Introduction to Leadership
Concepts and Practice
Peter G. Northouse
Chapter 2:
Recognizing Your Traits
© 2009 SAGE
Discussion Questions
Why are some people leaders
while others are not?
What makes people become
leaders?
Do leaders have certain traits?
© 2009 SAGE
Historical Leaders
© 2009 SAGE
George Washington
Harriet Tubman
Eleanor Roosevelt
Winston Churchill
Mother Teresa
Nelson Mandela
Bill Gates
Oprah Winfrey
George Washington
(1732-1799)
Founding father and general in the
Revolutionary War
Traits:
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Modest
Moral
Common man
Did not thrive on power
Provided stability & reason
Even & predictable
Was ‘great’ because he was ‘good’
Harriet Tubman
(1820-1913)
Abolitionist & “conductor” of the
Underground Railroad—freed over
300 slaves in 30 trips
Traits
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Symbol of hope
Single-minded purpose – devoid of fear
Determined, focused, & strong
Unpretentious
Both spiritual & practical
Clarity of purpose
Eleanor Roosevelt
(1844-1962)
First Lady & social justice advocate
Traits:
Good listener
Confronted conflicts in human terms
Plain, honest, selfless, & courageous
Positive attitude
Deep sense of humanity
Turned weaknesses into strengths
Had an identity apart from her husband
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Winston Churchill
(1874-1965)
Prime Minister of Great Britain
Traits:
Brilliant orator—masterful use of language,
plain speaking
Ambitious for others & the country
Inspirational & hope-building
A self-trained reader
Suffered from depression—a loner
© 2009 SAGE
Mother Teresa
(1910-1997)
Humanitarian & Nobel Peace Prize Winner (1979)
for her work with the poor in Calcutta
Founded Missionaries of Charity in 1950
Traits:
Simple
Clear mission—focused on goals
Determined & fearless
Humble & spiritual
Strong-willed
Role model for others
© 2009 SAGE
Nelson Mandela
(1932- )
First black president of South Africa & 1993
Nobel Peace Prize Winner for his role in
ending apartheid
Traits:
Self-reflective & deeply moral
Vision unwavering—fairness & justice
Steadfast, focused & disciplined
Nonviolent & not vindictive
Consensus builder
Courageous, patient, humble & compassionate
© 2009 SAGE
William Gates
(1954- )
Founder of Microsoft & wealthiest person
in the world
Created a foundation for education
& global health
Traits:
Intelligent & visionary
Task-oriented & diligent
Focused & aggressive
Simple, straightforward, unpretentious
& altruistic
© 2009 SAGE
Oprah Winfrey
(1954- )
TV Show Host, Philanthropist, Actress, Producer, &
Publisher
Most powerful/influential woman
Traits:
Excellent communicator
Intelligent, well-read, strong business sense
Charismatic style
Sincere & determined
Self-disclosing
Message of hope
© 2009 SAGE
What do they all have in common?
Visionary
Strong-willed
Diligent
Inspirational
Purpose-driven
Role models
Symbols of hope
From these exceptional leaders we can gain a
better understanding of the traits that are
important for effective leadership
© 2009 SAGE
6 Traits for Effective Leadership
Studies on leadership identified many
important leader traits
What specific traits are needed to be a
successful leader?
Research points to six traits:
Intelligence
Confidence
Charisma
Determination
Sociability
Integrity
© 2009 SAGE
Intelligence
Intelligence includes having good
language skills, perceptual skills &
reasoning ability
It is hard to change Intelligence
Quotient (IQ)
It is possible to –
obtain knowledge
learn about your job & environment
use information to become better leaders
© 2009 SAGE
Confidence
Confidence is a trait that has to do with
feeling positive about one’s self & one’s
ability to succeed
Confident people
feel self-assured
believe they can accomplish goals
do not second-guess themselves—they
move forward with clear visions
they are positive about self & ability
© 2009 SAGE
Confidence
How do we build confidence?
Understanding what is required from us
Have a mentor to show the way &
provide constructive feedback
Practice builds confidence & assures us
that we can do what we need to do (e.g.,
Tiger Woods)
© 2009 SAGE
Charisma
Magnetic charm and appeal that gives leaders
exceptional powers of influence
Charisma is not a common personality trait
To increase charisma:
Be a strong role model for values
Be competent in leadership to gain trust
Articulate clear goals & strong values
Communicate high expectations & show confidence
in followers’ abilities
Inspire others
© 2009 SAGE
Determination
Focused & attentive to tasks
Know where to go & how to get there
Includes initiative, persistence & drive
Persevere in the face of obstacles
Easiest for leaders to acquire
Focus on task, clarify goals, articulate vision
& encourage others to stay the course
© 2009 SAGE
Sociability
The capacity to establish pleasant social
relationships
Friendly, outgoing, courteous & diplomatic
Sensitive to others & cooperative
Easier for some than others
Increasing sociability requires that we try to
get along with our co-workers
be friendly, kind & thoughtful
© 2009 SAGE
Integrity
Honest & trustworthy with strong principles
Inspire confidence because it creates trust
Loyal, dependable & not deceptive
Undergirds all aspects of leadership
To increase integrity – be honest & open
Challenge:
To strike a balance between being open while
monitoring what is appropriate to disclose
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Conclusion
Traits are important
but only one dimension of a
multidimensional process
Leadership is a complex process
no simple paths or guarantees to
becoming an effective leader
© 2009 SAGE