I have always found it funny that when you ask someone to define a leader, the most common answer is to list traits of a good leader. Everyone also has a different opinion of what traits are important (Northouse, 2013). Some traits are physical attributes such as being tall, muscular, athletic, and good looking. Others are personality characteristics such as being outgoing, intelligent, friendly, and confidant. Yet others want a dominant, decisive, and persistent leader that will always persevere no matter the challenge (Northouse, 2013). This leads me to wonder is there any set traits that define a leader?
This is a very perplexing question, because all leaders good and bad exhibit a lot of the same qualities. Both good and bad leaders can be confidant, determined, social, and intelligent (Northouse, 2013). Both leaders can be high in certain big five traits such as, conscientiousness. However the bad leader maybe more narcissistic and driven by personal gain rather than the collective good of everyone. This inner motivation is a somewhat hidden trait that most might not realize is present. Since there are many traits that both good and bad leaders share, can traits really be used as a good defining quality in a leader?
I think traits are important in defining leadership, however they are only a part of what makes a leader a good leader. The critics of the trait approach mention that the trait approach fails to take situations into consideration (Northouse, 2013). This is like defining water as being wet. Being wet is an important characteristic of water, however it is far from the complete picture of water. Traits interact with situations to produce good and bad leaders. If there never had been a civil rights movement would there have ever been a Martin Luther King Jr.?
Dr. King is an undisputed example of good leadership. However if the civil rights movement had not happened would he have been able to let his defining traits shine through? It was in how Dr. King handles the situations and used his traits to inspire and motivate people that made him the polarizing leader he became. As such traits and situations are intrinsic parts of leadership. What makes a leader a good leader is their traits interacting with different situations. Good leaders are dynamic in that they can adjust their behavior to different people and situations to reach the end goal.
Traits are a good hallmark of potential leaders (Northouse, 2013). Traits are also only part of what defines leadership. Leadership is dynamic and perplexing. It is only through examining the entire context of the leadership situation that we can get a better understanding of what it means to be a leader.
References:
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.