CHAPTERTWO

Traits,Motives,and
Characteristicsof
Leaders

LearningObjectives
Identifygeneralandtaskrelatedtraitsthat
contributetoleadershipeffectiveness.
Describehowemotionalintelligence
contributestoleadershipeffectiveness.
Identifykeymotivesthatcontributeto
leadershipeffectiveness.
Describecognitivefactorsassociatedwith
leadershipeffectiveness.
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-2

LearningObjectives
Discusstheheredityversusenvironment
issueinrelationtoleadershipeffectiveness.
Summarizethestrengthsandweaknessesof
thetraitapproachtoleadership.

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-3

UniversalTheoryofLeadership
Thebeliefthatcertainpersonal
characteristicsandskillscontributeto
leadershipeffectivenessinmanysituations
Threecategories:
Personalitytraits
Motives
Cognitivefactors

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-4

LeaderPersonalityTraits
GeneralPersonalityTraits
Traitsobservablebothwithinandoutsidethe
contextofwork

TaskRelatedPersonalityTraits
Traitscloselyassociatedwithtask
accomplishment

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-5

GeneralPersonalityTraitsofEffectiveLeaders

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-6

TaskRelatedPersonalityTraitsofLeaders

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-7

LeadershipMotives
Leadersgenerallyhaveastrongdesireto
influenceandcontrolothers
Thisdesireisevidentinfourneedsor
motives

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-8

LeadershipMotives

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2-9

CognitiveFactors
Leadersmusthaveproblemsolvingand
intellectualskillstoeffectivelygather,
process,andstoreessentialinformation
Fivecognitivefactorsrelatedtoleadership
effectivenesshavebeenidentified

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2 - 10

CognitiveFactorsandLeadership

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2 - 11

NatureversusNurture
Areleadersbornoraretheymade?Both.
Individualsinheritabasiccapacityto
developpersonalitytraitsandmentalability
thatsetsanouterlimitonhowextensively
thesetraitscanbedeveloped
Environmentalinfluences,inturn,
determinehowmuchofanindividuals
potentialwillbedeveloped
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2 - 12

TraitApproach
Strengths
Servesasaguideto
leaderselection
Canguideindividuals
inpreparingfor
leadership

Limitations
Doesnotidentify
whichcharacteristics
areabsolutelyneeded
Doesnotspecifyhow
muchofatraitor
characteristicisneeded
Canbreedanelitist
conceptionof
leadership

Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2 - 13

Summary
Theuniversaltheoryofleadershipasserts
thatcertainpersonalitytraits,leader
motives,andcognitivefactorscontributeto
leadershipeffectiveness
Personalitytraitsincludebothgeneraltraits
andtaskrelatedtraits
Leaderscanoftenbedistinguishedbytheir
needsormotives
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2 - 14

Summary
Mentalabilityisimportantforleadership
success
Traits,motives,andcharacteristicsrequired
forleadershipareacombinationofheredity
andenvironment
Traitsdoappeartodistinguishleadersfrom
nonleadersandeffectiveleadersfromless
effectiveleaders
Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company, Inc.

2 - 15