Leadership, like any other skill, can be developed but as with any other skill learned, you either have a natural affinity for it, or you don’t.

Personality, genetics, social and economic circumstances and resources available are but some of the building blocks on which to develop leadership skills but training can only enhance what should already be an inherent quality.

Your core values and characteristics also play a part in how much of a natural-born leader you are. But just because being a good leader may not come naturally to you; there is no reason why you could not still become a great leader!

Learning to become an effective leader is not as hard as one may think as there are very basic rules that you could follow to help you achieve leadership skills that will be efficient in any working environment.

Start off by being disciplined. Disciplined means working hard and being consistent regarding your own work ethic and will give you a good starting point in helping your co-workers to follow your lead. Get better at handling conflict by learning how to listen to your co-workers when problems arise and be proactive when finding solutions. Learn to be an effective and effective communicator.

Take on more responsibilities, keep track of what needs to be prioritized and never stop learning or taking on the challenges of learning new skill sets. Be confident and trust in your own capabilities.

Make use of positive reinforcement to inspire others and be aware of the different personality types around you. Figure out how to build on their strengths, while encouraging them to work on their weaknesses.

A good leader does not have to have all the answers but should know when to step aside and collaborate with key role players.