Leadership Theories: Trait, Behavioral, and Application

This essay explores trait and behavioral leadership theories, providing an overview of each theory's core principles and assumptions. The trait theory emphasizes innate qualities and skills necessary for leadership, while the behavioral theory focuses on learned behaviors and practices. The essay includes a personal reflection on the author's experiences in a leadership position, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in relation to both theories. It references scholarly articles to support the analysis and offers insights into the practical application of these leadership theories in organizational settings. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and resources for students.

Leading Business
Organization

Leadership theories
 There are numerous theories of leadership.
 These have been developed over the years and hold significant
importance for companies in the modern times
 The theories are:
 Trait theory
 Behavioural theory
 Contingency theory
 Power and Influence theory

Trait Theory
 It states to become a leader there are certain qualities that an
individual must possess.
 In absence of such traits, one cannot become a leader.
 According to the theory, leadership is an innate, instinctive quality.
 It helps in identifying qualities and skills of a person and determine
whether or not he/she can become a leader.
 The trait leadership theory believes that people are either born or are
made with certain qualities that will make them excel in leadership
roles.
 But having such qualities does not guarantee that one can become a
leader.

How trait theory applies to me?
 During my tenure at a leadership position, I have learned that I
possess certain qualities and skills necessary for a leader.
 I am good at communicating and interacting with people.
 I can develop healthy relations easily.
 I have long term vision.
 But having these qualities did not make me a very good leader.
 Rather throughout my tenure in the company, I have determined that
I am not a good leader, primarily because I am a short tempered
person.
 This is one of the abilities that an individual must not possess, in
order to become a leader.

Behavioural Theory
 In reaction to the trait leadership theory, the behavioural theories are offering a new
perspective, one that focuses on the behaviours of the leaders as opposed to their
mental, physical or social characteristics.
 With the evolutions in psychometrics, notably the factor analysis, researchers were able
to measure the cause an effects relationship of specific human behaviours from leaders.
 From this point forward anyone with the right conditioning could have access to the
once before elite club of naturally gifted leaders.
 According to the theory, leaders are made; not born.
 It is the complete opposite of trait theory of leadership.
 The largest limitation to behavioural theory is that just because people learn the
practices and behaviours does not mean they will be able to enact the theory properly.
 There is a lack of knowledge on how behaviour theory can be used in various cultural
contexts and situations.

How behavioural theory applies to
me?
 One very important skill or behaviour that a leader must possess is to
remain calm in difficult situations.
 I am short tempered person.
 Due to this reason I have not progressed as a leader in the company.
 Behaviours can be learned.
 Over the years I have learned different skill sets.
 But possessing such knowledge has not made me a better leader.

References
 Haeckel, S. H., 2013. Adaptive enterprise: Creating and leading
sense-and-respond organizations. Harvard business press.
 Galaskiewicz, J., 2016. Social organization of an urban grants
economy: A study of business philanthropy and nonprofit
organizations. Elsevier.
 Fisher, D., 2010. Leading a sustainable organization. The Journal for
Quality and Participation. 32(4).p. 29.
 Cummings, T. G. and Worley, C. G., 2014. Organization development
and change. Cengage learning.

Thank You!!!