Can You Learn to Lead? The Nature vs. Nurture Debate on Influence

Whether influencers are born or made has long been debated across many fields, from psychology to leadership development. Understanding the balance between nature and nurture in shaping influential leaders has become increasingly important as social dynamics evolve. In our interconnected world, those who influence others hold significant power in business, social media, or politics.

The Role of Nature in Influence

Studies have shown that while some individuals are naturally inclined toward leadership roles, environmental factors and deliberate practice often play an equally critical role in developing influence. For example, Daniel Goleman's research on emotional intelligence highlights how self-awareness, empathy, and social skills can be learned and refined, making a compelling case for nurture's role in building influential leaders.

If influence, as defined by author and renowned social psychologist Robert Cialdini, is the ability “to change someone's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors,” then is it nature or nurture that builds an influencer?

In my career experience, it's both. Some professionals seem to have an innate ability to connect, inspire trust, and persuade others to their point of view. Yet they work at these abilities daily.

Traits of influence often manifest and can be recognized early in a person’s life compared to peers. These include interest, personality, charisma, and the ability to connect with people beyond the surface level. 

Take Steve Jobs, who demonstrated an early passion for technology and design. His unique perspective and charismatic leadership style helped shape Apple into a global powerhouse. However, it was not just innate talent; Jobs continuously worked on improving his communication and leadership skills to connect with both employees and consumers.

Common Natural Traits of Influencers

Although not an exhaustive list, some of these “natural influencer traits” might include:

• Early interest: Showing a keen interest in a particular area at a young age, often before peers.
• Rapid learning: Quickly picking up new skills and knowledge, often with minimal effort.
• High motivation: Intrinsically motivated and driven to pursue interests early.
• Exceptional performance: Outperforming peers in their area of talent, whether sports, music, or intellectual pursuits.
• Unique perspective: Having a unique or original approach to their area of interest.

The Role of Nurture: Developing Influential Skills

It's important to note that while natural traits and the resulting talent can provide a strong foundation, they do not guarantee an influencer’s success. That’s where practice, or “nurture,” comes into play.

While some people may have natural traits and the talent to influence, you can develop these skills through practice and self-improvement. I believe influence is a skill that can be developed through training and conscious effort. 

Key Factors to Increase Your Influence

Here are some key factors that may contribute to increasing your influence:

Emotional Intelligence:

Understanding and managing your emotions and empathizing with others is crucial for building relationships and long-lasting connections with people. Emotional intelligence includes being self-aware, empathetic, self-regulated, motivated, and having a relationship-management focus. 

Communication Skills:

Effective Communication involves clear expression, active listening, and your ability to tailor messages to your audience. Good communication can persuade people to adopt your viewpoint or take a specific action. As a part of your communication, non-verbal communication, including body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, can significantly impact your communication effectiveness. Using non-verbal cues that align with your message enhances credibility and influence.   

Confidence:

If you don’t believe in yourself, then who will? When you speak with confidence, you convey a sense of competence and authority. People are likelier to trust and respect someone who appears confident in their ideas. Confidence can also help you connect with your audience on a deeper level. Believing in yourself makes you more likely to engage others with enthusiasm and passion. 

Conversation "Contribution Score":

A high conversation or meeting "Contribution Score" might signal leadership potential. Individuals who consistently contribute valuable insights when they speak and participate actively in discussions, sharing what adds value to a meeting or conversation, can often guide and motivate others.

Authenticity:

Being genuine and transparent builds trust and credibility. Authenticity allows you to connect with others beyond the surface level. When people feel an authentic connection with you, they're more likely to be influenced by your ideas. When people see that you live what you value, they may be motivated to follow your example.

Leadership:

The ability to inspire others is a critical influence component. You can build a strong following by clearly articulating your goals and inspiring others to work towards them. Strong leaders foster collaboration and teamwork. Increasing your leadership skills helps unite people to achieve common goals, creating a more robust force. Lastly, because leaders are often responsible for making important decisions, demonstrating sound judgment and decisiveness helps you establish yourself as a respected and judicious figure.

Ethical Conduct:

Ethical behavior builds trust with the people around you. For example, when employees believe a leader is honest, fair, and transparent, they are likelier to respect and be influenced by that leader. By showcasing ethical conduct, leaders demonstrate how they treat people respectfully, regardless of their position or status. Leaders demonstrating ethical conduct foster a positive and supportive work environment, which can dramatically increase their influence.   

Actionable Strategies to Enhance Your Influence

If you’re looking to increase your influence, here are some actionable strategies to help you get started:

• Build Your Emotional Intelligence: Practice mindfulness to increase self-awareness. Engage in active listening exercises to improve empathy.
• Master Public Speaking: Enroll in workshops or practice with trusted peers to hone your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
• Develop a Growth Mindset: Approach challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, and seek feedback regularly to refine your approach.

The ability to influence others is a complex combination of nature and nurture. While certain innate traits can provide a foundation for influence, it is ultimately a skill that must be developed and refined through practice and self-improvement. 

Think of influence as a muscle. Some people may be born with more muscle mass, making it easier to develop strength, while others have to work harder. However, even those with a natural advantage will only reach their full potential with regular exercise and effort.

Understanding the factors contributing to influence and cultivating the necessary skills can enhance your ability to inspire, persuade, and lead.

What do you think? Do you believe your ability to influence is more a product of your natural talents, or have you actively worked to cultivate it? Share your thoughts and experiences, and let’s continue the conversation on how we can all become better influencers in our respective fields.