The Rat Race, Leaders, and Labor

There is a saying that great leaders are born and not made but I am not too sure. I would agree that some people are predisposed with certain characteristics and/or instinctive talents that improve their personal probability to successful leadership but it is not guaranteed. I compare this to muscle development (yes, I am a weight lifter). Some people are genetically more inclined to responding to weight training & thus develop muscle mass easier but it is not free. These "blessed" people still need to invest time in the gym lifting; it does not just magically happen. They may be more efficient at muscle development but they still have to lift to grow (as does everyone else). So back to leadership, it must be developed. I have begun my reading of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and in his first book he is focusing on specialized labor and it's benefit to society. Yet I have also read how specialization is more like a prison for "super-stars" and can grossly limit their ability to excel. Although in conflict, I see truth in both. Another saying is that a good leader can do extraordinary things with ordinary people (his/her team). With the hope of not sounding condescending, it is true that many people are not interested in improving beyond the masses and more interested in just getting through the day & it's routine. Good leaders need to effectively and efficiently leverage these people and specialization of labor is, IMHO, the least resistant path to doing this. Specialized labor has done spectacular things for society, bringing us well past the hunting & gathering era. Many benefits, abundances, and advancements have only been possible due to this direction. It is my, un-qualified, opinion that it is the creator of the middle class. This is where the ordinary masses reach their goal of living. This is the demographic I think of when the "Rat Race" complaint is raised. But what about the leaders that want more? How do you do go beyond that? This is the ultimate challenge I think. Excluding fluke events, and extreme situations, the majority of people wishing for more don't escape. Global thinkers must find the right combination of broad ideas and practical daily actions within the specialized labor division to break into the higher arena. Again excluding dumb luck, it is the aspiration of such people to find the right formula. Perhaps this not that much different than a LARGE complex software system where the best approach is to divide it into several smaller problems and systematically solve each one (yet not forgetting the integration requirement all of these smaller pieces mandate). Obviously I haven't solved this yet ... but I am working on it! :)