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Despite the questions surrounding the validity of leadership trait theory, it
is reasonable to assume that certain personality traits are associated with
leadership, while others are not. Research over the years reveals that
effective leaders tend to share the following traits:

• Intelligence -- the ability to integrate and interpret information.
• Creativity -- innovative and original in their thinking
• Self-confidence -- trust in themselves and confidence in their

abilities.
• Drive -- a high level of energy, initiative, and tenaciousness
• Task-relevant knowledge -- know their business and what it takes to
make it successful.
• Credibility – honest, trustworthy, predictable, and dependable.

• Motivation -- enjoy influencing others to achieve shared goals.
• Flexibility -- adapt to fit the needs of followers and demands of
situations. A well-known Chinese proverb says that the wise adapt
themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher.

These traits will be discussed in greater detail in subsequent chapters of
this book dealing with leadership behavior and competency.

The inability to obtain consistent results when repeating the leadership
trait studies raised further questions. Why couldn’t researchers

scientifically replicate these results? Some researchers pointed to the
inherent difficulty in measuring a human personality trait. How do you
effectively and consistently measure self-confidence or loyalty, for
example?

Trait-based theory, by implication, asserts that the best leaders are born to

lead and that effective leadership and potential leaders are determined by a
largely pre-destined and unchanging set of character traits. From a
training and development standpoint, trait-based theory also implies that if
a person does not possess the “right” leadership traits, then he or she will
not be able to lead effectively, or, certainly, will not lead as well as a
natural-born leader. Training and development can foster leadership

ability to a degree, but what really matters in this concept is possessing the
appropriate traits or personality profile. The ideas and implications of
trait-based leadership theory dominated leadership thinking until the mid-

David Kolzow 19