From playground to boardrooms: How childhood and adolescence shape future leaders

Overcoming societal disparities to achieve an equal opportunity path to leadership is challenging, but organizations can take tangible steps to foster leadership potential across the socioeconomic spectrum. (Shutterstock)

The postal code where you were born and raised does more than facilitate mail delivery; it can also tells us about your odds of becoming a leader. Understanding this can help us understand the early roots of leadership and reshape how we approach talent acquisition, leadership development and corporate social responsibility.

To explain, consider two individuals: Jane and Mike. Jane had a more privileged upbringing, attending an elite private school, socializing at an upscale tennis club and going on luxury family vacations.