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.