Trait Approaches to Leadership

Studying leaders in terms of their traits was one of the earliest approaches to researching leadership. There is no "wrong" way to study leadership. Even though this approach is older, it is no less valid. Leaders still have the traits identified in early research, and the theory has regained traction. Still, we limit our understanding if we take only one approach to learning about leadership and how to be one. This section will explore the history of studying leadership traits and modern approaches. This resource identifies the traits that are most commonly associated with leadership. The first trait is intelligence which includes both mental intelligence and emotional intelligence. Other leadership traits that researchers have identified are self-esteem and integrity. The text addresses the challenges of using the trait approach and its continued usefulness.

Intelligence


Figure 12.2 Many observers believe that Carly Fiorina, the ousted CEO of HP, demonstrated high levels of intelligence but low levels of empathy for the people around her, which led to an overreliance on numbers while ignoring the human cost of her

General mental ability, which psychologists refer to as "g" and which is often called "IQ" in everyday language, has been related to a person's emerging as a leader within a group. Specifically, people who have high mental abilities are more likely to be viewed as leaders in their environment. We should caution, though, that intelligence is a positive but modest predictor of leadership, and when actual intelligence is measured with paper-and-pencil tests, its relationship to leadership is a bit weaker compared to when intelligence is defined as the perceived intelligence of a leader. In addition to having a high IQ, effective leaders tend to have high emotional intelligence (EQ). People with high EQ demonstrate a high level of self awareness, motivation, empathy, and social skills. The psychologist who coined the term emotional intelligence, Daniel Goleman, believes that IQ is a threshold quality: It matters for entry- to high-level management jobs, but once you get there, it no longer helps leaders, because most leaders already have a high IQ. According to Goleman, what differentiates effective leaders from ineffective ones becomes their ability to control their own emotions and understand other people's emotions, their internal motivation, and their social skills.