Are leaders born or created?

Question from the Internet:

“Are you born a leader, or can anyone be forged into one?”

The best and most successful leaders are those who are not “born to be a leader”, advertising themselves as suitable to lead others. The best leaders are those who are lifted and chosen by others to lead because others see the perfect leadership qualities and the shining positive example they can follow in them.

And in our times, when the whole world has become fully integrated and totally interdependent, “leadership” has evolved even further. Being chosen by others and having positive qualities that can provide the necessary examples others can follow is not enough.

A modern leader in our global and integrated world must also understand that individual leadership is futile and outright harmful. Regardless of one’s qualities or talents, any individual is inherently egocentric and subjective, and all of us are corruptible by power.

Leadership in today’s global and integrated world requires teamwork, the unique, selfless, and mutually complementing cooperation of individuals who can sacrifice their egos and personal aspirations and benefit for the sake of the whole collective. This is when leaders truly become public servants in the literal meaning of the expression.

This is something that is against our inherently self-serving, self-justifying, egotistic and exploitative nature. So true and successful leaders need a unique education leading to the above-mentioned state where they can act above and against their inherent nature.