Assignment Question: Are leaders born or made? Definition of Leadership: According to Northouse 2010, leadership is a process by which an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. According to this definition, a leader is a person who governs, guides, inspires or influences others. A leader is someone who other people are willing to follow, almost without question. A leader may not always make the right decision, but he has confidence in the decisions he makes. Leaders are not afraid to admit when they are wrong, they take responsibility, and they know when to change direction when a bad choice has been made. Because, even after some mistakes, a true leader will not lose the trust of his followers; it will push followers to move together while creating opportunities to do the right thing. Using the above definition, in my humble opinion leaders are not born. If one has the desire and willpower, one can become a leader. As stated by Warren Bennis in his book on becoming a leader, leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training and experience. It is therefore impossible to be born with all leadership skills. A leader can only become a good leader if he has the humility and willpower to understand himself and transform himself in order to have followers. Historically, folklore in African society has practiced the idea that people are born leaders while others are not. Looking back at traditional African society, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, or race, many Africans can trace their origins to a monarchical or medieval system in which descendants of the ruling family found themselves immersed in a position of leadership. ...Our self-interests are not as effective because their employees merely obey them, not follow them. They succeed in many areas because they present a good image to their superiors at the expense of the staff. The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to the organization. In the eyes of employees, leadership is everything a leader does that impacts the organization's goals and employee well-being. A respected leader focuses on what he [is] (beliefs and character), what he knows (work, tasks, human nature), and what he does (implement, motivate, provide direction). What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future