Chpt 2 Trait[1]

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Chapter 2 -Trait ApproachChapter 2 -Trait Approach

© 2003 Jan KriegerSAGESAGE Publications Publications

Trait ApproachTrait ApproachTrait ApproachTrait Approach

LeadershipLeadershipTheory and Practice, Theory and Practice, 3/e3/ePeter G. Northouse, Ph.D.Peter G. Northouse, Ph.D.

William Kritsonis, PhDWilliam Kritsonis, PhDPresenterPresenter

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OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview

• Great Person Theories

• Historical Shifts in Trait Perspective

• What Traits Differentiate Leaders

From Nonleaders?

• How Does the Trait Approach Work?

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Great Person TheoriesGreat Person TheoriesGreat Person TheoriesGreat Person Theories

• ““Great Man” Great Man” Theories (early Theories (early 1900s)1900s)– Focused on identifying

intrinsic qualities and characteristics possessed by great social, political, & military leaders

Trait ApproachTrait Approach: one of the first systematic: one of the first systematicattempts to study leadershipattempts to study leadership

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Great ManTheories

Early 1900sEarly 1900s

•Research focusedResearch focused on individualon individual characteristicscharacteristics that universally that universally differentiateddifferentiated leadersleaders from nonleadersfrom nonleaders

Traits InteractingTraits Interacting With Situational With Situational

Demands on LeadersDemands on Leaders

1930-50s1930-50s

• Landmark Stogdill (1948)Landmark Stogdill (1948) study - analyzed and study - analyzed and synthesized 124 trait studiessynthesized 124 trait studies - Leadership- Leadership reconceptualizedreconceptualized as a relationship betweenas a relationship between people in a social situationpeople in a social situation

• Mann (1959) reviewed 1,400 Mann (1959) reviewed 1,400 findings of personality andfindings of personality and leadership in small groupsleadership in small groups - Less emphasis on situations- Less emphasis on situations - Suggested personality traits- Suggested personality traits could be used to discriminatecould be used to discriminate leaders from nonleadersleaders from nonleaders

Revival of Critical Role of Revival of Critical Role of Traits in LeaderTraits in Leader

EffectivenessEffectiveness

• Stogdill (1974)Stogdill (1974) - Analyzed 163 new studies- Analyzed 163 new studies with 1948 study findingswith 1948 study findings - Validated original study- Validated original study - 10 characteristics - 10 characteristics positively identified with positively identified with leadershipleadership

• Lord, DeVader, &Lord, DeVader, & Alliger (1986) meta-analysisAlliger (1986) meta-analysis - Personality traits can be- Personality traits can be used to differentiateused to differentiate leaders/nonleadersleaders/nonleaders

• Kirkpatrick & Locke (1991)Kirkpatrick & Locke (1991) - 6 traits make up the - 6 traits make up the “ “Right Stuff” for leadersRight Stuff” for leaders

Historical Shifts in Trait PerspectiveHistorical Shifts in Trait PerspectiveHistorical Shifts in Trait PerspectiveHistorical Shifts in Trait Perspective1970’s - Early 90s1970’s - Early 90s

Innate QualitiesInnate Qualities

SituationsSituationsPersonality / BehaviorsPersonality / Behaviors

TodayToday

• IntelligenceIntelligence• Self-ConfidenceSelf-Confidence• DeterminationDetermination• IntegrityIntegrity• SociabilitySociability

6 MajorLeadership

Traits

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Leadership TraitsLeadership TraitsLeadership TraitsLeadership Traits

Studies of Leadership Traits and CharacteristicsStudies of Leadership Traits and Characteristics

StogdillStogdill(1948)(1948)

MannMann(1959)(1959)

StogdillStogdill(1974)(1974)

Lord, Lord, DeVader, & DeVader, &

AlligerAlliger(1986)(1986)

Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick & LockeLocke(1991)(1991)

Intelligence IntelligenceIntelligence Intelligence Achievement Achievement Intelligence Intelligence DriveDrive

AlertnessAlertnessInsightInsightResponsibilityResponsibilityInitiativeInitiativePersistencePersistenceSelf-ConfidenceSelf-ConfidenceSociabilitySociability

MasculinityMasculinityAdjustmentAdjustmentDominanceDominanceExtroversionExtroversionConservatismConservatism

PersistencePersistenceInsightInsightInitiativeInitiativeSelf-ConfidenceSelf-ConfidenceResponsibilityResponsibilityCooperativenessCooperativenessToleranceToleranceInfluenceInfluenceSociabilitySociability

MasculinityMasculinityDominanceDominance

MotivationMotivationIntegrityIntegrityConfidenceConfidenceCognitive AbilityCognitive AbilityTask KnowledgeTask Knowledge

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Major Leadership TraitsMajor Leadership TraitsMajor Leadership TraitsMajor Leadership Traits• IntelligenceIntelligence - Intellectual ability

including verbal, perceptual, and reasoning capabilities

• Self-ConfidenceSelf-Confidence - Ability to be certain about one’s competencies and skills

• DeterminationDetermination - The desire to get the job done (i.e., initiative, persistence, dominance, drive)

• IntegrityIntegrity - The quality of honesty and trustworthiness

• SociabilitySociability - Leader’s inclination to seek out pleasant social relationships

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How Does the How Does the Trait Approach Trait Approach

Work?Work?

How Does the How Does the Trait Approach Trait Approach

Work?Work?• Focus of Trait Approach

• Strengths

• Criticisms

• Application

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Focus of Trait ApproachFocus of Trait ApproachFocus of Trait ApproachFocus of Trait Approach

• Focuses exclusively on leader– What traits leaders

exhibit

– Who has these traits

• Organizations use personality assessments to find “Right” people– AssumptionAssumption - will increase

organizational effectiveness

– Specify characteristics/traits for specific positions

• Personality assessment measures for “fit”

LeaderLeaderLeaderLeader PersonalitPersonalityy

AssessmeAssessmentsnts

PersonalitPersonalityy

AssessmeAssessmentsnts

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StrengthsStrengthsStrengthsStrengths

• Intuitively appealingappealing– Perception that leaders are

different in that they possess special traits

– People “need” to view leaders as gifted

• CredibilityCredibility due to a century of research support

• Highlights leadership leadership componentcomponent in the leadership process– Deeper level understanding

of how leader/personality related to leadership process

• Provides benchmarks benchmarks for what to look for in a leader

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CriticismsCriticismsCriticismsCriticisms• Fails to delimitdelimit a

definitive list of leadership traits– Endless lists have

emerged

• Doesn’t take into account situational situational effectseffects– Leaders in one situation

may not be leaders in another situation

• List of most important leadership traits is highly subjectivehighly subjective– Much subjective experience & observations

serve as basis for identified leadership traits

• Research fails to look at traits in relationship to leadership outcomesoutcomes

• Not useful for training & training & developmentdevelopment

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ApplicationApplicationApplicationApplication• Provides direction as to which traits are good to

have if one aspires to a leadership position

• Through various tests and questionnaires, individuals can determine whether they have the select leadership traits and can pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses

• Can be used by managers to assess where they stand within their organization and what is needed to strengthen their position

Leadership TraitsLeadership Traits• IntelligenceIntelligence• Self-ConfidenceSelf-Confidence• DeterminationDetermination• IntegrityIntegrity• SociabilitySociability

Chpt 2 Trait[1]

Education

Transcript of Chpt 2 Trait[1]