Can everyone be a leader?

Yes and no.

There are three reasons one can back this up with. These three reasons can be complemented or supplemented by other reasons and rationale but nevertheless stay at the core of the idea of leadership. Leading is a process that involves what can be called in a very plebeian way- "The Heart and Head Connection". Leadership requires a discrete set of skills that cannot be drafted into one commandment for all individuals. Expanding more on the Heart and Head Connection- Leadership in most of its definition and manifestation is a process of making decisions that drive a team forward. In order to accomplish this, a leader must have the information, knowledge and skills (head) to make efficient decisions and have a great rapport and relationship with the team to execute it. This doesn't necessarily have to be from a place where a leader makes all decisions and makes the team follow instructions but rather from a place where a leader takes into consideration the inputs, ideas and concerns of the entire team while arriving at a thought- through, efficient decision so that the entire team believes in the decision and executes it. This is the Head of Heart breakeven that defines leadership in a very generic yet globally applicable manner.

Now, the three important reasons that drive whether anyone can be a leader are:

1. Can this person establish a Head and Heart Breakeven?
2. Does this person hold all the necessary information, skills, knowledge and emotional intelligence to be a leader?
3. Despite all these, does this person consider oneself a leader or wants to be one?

After all, everyone doesn't have to want to be leaders.