People are known to use the phrase “born leaders” as a compliment. One might wonder if leadership is, in fact, an inherent quality that people are born with and if it is a quality that is engineered into their genetic makeup. But this could lead to the conclusion that people who are not born with this innate quality of leadership cannot be successful leaders.

Before we try to answer this question, we need to recognize what entrepreneurial leadership truly is. In my opinion, leadership is not a singular trait. Instead, it is a culmination of different traits and skills. Leaders are unique and do not fit into a template. However, some recurring commonalities can be found among leaders, such as the ability to inspire followers.

The question that remains is whether leaders are forged at birth or molded through experience.

Arguably, the most common terms used in connection with entrepreneurs are vision and passion. It is undeniable that some individuals, from a very young age itself, display immense passion and the vision to build something, and are very clear about it. An effective mentor, an inspirational idol, or even difficult circumstances, can shape true changemakers out of introverted souls, leaving the bystanders in awe.

It would be inaccurate to say that entrepreneurial leaders can simply use their inherited charm to sway past the numerous difficulties that they could face while running an enterprise. Albeit it surely helps to have such qualities as a part of one’s personality, there are several other factors such as tenacity, business sense, and hard work. When innate talent does not grab opportunities at the right moment, that talent remains in its potential state without ever materializing.

Furthermore, one cannot ignore the fact that practically, a successful venture is backed by education. This education is not always formal or institutionalized. Education can be built over time through taking on challenges, experience, and invested learning through doing. The moment a leader stops growing and adapting herself or himself according to changing market scenarios, they risk becoming stagnant and diluting into irrelevance.

Some qualities have to be adopted and ingrained into one’s personality, such as empathy for the workforce, which leads to strong interpersonal relationships that inspire loyalty. Further, it is only when an entrepreneur has sincerity and integrity that she can inspire trust among their clients.

At the same time, it cannot be denied that many of these qualities come easier to some people than others. However, through my experience, I have observed that leadership is more about learning and conditioning than about the talent that one is born with. Generational businesses have proved that genes do not guarantee good entrepreneurs. Even the successful generational business tycoons that we see today are testament to the success of independent perseverance.

While nature cannot be entirely ignored when it comes to entrepreneurial leadership, ultimately, nurture plays a decisive role.