4 Distinctive Categories of Leadership

“Leadership is developed, not discovered.” –John C. Maxwell

How would you define a Leader? Let me cite some great historical examples:

• Alexander the Great, whose empire stretched from Greece to modern-day Pakistan, sought to conquer even unto the ends of the world. By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world. 1

• William Wallace, although vastly outnumbered fighting together with the Scottish army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, defeated the English professional army of 3,000 cavalry and 8,000 to 10,000 infantry. He was eventually called the “Guardian of Scotland”. 2

• Mahatma Gandhi, the freedom fighter of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India, who applied nonviolent civil disobedience which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. 3

• Jose Rizal, a Filipino nationalist and widely considered the greatest national hero of the Philippines, is believed to be the first Filipino revolutionary whose death is imputed entirely to his work as a writer. Through protest and civil disobedience, he was able to successfully destroy Spain's moral primacy to dominate. 4

These are mighty men who have rallied their fellow countrymen to attain either grandeur through means of pure genius strategic war techniques or independence and freedom through peaceful protest and civil disobedience. But, would you consider these people as leaders as well?

• A mother of whom a quick stare at her naughty child’s eyes would make him as calm as an angel

• A little child in his Boy Scout uniform guiding his fellow classmates in their annual field trip in various museums

• A traffic enforcer standing in the middle of the highway whose simple hand gestures could stop a mighty and enormous truck

• An extrovert friend who has the most say on what movies to watch during your get-together events

I guess you would agree with me too that they are leaders as well, on some degree that is.

John Maxwell states in his book “Developing the Leader within You”:

“Leadership is not an exclusive club for those who were “born with it”. The traits that are the raw materials of leadership can be acquired. Link them up with desire and nothing can keep you from becoming a leader.”

When I have first learned about this, my whole perspective changed. Initially, I would not consider the previous set of people as leaders (see above examples, the second set). My former reason why they should not be called as leaders because they are just performing menial and insignificant job compared to the great heroes of history. In short, in my view, if they are not born as leaders, they will never be leaders. My views shifted when John Maxwell described these Four Categories of Leadership. It’s quite interesting that anyone can be a leader, and the qualities can be acquired in time.


4 Distinctive Categories of Leadership

1. The Leading Leader

• Is born with leadership qualities (only some has this quality)
• Has seen leadership modelled throughout life (this quality is acquired)
• Has learned added leadership through training (this quality is acquired)
• Has self-discipline to become a great leader (this quality is acquired)

2. The Learned Leader

• Has seen leadership modelled throughout life (this quality is acquired)
• Has learned added leadership through training (this quality is acquired)
• Has self-discipline to become a great leader (this quality is acquired)

3. The Latent Leader

• Has just recently seen leadership modelled (this quality is acquired)
• Is learning to be a leader through training (this quality is acquired)
• Has self-discipline to become a good leader (this quality is acquired)

4. The Limited Leader

• Has little or no exposure to leaders (this quality can acquired)
• Has little or no exposure to leadership training (this quality can acquired)
• Has desire to become a leader (this quality can acquired)

While it is true that only a few are “born as a leader”, all can be a leader through these three aspects:

• Personally seeing leadership modelled through the lives of certain people
• Learning through leadership training
• Desire to be a leader

It all starts with your desire. Your desire, then, can bring forth the self-discipline to be a good leader. Through consistent learning through leadership training, you can acquire the traits to be a great one. Finally, witnessing great leaders around you will eventually guide you on your journey as a leader yourself.

There is more to be discussed, and I would love to share my thoughts again on my next post regarding the Levels of Leadership. May you “choose and desire” to be a leader today!

© 2013 Erickson Ibana


1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wallace
3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi
4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Rizal
Image can be found at http://theworldofalexanderthegreat.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/happy-birthday-alexander-the-great-2021-july-356-bc/