This document discusses trait theories of leadership. It begins by explaining that trait theories focus on personal qualities that differentiate leaders from non-leaders. Researchers began organizing traits around the Big Five personality framework. The document finds that leaders who are extraverted, conscientious, and open tend to have advantages. Emotional intelligence is also highlighted as an important trait for effective leadership. Specifically, traits like self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. The document emphasizes that traits alone are not enough and that emotional intelligence may be the key attribute distinguishing outstanding leaders.

1. LEADERS

2. TRAIT THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP
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• Trait theories of leadership focus on
personal qualities and characteristics.
• The search for personality, social, physical,
or intellectual attributes that differentiate
leaders from nonleaders goes back to the
earliest stages of leadership research.

3. LEADERSHIP TRAITS

4. 12-4
• A breakthrough, of sorts, came when
researchers began organizing traits around the
Big Five personality framework
• Most of the dozens of traits in various
leadership reviews fit under one of the Big
Five
TRAIT THEORIES

5. BIG 5 PERSONALITY

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Leaders who like being around people and are able to
assert themselves (extraverted), who are disciplined and
able to keep commitments they make (conscientious),
and who are creative and flexible (open) do have an
apparent advantage when it comes to leadership,
suggesting good leaders do have key traits in common.
TRAIT THEORIES

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• Another trait that may indicate effective leadership
is emotional intelligence (EI).
• Advocates of EI argue that without it, a person can
have outstanding training, a highly analytical mind,
a compelling vision, and an endless supply of
terrific ideas but still not make a great leader.
• A core component of EI is empathy.
TRAIT THEORIES

8. When asked to define the ideal leader, many would emphasize traits such as
intelligence, toughness, determination, and vision —the qualities traditionally
associated with leadership. Such skills and smarts are necessary but insufficient
qualities for the leader. Studies indicate that emotional intelligence may be the
key attribute that distinguishes outstanding performers
In his research at nearly 200 large, global companies, Goleman found that
truly effective leaders are distinguished by a high degree of emotional
intelligence. Without it, a person can have first-class training, an incisive mind,
and an endless supply of good ideas, but he still won’t be a great leader.
The chief components of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-
regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill
LEADERSHIP TRAITS

11. Unique to you
Comes from within yourself
It is your way of “being”
It is the way you “bring yourself ” to the situation
Begins where behaviour and values align
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP

12. Personal leadership has 6 significant parts
1.Leading where you are (with what you have)
2.Vision
3.Presence
4.Embodying Values/Modeling the way
5.Enabling others
6.Making contribution
CREATING YOUR PERSONAL
LEADERSHIP

13. What can you do right now in this moment with what you have?
What would make a difference right now?
What is the small thing that matters?
LEAD WHERE YOU ARE

14. Vision can be defined as:
• a vivid mental image;
• the formation of a mental image of something that is not
perceived as real and is not present to the senses;
• The thing you want to make “present to the senses”
• What you want to create
VISION

15. “What you are speaks louder than anything you have to say”.
-David Beck
Your presence is how people feel when they are around you. This includes:
• how safe they feel,
• what you bring out of them
• how you listen
• how and what you share of yourself.
YOUR LEADERSHIP “PRESENCE”?

16. • Alignment between beliefs and behaviours
• “Walking the talk”
• Modeling the way—demonstrating values through actions not telling (do as
I do)
“Becoming the change you want to see in the world.”
-Gandhi
EMBODYING VALUES

17. “The greatest gift you can give to others is not
to show them your greatness, but to reveal to
them their own.”
-unknown
ENABLING OTHERS

18. How can you combine the small things to make a difference
in a bigger way?
How can you use your personal leadership/way of being to
help others?
Invite others to also contribute to something greater
MAKING CONTRIBUTION

20. EXERCISE
A) Self-evaluation
1) Do you consider yourself a leader? Why or why not?
2) What is (are) your main strength(s) as a leader? What is your
“leadership style”?
B)Self-development
1) Identify one new facet of leadership that you would like to
develop this semester through our class project