Someone said that leaders are made, not born. So I would replay that leaders evolve at some point after a situation comes into play. The critical question is the timing of that leader evolving and whether that person can really provide the tools and skills necessary, or is it just talk.

You bring up a great point Ron re where the person is in their personal development as a leader. Organizations far too often mistake management for leadership and they are distinctly different animals. I firmly believe organizations are overmanaged and unled (part of the reason for lack of innovation in America, but that's another topic!). Leaders evolve from a different playground as it were...

Not to be indecisive, but I think both can be true, and it is mostly dependent on the experience level of the leader. For new leader, many of them finally "come into their own" in their first sticky situation. The more experienced leader can take tough times and use them to grow their team. so yes, no and maybe? :)

I would argue some leaders are 'born' or at least develop leadership skills very early. Other work to learn and master things that they don't intuitively understand in order to lead effectively. Some will set out to be leaders and create the situation where they can lead, while others don't discover their leadership ability until they are thrust into a situation requiring decisive leadership.

So, in short, both.

Situations serve as a refiner's fire. One has to go through them before he realizes his greatest potentials. Leaders the world has ever made were molded through their experiences; more failures than successes. But it was when they have turned these failures as stepping stones into more discoveries and successes that they become great and worthy of emulation. However, they only continue to be such when they share their discoveries and create more situations for others to learn from. I agree that there is a line dividing Leadership and Management. The latter requires more on skills in planning and execution to be effective. But the former goes beyond that. It primarily requires an attitude that gives him the ability to steer the entire organization even the world to a single, clearly defined direction. Indeed, situations make a leader but to be great he should be able to create situations for others. This works on the premise that one can never be successful unless he has helped others succeed.

i think leaders make the situation. i think they are born, naturally bred leaders that innately know that it is their reaction to situations that will have the most impact.

Situational Leadership

Many managers mistakenly assume that leadership style is always a function of personality rather than strategic choice. Their leadership style is based upon their innate signature talents and this represents their default leadership behavior.

However, leaders can choose a different leadership style that best addresses the demands of a particular situation.

Being unaware that we can change our leadership style to match the situation at hand, we unconsciously engage our default behavior. Only when we become aware of something, are we able to make choices as to the action we wish to take.

The ultimate leadership responsibility is modeling the behaviors you expect from others. To a large degree, leaders operate in a fishbowl. Employees are constantly watching the leader--and learning from him or her.

Leaders make situations (directly and indirectly) via their presence and their vision and their ability to quickly locate and leverage resources.

Regardless of the situation they are in, they typically realize that problems equal opportunities and they can see things and ultimately produce things that it takes other people a very long time to see or figure out. Even with minimal resources, they can make things work out with what they have and who is around them.

'Failing' several times in a situation is not what made them leaders. Failing taught them how to be more creative with what they have, to make snap judgements and stop thinking so much about things and to more effectively locate and leverage resources.

Chances are extremely high from Day 1 they had the mindset that there is no such thing as failure...only delayed gratification (don't ask, I just made that up on the fly, lol). If they respected the forces of the universe and do their time, they knew they were going to get to the 'top' in due time, no matter what. This cycle repeats over and over again in almost every situation you are in.

Think of the people you meet at networking events and in your professional environment and such. Look at the people around you today whom you may have met through those type of events and that you consider successful or 'leaders' (they are often few and far between and they probably stand out/are easily remembered). When you met them your 6th sense told you there is something about that person that was not like anybody else. And if you look at everything they have done and accomplished in their life since, from the way they solve problems to the opportunities they come across, to the visionary ideas they have, you will notice, in many cases their ethic and the people in their network are very much a part of an environment....that they directly or indirectly fostered along the way.

It could be debated for a long time on the whole born v. learned leaders. I do not think that situations make leaders. I believe that situations have the potential to reveal leaders. No one can just declare themselves a great leader. Their leadership abilities have to be revealed. Situations are the way those are revealed. Once a leader is "revealed" then he can further develop his/her leadership skills. The best way to develop those skills is by practice. A leader practices his/her skills by putting him/herself in situations that will not only enhance his/her standing as a leader, but enhance his/her leadership skills.

Throughout life the opportunity to lead presents itself. We make the choice whether to accept or reject that chance. Some are bettered prepared to accept, others despite skill step up and meet the challenge.

I see leadership as the opportunity to enhance the worth of others to make sound decisions about life, whether at work, home, or in public. The base form of leadership is parenting. Successful parents enhance the worth of their children and help them learn how to make sound decisions about life on their own. Others may choose to berate, embarrass, order, use harsh discipline, not listen, and undermine their children's worth and abilities to make good decisions. Naturally they "know what's best for them." (Sound like any bosses you know?)

Let us take the aura an mystery away from leadership. It is not reserved just for executives or supposed leaders. It is a skill needed by all.