Trait And Behavioral Theories Of Leadership

Leadership and Management seem to be quiet similar but actually they are two different ways of organizing people.

Management’s job is to plan, control and coordinate with a group of one or more employees to accomplish a goal according to the principles and values that has already been established, while leadership is setting a new direction or vision for the team to follow by motivating and inspiring them i.e the leader is the spearhead for that new direction. A leader operates by example.

Warren Bennis in his book “On becoming a leader” has composed a list of differences between managers and leaders. According to him, a leader is a person who innovates, develops and focuses on leading the employees of an organization. They are people oriented.

Leaders possess the qualities of artists, scientists, and other creative thinkers as they tolerate chaos and try to understand the issues more fully no matter if it takes time or a new step. Managers seek stability and control, and instinctively try to resolve problems quickly—sometimes before they fully understand a problem’s significance.

Answer 2:

Difference between trait and behavioral theories of leadership

Trait theory and behavioral theory describes the characteristics of a good leader. These theories focus on where leaders have come from and how they can be identified.

Trait theory gives the idea that some people are born with certain character traits such as self confidence, honesty, intelligence, appearance etc that makes them the leader and differs them from followers. In an organization following this model, employees are analyzed by their skill of leadership. Such people are then trained to make the most out of their capabilities.

Behavioral theory revolves around the fact that manager’s leadership skills can be polished to be turned into an effective

In behavioral theory, employees can be trained to become a leader by developing leadership skills in them. Whereas according to trait theory, leadership skills can’t be taught. The leadership skills are naturally part of the person’s personality from birth. Behavior theory focuses on the actions of leaders where as trait theory focuses on the internal qualities and state.

According to trait theory, not everyone can be a leader as a it revolves around the concept that leaders are born, not made whereas it is vice versa for behavioral theory which states that great leaders are made not born. Anyone can achieve leadership with proper training and learning.

Behavior theory is relatively easy to develop and apply as one can assess both the leadership success and actions of leaders. One can easily amend the actions which are causing failure.

In my opinion both the theories are valid and I agree with them as some traits of the person’s character are naturally gifted which makes one a leader such as eagerness to forgive, caring and willingness to help and support others. Everyone can be an effective leader either by having inner qualities or by proper training. Nowadays, many companies are spending much and hiring professionals to train their manager’s leadership potential and it has been a