Are leaders born or made? That particular question remains unresolved in a recent article published in USA Today that interviewed 20 CEOs and other organization leaders to see if they had been spanked as children to determine whether corporal punishment was linked to later success. Astoundingly, most of the CEOs responded in the affirmative.
Of course, USA Today did its background work and found that this majority isn’t surprising based on the decade most CEOs today were raised, the 1950s – 60s, when spankings were viewed as a necessary form of punishment and used frequently. Although not much has changed--90 percent of parents today still spank their children and 55 percent agree that it is sometimes necessary.
But is this really a determining factor in career success? I think that the basic enforcement of discipline, whether corporal or verbal, is the key factor that should be analyzed. Discipline teaches patience, accountability, and responsibility. And when enforced properly it can be a source of encouragement to do better the next time and persevere--all the building blocks of a leader.
What early experiences and lessons do you think helped you pave the way to career success?
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