Leadership Traits Quiz

This theory posits that leadership is an innate quality, suggesting individuals are either born leaders or not. It suggests specific traits or qualities are inherently present in great leaders.

This theory emerged in the 19th century from a belief that exceptional leaders, like Abraham Lincoln or Mahatma Gandhi, possessed innate qualities that set them apart.

Thomas Carlyle, a prominent figure in the 19th century, firmly believed that history is a collection of biographies of individuals who were divinely inspired and possessed unique traits, thus making them effective leaders.

This theory argues that individuals are born with inherent qualities or traits that make them leaders. These traits are thought to be the determining factor in their rise to power and authority.

During the 19th century, people of lower social standing had limited opportunities to develop and display leadership skills, leading to the acceptance of the idea that leadership was an inherent quality.

Herbert Spencer, a sociologist, criticized the Great Man Theory, arguing that a leader's environment and circumstances played a crucial role in their rise to power. He suggested that great leaders emerged from specific situations rather than being born with innate qualities.

The Trait Theory focuses on the inherent qualities or characteristics that distinguish leaders from followers. This theory suggests individuals are born with specific traits that make them effective leaders.

Physical attributes like appearance (attractive or not), height, and weight have also been suggested as indicators of a leader. However, research has shown that these physical attributes are not consistently linked to leadership effectiveness.

Age, education, and socioeconomic background can influence a person's life experiences and opportunities, potentially shaping their leadership capabilities. However, it is important to note that these demographic factors are not deterministic of leadership success.

Personality traits like self-confidence, assertiveness, and determination are often associated with successful leadership. Self-confident individuals typically believe in their ability to lead and inspire others.

Intelligence, decisiveness, strong judgment, and a broad knowledge base are crucial for effective decision-making and problem-solving, which are essential skills for successful leaders.

Traits like achievement drive, initiative, and persistence are important for leadership success. Leaders with a strong drive for achievement are typically motivated to succeed and set high standards for themselves and their followers.

Social characteristics like affability (being pleasant and easy to get along with), cooperativeness, and good communication skills contribute to effective leadership. Leaders who are affable and cooperative tend to build stronger relationships with their followers.

Researchers have consistently found that higher intelligence, self-confidence, initiative, and social skills are strongly correlated with leadership emergence and effectiveness.

A leader's willingness to set goals, overcome challenges, and push forward with a sense of purpose. They're proactive, persistent and assert themselves.

Honesty, trustworthiness, and adhering to a strong moral compass. Leaders with integrity inspire confidence because they act with honesty and responsibility.

A leader's tendency to enjoy social interactions and build connections with others. They're friendly, outgoing, and create a cooperative environment.

It criticizes the idea that certain traits universally define great leadership. It questions whether the same traits lead to success in all situations.

One of the main criticisms is that the list of leadership traits seems endless and incomplete. It fails to consistently define 'true' leadership traits.

Another criticism is that the trait approach ignores the role of context. Traits that make a leader successful in one situation might not work in another.

A flaw of the theory is that the determination of important traits is often subjective. Individual authors' experiences and observations influence the list.

It has also been criticized for failing to explain how leadership traits affect groups and their outcomes. For example, how do traits impact productivity or teamwork?

A leadership style that focuses on balancing concern for people and production. It defines five distinct leadership styles based on the level of concern for each factor.

The most ineffective leadership style. Leaders in this category have minimal concern for both production and people. They prioritize maintaining their position and keeping a low profile.

The accommodating style, high in concern for people and low in concern for production. This style prioritizes employee comfort and satisfaction, potentially leading to decreased productivity.

A style focused heavily on results and production, with minimal concern for people. These leaders utilize rules, rewards, and punishment to drive performance, potentially creating a tense and demanding environment.

The style aims to find a balance between concern for production and people, aiming to achieve high performance through motivation and collaboration.

This style emphasizes production and results, while seeking to maintain employee satisfaction. Leaders in this style work towards a balance between achieving goals and building a positive team dynamic.

A leadership style that prioritizes efficiency and achieving results while acknowledging the importance of maintaining a strong team dynamic and employee satisfaction.

The model was developed after two research studies originating from Ohio State and Michigan Universities.

A psychological phenomenon where low expectations placed upon individuals by themselves or others lead to poorer performance.

Managers may set more explicit targets, assign routine tasks, monitor employees regularly, and focus on operational concerns instead of strategic ones.

Lack of self-trust, lack of trust in peers and superiors, disregarded ideas, discouraged responsibility, lower productivity, increased chances of opportunistic behavior, and lack of encouragement of innovative problem-solving.

The Pygmalion effect is when high expectations by leaders boost employee performance. The Golem Effect is the opposite, where low expectations lead to poor performance.

Individuals who experience the Golem Effect may decide to leave their current positions or companies.

Theories of leadership explore how individuals become effective leaders.

The Great Man Theory suggests that leadership traits are innate, meaning leaders are born, not made.

The Trait Theory identifies specific characteristics believed to be indicative of effective leaders.

A management style that aims to balance organizational goals and employee needs. It seeks a middle ground, striving for adequate performance while prioritizing harmony within the group.

The expectation that people's beliefs and actions impact their outcomes, leading to self-fulfilling prophecies. In leadership, holding positive expectations for employees can lead to better performance.

A management style characterized by high commitment to both production goals and employee needs, encouraging teamwork and employee satisfaction. This approach is known for its focus on building strong relationships between leaders and employees.

A management style that prioritizes both production and people, but sometimes compromises on both to achieve suitable performance.

The impact on employees when middle-of-the-road management style is employed. Employees tend to be neither overly happy nor dissatisfied, fostering an environment of moderate energy.

The impact on the organization when middle-of-the-road management style is employed. While it may minimize conflicts, it generally results in average performance, not necessarily a peak or high-achieving environment.

The impact on employees when sound management (team style) is employed. It encourages teamwork and motivation, leading to highly cohesive teams and satisfied employees.

The impact on organizations when sound management (team style) is employed. It creates a culture of attraction for highly-skilled talent and fosters low employee turnover, promoting efficient and high-performing work environments.