This chapter talked a lot about Leadership traits. Northouse (2015), talks about the trait approach. Within the trait approach emphasizes that having a leader with a certain set of traits is crucial to having effective leadership. It is the leader and the leader’s traits that are central to the leadership process. The trait approach has its roots in leadership theory that suggests that certain people were born with special traits that make them great leaders. Does this mean that these traits cannot be taught and therefore creating great leaders?
This makes me think of the local school district. The elementary schools have implemented a program called “The Leader in Me”. This program takes the 7 Habits of Happy kids and teaches children to be leaders. This program teaches 21st Century leadership and life skills to students and creates a culture of student empowerment based on the idea that every child can be a leader. This program does not talk about students being born with special traits that make them great leaders. This program believes that everyone can be a leader. So, this doesn’t follow the trait approach as it was defined by Northouse. So, are leaders born with special traits or can these traits be taught and leaders made later on in life?
Another aspect of this chapter mentioned emotional intelligence. Another way of assessing the impact of traits on leadership is through the concept of emotional intelligence. Northouse (2015) explains that emotional intelligence has to do with our emotions and thinking, and the interplay between the two. This type of intelligence is concerned with the ability to understand emotions and apply this understanding to life’s tasks. The premise suggested by this framework is that people who are more sensitive to their emotions and the impact of their emotions on others will be leaders who are more effective.
The question that comes to mind after reading that information is if emotional intelligence makes a good leader, then why doesn’t society see women as valuable leaders? All the time I hear that women are sensitive, women are too emotional and as a result should not be President or should not be leaders in military positions. However, Northouse (2015) says that people who are more sensitive to their emotions and the impact on others make more effective leaders. So, does society interfere with what research proves? Or are members of society not aware of what makes a good leader? Maybe this is why more research is needed and more concrete definition and descriptions of what makes a good leader should be established.
Northouse, P.G. (2015). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
The Leader In Me can be found at the following site: http://www.theleaderinme.org/