Four Theories of Leadership

This resource will give you an overview of the four major leadership theories.

Theories of effective leadership include the trait, contingency, behavioral, and full-range theories.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

  • Discuss differing theories and approaches to defining and understanding leadership


KEY POINTS

    • Modern trait theory proposes that individuals emerge as leaders across a variety of situations and tasks; significant individual leadership traits include intelligence, adjustment, extroversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and general self-efficacy.
    • Behavioral theory suggests that leadership requires a strong personality with a well-developed positive ego; self-confidence is essential.
    • Contingency theory assumes that different situations call for different characteristics, and no single optimal psychological profile of a leader exists.
    • According to full-range theory of leadership, four qualities are essential for leaders: individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence.

TERM

  • Contingency

    Likely to happen in connection with or as a consequence of something else.

For a number of years, researchers have examined leadership to discover how successful leaders are created. Experts have proposed several theories, including the trait, behavioral, contingency, and full-range models of leadership.

Source: Boundless
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