaders.

The most common action logic, named ëExpert,í is governed by logic and expertise, seeking a rational way to work. These ëExpertsí represented 38% of the entire group and are often viewed as being good individual contributors to a business or organisation. Only 5% of individuals measured in the survey were categorised as ëStrategistsí and ëAlchemistsí, possessing the skills and capabilities to effect transformational change on an organisation-wide level.

David Rooke, partner at Harthill Consulting and co-author of the Harvard Business Review article commented, ìThis research offers a powerful insight into the whole subject of leadership. It reveals that there is room for us all to develop and maximise our leadership capabilities. The lessons for businesses to learn lie in their willingness to make leadership development a central pillar in the way they operate and a powerful force for transforming their fortunes.î