In understanding group behavior, leadership plays a central part. In order to attain goals, it is the leader who generally gives the direction.
Therefore, in improving group performance, a more correct capability should be value able. Following are the trait theories of leadership.
The Trait Theories of Leadership
Previous research recognized during personal traits & features that differentiate leaders from followers and effective from ineffective leaders.
Leader’s traits are concerned by them, the certain tendencies a person should be think, feel and act in particular ways.
The following traits have the solid relationship to effective leadership as suggested from results of nearly 300 studies.
- Task-relevant knowledge
- Intelligence
- Self-confidence
- Dominance
- Tolerance for stress
- Activity/energy levels
- Emotional maturity
- Integrity & honesty
The trait approach is limited, although understanding leader features is helpful. Whether these traits are base for result from being leader or becoming a leader is unclear.
See Also: Main Theories of Motivational
In order to train or help leaders, the trait approach gives little guidance. Persons cannot alter traits linked with leadership, because these traits are stable.
Why or how effective leadership happens, cannot be explained by trait approach. Many leaders who possess these traits are ineffective and many persons who possess these traits never become leaders.
Researchers then view other components impacting leadership, like leader behavior.
- In trait theories of leadership, the media has long been a believer. By concentrating on personal characteristics and qualities like enthusiastic, charismatic and courageous, they identify leaders.
- In order to describe and distinguish leaders, the search goes back to 1930s. At isolating leadership traits, research struggle resulted in a number of dead ends. Nearly 80 leadership traits are recognized by review of 20 different studies, but simply five of these traits were common to four or more of the probes.
- A seek to recognize traits that were systematically linked with leadership has better consequences.
- Theories that struggle to insulate features that distinguish leaders from non-leaders.
- Struggle to recognize traits that always distinguish effective leaders from ineffective leaders and leaders from followers have failed.
- Struggles to recognize traits systematically connected with leadership have been more successful.
Following are the six traits on the basis of which non-leaders differ from leaders.
- Desire to lead
- Ambition & energy
- Self-confidence
- Honesty & integrity
- Job-relevant knowledge
- Intelligence
People who are high self-monitors are much more likely to comes out as leaders in groups as compared to low-self monitors, according to evidence given by recent research.
Some traits enhance the likelihood of success as a leader, but none guarantee success, shown from cumulative findings from a half of a century of success.
Following is the at least four limitations of the trait approach.
- The first limitation is that there are no universal traits that anticipate in all circumstances.
- Second, in “weak” situations, traits predict behavior more as compared to in “strong” situations.
Strong circumstances are those in which there are strong incentives for particular kinds of behaviors, strong behavioral norms and clear expectations.
Leaders have less opportunity made in such strong circumstances to show their inherent dispositional tendencies.
- Third, in separating cause from effect, the evidence is unclear.
- Finally, at anticipating the appearance of leadership, traits perform a better job than in actually differentiating in effective and ineffective leaders.
The Behavior Approach: Consideration and Initiating Structure
Particular behaviors are identified by researchers using behavior approach that give to leader’s effectiveness at assisting individuals, groups and or organizations accomplish objectives.
See Also: Traits of Leadership
Over 1800 leader behaviors are measured by the researchers of Ohio State by developed scales and asked employees to point how much their leaders engage in them.
It is found by the researchers that either initiating structure or consideration is involved in leader behavior.
Consideration is a behavior pointing that a leader respects, trusts and values better relationship with followers.
A considerate leader might treat others as equals, be friendly, exhibits concern for employee’s well-being & their opinions and give explanations.
The behavior of leader that guarantee that job is completed and subordinates do their jobs is refer to as initiating structure.
This structure contains planning, assigning tasks, deciding how tasks are achieved, setting goals and encouraging followers to achieve them.
Because leaders can engage in both initiating structures and consideration, therefore these two are complementary.
Because describing a leader’s consideration does not describe initiating structure therefore, they are independent.
The Behavior Approach: Leader Reward and Punishing Behavior
Other important behaviors are demonstrated by leaders. When a leader positively reinforces subordinates required behavior, leader reward behavior happens.
Good performance might be acknowledged by a leader with compliments, praise, a promotion or a pay raise. Reward behavior maintains employees doing at high levels.
When a leader reprimands or reacts negatively to subordinates who do undesirably, leader’s punishing behavior happens.
In order to curtail undesirable behavior, punishing is best used only because un-required behavior has unintended side effects like resentment.
Leaders mostly engage in punishing behavior, although reinforcement is more effective.
- Researchers started to amaze that if there was something alone in the way that potential leaders behave. The implications of trait approach would have quite different from those of behavioral approach.
- In terms of the underlying assumptions, behavioral and trait theories differ.
- According to trait theory assumption, leadership is fundamentally innate, therefore, one should choose the correct leader.
- According to assumption of behavioral approach it is proposed that one could train individuals to be leaders. Behavioral patterns can be implanted by the designing programs. There could have infinite supply of effective leaders, if training worked.
