Why Some People Are Natural Leaders and Others Struggle
Leadership is a fascinating and complex phenomenon. Some people seem to take on leadership roles effortlessly, guiding teams, making strategic decisions, and inspiring others without hesitation. Meanwhile, others struggle to lead, even when they have the same qualifications or opportunities. Why is that?
The answer lies in a blend of personality traits, implicit and explicit leadership inclinations, and how individuals reconcile contradictions in their nature. The Openmind personality assessment sheds light on these factors by examining both explicit (conscious) and implicit (subconscious) attitudes toward leadership and related traits.
The Core Leadership Traits
Most research on leadership traits aligns with the Big Five Personality Model, which includes:
| Trait | Leadership Impact |
|---|---|
| Openness to Experience | Leaders who are open to experience are innovative, adaptable, and willing to take calculated risks. Struggles arise when low openness makes a leader resistant to change. |
| Conscientiousness | Highly conscientious leaders are disciplined, reliable, and goal-oriented. However, an overly rigid approach can lead to micromanagement. |
| Extraversion | Extraverted leaders communicate well, energize their teams, and build strong relationships. Introverted leaders, while equally effective, may struggle in high-visibility leadership roles. |
| Agreeableness | Highly agreeable leaders foster collaboration and harmony. However, excessive agreeableness may lead to difficulty in making tough decisions. |
| Neuro Balance (Emotional Stability) | Leaders with high emotional stability remain calm under pressure. Low emotional stability can lead to stress-induced poor decision-making. |
But personality traits alone don’t determine leadership success. The key lies in how explicit and implicit attitudes align—or contradict—within a leader.
Implicit vs. Explicit Leadership Discrepancies
One of the most revealing insights from Openmind is that many people perceive themselves differently than they actually behave. This difference between implicit and explicit attitudes can significantly impact leadership potential.
Scenario 1: Explicit Leadership Confidence, Implicit Hesitation
Some individuals outwardly express confidence in their leadership abilities, but their implicit responses indicate hesitation. This could be due to:
Imposter Syndrome: They might think they should be leaders but subconsciously feel they don’t belong in that role.
Cultural or Social Conditioning: Some backgrounds emphasize humility, causing individuals to downplay their leadership instincts.
Fear of Failure: Consciously, they may strive for leadership, but deep down, they fear the responsibilities it entails.
Impact: These leaders may perform well in structured environments but struggle when faced with unexpected challenges that require instinctive leadership reactions.
Scenario 2: Implicit Leadership Drive, Explicit Reluctance
Some individuals instinctively take charge in crisis situations but consciously avoid leadership roles. This contradiction may stem from:
Avoidance of Responsibility: They act as leaders when necessary but dislike the burdens of long-term leadership.
Underestimation of Their Abilities: They may not recognize that they naturally influence and inspire others.
Bad Experiences with Leadership: If they’ve had negative encounters with authority figures, they may resist taking on similar roles.
Impact: These individuals might thrive in informal leadership roles, such as mentors or problem-solvers, but shy away from official leadership titles.
Leadership Pitfalls: When Traits Contradict Themselves
Some contradictions in leadership traits create inherent struggles. Here are a few:
1. Confidence vs. Competence
A person can exude confidence without having the actual competence to lead effectively. Likewise, some highly competent individuals lack confidence in their leadership ability.
Overconfident but Incompetent Leaders: These individuals can mislead teams, make reckless decisions, or fail to listen to expert advice.
Competent but Hesitant Leaders: Despite having the skills, they fail to assert themselves, leading to underwhelming leadership performance.
2. Empathy vs. Tough Decision-Making
A good leader needs to be empathetic but also capable of making difficult decisions. If a leader is too empathetic, they may:
Struggle to fire underperforming employees.
Avoid necessary conflicts to maintain harmony.
Prioritize people’s emotions over objective decision-making.
On the other hand, leaders who lack empathy may come across as cold, which erodes trust and team morale.
3. Visionary Thinking vs. Practical Execution
Some leaders excel at setting grand visions but lack the discipline to execute them effectively. Others are meticulous planners but struggle to inspire people toward a compelling vision. The best leaders balance both.
How Openmind Helps Identify Leadership Potential
The Openmind assessment is particularly useful for understanding leadership potential because it distinguishes between what people think about themselves and how they actually behave in leadership situations.
For example, a leader might:
Consciously believe they are open to new ideas, but their implicit response shows hesitation toward change.
Think they handle stress well, yet their subconscious responses indicate high anxiety levels.
Feel they are collaborative, but their implicit score suggests they prefer working independently.
By identifying these contradictions, individuals can:
Develop Self-Awareness – Recognize areas where their perceived leadership ability doesn’t align with reality.
Improve Weaknesses – Work on implicit barriers, such as confidence issues or emotional regulation.
Leverage Strengths – Use naturally strong leadership traits to compensate for weaker areas.
Can Leadership Be Taught?
The age-old debate of whether leaders are born or made has a nuanced answer: leadership is both an innate trait and a learned skill.
Innate Leadership: Some people naturally take charge, make decisions quickly, and inspire others without formal training.
Learned Leadership: Leadership skills—such as strategic thinking, conflict resolution, and public speaking—can be developed through experience, education, and feedback.
Openmind provides valuable insight into which leadership qualities are already strong and which ones need further development.
Conclusion: Understanding Your Leadership Profile
Some people are natural leaders because their personality traits, implicit confidence, and explicit self-perception align. Others struggle because of internal contradictions, unresolved fears, or personality traits that don’t naturally support leadership.
By understanding these complexities, individuals can either embrace leadership more effectively or recognize that they might be better suited for other roles. Leadership isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. What matters is self-awareness and playing to one’s strengths.
For those looking to refine their leadership abilities, Openmind offers a unique approach to self-discovery, ensuring that both natural and aspiring leaders understand themselves at a deeper level.
For more on leadership psychology, explore The Big Five Personality Traits and Implicit Leadership Theories.