Understanding the Trait Theory of Leadership

Understanding the Trait Theory of Leadership Theories Print Understanding the Trait Theory of Leadership Can certain traits predict your leadership success? By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on May 25, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on November 20, 2019 Illustration by Cindy Chung, Verywell More in Theories Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology The trait theory of leadership focuses on identifying different personality traits and characteristics that are linked to successful leadership across a variety of situations. This line of research emerged as one of the earliest types of investigations into the nature of effective leadership and is tied to the great man theory of leadership first proposed by Thomas Carlyle in the mid-1800s.?? Rationale According to Carlyle, history is shaped by extraordinary leaders. This ability to lead is something that people are simply born with, Carlyle believed, and not something that could be developed. Carlyles ideas inspired early research on leadership, which almost entirely focused on inheritable traits. Carlyles theory of leadership was based on the rationale that:Certain traits produce certain patterns of behavior.Patterns are consistent across different situations.People are born with leadership traits. Even today, books, and articles tout the various characteristics necessary to become a great leader, suggesting that leadership is somehow predestined in some (or is at least more likely) while unlikely, if not impossible, in others.?? Since the publication of Carlyles thesis, other psychologists have examined argued the trait-based theory of leadership. From the 1940s to the 1970s, psychologist Ralph Melvin Stogdill suggested that leadership is the result of the interaction between the individual and the social situation and not merely the result of a predefined set of traits.?? Soon after in the 1980s, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner posited that credibility was a key indicator of leadership skills, characterized by  such traits as being honest, forward-looking, inspiring, and competent.?? The 8 Major Theories of Leadership Leadership Traits While the list of leadership traits can vary by whoever is drawing up the list, a recent study from Spain outlined behavioral traits that separated lower-level supervisors from higher-level supervisors.?? According to the researchers, the traits most commonly associated with great leadership include: Intelligence and action-oriented judgment:  Great leaders and smart and make choices that move the group forward.Eagerness to accept responsibility:  Strong leaders take on responsibility and dont pass the blame on to others. They stand by their success and take ownership of their mistakes.Task competence:  A great leader is skilled and capable. Members of the group are able to look to the leader for an example of how things should be done.Understanding their followers and their needs:  Effective leaders pay attention to group members and genuinely care about helping them succeed. They want each person in the group to succeed and play a role in moving the entire group forward.People skills:  Excellent interpersonal skills are essential for leading effectively. Great leaders know how to interact well with other leaders as well as with team members.A need for achievement:  Strong leaders have a need to succeed and help the group achieve their goals. They genuinely care about the succes s of the group and are committed to helping the group reach these milestones.Capacity to motivate people:  A great leader knows how to inspire others and motivate them to do their best.Courage and resolution:  The best leaders are brave and committed to the goals of the group. They do not hide from challenges.Perseverance:  Strong leaders stick with it, even when things get difficult or the group faces significant obstacles.Trustworthiness:  Group members need to be able to depend upon and trust the person leading them.Decisiveness:  A great leader is capable of making a decision and is confident in his or her choices.Self-confidence:  Many of the best leaders are extremely self-assured. Because they are confident in themselves, followers often begin to share this self-belief.Assertiveness:  A great leader is able to be direct and assertive without coming off as overly pushy or aggressive.Adaptability and flexibility:  Effective leaders dont get stuck in a rut. They are able to thin k outside of the box and adapt quickly to changing situations.Emotional stability:  In addition to being dependable overall, strong leaders are able to control their emotions and avoid overreactions.Creativity:  Perhaps most importantly, great leaders not only possess their own creativity, but they are also able to foster creativity among members of the group.?? Controversy Early studies on leadership focused on the differences between leaders and followers with the assumption that people in leadership positions would display more leadership traits  than those in subordinate positions. What researchers found, however, was that there were relatively few traits that could be used to distinguish between leaders and followers. For example, leaders tend to be great communicators??. Leaders also tend to be higher in traits such as extroversion, self-confidence, and height, but these differences tended to be small. There are obvious flaws in the trait-based theory. While proponents suggest that certain traits are characteristic of strong leaders, those who possess the traits dont always become leaders. Some have suggested that this may due to situational variables in which leadership skills only emerge when an opportunity for leadership arises (such as in war, during a political crisis, or in the absence of leadership).?? Meanwhile, others have taken a contingency approach to leadership in which certain traits can be more effective in some situations and less so in others. Opinions vary on what those traits are and to what degree they can predict success, if at all. Leadership in the Internet Age More controversial yet is the contention that some people dont have the traits to become leaders.?? Such a belief inherently overlooks social and economic inequities that limit, if not entirely erase, a persons potential to lead. It also overlooks the changing economy and how leadership is defined when connections are today made both online and offline. As outlets for leadership continue to change (such as with social media and e-commerce), the traits needed to succeed are different simply because there are fewer intermediaries. Within this realm, the ability to influence is arguably more important than the ability to lead. A Word From Verywell While these traits are often linked to effective leadership, it is important to note that few leaders possess all of these traits. Generally, a strong leader will have many of these qualities. But aspects of the situation also play an important role in determining if people are able to lead well. In many cases, it is the interaction between these traits and the  situation that determines leadership quality. How Effective Is Democratic Leadership?