LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Trait Approach
Chapter 2
of Leadership: Theory and Practice
8th edition
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
What is a trait?
Traits
Characteristics of an individual that reflect
cognitive, emotional, or behavioral tendencies
Trait Approach to Leadership
Some traits are generally associated with
people perceived to be leaders.
• However, no single trait is found among all leaders.
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Major Leadership Traits
Traits to possess or cultivate if one seeks to
be perceived by others as a leader:
Intelligence – Verbal, perceptual, and
reasoning capabilities. Ex. Elon Musk
Also an important factor in effective leadership
Self-Confidence – Certainty about one’s
competencies and skills. Ex. Steve Jobs
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Major Leadership Traits
Determination – Desire to get the job done
(i.e., initiative, persistence, drive). Ex. Bill Gates
Integrity – The quality of honesty and
trustworthiness. Ex. Billy Graham
Sociability – Leader’s inclination to seek out
pleasant social relationships. Ex. Jon Wallace,
President of APU.
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
5-Factor Personality Model & Leadership
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
5-Factor Personality Model & Leadership
Research indicates that there is a strong relationship
between the Big 5 personality traits and leadership
(perceived and effective)
High Extraversion – factor most strongly associated
with leadership
High Conscientiousness – 2nd most important factor
High Openness – next most related
Low Neuroticism
High Agreeableness – only weakly related to
leadership, but useful in interviews.
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Emotional Intelligence & Leadership
Definition Underlying Premise
The Ability to: People who are
– Perceive and manage more able to
emotions in oneself and in manage their own
others and others’
emotions will be
more effective
leaders
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Focus of Trait Approach
Personality
Leader
Assessments
Focuses exclusively Organizations use personality
on the leader assessments to find the “right”
What traits do people
leaders exhibit? Assumptions:
• People with certain traits will
Who has these
increase organizational
traits? effectiveness
• Specify characteristics/traits are
necessary for specific positions
Personality assessment
measures for “fit”
Instruments: LTQ, Myers Briggs
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Strengths of the Trait Approach
Intuitively appeals to Highlights the role of the
followers leader in the leadership
Perception that process
leaders are worthy of Provides benchmarks for
following because of
what to look for when
their traits
People “need” to view choosing a leader
leaders as gifted
Is credible due to a
century of research
support
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
Criticism of the Trait Approach
No definitive list of Many lists of essential
leadership traits leadership traits are highly
Many lists have subjective
emerged
Research often fails to
Doesn’t take into look at traits in
account situational relationship to leadership
effects outcomes
Leaders in one situation It is always difficult to
may not be leaders in measure a trait in an
another situation individual
Limited usefulness for
training & development
LEADERSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE EIGHTH EDITION
The Importance of Traits from a Biblical
Perspective
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness
and to goodness, knowledge
and to knowledge, self-control
and to self-control, perseverance
and to perseverance, godliness
and to godliness, brotherly kindness
and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing
measure, they will keep you from being
ineffective and unproductive. 2 Peter 1:5-8
