Leadership Traits Essay example - 694 Words

Leadership Traits As a growing debate, the question at hand is whether great leaders are born with specific leadership traits, or if one can be taught certain traits over time. According to (Wikipedia.com) the approach of listing leadership qualities, often termed trait theory of leadership, assumes certain traits or characteristics will tend to lead to effective leadership. I believe that leadership traits such as honest, competent, initiative, inspiring, hardworking, intelligent, and the ability to lead the masses, are some of the leadership traits one should possess. Within this paper, I will examine the overall concept of leadership traits, while observing the traits that were, or can be associated with successful leaders.†¦show more content†¦Leadership is an action not a position. With the proper personality, a leader can accomplish many things like knowledge of the organization. Being able to handle all type of situations shows great leadership traits. According to (Hughes, Ginnett, an d Curphy) the adjustment dimension of the Five Factor Model of Personality â€Å"is concerned with how people react to stress, failure, or personal criticism† and it is important for leaders to develop their response to this dimension. Leader trait research examined the physical, mental, and social characteristics of individuals. In general, these studies simply looked for significant associations between individual traits and measures of leadership effectiveness. Physical traits such as height, mental traits such as intelligence, and social traits such as personality attributes were all subjects of empirical research. (LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND STUDIES) When reflecting throughout America’s history, two people in particular exemplified the essence of true leadership traits, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. While others displayed a vast variety of traits, Martin Luther King Jr. as well as Nelson Mandela displayed traits of leadership that stood the test of time, and while today, their traits still influence, as well as affect people in today’s society. Throughout his time as political activist, as well as South Africa’s first African President, Nelson Mandela’sShow MoreRelatedLeadership Traits3611 Words   |  15 PagesCharacter and Traits in Leadership Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing. — Warren Bennis, Ph.D.  On Becoming a Leader Building Excellence Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence. Excellence is â€Å"being all you can be† within the bounds of doing what is right for your organization. To reach excellence you must first be a leader of good character. You must do everything you are supposed to do. Organizations will not achieve excellenceRead MoreTrait Theory Of Leadership And Leadership1405 Words   |  6 Pages Trait Theory of Leadership Cassie Hale Arkansas State University Trait Theory of Leadership Introduction The topic of leadership is historically one of the most widely researched when it comes to explorations of organizational behavior. The success of any institution or organization is pegged on the quality of its leadership because it is the determining factor on the pattern and speed at which it achieves its growth goals. Leaders are responsible for steering an organization towardRead MoreThe Trait Theory Of Leadership1503 Words   |  7 PagesTrait Theory of Leadership Introduction The topic of leadership is historically one of the most widely researched when it comes to explorations of organizational behavior. The success of any institution or organization is pegged on the quality of its leadership because it is the determining factor on the pattern and speed at which it achieves its growth goals. Leaders are responsible for steering an organization toward its goal by mobilizing resources (both human and material) and maximizing theirRead MoreThe Trait Theory Of Leadership1143 Words   |  5 PagesThe trait approach (Theory of Leadership) is the view that people are born with the traits of leadership and that these traits are inherited. This means that leadership theory has evolved from an emphasis on traits and behavioral styles (Germain, 2012). According to Northouse (2013) trait approach does not actually provide a definitive set of traits, but rather it provides direction regarding which traits are good to have if one aspires to a leadership position. Thi s means that leadership traits areRead MoreThe Trait Theory Of Leadership1739 Words   |  7 PagesThe trait theory of leadership supports the claim that some people are endowed with certain characteristics that make them more capable of being a good leader than others (Zaccaro, 2007). Trait theory can be defined as the range of qualities that can consistently differentiate a non-leader from someone who is an effective leader (Zaccaro, 2007). The difference between someone who is a great leader and someone who is a good leader is the possession of certain qualities that help establish strong leadershipRead MoreThe Trait Theory Of Leadership1766 Words   |  8 PagesTrait Theory Review Leadership seems to be a concept that is just out of grasp. Simple in theory, yet difficult to define. According to Northouse (2015), inaugural definitions of leadership â€Å"emphasized control and centralization of power with a common theme of dominance†. Beginning views of leadership also postulated that leadership traits were not only inborn, but were also inherited- particularly by the upper classes. Soon after this trend of rationale, trait theory emerged and became the primaryRead MoreLeadership Is A Difficult Trait Essay888 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership is a difficult trait to acquire. Some are natural born leaders, who are charismatic and are easy going. While others have to work towards gaining these attributes. Leadership in its finest can be seen in the military. You would have to be one spectacular leader to convince people to follow you into a gunfight and potentially death. What I find admirable is that most leaders in the military have been in my shoes, and some are right beside me trying to accomplish the same task. Nothing makesRead MoreLeadership Traits Of A Leader2040 Words   |  9 Pages â€Æ' Confidence is integral trait of leader. A person who has problem solving skills, domain knowledge and other necessary qualities of a leader cannot lead an organization if he/she doesn’t believe in himself/herself abilities. Confidence within a leader portrays authority to his/her followers. In majority of the situations followers are likely to listen and respect to an authoritative figure. Self-confidence will allow the leader to make critical decisions in tense situations and convey his vision/idealsRead MoreLeadership Style And Personality Traits1252 Words   |  6 PagesLeadership is defined as having the ability to allow others to follow willingly. In the clinical and organization decision-making process, the nursing leadership role can be described as challenging including life changing decisions for patients and team members in an interdisciplinary care setting. Furthermore, leaders should have a vision of what success should be like and how to accomplish the task at h and. Leaders should be able to communicate, perform, create and innovate to allow the visionRead MoreLeadership Skills, Traits And Behaviors1667 Words   |  7 Pages Leadership Skill, Traits and Behaviors Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Date: 26th February, 2015. I have selected the option 1 that is to interview the business leader or any professional. I found it a great opportunity to have an interview with my most favorite leader of Ford Motors. As I want to peruse my career in running my own car manufacturing company. This interview helped me a lot to grasp the clear understanding of the leadership styles and skills which a leader really needs