ADM 612 - LeadershipADM 612 - Leadership
Lecture 2 – Trait Theory
DescriptionDescription
• Trait approach one of the first attempts to systematically study leadership.
– Great Man Theory
• Major review by Stodgill in 1948: No consistent set of traits differentiated leaders from non-leaders across a variety of situations.
• Trait approach one of the first attempts to systematically study leadership.
– Great Man Theory
• Major review by Stodgill in 1948: No consistent set of traits differentiated leaders from non-leaders across a variety of situations.
DescriptionDescription
• More modern research: personality traits linked to individual’s perception of leadership.
• More modern research: personality traits linked to individual’s perception of leadership.
Table 2.1 Studies of Leadership Traits and CharacteristicsStodgill Mann Stodgill Lord, DeVader, &
AlligerKirkpatrick and
Locke
(1948) (1959) (1974) (1986) (1991)
Intelligence
Alertness
Insight
Responsibility
Initiative
Persistence
Self-confidence
Sociability
Intelligence
Masculinity
Adjustment
Dominance
Extroversion
Conservatism
Achievement
Persistence
Insight
Initiative
Self-confidence
Responsibility
Cooperativeness
Tolerance
Influence
Sociability
Intelligence
Masculinity
Dominance
Drive
Motivation
Integrity
Confidence
Cognitive ability
Task knowledge
Major Leadership Traits: SummaryMajor Leadership Traits: Summary
• Intelligence.– Intelligence or intellectual ability is
positively related to leadership.– Leader’s intelligence should not vary
much from subordinates.
• Intelligence.– Intelligence or intellectual ability is
positively related to leadership.– Leader’s intelligence should not vary
much from subordinates.
Major Leadership Traits: SummaryMajor Leadership Traits: Summary
• Self-confidence.– Self-confidence is the ability to be certain
about one’s competencies and skills.– A sense of self-esteem and self-
assurance and the belief that one can make a difference.
• Self-confidence.– Self-confidence is the ability to be certain
about one’s competencies and skills.– A sense of self-esteem and self-
assurance and the belief that one can make a difference.
Major Leadership Traits: SummaryMajor Leadership Traits: Summary
• Determination.– Determination refers to the desire to get the job
done and includes such characteristics as initiative, persistence, dominance, and drive.
– Individuals with determination are willing to assert themselves, they are proactive, and they have the capacity to persevere in the face of obstacles.
• Determination.– Determination refers to the desire to get the job
done and includes such characteristics as initiative, persistence, dominance, and drive.
– Individuals with determination are willing to assert themselves, they are proactive, and they have the capacity to persevere in the face of obstacles.
Major Leadership Traits: SummaryMajor Leadership Traits: Summary
• Integrity.– The quality of honesty and
trustworthiness.– Individuals who adhere to a strong set of
principles and take responsibility for their actions are exhibiting integrity.
• Integrity.– The quality of honesty and
trustworthiness.– Individuals who adhere to a strong set of
principles and take responsibility for their actions are exhibiting integrity.
Major Leadership Traits: SummaryMajor Leadership Traits: Summary
• Sociability.– A leader’s inclination to seek out pleasant social
relationships.– Leaders who show sociability are friendly, outgoing,
courteous, tactful, and diplomatic.– Sensitive to other’s needs.– Good interpersonal skills, create cooperative relationships
with followers.
• Not universal, but important.
• Sociability.– A leader’s inclination to seek out pleasant social
relationships.– Leaders who show sociability are friendly, outgoing,
courteous, tactful, and diplomatic.– Sensitive to other’s needs.– Good interpersonal skills, create cooperative relationships
with followers.
• Not universal, but important.
How Does the Trait Approach Work?How Does the Trait Approach Work?
• Trait approach focuses exclusively on the leader and not the situation or followers.
• Trait approach assumes that having a leader with a certain set of traits is crucial to effective leadership.
• Trait approach focuses exclusively on the leader and not the situation or followers.
• Trait approach assumes that having a leader with a certain set of traits is crucial to effective leadership.
How Does the Trait Approach Work?How Does the Trait Approach Work?
• Organizations will work better if the people in managerial positions have designated leadership profiles.
• Also used for personal awareness and development.
• Organizations will work better if the people in managerial positions have designated leadership profiles.
• Also used for personal awareness and development.
StrengthsStrengths
• Intuitively appealing.• A century of research to back it up.• Highlights the leader component of the
leadership process.• Provides benchmarks of what we need
to look for.
• Intuitively appealing.• A century of research to back it up.• Highlights the leader component of the
leadership process.• Provides benchmarks of what we need
to look for.
CriticismsCriticisms
• Failure to produce a definitive list.
• Fails to take situations into account.
• Highly subjective determinations of “most important leadership traits.” Methodologically suspect.
• Failure to produce a definitive list.
• Fails to take situations into account.
• Highly subjective determinations of “most important leadership traits.” Methodologically suspect.
CriticismsCriticisms
• Fails to link traits to leadership outcomes.
• Not very useful for training and development.
• Fails to link traits to leadership outcomes.
• Not very useful for training and development.
ApplicationApplication
• Can be applied to all individuals at all levels and all types of organizations.
• Can be used by managers to assess standing in organization and what they need to do to strengthen their position.
• Check congruence of personal characteristics and organizational needs.
• Can be applied to all individuals at all levels and all types of organizations.
• Can be used by managers to assess standing in organization and what they need to do to strengthen their position.
• Check congruence of personal characteristics and organizational needs.