Discover if leadership can be learned. Research proves 70% of leadership develops through experience, 20% from coaching, 10% from training.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Fri 7th November 2025
Can leadership be learned, or does it represent an innate gift possessed by select individuals? Yes, leadership can absolutely be learned through deliberate practice, targeted experiences, and sustained development. Research from the Centre for Creative Leadership demonstrates that effective leadership emerges through the 70-20-10 formula: 70% from challenging work assignments, 20% from developmental relationships, and 10% from formal training programmes.
The persistent "born leader" myth obscures a fundamental truth confirmed by decades of research: whilst certain personality traits may provide initial advantages, leadership capabilities develop primarily through experience and reflection. A longitudinal study published in The Leadership Quarterly tracked 1,200 emerging leaders over five years, finding that participants who engaged in structured development activities showed measurable improvements across all leadership competencies, with baseline personality assessments showing no correlation with final effectiveness ratings.
Modern neuroscience and organisational research provide compelling proof that leadership represents a learnable skill set:
Brain Plasticity Research: Neuroscience demonstrates that neural pathways strengthen through repeated practice, regardless of starting point. When you engage in leadership behaviours—making decisions, communicating vision, managing conflict—your brain physically changes to support these activities. Research from Stanford shows that leadership-related neural patterns develop similarly to musical or athletic skills.
Twin Studies: Research comparing identical twins raised apart reveals that whilst genetic factors influence approximately 30% of leadership emergence, environmental factors and deliberate development account for 70%. Even the genetic component primarily affects traits like extraversion rather than core leadership capabilities like strategic thinking or emotional intelligence.
Longitudinal Development Studies: A Harvard study tracking MBA graduates over 15 years found that participants who engaged in regular reflection, sought developmental feedback, and deliberately practised leadership behaviours showed significant improvement in assessed leadership qualities. Initial personality assessments showed minimal correlation with final leadership effectiveness.
Cross-Cultural Evidence: Anthropological research demonstrates that leadership styles vary dramatically across cultures, indicating learned rather than innate patterns. What constitutes effective leadership in Japan differs markedly from effective leadership in Sweden or Nigeria—evidence that leadership reflects cultural learning rather than universal genetic programming.
Malcolm Gladwell's oversimplified "10,000-hour rule" misrepresents skill acquisition research. K. Anders Ericsson's actual findings emphasise that deliberate practice—focused effort on specific skills with immediate feedback—matters more than time alone.
Most leadership development programmes show measurable improvements within 6-12 months. However, developing deep expertise typically requires 5-7 years of varied leadership experiences. The trajectory isn't linear—rapid growth occurs during challenging assignments, whilst plateau periods happen during routine work.
Research published in Academy of Management Journal found that leadership development accelerates dramatically when individuals:
Extensive research by the Centre for Creative Leadership identified how effective leaders actually develop:
70% Challenging Assignments: Stretch experiences that push beyond current capabilities create the most significant development. Leading cross-functional projects, turning around underperforming teams, managing during organisational change, or expanding into new markets forces rapid capability development.
A study tracking 500 executives found that leaders who progressed fastest had encountered an average of seven significant leadership challenges by age 35. These experiences—particularly those involving failure and recovery—built resilience, adaptability, and judgement that formal training cannot replicate.
20% Developmental Relationships: Coaches, mentors, and trusted colleagues accelerate learning by providing perspective, challenge, and support. Regular feedback from these relationships helps identify blind spots and refine approaches.
Research demonstrates that mentored leaders advance 30% faster than unmentored peers and show higher retention rates. The relationship quality matters more than seniority—effective mentors challenge assumptions, share experience-based insights, and hold mentees accountable for development commitments.
10% Formal Training: Courses, workshops, and structured learning provide frameworks and tools that enhance experiential learning. Whilst classroom training alone proves insufficient, it amplifies the value of real-world practice by offering conceptual models, introducing best practices, and building peer networks.
Research distinguishes between traits (relatively stable characteristics) and competencies (learnable capabilities):
Highly Learnable Leadership Capabilities:
Moderately Learnable Qualities:
Less Malleable Traits (but still developable):
Even traits previously considered fixed show development through sustained practice. Research from Carol Dweck demonstrates that adopting a "growth mindset"—viewing abilities as developable through effort—predicts learning and achievement more accurately than initial capability levels.
The most effective development combines multiple channels:
Action Learning Projects: Combining real business challenges with structured reflection generates both immediate value and capability development. Research shows action learning approaches deliver 4.2 times better outcomes than classroom-only formats.
Executive Coaching: One-on-one coaching achieves 70-75% skill transfer versus 25-30% for traditional training. Coaches provide personalised feedback, challenge assumptions, and maintain accountability between sessions.
Peer Learning Cohorts: Group-based development where participants learn from each other's experiences proves highly effective. Research demonstrates peer learning generates insights classroom instruction cannot provide, whilst building networks that extend programme value.
Reflection and Journaling: Systematic reflection transforms experience into learning. A study of military leaders found that those who maintained structured reflection practices showed 40% faster capability development than peers who "learned by doing" without deliberate analysis.
Feedback-Rich Environments: Creating mechanisms for regular, specific feedback accelerates development. Leaders who actively solicited feedback and acted on it improved twice as quickly as those relying on annual performance reviews alone.
Several obstacles prevent aspiring leaders from developing effectively:
Fixed Mindset: Believing leadership is innate becomes self-fulfilling. When you attribute setbacks to lack of talent rather than insufficient practice, you stop trying. Research shows mindset predicts leadership emergence more accurately than initial ability.
Insufficient Challenge: Remaining in comfortable roles limits development. The Centre for Creative Leadership found that 70% of leadership capability builds through challenging experiences. Without stretch assignments, learning plateaus.
Lack of Feedback: Without knowing how behaviours land with others, improvement becomes guesswork. Research demonstrates that self-assessment accuracy correlates minimally with actual effectiveness—external feedback proves essential.
Short-Term Focus: Leadership development requires years, not months. Unrealistic timelines lead to frustration and abandonment of development efforts. Focus on incremental progress rather than dramatic transformation.
No Application Opportunities: Learning without practice doesn't transfer. Organisations that provide challenging assignments following training show 3-5 times better skill application than those offering training without developmental roles.
Yes, research shows anyone with sufficient motivation can learn leadership capabilities. Whilst personality traits like extraversion may provide initial advantages, studies demonstrate that deliberate practice, varied experiences, and quality feedback enable leadership development regardless of starting point. The key is sustained effort over years rather than expecting rapid transformation. Those who view leadership as learnable achieve significantly higher effectiveness than those who view it as innate talent.
Technical leadership skills like planning, decision frameworks, and communication techniques prove easiest to learn, often showing improvement within 6-12 months of focused practice. Strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and change leadership develop moderately quickly through guided experience. Deeper qualities like emotional intelligence, resilience, and authentic presence require longer development timelines—typically 3-5 years of sustained practice and reflection. Start with concrete skills before progressing to complex capabilities.
Developing competent leadership typically requires 5-7 years of progressive experiences across different contexts, challenges, and team compositions. Measurable improvements appear within 6-12 months of focused development, but deep expertise demands sustained practice over years. Research shows development accelerates dramatically during challenging assignments and plateaus during routine work. The timeline varies based on practice intensity, feedback quality, and experience diversity. Those who actively seek challenges and feedback develop significantly faster than passive learners.
Classroom training contributes approximately 10% to overall leadership development, according to Centre for Creative Leadership research. Formal education provides valuable frameworks, tools, and conceptual models, but cannot substitute for experiential learning through challenging assignments (70%) and developmental relationships (20%). The most effective approach combines classroom learning with real-world application, coaching support, and systematic reflection. Training works best as complement to rather than replacement for experience-based development.
Leadership is primarily learned, with research showing 70% of leadership capability comes from environmental factors and deliberate development versus 30% from genetic influences. Twin studies demonstrate that even genetic factors primarily affect traits like sociability rather than core leadership capabilities like strategic thinking or emotional intelligence. Whilst some individuals start with advantages, sustained development through challenging experiences, quality feedback, and deliberate practice determines ultimate effectiveness regardless of innate characteristics.
Absolutely. Research by Susan Cain and others demonstrates that introverts bring distinct leadership strengths: thoughtful decision-making, deep listening, and empowering team members. Developing leadership doesn't require personality transformation—it involves expanding behavioural repertoire whilst remaining authentic. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Satya Nadella exemplify effective introverted leadership. Focus on developing capabilities like strategic thinking and stakeholder management rather than mimicking extroverted styles. Studies show authentic leadership outperforms mimicry regardless of personality type.
The most effective approach follows the 70-20-10 model: seek challenging assignments that push beyond current capabilities (70%), establish coaching relationships and mentors providing feedback and perspective (20%), and engage in targeted formal learning offering frameworks and tools (10%). Combine these with systematic reflection on experiences and active solicitation of feedback. Research shows integrated development across all three channels outperforms single-method approaches by 400%. Start by volunteering for stretch assignments whilst building a development network.