Question

Which of the following leaders is exhibiting traits identified by Stodgill in his study of leader traits and skills

Answer 1

TRAIT THEORIES

• Trait theories of leadership identify the specific personality traits that distinguish leaders from non leaders.
• They are based on the premise that leaders are born, not made( i.e, that leadership is largely innte, rather than being developed through learning)
• Early research ( Mann, 1959; stogdill, 1948) focused on the relationship between personality and leadership, but reported little supporting evidence.
• Nevertheless, research interest in this area continues, with judge and bono (2004) reporting that 12% of all leadership research published between 1990 and 2004 included the keywords 'personality' and 'leadership'
• In order to review the evidence of a substantive relationship between personality and leadership, a meta analysis was conducted by lord, de vader and alliger (1986).
• This included the studies originally reviewd by mann(1959) and subsequently published studies.
• One of the major criticisms of trait theory is its simplistic approach; that it fails to take account of other factors that will influence the development of a successful leader.
• The trait approach has not only been applied to identifying good leaders, but also leaders who deraiil.
• Hogan and Hogan(2001) argued that failed leadership is linked to over-played personality characteristics, which thus become dysfunctional:

1. SCHIZOID: emotional coldness, detachment, indifference
2. PASSIVE- AGGRESSIVE: indifferent to normal occupational performance, irritated when told to do something dont want to
3. NARCISSISTIC: arrogant and haughty, grandiose sense of self importance