ASSIGNMENT 2

Assignment 2

Analysis of Theoretical Approaches to Leadership

Introduction

Leadership can be defined as the act of guiding a set of people in a corporate setting, and being equipped with the necessary skills and experience to do so efficiently and effectively. Considerable time and effort has been invested into presenting a practical approach to understand how leadership works in reality. This paper aims to review, compare and contrast five different approaches to leadership: trait theory, skills theory, styles theory, situational leadership theory, and contingency theory. The strengths and weaknesses of each shall also be discussed.

Discussion

Trait Theory

The trait theories present an approach to leadership that emphasizes that a leader has in-built traits which he is born with; these traits form the leader's personality and can be used to distinguish/identify the person amongst a host of people. Back in the 1930's, the widespread belief regarding the prevalent trait-based approach to leadership was that leaders cannot be 'cultivated' or “'made' - a person is either a born leader, or he is not (Stogdill 1974, p.n.d.). These leadership characteristics were thought to be “in one's genes”; this also meant that acquiring such characteristics was beyond human control, and people demonstrating those traits were the true leaders who had a gift from God. The 1940's was an era signified by a male dominant workplace culture, which further conforms to the rigid views which were prevalent at that time. The historical views were further endorsed by labelling leaders as “great”. The entire 20th century had seen several trait theorists present a number of (similar) traits that had been representative of great leaders. These traits had been compiled together to result in five major leadership traits: intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability (Stogdill 1948, pp. 35-71).

Intelligence

Intelligence has been regarded as a cognitive trait of leadership that should be present in all leaders. Intelligent leaders are better able to make efficient usage of the “people-asset” they deal with, and are therefore more likely to bring fruitful results to an organization.

Self-confidence

This trait relates to the capability to be assured regarding one's competency and skill set, to have a high self-esteem, and to have faith in one's ability to change things. Leaders who are self-confident are usually confident that they can make a difference by influencing others positively.

Determination

Determination refers to the intense desire for getting work done. This trait is very helpful to leaders as the very existence of determination is a key factor in deciding whether or not a person would get demotivated by failure. Determined leaders usually have a persistent nature and are better able to solve problems. Leaders who are determined regarding their targets are observed to be assertive and focused in the face of obstacles; this makes them successful achievers.

Integrity

Integrity in leaders relates to the trait of honesty and reliability of a leader. Leaders who demonstrate this characteristic are usually conscientious and they feel responsible for their actions. Such leaders are usually found to be a source of inspiration for others in a typical organizational ...