Leadership talent was simply determined by a relatively small set of observable skills, such as physical strength, speed, dexterity, and courage. And while integrity mattered as much as today, it was far harder to fake.
Now leadership potential encompasses a wide range of non-observable intellectual skills, such as curiosity, empathy, emotional intelligence, and learning ability. Since selecting the right leaders is a fundamental requirement for creating better teams, organizations, and societies, one would hope that we can be open-minded enough to experiment in this area, not least in light of our dismal record for selecting and electing leaders.
