Epigenetic Inheritance and Leadership: Are We Born to Lead, or Shaped to Lead?

I definitely spend too much time following one of my heroes — the physicist Brian Cox. He recently shared a short video about epigenetic inheritance, which, of course, I adored. It made me wonder: Is there an echo of who our ancestors were in the way we lead today? Could tomorrow’s leaders already be shaped — not just by what we teach them, but by how we live, adapt, and care for each other now?

Let’s be clear: there’s no direct scientific proof connecting leadership to epigenetic inheritance. But the concept invites a reflection on how environment, stress, and experience influence who we become as leaders — and what kind of cultures we create.

What Is Epigenetic Inheritance?

Epigenetic inheritance refers to changes in how our genes are expressed — not changes to the DNA itself — that can be passed from one generation to the next. Life experiences like stress, nutrition, trauma, or even social connection can “tag” our DNA with chemical markers that influence how genes behave.

In other words, our grandparents’ experiences may subtly shape how we handle challenge and change.

Where Does It Potentially Connect to Leadership?

Leadership isn’t written in our DNA, but biology does influence how we respond, especially under pressure. That intersection raises some possibilities:

Resilience under stress: Chronic stress can change how future generations regulate stress. If resilience has a biological echo, how we lead through pressure today could leave lasting imprints.

Empathy and connection: Nurturing environments build emotional regulation. Workplaces that foster safety and empathy might literally help rewire healthier, more human leadership behaviours.

Healing organizational “inheritance”: Teams and organizations carry their own histories — burnout, distrust, rigid hierarchies. Conscious, compassionate leadership can start rewriting that code.

Biology Is Not Destiny — But It’s a Reminder

Epigenetics reminds us that while we can’t rewrite our DNA, we can influence how it’s expressed. The same is true of leadership.

We can’t control every challenge, but we can shape environments that build resilience, empathy, and adaptability — qualities that echo far beyond our own tenure.

So perhaps leadership isn’t just about what we achieve, but about what we show up — through every choice, every action, every conversation, and every culture we create.

Thank you, Brian Cox, for sparking a thought that connects physics, biology, and leadership — and for reminding us that everything is, in the end, connected.

If you want to explore further – I recommend:  

– Harvard Business Review (2023). Resilient Leadership in Times of Uncertainty.

– Cox, B. (2025). Epigenetic Inheritance and the Future of Human Potential [Video]. BBC / Instagram.