People hold different views on whether leadership is a learned skill or an innate(1) ability. Although some aspects of leadership are probably inherited(2), I believe that leadership skills can be acquired through training and practice.
On the one hand, many people claim that leaders are born with a charismatic personality(3), giving them a considerable advantage(4) over other people. These distinctive personality traits(5) enable people to become naturally good at leading and inspiring others. For example, leaders need to be able to positively influence others, either with their innate charisma(6) or their powerful presence(7). As these natural abilities are not something that can be obtained over time, those who do not possess them may face difficulty in convincing or motivating others, which may prevent them from becoming inspiring(8) leaders.
On the other hand, other people, including myself, believe that the vast majority of leaders are not born to lead, but prepared to lead. There are many skills relating to leadership that are learnable(9) and achievable, such as communication skills and problem-solving skills(10). As long as a person receives proper training and puts enough effort into honing these skills, they can also become an effective leader. That is the reason why there are many leadership training programs and courses that aim to train those who want to develop their leadership capabilities(11). Most people can reap significant rewards(12) from these courses, enabling them to successfully lead others.
In conclusion, it is true that some leadership traits are likely to be inborn(13). However, I believe that everybody can become a great leader because leadership consists of a lot of skills that can be learned and developed over time.