Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Leadership Research: Trait Theory by Shannon Burger

One of the most influential theories of leadership is the Trait Theory. The trait theory of
leadership differentiates leaders from non leaders. This theory states that there are certain inherent traits that people are born with that make them well suited to become leaders. Ralph Stogdill from the University of Ohio Columbus conducted research on this theory and documented his finding on what traits and skills are crucial for leaders to possess. His list of traits for leaders include: cooperativeness, ambition, dominance (wanting to influence people), self-confidence, willingness to take responsibility, persistence, ability to adapt to all situations, assertiveness, dependable, tolerance for stress, social awareness and the ability to be decisive (Trait Theory). Along with these traits he found sever skills that were common among leaders. They include the following: intelligence, diplomacy, knowledge, persuasion and social skills.


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