TRAITS APPROACH: GREAT MAN THEORY AND TRAITS THEORY

Origins of the Great Man Theory of Leadership

The great man theory of leadership became popular during the 19th century. The mythology
behind some of the world's most famous leaders, such as Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar,
Mahatma Gandhi, and Alexander the Great, helped contribute to the notion that great leaders are
born and not made.
Carlyle's Views on Leadership
In many examples, it seems as if the right man for the job seems to emerge almost magically to
take control of a situation and lead a group of people into safety or success. Historian Thomas
Carlyle also had a major influence on this theory of leadership. He stated, "The history of the
world is but the biography of great men."
According to Carlyle, effective leaders are those gifted with divine inspiration and the right
characteristics.
Early Leadership Research
Some of the earliest research on leadership looked at people who were already successful
leaders. These individuals often included aristocratic rulers who achieved their position through
birthright. Because people of a lesser social status had fewer opportunities to practice and
achieve leadership roles, it contributed to the idea that leadership is an inherent ability.
Even today, people often describe prominent leaders as having the right qualities or personality
for the position. This implies that inherent characteristics are what make these people effective
leaders.
Nature vs. Nurture
The great man theory of leadership is an example of using 'nature' to explain human behavior.
The nature vs. nurture debate in psychology suggests that some skills are innate while others are
acquired through learning and experience. In this case, great man theory suggests that nature
plays the dominant role in leadership ability.
Examples of the Great Man Theory of Leadership
Some examples of famous historical figures who are often cited as examples of "great men"
include:
 Abraham Lincoln: The 16th president of the United States shepherded the Union
through the Civil War and signed the Emancipation Proclamation. His leadership through
this tumultuous period is often seen as an example of how great leaders seem to be born
with specific skills that make them destined to lead.
 Martin Luther King, Jr.: The civil rights leader was influential in the fight for civil
rights during the 1960s. His leadership characteristics, including his persuasive abilities
and charisma, are often cited as examples of how innate traits contribute to leadership
ability.
 Mahatma Gandhi: The spiritual and political leader who led the successful movement
for India's independence from British rule advocated non-violent resistance. His
resilience, wisdom, and vision made him an inspiration in the fight for freedom in India
and across the globe.
Other leaders often used as examples of the great man theory of leadership include George
Washington, Winston Churchill, and Nelson Mandela. Carlyle cited other figures in his book
"Heroes and Hero-Worship," including Odin, Muhammad, William Shakespeare, Martin Luther,
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Napoleon Bonaparte.

Criticisms of the Great Man Theory of Leadership

The great man theory of leadership has been the subject of considerable debate and criticism.
The following are some of the major critiques of this approach to explaining leadership.
Herbert Spencer's Response
Sociologist Herbert Spencer suggested that the leaders were products of the society in which they
lived. In "The Study of Sociology," Spencer wrote:
"You must admit that the genesis of a great man depends on the long series of complex
influences which has produced the race in which he appears, and the social state into which that
race has slowly grown…Before he can remake his society, his society must make him."
Incomplete Account of Leadership
One of the critical problems with the Great Man theory of leadership is that not all people who
possess the so-called natural leadership qualities become great leaders. If leadership were simply
an inborn quality, all people who possess the necessary traits would eventually find themselves
in leadership roles.
Ignores Situational Factors
Research has instead found that leadership is a surprisingly complex subject and numerous
factors influence how successful a particular leader may or may not be. Characteristics of the
group, the leader in power, and the situation all interact to determine what type of leadership is
needed and the effectiveness of this leadership.
Neglects Skill Development
The great man theory of leadership also fails to explain how leadership skills can be developed.
It oversimplifies leadership and focuses on a very narrow set of skills that may not be effective
or appropriate in every context or situation. Modern views emphasize that leadership abilities can
be learned and honed with practice.
The psychologist William James defended Carlyle's ideas, suggesting that it is the innate
characteristics of individuals that then shape their environments. The theory was critiqued by
others in literary form, including in Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace."
Contemporary Views of the Great Man Theory
The great man theory was an influential early theory of leadership, but it has fallen out of favor
in modern leadership research. Contemporary ideas take a more nuanced and complex view of
the many factors that influence leadership, including the characteristics of group members and
the role of the situation.
While the great man theory has been largely replaced by other ideas, elements of it are still
relevant today. The theory does not fully explain or account for the many aspects of leadership,
but the existence of specific traits that contribute to great leadership is still of interest to
contemporary researchers.
Today, experts recognize that leadership is complex and that innate traits alone do not account
for how and why some leaders are successful.

Trait Theory of Leadership Rationale

The trait theory of leadership is tied to the "great man" theory of leadership first proposed by
Thomas Carlyle in the mid-1800s. According to Carlyle, history is shaped by extraordinary
leaders. This ability to lead is something that people are simply born with, Carlyle believed, and
not something that could be developed. Carlyle's ideas inspired early research on leadership,
which almost entirely focused on inheritable traits.
Carlyle's theory of leadership was based on the rationale that:
 Certain traits produce certain patterns of behavior.
 Patterns are consistent across different situations.
 People are "born" with leadership traits.
Even today, books, and articles tout the various characteristics necessary to become a great
leader, suggesting that leadership is somehow predestined in some (or is at least more likely)
while unlikely, if not impossible, in others.
Since the publication of Carlyle's thesis, psychologists have examined and argued about the trait-
based theory of leadership. From the 1940s to the 1970s, psychologist Ralph Melvin Stogdill
suggested that leadership is the result of the interaction between the individual and the social
situation and not merely the result of a predefined set of traits.
Soon after in the 1980s, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner posited that credibility was a key
indicator of leadership skills, characterized by such traits as being honest, forward-looking,
inspiring, and competent.
Leadership Traits
While the list of leadership traits can vary by whoever is drawing up the list, a recent study
outlined behavioral traits that separated lower-level supervisors from higher-level supervisors.
According to the researchers, the traits most commonly associated with great leadership include:
 Adaptability and flexibility: Effective leaders don't get stuck in a rut. They are able to
think outside of the box and adapt quickly to changing situations.
 Assertiveness: A great leader is able to be direct and assertive without coming off as
overly pushy or aggressive.
 Capacity to motivate people: A great leader knows how to inspire others and motivate
them to do their best.
 Courage and resolution: The best leaders are brave and committed to the goals of the
group. They do not hide from challenges.
 Creativity: Perhaps most importantly, great leaders not only possess their own creativity,
but they are also able to foster creativity among members of the group.
 Decisiveness: A great leader is capable of making a decision and is confident in his or her
choices.
 Eagerness to accept responsibility: Strong leaders take on responsibility and don't pass
the blame on to others. They stand by their success and take ownership of their mistakes.
 Emotional stability: In addition to being dependable overall, strong leaders are able to
control their emotions and avoid overreactions.
 Intelligence and action-oriented judgment: Great leaders and smart and make choices
that move the group forward.
 Need for achievement: Strong leaders have a need to succeed and help the group achieve
goals. They genuinely care about the success of the group and are committed to helping
the group reach these milestones.
 People skills: Excellent interpersonal skills are essential for leading effectively. Great
leaders know how to interact well with other leaders as well as with team members.
 Perseverance: Strong leaders stick with it, even when things get difficult or the group
faces significant obstacles.
 Self-confidence: Many of the best leaders are extremely self-assured. Because they are
confident in themselves, followers often begin to share this self-belief.
 Task competence: A great leader is skilled and capable. Members of the group are able
to look to the leader for an example of how things should be done.
 Trustworthiness: Group members need to be able to depend upon and trust the person
leading them.
  Understanding their followers and their needs: Effective leaders pay attention to group
members and genuinely care about helping them succeed. They want each person in the
group to succeed and play a role in moving the entire group forward.
Controversy on the Trait Theory
Early studies on leadership focused on the differences between leaders and followers with the
assumption that people in leadership positions would display more leadership traits than those in
subordinate positions.
What researchers found, however, was that there were relatively few traits that could be used to
distinguish between leaders and followers. For example, leaders tend to be great communicators.
Leaders also tend to be higher in traits such as extroversion, self-confidence, and height, but
these differences tended to be small.
There are obvious flaws in the trait-based theory. While proponents suggest that certain traits are
characteristic of strong leaders, those who possess the traits don't always become leaders.
Some have suggested that this may due to situational variables in which leadership skills only
emerge when an opportunity for leadership arises (such as in war, during a political crisis, or in
the absence of leadership).6
Meanwhile, others have taken a contingency approach to leadership in which certain traits can be
more effective in some situations and less so in others. Opinions vary on what those traits are and
to what degree they can predict success, if at all.
Leadership in the Internet Age
More controversial yet is the contention that some people don't have the traits to become leaders.
Such a belief inherently overlooks social and economic inequities that limit, if not entirely erase,
a person's potential to lead.
It also overlooks the changing economy and how leadership is defined when connections are
today made both online and offline.
As outlets for leadership continue to change (such as with social media and e-commerce), the
traits needed to succeed are different simply because there are fewer intermediaries. Within this
realm, the ability to influence is arguably more important than the ability to lead.

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