Lesson 2: Trait Approach

Question 1

(T/F) In application, the trait approach can help individual pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Describe 3 strengths of the trait approach.

Answer 2

1. Emphasizes the leader in the leadership process.
2. A century of research backs it up.
3. It is intuitively appealing.

Question 3

Emotional intelligence has to do with two different domains and interplay between them. The two domains are

Answer 3

Affective and cognitive.

Question 4

(T/F) A major strength of the trait approach is that it is quite useful for training.

Answer 4

False

Question 5

Traits associated with effective leadership.

Answer 5

Intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, sociability.

Question 6

(T/F) The Big Five & Leadership meta-analysis found that the factor most strongly associated with leadership was conscientiousness.

Answer 6

False. Extraversion was the factor most strongly associated with leadership. Order: Extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, low neuroticism, agreeableness.

Question 7

(T/F) The trait approach has a century of research to back it up.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

(T/F) Whereas the skills approach emphasizes the personality characteristics of the leader, the trait approach emphasizes the behavior of the leader.

Answer 8

False

Question 9

Trait research…

Answer 9

shows that successful leaders tend to have certain identified traits.

Question 10

Mary has managed the mailroom for two years. Management views Mary as a person with special leadership talents, such as intelligence, sociability, and determination. Manage is using which of the following approaches?

Answer 10

Trait approach.

Question 11

In a major review in 1948, Stogdill suggested that

Answer 11

no consistent set of traits differentiated leaders from non-leaders.

Question 12

Social intelligence includes

Answer 12

appropriate public behavior, self-monitoring, social awareness, social acumen, and the ability to select and enact the best response given the contingencies of the situation and social environment.

Question 13

(T/F) The trait approach determines the most important traits a highly objective way.

Answer 13

False

Question 14

(T/F) In his early studies, Stogdill found that leaders in one situation would almost always be leaders in another situation.

Answer 14

False

Question 15

(T/F) The “great person” approach stresses that leaders’ traits are learned.

Answer 15

False

Question 16

(T/F) The “great person” approach focuses on important political leaders.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

(T/F) The trait approach focuses primarily on the leader, not on the followers or the situation.

Answer 17

True

Question 18

(T/F) The trait approach failed to identify a definitive set of specific leadership traits.

Answer 18

True

Question 19

The trait approach emphasizes…

Answer 19

Leader personality. No set of hypotheses or emphasis on behavior.

Question 20

Researchers agree that leadership

Answer 20

is influenced by the situation.

Question 21

Charismatic leaders consistently possess traits of

Answer 21

self-monitoring, engagement in impression management, motivation to attain social power, and motivation to attain self-actualization.

Question 22

(T/F) Based on results from later studies, Stogdill argued that personality and situational factors were both determinants of leadership.

Answer 22

True

Question 23

Emotional intelligence includes our ability to perceive and

Answer 23

to use emotions to facilitate thinking, to manage emotions within oneself, to reason/understand emotions, and to express emotions.

Question 24

The trait approach is appealing because

Answer 24

people have a need to see their leaders as gifted people, and it has been in existence for over 100 years.

Question 25

(T/F) The trait approach emphasizes that leaders resides within the individual.

Answer 25

True

Question 26

(T/F) Some studies have suggested that masculinity is a leadership trait.

Answer 26

True

Question 27

According to the trait approach, leaders should

Answer 27

have integrity, determination, intelligence, self-confidence, and sociability.