London: Like many other inherited traits, leadership can also be passed on through your genes, says new research.

The study, from the University College London, is the first to identify a specific DNA sequence linked with the tendency for individuals to occupy a leadership position.

Using a large twin sample, the team, which included researchers from Harvard, New York and California universities, estimate that a quarter of the observed variation in leadership behaviour between individuals can be explained by inherited genes, the journal Leadership Quarterly reports.

"We have identified a genotype, called rs4950, which appears to be associated with the passing of leadership ability down through generations," said lead author Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (California School of Public Policy), who led the study. 

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"The conventional wisdom - that leadership is a skill - remains largely true, but we show it is also, in part, a genetic trait."

To find the genotype, De Neve and his colleagues analysed data from two large-scale samples in the US, available through the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and the Framingham Heart Study, according to a Harvard statement.

They compared genetic samples of approximately 4,000 individuals with information about jobs and relationships, finding that in both surveys there was a significant association between rs4950 and leadership. 

Leadership behaviour was measured by determining whether or not individuals occupy supervisory roles in the workplace.

The team found that although acquiring a leadership position mostly depends on developing skills, inheriting the leadership trait can also play an important role.

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De Neve said: "As recent as last August, Professor John Antonakis, who is known for his work on leadership, posed the question: 'is there a specific leadership gene?'

"This study allows us to answer yes - to an extent."

"Although leadership should still be thought of predominantly as a skill to be developed, genetics - in particular the rs4950 genotype - can also play a significant role in predicting who is more likely to occupy leadership roles," added De Neve.