During the years since our last presidential election there has been an increasing  trend in our country. A division that keeps growing more clear, that we do not agree on many different political issues. Both republicans and democrats stand firm in their beliefs, so much so that during the election 89% and 90% of republican and democratic voters believed that if the other candidate won it would create an incredible danger for our country (Dimock, Wike, 2020). Our overall world view has suffered because of current leaders. Decreasing drastically in countries like France and Germany, who had 84% and 86% confidence in the U.S President to do the right thing in 2016, to only 11% and 10% confidence in our President today (Wike, 2020). These examples prove our growing need for unity, innovation, change, cooperation, and the ability to prioritize the needs of the people more effectively, especially during a global pandemic like the one we are facing. Transformational leaders are strong role models that motivate, inspire, and engage with their followers in a positive way that collectively aids in achieving or exceeding their goals (Northouse, 2016, p.162-163). The leadership factors we need in order to bridge that gap, and lesson our negative view around our own country and the world, will begin with what Joe Biden does when he takes office.

 

 

Important leadership qualities we need in order to come together again, align with the factors of transformational leadership. Charisma, motivation, consideration, and stimulation are all equally needed to fulfill this model, which I believe is important for our future leaders to encompass. A leader with charisma will have strong ethical and moral values, often times recognized as a good role model for others to follow (Northouse, 2016, p. 167). Aside from the 20,000 false claims made by our president during his time in office, that fact checkers at the Washington post try to keep track of (Kessler,Rizzo,Kelly 2020) , his sexual misconduct allegations alone should be enough to give us a glimpse into his moral character. There are 26 women who have alleged some kind of sexual misconduct from our current President (Relman, 2020), regardless of if you believe these allegations are true or not, it is important for our leaders to set better examples. This proves why we need a leader who has better moral ground, one not surrounded by controversy and sexual misconduct allegations. Unfortunately Joe Biden does have allegations against him as well, from 8 women who said he made them “uncomfortable”, and who were upset at the fact that he refused to apologize for the alleged conduct (Relman, Sheth, 2020). Going forward now that Biden is our President elect, one way he could gain our trust in him as a role model, could be for him to address these concerns, and acknowledge and apologize for any wrongdoings, in order to move forward and become the role model we need.

 

Once he has gained our respect and trust to become that role model, then he needs to be able to stimulate and motivate us in ways that are not currently happening. We need a leader who will support us and our goals and suggestions. Considering any ideas to limit our productivity and innovation would be the opposite of moving forward as a country, and stall us in making significant scientific advancements. Yet this is the fourth year of continued debates on decreasing funding for certain types of research within the NIH, NSF, DOE, and. NASA (Mervis ,2020). Stimulation comes from allowing us as followers to innovate and create new things (Northouse, 2016, p.169). By defunding important research programs you’re not only blocking creativity and knowledge but also our ability to challenge new ideas and keep up with other modern advancements. One way Biden could help support us more, is  to stop defunding programs like this and allow us to continue our research and development. This will  restore our innovation and stimulate us again to achieve things beyond our goals. By empowering the people and giving them back their opportunities and their voices, he can motivate them and stimulate them to continue attempting and completing great things.

 

The most significant factor of these four that I believe would make the largest difference for our nation is consideration. We need a leader who listens to the people, and takes all of their concerns into consideration to the best of his or her ability. Instead of promoting violence and discrimination through tweets like, “when the looting starts the shooting starts”,   ecouraging police to be more violent,  and calling coronavirus “Chinese Flu” (Cineas, 2020), we need a leader who respects all people and works with us, for us. Comments, like some of the ones Trump has said regarding the “Chinese Flu”, are small examples of the negative image we created for our country, regarding our respect for other nations. President elect Joe Biden will need to be able to listen to the needs of all people and groups, BLM, LGBT, the police, men, women, and everyone in between to work with us all on creating a better America.  He will have to help all of our nation as a whole instead of being selective in who he helps, and he will have to show respect for all other nations.

 

Overall I believe that our President elect will need to encompass parts of the four factors outlined within the transformational model to close the divide we have seen and improve our foreign image. His charisma should portray an effective and ethical role model. He should motivate us as a nation to come together and work collectively with one another. We will also require him to stimulate and challenge us to meet and exceed our goals by channeling our creativity and innovation. Lastly, we need him to respect and appreciate all forms of human life regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, or financial standingings. If he can meet these demands when he reaches office, then hopefully we can begin to fix not only the divide in our own country, but the divide we have created from the rest of the world as well.

 

 

References:

 

-Cineas, Fabiola. (2020). Donald Trump is the accelerant. A comprehensive timeline of Trump encouraging hate groups and political violence.

 

-Dimock, Michael; Wike, Richard. (2020) America is exceptional in the nature of its political divide. Pew Research Center. Washington DC. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/13/america-is-exceptional-in-the-nature-of-its-political-divide/

 

-Kessler, Glenn;  Rizzo, Salvador; Kelly, Meg. (2020).. President Trump has made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims. The Washington Post. Retrieved from : https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/13/president-trump-has-made-more-than-20000-false-or-misleading-claims/

 

-Mervis , Jeffery. (2020). Trump’s new budget cuts all but a favored few science programs. American Association for the Advancement of Science.(AAAS)). Retrieved from: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/trump-s-new-budget-cuts-all-favored-few-science-programs

 

– Northouse, Peter. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice. (7th Edition).

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications

 

-Relman, Eliza. (2020). The 26 women who have. Accused Trump of sexual misconduct. Business Insider Retrieved from: https://www.businessinsider.com/women-accused-trump-sexual-misconduct-list-2017-12#alva-johnson-23

 

-Tenpas, Kathryn Dunn. (2020). Tracking turnover in the Trump administration. Governance Studies: Brookings Institution. Retrieved from: https://www.brookings.edu/research/tracking-turnover-in-the-trump-administration/

 

-Wike, Richard. (2020). The Trump era has seen a decline in Americas’s global reputation. Pew Research center. Washington DC. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/19/the-trump-era-has-seen-a-decline-in-americas-global-reputation/

 

It takes a certain kind of person to be able to care for another persons child. To be specific,  it takes a foster parent, willing to dedicate themselves to the care of a child who is not theirs biologically (Merriam-Webster, 2020). This seems like too simple of a  definition. A foster parent does so much more than that.  Through the strategy and use of strong adaptive leadership, foster parents learn how to navigate difficult barriers with race equality, behavior management,  and trauma that these kids may bring with them. Adaptive leadership is the ability to deal with this type of changing environment in a way that fits within the contexts of the situation (Northouse, 2016, p257).

 

When you chose to become a foster parent, you do not know anything about the child or children you will be helping right away. The child could end up being from a different ethnic background, or they may hold cultural values that you are unfamiliar with. It is important for a parent to take these things into consideration when trying to help  a child develop a sense of social acceptance (Edwards, Carol, 2020).  This is one of many different situations that a foster parent may encounter.Within adaptive leadership there are three different kinds of challenges, which lead to six different leadership behaviors that will correspond with the overall goal of the adaptive work (Northouse,2016, p.271). Technical, adaptive, and technical adaptive challenges can be present in any given situation. This is why they fall within the category of situational challenges (Northouse 2016, p.261).

 

A technical challenge can usually be solved with quick action in a manner that is recognized by followers as the right thing to do (Northouse, 2016, p261). In other words, it is an easily identifiable issue with a clear and easily identified solution. Most of the challenges foster parents face will not be technical, I think most situations will not have a clear solution because each child will need something different from you as a parent. One example of a situation that should have an obvious answer when becoming a foster parent though, is sleeping arrangements. This could be considered a technical issue because it is an obvious dilemma that should have an obvious answer depending on the space available within the home.

 

A technical and adaptive challenge is more likely to be encountered. This type of challenge usually presents a clear issue, however does not have an obvious solution (Northouse, 2016, p.262). One example of where you may encounter a technical and adaptive challenge would be with family traditions. The child you have may not have experienced the same traditions, or maybe they were brought up with different traitions. This is something you will probably identify quickly if you were not told before hand, but you probably won’t have an easy answer at first. This is where adaptive leadership really steps in. With this example the best way to find a solution is to start by just asking them and then try incorporating the new traditions in with the old (Sherman, Candice, 2018).

 

Adaptive challenges are the majority of what foster parents encounter. These challenges are often met with resistance and are not easy to identify or solve over night (Northouse, 2016, p.262). Adaptive challenges require change, and change is never an easy thing. Change of attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and assumptions (Northouse, 2016, p.262). For example, what if the child’s parents have been incarcerated? The child may be  angry or depressed but not show these things right away making it hard to identify an issue. Slowly their grades get worse, their attitudes get worse and you have to adapt to their changing needs. Parental incarceration interferes with more than just the physical aspects of a child’s life, but also the emotional aspects of a child’s life (Children’s Bureau, 2020). This is why being able to adapt to any given situation to the best of your ability, is important as a foster parent.

 

Each of these situations may prompt the six different leadership behaviors according to the adaptive leadership model presented by Heifetz (Northouse, 2016, p.260). Get on the balcony, identify the challenge, regulate distress, maintain attention, give people back the work, and protect leader voices (Northouse, 2016, p.261). To get on the balcony means to find clarity for yourself so you can understand everything going on (Northouse, 2016, p.263). As a foster parent make sure you take the time to understand the child. Identify the challenge, figure out where you should focus your energy to help the child the best way you can. Regulating distress is an important one because it involves trying to minimize the amount of stress people may be feeling, in order to maintain a productive transition (Northouse, 2016, p.266). Any time a child is moved to a new home it is stressful, and unfamiliar. Helping them deal with this stress is important in helping them make the transition comforably. Maintaining attention as a foster parent would mean to keep your focus on the goal, whether that be reunification for that child with their family or if the goal is adoption. Give the people back the work, give them a chance to problem solve on their own sometimes (Northouse, 2016, p.271). Let the children still have control of their lives while providing safe direction for them to follow if they chose. Lastly is protecting their voice, let everyone have a voice and listen to their ideas openly (Northouse, 2016,, p.271). As a foster parent you may encounter a wide range of personalities, be open to those personalities and listen to their voices, because they matter.

 

As a foster parent it is safe to assume that your overall goal is to provide a safe environment for a child who needs it. The adaptive work that comes along with this process is important to understand so you can work your way through any situation you find yourself in. Adaptive work happens when you communicate effectively in a safe environment for people to confront the changes happening in their lives (Northouse, 2016, p273). The foster care system is their to help place children with a safe place to be cared for when their parents can not care for them (Adoption Center, 2020). Adaptive work and being a foster parent both rely on creating safe environments to confront challenges and changes happening in ones life.

 

References:

 

-Adoption Center Editors (2020). What is Foster Care?. Adoption Center. Retrieved from : http://www.adopt.org/what-foster-care

 

-Children’s Bureau Editors. (2020). Supporting Children and Families Affected by Parental Incarceration. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Administration for Children & Families. Retrieved from: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/supporting/support-services/incarceration/

 

-Edwards, Carol. MSW LCSW (2020). Affirming and Nurturing Racial Identity and Equality in children. The Center for Child Welfare. Retrieved from: http://centervideo.forest.usf.edu/video/qpi/nurturingracialidentity/qpistart.html

-Merriam-Webster Dictionary Editors (2020). Definition of foster parent. Merriam-Webster Retrieved from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foster%20parent

-Northouse, Peter.(2016). Leadership Theory and Practice. (7^th Edition). Thousands Oaks. CA:Sage Publications

 

-Sherman, Candice. (2018). Family Traditions and Foster Children. Foster Parenting and Adoption through the Gladney Center of Adoption. Retrieved from: https://fosterparenting.com/family-traditions-foster-children/

Transformational leadership is a relatively new theory that involves charisma and the ability to inspire and empower people, especially through troubled times (Northouse, 2016, p.161). Whether you know much about the Cuban Missle Crisis or not, you can assume by the name that the situation applies to a troubled time in our countries past. October, 1962 rings through history as a pivotal moment in preventing world war III (Office of the Historian,1961-1968). During that time John F. Kennedy was our President and thus responsible for the quality of leadership through that time.

 

During the cold war era, the Soviet Union began building a military presence in Cuba (Office of the Historian,1961-1968). John F Kennedy received ariel view photos of a missile launch site being developed by the Soviet’s, making this a very real threat  (Office of the Historian,1961-1968). During a crisis like this, unity and coming together is essential. Kennedy was able to bring the people together, through strength, in a way that emphasized his values for the greater good of everyone, which is a big component of transformational leadership (Northouse,2016, p.167). Using the four factors of transformational leadership John F Kennedy was able to successfully guide our nation through that dark time.

 

Being a consistently strong role model, and having high morals and ethics is part of achieving the first factor within transformational leadership, idealized influence (Northouse 2016, p.167). Kennedy exhibited this type of influence during the crisis by never losing sight of his goal, which was finding a peaceful resolution, even allowing Khrushchev more time to consider any offers he was trying to extend  (History Editors, 2009). In his address to the nation he reinforced our values in maintaining patientce during times like those, and by reminding the American people that they are strong and can push through hard times. “Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindictation of right; not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom” (Kennedy, John F., 1962). By making that address to the public he inspired the nation to come together and demonstrated the second factor in transformation leadership, inspirational motivation (Northouse,2016, p.169). The third factor of this leadership model is intellectual stimulation which stimulates and challenges  followers to problem solve more effectively. Kennedy addresses the captive people in Cuba directly to encourage them that a brighter future will come, and not to give up on their dreams of freedom (Kennedy, John F., 1962). Even though the Cubans were not his direct followers he did call them a “friend” of ours and so I believe this does constituate as a moment of intellectual stimulation.The last of the four factors is individualized consideration. Individualized consideration is when a leader can listen to the needs of the people and provide the individual support that they may need, guiding them through any obstacles (Northouse, 2016, p.169). During the time of the crisis Kennedy called upon all of his advisors and carefully listened to each of them, considering each outcome and risk, ultimately listening to the american people and pursuing the least aggressive option he had by “quarentining” Cuba (Office of the Historian, 1961-1968).

 

 

The outcome of transformational leadership will usually go beyond what we expect, and increase the effectiveness of the leader (Northouse, 2016, p.169). The Cuban Missile Crisis was a very serious and worriesome time for many people around the world. Being on the edge of another world war. Yet through dedication, strong morals and understanding, Kennedy was able to literally and figuratively dismantle that threat by convincing the Soviets to withdraw their missiles and stop the imminent threat of world war three (Office of the Historian, 1961-1968). His actions and decisions allowed him to achieve  a high level of transformation leadership that spread throughout the world, shining a light on his strength as our leader.

 

References:

 

-History.com Editors. (2009). JFK’s address on Cuban Missile Crisis s hocks the nation. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved from: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cuban-missile-crisis

-Kennedy, John F. (1962). Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation. American Rhetoric. Retrieved from https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkcubanmissilecrisis.html :

-Northouse, Peter.(2016). Leadership Theory and Practice. (7^th Edition). Thousands Oaks. CA:Sage Publications.

-Office of the Historian (1961-1968). The Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1962. United States Department of State. Retrieved from: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/cuban-missile-crisis

 

 

Ethics can be defined as ones character and how they behave (Northouse, 2016, p.330). We should try to look at all leaders from some form of ethical point of view because, we need to understand who leaders are and what they do. Which is exactly what ethical leadership focuses on (Northouse, 2016, p.330). Burns made valid observations about about ethics within leadership. Ultimately he argued that, a leader who has good ethical leadership skills will be able to work with their followers to overcome different circumstances, and through that improve moral for both parties (Northouse, 2016, p.338). Other good ethics in leadership focus on how important the influence of a leader can be. Since leaders have the capabilities of reaching out to people, they can influence their behaviors. That is why it is important for a leader to take this responsibility seriously if they want to promote positive change (Northouse, 2016, p.336-337). To get an overall view of all the qualities surrounding important leadership ethics, a leader must openly; respect others, maintain honesty, help the community, and serve others (Northouse, 2016, p. 341). What happens if a leader does not follow these rules of ethics?

 

Pablo Escobar is a name most people will probably recognize because, he was at one point the largest drug supplier to the United States (Biography Editors, 2014). Reaching those levels of drug trafficking, placed Escobar in a controversial leadership position. His role as the founder and head of the Medellin Cartel can easily be associated with what is known as, “The dark side of leadership” (Northouse, 2016, p.339). As you can assume by the name, this is typically when a leader is destructive, self-centered, charismatic, and having little concern over human rights (Northouse, 2016, p.339-340).

 

From a young age Escobar was confident and ambitious, he began committing small crimes as a teenager and realized he was good at what he was doing (Biography Editors, 2014). This probably contributed to  the confidence he had in himself. Escobar is known mostly for the bad things that he did, yet most people from Columbia have a more positive view of him, he worked hard for people to like him (Crime Museum, 2020). Some things he was known for include; building churches, and parks, and helping the locals financially, some would call him “Robin Hood” (Crime Museum, 2020). This is an example of how he used his charisma to gain approval for the actions he was committing, even though they may not have been legal. Do not let his limited acts of kindness to the community cloud your understanding though. He had absolutely no regard for human life, being known for “plata o plomo” (Crime Museum, 2020), which translates to bribe or death, because if you did not take his bribe he would kill you. Where are the human rights in this instance?

 

From an ethical standing looking at Pablo Escobar he fits the dark side of leadership. The Toxic Triangle developed by, Padilla Hogan and Kaiser (2007), helps create a better understanding of the various dynamics at play when a leader such as Escobar takes control. I illustrated above how he aligns within the description of a destructive leader, through lack of concern over life, like-ability, and self generated confidence ( Northouse, 2016, p.340). There are still two other pieces to this triangle that had to work in order for him to gain the power he had as a leader. Those were his followers and the environment at the time. According to the toxic triangle his followers needed to have low-self esteem, unmet needs, similar world views, and vulnerability (Northouse, 2016, p.340). The people of Columbia were very poor and when he provided them with money to expand programs, and to help the poor, he was also fulfilling an unmet need for many people. The economic and political environments were unstable during this period and laid out an opportune moment for Escobar to gain power in the drug trade. He was able to gain a role in the Columbian government for a brief time, where he was able to push many of his agendas through using the threat of violence (Crime Museum, 2020). A conductive environment is one that is unstable, giving the leader more authority and power (Northouse, 2016, p.340). The assistance he provided for the Columbian people and the political standing he was in, created the perfect climate for him to gain followers and  give him an ideal environment  to thrive in because it was so unstable. The only problem is that he thrived by abusing ethical principals and acting for selfish reasons with no care for who he hurt in the process.

 

We see how Escobar fits into the example of bad ethical leadership. He was a destructive leader, had vulnerable followers, and he had an unstable environment in which he could emerge into and take control. This is why it is important for todays leaders to hold themselves to higher standards. We must take our roles seriously in order to achieve positive results as a leader. Ultimately Pablo Escobar died trying to outrun the police on the rooftops in a local neighborhood (Biography Editors, 2014). A leader can not be selfish and careless like Escobar. A leader must be compassionate, selfless and always put their followers needs first (Northouse, 2016 p.342).

 

An example of ethical leadership today could be taken from Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany. Her handeling of the Coronavirus outbreak there has led Germany to have one of the lowest mortality rates in Europe with only a 3.1% mortality rate, compared to Italy with an 11.2%, United Kingdom with 9% , and France with a 5.1% mortality rate (John Hopkinns University of Medicine, 2020). She used good communication and scientific interpretation for the entire nation which aided in awareness and understanding. She offered mental health support, and easy access to health care (Farr, 2020). Then she followed up with an increased effort in testing, and began developing contact tracing apps for people to use (Farr, 2020). This gave her followers what they needed to be successiful in combating this disease. These are only a few examples of how Angela Merkel can be seen as ethical. Through her response to coronavirus alone we see the importance of human life to her, and communication. She respects her followers, and serves them, she is honest, and dedicated to helping not only her own people but those around her as well. This places her within the definition of what ethical leadership should look like. Notice the difference between Pablo Escobar and Angela Merkel? Both of these leaders had power and obstacles to overcome, but their decisions as leaders based on their values sent them in different paths. Angela Merkel is one of many who can be viewed as ethical, and Pablo Escobar is one of many who can be seen as an example of the “dark side of leadership”

 

References

 

– Northouse, Peter. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice. (7th Edition).

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications

-Biography Editors. (2014). Pablo Escobar biography. A&E Television Netoworks. Retrieved from: https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/pablo-escobar

-Crime Museum Editors. (2020) Pablo Escobar. Retrieved from: https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/drugs/pablo-escobar/

-John Hopkins University of Medicine (2020). Mortality Analysis. Coronavirus Resource Center. Retrieved from: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality

-Farr, Christina (2020). Germany;s coronavirus response is a master class in science communication. CNBC. Retrieved from : https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/21/germanys-coronavirus-response-masterful-science-communication.html

The trait approach works by pointing out specific traits that would be beneficial to a leader within a designated role (Northouse, 2016, p.29). The reason this is so important to leadership is because it highlights the important characteristics we all value and look for in our leaders. Using the five factor model Bono, Gerhardt, Ilies, and Judge (2002) were able to find connections between specific personality traits and strong leadership (Northouse, 2016, p.27). The five traits within the five factor model are; Neurotisim, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. During their studies, Bono, Gerhardt, Ilies, and Judge were able to associate leadership most strongly to Extraversion, then Conscientiousness, Openness, low-Neuroticism and lastly to Agreeableness (Northouse, 2016, p.27)). It is common for employers to use this model when hiring for specific jobs that would require specific traits. Could the trait approach apply to leadership roles that were not within a typical work environment though? What is the extent to which the trait approach is beneficial in recognizing strong traits within different forms of leadership? One that comes to mind when thinking of an area outside of your everyday workplace, is the role of a parent. To narrow things down I’d like to explore the extent to which the trait approach can be applied to mothers, whether they be stay at home moms like myself, or working moms like many women I know. Does the trait approach apply to our parenting practices and leadership role in the home?

 

Within the home, we all have our own ways of living. While there are no right or wrong ways to live ones life, there have been positive correlations to better home-life relationships and certain personality traits within the mother. A study conducted by Kochanska, Kim and Koenig (2012),  found a link between the personality traits of a mother and her parenting. Studying the mother child relationship between 186 moms with children ranging from 24-44 months old provided them with detailed information on which traits were most positively associated (Kochanska,2012). During a 3 hour long period of time the mothers were observed with their toddlers to see how they interacted. Observing and measuring things like, level of child difficulty, the mothers personality, positive and negative interactions between the mother and child, and also having the mother self-report, were all used to prove links between certain traits (Kochanska, 2012).The three most positively correlated personality traits were; Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness. Mothers with higher scores on Openness also scored higher with positive parenting. Neuroticism on the other hand was associated with negative parenting relationships (Kochanska, 2012).

 

What do these traits mean though? In order to apply this to parenting we must understand what the traits are. Extraversion is the ability to socialize and interact well with others. Leaders with this trait tend to take charge, and talk a lot, they may be high in energy or positive emotions (Soto, 2015). Conscientiousness means to be mindful, self-disciplined, reliable, and organized. People with a high trait of conscientiousness tend to be structured, follow rules, and display a good amount of self-control (Soto,2015). Scoring high on Agreeableness means that one would be compassionate, easy to get along with, and more willing to help others (Soto, 2015). Openness requires a good imagination, and willingness to try new things. Lastly Neuroticism is more closely linked with negative emotions and anxieties. Someone low in this would be calm, happy, and have more self control.

 

Learning about these I couldn’t help but apply them to an old boss of mine from when I worked at the casino. He could engage with any customer, or employee in a fun and friendly manner which would be connected to extraversion. He was organized and detailed when it came to all of our reservations and he always dressed to impress. These all exemplify conscientiousness since he was self-disciplined, and organized. Lastly he was open to new ideas i’d offer him and most of the time he took them. Which showed not only his openness to new ideas but also his openness to try them! This is why he was such an effective leader and why I still think of him today when I think of leaders. He displayed extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness which are the three strongest links to being a good leader (Northouse, 2016, p.27).

 

As discussed in the Leadership Theory and Practice chapter on the trait approach, you may notice that those very characteristics linked to positive parenting are the same as those specified in the book for an effective leader. The one difference of the book from the study, being that Openess was more strongly correlated than Agreeableness with Leadership (Northouse,2016, p.27). Why would Agreeableness be better for parenting than Openeness, but then Openness be better for leading than Agreeableness? This probably comes down to a sense of compassion, to be a leader in the workforce does not require you to bend down and kiss a scraped up knee like a mother may need to do for her child. This would be a sign of compassion and willingness to help which is all apart of being Agreeable. Openness on the other hand has to do with taking risks and trying new things, this is something the manager of a business may need if he is going to grow a company for instance. By looking closely at what each trait consists of you can begin to understand how different characteristics interact with our world and environments around us.

 

The extent to which the trait approach can be beneficial seems endless. As a mother I can utilize this information to evaluate my own traits and see that they align with what is proven to be positive parenting. This highlights one of the many strengths the trait approach offers as well. Identifieing the traits that are proven to work best for whatever the role is (Northouse, 2016, p. 30). Since Extraversion, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness were the three strongest traits related to positive parenting, this means as a mother I should strive to be outgoing, energetic, controlled,  organized, and have the trust of my children. One of the ways I try to do this in my day to day life is by having a schedule for my toddlers that we try to stick to as best as we can. The schedule provides stability for them, they can trust me and depend on me to do certain things every day at the same time. I try to play and interact in lively ways with them, and I keep their playroom neat and organized. I could probably be more agreeable I do find that difficult some days when face to face with two toddlers.

 

In conclusion, the leadership role of a mother is one of many examples of how the trait approach can work successfully. Being able to identify key personality traits to fit a role can help us each evaluate ourselves and see where we stand. It is an effective tool for measuring the things we need to improve on in our lives, and helps provide insight to others on the type of person you may be. The trait approach does work within parenting and can help benefit any parent who may be interested in evaluating themselves on how to improve.

 

References:

-Kochanska, G., Kim, S., & Koenig Nordling, J. (2012). Challenging circumstances moderate the links between mothers’ personality traits and their parenting in low-income families with young children. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(6), 1040-1049. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/10.1037/a0030386

-Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice (7^th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

-Soto, C.J., Kronauer, A., Liang, J.K. (2015). Five-Factor Model of Personality.In The Encyclopedia of Adulthood and Aging, S.K. Whitbourne (Ed.).