4 Traits Motives and Characteristics of Leaders

8/6/2019 4 Traits Motives and Characteristics of Leaders

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Leadership: Research Findings, Practice and Skills

4th

Edition, Andrew J. DuBrinCopyright Houghton Mifflin Company


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Identify general and task-related traits thatcontribute to leadership effectiveness.Describe how emotional intelligence contributesto leadership effectiveness.Identify key motives that contribute to leadershipeffectiveness.

Describe cognitive factors associated withleadership effectiveness.


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Discuss the heredity versus environment issue inrelation to leadership effectiveness.Summarize the strengths and weaknesses of thetrait approach to leadership.


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The belief that certain personal characteristicsand skills contribute to leadership effectiveness inmany situations

Three categories:Personality traitsMotivesCognitive factors


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General Personality TraitsTraits observable both within and outside the contextof work

Task-Related Personality TraitsTraits closely associated with task accomplishment


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Improves ones performance in a variety of tasksLeaders project self-confidence to the groupRefers to a behavior and an interpersonal skill thata person exhibits in a number of situations

Cool under pressureKeeping calm during turmoil


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Part of humility is admitting that you:Do not know everythingCan not do everything

Admit your mistakesPut people in the limelight, not yourself Modest yet determined to accomplish objectives


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Walk the talk is showing consistency betweendeeds and words A persons confidence in anothers intentions andmotives and in the sincerity of their word


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Make behavior consistent with intentions When encountering a problem, move intoproblem-solving mode instead of looking to

blame othersHonor confidencesMaintain a high level of integrity

Tell the truthMake trust pay in terms of receiving rewards


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Helpful for leaders to be outgoing and gregariousin most situationsExtraverts are more likely to want to assume

leadership roles Analysis of studies shows extraversion to be mostconsistent personality factor related to:

Leadership effectivenessLeadership emergence


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Forthright in expressing demands, opinions,feelings and attitudesHelps leaders perform many tasks

Confronting group members about mistakesDemanding higher performanceSetting higher expectationsMaking legitimate demands on higher management


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Ability to control emotions to the point that onesemotional response is appropriate for the occasionEffective leaders are generally calm, confident andpredictable during a crisisEmotions associated with low emotional stability include:

Anxiety Depression

AngerEmbarrassment

Worry


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People tend to respond positively to enthusiasmPerceived as a reward for constructive behavior

Helps build good relationships with team

membersExpressed verbally (Great job!) and non -verbally (making a high five gesture)


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Adds to the approachability and peopleorientation of a leaderFunctions in the workplace to relieve tension,

boredom and defuse hostility Helps leaders exert power over the group


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Helps establish rapport with group membersProjection of warmth is a key component of charisma

Helps provide emotional support to groupmembersComes with the territory

Cold fish turn people off


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Dominant characteristic of effective leadersGoes beyond enthusiasmOften expresses itself as an obsession fro achieving

organizational goalCan be a major success factor in an organizationssurvival


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Ability to:Understand your own feelingsHave empathy for others

Regulate your emotions to enhance your quality of lifeGenerally has to do with the ability to connect

with people and understand their emotions


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Self-awareness Ability to understand your own emotions

Know strengths and limitationsHave high self-esteemMeasure own moods and understand how they effect others

Self-management Ability to control your emotions

Act with honesty and integrity Occasional bad moods do not ruin the day


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Social awarenessHaving empathy for others

Showing you careSize up political forces involved

Relationship managementInterpersonal skills

Communicate clearly and convincingly

Disarm conflictsBuild strong personal bonds


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Ability to adjust to different situationsLeaders must be flexible enough to cope withchange

Technological advancesDownsizingsOutsourcingShifting consumer baseChanging workforce


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Closely related to self-confidencePeople with ILC believe they are the prime moversbehind events

Role of a take charge personFacilitates self-confidence because of belief thatcircumstances can be controlled enough for goodperformance


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Need courage to:Face the challenges of taking prudent risksTake initiative in general

Comes form the heartLeaders must face responsibility and be willing toput their reputation on the line


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Leaders generally have a strong desire to influenceand control othersThis desire is evident in four needs or motives


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Three dominant characteristics Act with vigor and determination to exert their powerInvest much time in thinking about ways to alter the

behavior and thinking of othersCare about their personal standing with those aroundthem


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Personalized power motiveSeek power mostly to further their own interest

Socialized power motiveUse power primarily to achieve organizational goals or a

vision


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Achieve through their own effortsTake responsibility for success or failure

Take moderate risks that can be handled through

their own effortsReceive feedback on their own level of performance

Introduce novel, innovative, or creative solutionsPlan and set goals


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Firm belief in the dignity of work Value hard work

Helps the leader believe that the group task is

worthwhile


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Leaders must have problem-solving andintellectual skills to effectively gather, process, andstore essential information

Five cognitive factors related to leadershipeffectiveness have been identified


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Being very good at solving problemsLeaders need to understand how to:

Analyze organizational finances

Use advanced softwareManage inventory Deal with legal requirement and regulation


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Leaders have to be technically competent in somediscipline

Difficult to establish rapport with group when the

leader does not know what they are doingDifficult to establish rapport with group when thegroup does not respect the leaders technical skills


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Arrive at imaginative and original solutions tocomplex problemsCreativity lies on a continuum

Innovative products and servicesImaginative but not breakthrough solutions tobusiness problemsStandard solutions to organizational problems


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A depth of understanding that requiresconsiderable intuition and common sense

Insight into people and situations involving people

helps make the best use of group talentsInsight helps leaders perceive trends in theenvironment


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Farsightedness is the ability to understand thelong-range implications of actions and policies

Cannot be oblivious to short-range needs

Conceptual thinking is the ability to see theoverall perspective

Makes farsightedness possibleSystems thiking


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Positive orientation towards learningOpenness to experience leads to a well-developedintellectTraits include:

Being imaginativeCulturedCuriousOriginal

Broad mindedIntelligent

Artistically sensitive


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Are leaders born or are they made? BothIndividuals inherit a basic capacity to developpersonality traits and mental ability that sets an

outer limit on how extensively these traits can bedevelopedEnvironmental inf luences, in turn, determine howmuch of an individuals potential will bedeveloped


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StrengthsServes as a guide toleader selection

Can guide individualsin preparing forleadership

LimitationsDoes not identify

which characteristicsare absolutely neededDoes not specify howmuch of a trait orcharacteristic is neededCan breed an elitistconception of leadership


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The universal theory of leadership asserts thatcertain personality traits, leader motives, andcognitive factors contribute to leadership

effectivenessPersonality traits include both general traits andtask-related traitsLeaders can often be distinguished by their needsor motives


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Mental ability is important for leadership successTraits, motives, and characteristics required forleadership are a combination of heredity and

environmentTraits do appear to distinguish leaders fromnonleaders and effective leaders from less-effective leaders

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4 Traits Motives and Characteristics of Leaders