Can anyone become a leader, and more importantly, should they?

In his new book, A Leader’s Destiny: Why Psychology, Personality and Character Make All the Difference, Elias Aboujaoude, MD, MA, director of the Program on Internet, Health and Society at Cedars-Sinai, argues that leadership cannot be taught but is rather born from a mix of innate talents, personality traits, situational factors and other forces of fate. The psychiatrist claims the lucrative “leadership industrial complex” of executive coaches, consultants and certificate programs ignores basic psychology to offer empty promises that almost anyone can learn to be a leader if they just take the right course or buy the right book. This approach, he warns, encourages narcissists who are driven to rise for all the wrong reasons.

Aboujaoude draws from his practice and current events to illustrate the consequences of a culture that prioritizes job titles over job satisfaction and personal fulfillment. Ultimately, A Leader’s Destiny encourages readers to engage in self-reflection and forge a rewarding career path that aligns with their talents, interests, personality and circumstances.

After all, the world cannot function with leaders alone, he cautions.