Week 2 - Trait Approach

Question 1

What were the Great Man Theories?

Answer 1

the first systematic attempt to study leadership which proposed that great leaders are born, not made — possessing innate qualities that distinguish them from others.

Question 2

What are the criticisms of the early 19th/20th Century theories similar to the great man theory?

Answer 2

The main criticism was the inability to identify a consistent set of traits that separates leaders from non-leaders.

Question 3

How have studies on the traits and characteristics of leaders evolved

Answer 3

Question 4

According to Yukl(2013) and Northouse(2019) what are the key traits a leader should have? (7)

Answer 4

• High energy levels and stress tolerance
• Moderately high self-confidence
• Internal locus of control
• Integrity
• Sociability
• Emotional stability and maturity
• Power motivation (socialised as opposed to personalised)

Question 5

What did Northouse(2021) say about leaders being intelligent? (Positive) (3)

Answer 5

• Leaders tend to have a somewhat higher IQ than non-leaders
• Strong verbal, perceptual, and reasoning abilities appear to make better leaders.
• Optimal deviation in IQ is a little more than one standard deviation from the mean IQ of the group membership.

Question 6

What did Northouse(2021) say about leaders being intelligent? (Negative) (3)

Answer 6

• . Too much higher, and it has a counterproductive impact on leadership as barriers to communication and understanding arise.
• It can cause disconnect as well as conflict interms of impatience from the leader with the knowledge gap being field
• As IQ increases well beyond the mean of the group, perceived quality of leadership declines

Question 7

What are the core characteristics that makeup traits of leadership? (Yukl, 2013) (6)

Answer 7

• Energy and Stress Tolerance
• Self-confidence
• Internal Locus of Control:
• Emotional Stability and Maturity
• Integrity
• Power Motivation

Question 8

What are the key skills needed in Leadership? (4) (Yukl, 2013)

Answer 8

• Technical Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Conceptual Skills -the ability to think strategically, see the big picture, and understand complex situations or systems.
• Political Skills: Knowing how to build alliances, navigate power dynamics, and influence stakeholders.

Question 9

What’s the difference between a Skill and a Trait? (Yukl, 2013)

Answer 9

Traits - innate qualities that tend to be more stable
Skills - abilities that can be learned or developed.

Yukl explains that skills can be improved through training and experience, and both are important for leadership success.

Question 10

What is the Big 5/5 factor personality traits Model that links personality to leadership?

Answer 10

• The traits are: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Openness to Experience
• These traits are associated with effective leadership

Question 11

Why is conscientiousness associated with effective leadership? (3)

Answer 11

• Conscientiousness is all about getting things done, setting high performance standards, and ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently.
• Leaders high in conscientiousness are often reliable and methodical, which makes them good planners and excellent in roles that require attention to detail and long-term commitment.
• Conscientious leaders also tend to be seen as more ethical and responsible, which helps build trust with followers.

Question 12

State a criticism of conscientiousness

Answer 12

can lead to micromanagement with ensuring high-performance standards are met.

Question 13

Why is agreeableness associated with effective leadership? (3)

Answer 13

• Leaders high in agreeableness are typically more empathetic and relationship-oriented, which can foster strong interpersonal connections with their followers. This helps build a positive organizational culture and trust.
• Cooperative leaders tend to facilitate teamwork and encourage collaboration, contributing to a more harmonious work environment.
• Supportive and compassionate leaders are effective in managing and motivating people, especially in roles that require high stress/concentration/detail

Question 14

State a criticism of agreeableness

Answer 14

Excessively agreeable leaders may avoid conflict and struggle with assertiveness when difficult decisions need to be made. They may also have trouble setting boundaries or holding others accountable.

Question 15

Why is emotional stability associated with effective leadership? (3)

Answer 15

• Leaders high in emotional stability are able to remain calm under pressure, which is crucial in high-stress environments where leaders are expected to navigate crises or handle difficult challenges without losing control.
• Confident and composed leaders tend to make better decisions, especially in uncertain situations, because they are less likely to be overwhelmed by emotions or stress.
• Emotional stability also correlates with resilience, meaning these leaders are better equipped to recover from setbacks and persist in the face of obstacles.

Question 16

State criticisms of emotional stability (2)

Answer 16

• leaders with too much emotional stability may sometimes come across as detached or uninvolved if they fail to show appropriate emotional responses when needed
  • A complete lack of visible emotion can make a leader seem unempathetic or disconnected from their team’s concerns. Balancing emotional control with genuine engagement is key.

Question 17

Criticisms of being too open to experience new things? (2)

Answer 17

• While openness promotes creativity, leaders who are too open may become distracted by too many new ideas or may struggle with implementing plans because they are always searching for the next innovation.
• Excessive openness can lead to inconsistency in leadership, where constant changes or experiments may confuse followers or create a lack of focus.

Question 18

Criticisms of the trait approach (Yukl, 2013) (3)

Answer 18

• Traits alone are not sufficient to predict leadership effectiveness.
• The situational context plays a crucial role, and a leader’s traits may be more or less effective depending on the environment or organizational culture.
• The interaction between traits, skills, and situational factors must be considered for a comprehensive understanding of leadership.

Question 19

What are the benefits of the trait approach? (Northouse) (3)

Answer 19

• It provides clear criteria for leadership
• Focuses on the leader
• Can be used for self improvement

Question 20

What are the criticisms of the trait approach? (Northouse) (6)

Answer 20

• Lack of definitive trait list
• Ignores situational factors
• Does not explain leadership outcomes
• Difficulty in developing traits
• Fails to consider relationships
• Potential for bias

Question 21

5-factor model (Judge, Bono, Illies, & Gehardt, 2002)

Answer 21

Question 22

What are the characteristics of having strong emotional intelligence as a leader? (4)

Answer 22

• Perceiving and expressing emotion.
• Using emotion to facilitate thinking.
• Understanding and reasoning with emotions.
• Managing emotions in oneself and relationships.

Question 23

Benefit of a leader being intelligent

Answer 23

helps leaders make better decisions, solve problems, and understand complex issues.

Question 24

Benefit of a leader being confident (2)

Answer 24

• Self-confidence allows leaders to be decisive and assertive, encouraging followers to trust their decisions.
• It also helps leaders to handle challenges, obstacles, and uncertainty without losing composure

Question 25

Potential downside of a leader being confident

Answer 25

Could be too confident and may not listen to what other have to say potentially meaning a business could be less innovative potentially demotivating staff