Activities

1. Leadership Traits Essay

   For Lesson 02, write an essay of approximately 1,000 words in which you perform all the tasks identified and respond to all of the probes for Thought Question 6. Make sure that you identify the person on whom you will be focusing. If you prefer not to use the person’s actual name, a pseudonym will be acceptable, but please indicate that you have made such a choice. For instance, “In this document, I refer to the person I have chosen for the assignment as ‘Mary Smith.’ Mary is the CEO of a small company that specializes in...I was a member of the firm for a period of time.” In preparing your essay, refer directly to the material in the reading on which you draw. For example, “I was not surprised by how few of the items in questionnaire appear to account for Mary’s success because, among other things, as Peter Northouse points out, ‘. . .' (p. 36).”

   Expected Outcome

   In this lesson, you completed the reading assignment, worked through the thought questions, and wrote an essay on Thought Question 6. Now, you should have a clearer grasp of how the trait perspective can help to account for success in leadership, as well how it is deficient.

   Contribution to Course Grade: 8%