Some people believe that leadership can’t be taught; that it’s something that comes naturally from within. They believe that you either have it or you don’t have it. But if you look back at many famous leaders throughout history, you’ll find that a great deal of them went through periods of intense transformation.
Gandhi’s Transformation
Gandhi, for one, was a completely different person when he was a young man than when he grew older. As a youth, he studied in England and learned to revere English customs. But when he returned to India, he realized that the ways of his homeland were far more valuable than any foreign practices. He went from being a wealthy English gentleman to being a simple Indian man. And this transformation not only gained him the respect of millions of his peers but also garnered him a place in history.
Lincoln’s Transformation
Abraham Lincoln is another great example of a man who changed drastically when he passed from youth to maturity. Dale Carnegie writes a little about Lincoln’s transformation in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Lincoln used to be a very hotheaded young man. He often felt free to criticize whoever he wanted too because he was a journalist. However, this had repercussions for him in the long run. He was challenged to a duel because of a critical statement that he said about a lawyer. He fought the duel, escaped unharmed and decided to change his ways.
After that experience, Lincoln never criticized anyone ever again. Sometimes, if he really needed to vent his feelings, he would write down everything he thought pertaining to an individual in a letter. But he never sent the letter. And this technique of holding his tongue when he was tempted to say something critical served him well in the long run, as his illustrious career goes to show.
Your Potential Transformation
Can transformational leadership coaching lead to a similar change in you? You might be skeptical of this idea. However, keep in mind that not all leaders started with the same outlook in life. Most of them had epiphanies and changed for the better at some point or the other. It doesn’t matter whether that point comes to you earlier or later. You can be sixty-five years old and still become a leader in your field. Transformational leadership coaching can help you to understand your true goals and give you the means to work towards them.
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