Introduction

Lesson Overview

"Regardless of whether leaders are born or made or some combination of both, it is
unequivocally clear that leaders are not like other people. Leaders do not have to
be great men or women by being intellectual geniuses or omniscient prophets to
succeed, but they do need to have the "right stuff" and this stuff is not equally
present in all people." (Kirkpatrick & Locke, p. 59)

Reading Assignment

• Leadership: Theory and Practice, "Skills Approach," pp. 15-38

Lesson Objectives

When you have successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• appreciate how, throughout much of the 20th century, most researchers have regarded leadership as the personal qualities that result in a leader's gaining positions of authority and his or her subsequent success;
• understand the shift in focus over time from innate to acquired personal characteristics;
• become familiar with the traits that most consistently appear to distinguish successful leaders from ones who have limited success;
• learn how the trait approach accounts for the effectiveness of leaders; and
• recognize the value and limitations of assessing the effectiveness of leaders from this perspective.

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Reference: Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do traits matter?" Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 48-60.