2.1: Trait Theory
The trait theory of management is the belief that leaders are born with certain characteristics (or traits) that make them successful. In other words, being a leader is innate or based on the qualities of one's personality. This theory assumes that a person who is born with certain traits will ultimately be a great leader.
Read this section. In your journal, rank the four groups of leadership traits in the order you feel they are important. Explain your rationale in a paragraph. Those four groups of leadership traits are personality, demographic, task competence, and interpersonal attributes.
This article lists the nine personality traits identified by leadership research pioneer Raymond Cattell in 1954 and several traits uncovered since then. Would you add any additional traits that you believe a manager or leader would need in the modern workplace?
Read this article and then answer this question in your journal. Are entrepreneurs more likely to be managers than leaders, or vice versa? Explain your position in a few paragraphs.