Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 30

Leadership - Essay Example Leadership styles encompass a combination of various aspects that leaders use in their interaction with employees including traits, skills, and behaviors. Therefore, to understand a leadership approach requires an understanding of the origin. Traits approach to leadership was the first ever-conceived idea of leadership. The theory has its foundations in believe that leaders are born, and thus have the innate abilities to lead. The theory borrowed from ancient leadership that allowed members of the royal family to lead one after another. Stogdill and Mann did the earliest survey on this leadership in 1948 and 1959 respectively and devised personality characteristics that differentiated leaders from followers (Doyle & Smith, 2012). A later study done by Wright proved that there are no special differences between leaders and the followers. He even proved that people with leadership traits will in most times not become leaders (Yukl, 2009). However, some of the traits common in almost al l leaders include task competence, physical vitality and stamina, intelligence and action-oriented judgment, people skills, and confidence. In addition, leaders are decisive, trustworthy, flexible, and ability to motivate their followers. Trait theory of leadership has some characteristic strength. One is that the theory depicts existence of innate abilities whereby individuals can re-examine their lives for leadership traits. In addition, they will go far in believing in themselves as part of the leadership family. Secondly, the theory depicts certain traits common in most successful leaders. This acts as a standard for practicing leaders to evaluate themselves. However, trait theory has various weaknesses that render it not of much use. First, not all inherited leaders were capable of offering good leadership. Many depended on some charisma in them but not real skills. In addition, some of the