Can leadership be taught?

I got a very convincing answer to this skeptical question when I was listening to the HBR leadership Podcast. The host asked this question to Barbara Kellerman (who writes on leadership). The context was whether leadership programs can teach leadership.

The answer was: Good leadership can be taught but great leadership can’t be taught.

Such a simple but thought-provoking statement.

Programs and institutes can only do so much. You just can’t teach someone to be great at something. If you can teach someone to be “Good enough” at some skill that is just good enough!