Traits, Motives, And Characteristics Of Leaders – Critical Analysis

Leadership Traits and Characteristics

Critically analyse the traits, motives and characteristics of leaders.

Leadership can be referred to a state, which someone possesses with the help of various necessary elements in it that are known as traits, motives and effectiveness of leaders (Northouse, 2015). There is a strong bonding in between the leadership traits, motives and effectiveness. A leader can have varied different traits, which depends hugely on its personal behaviour and the situational circumstances surrounding to him or her (Germain, 2012). Many traits are given there to identify the degree of level to become an effective leader. However, it depends hugely in the personal capabilities of the individual and on its capabilities to tackle the surrounding situation. Some leaders are born; however, they may have different characteristics altogether. Despite of the differences they have, they inspire their zone because the situational circumstances shape them accordingly (Wasylyshyn, Shorey & Chaffin, 2012). Leaders can have varied characteristics of influence such as dominance, self-assurance, passion, tough-mindedness etc. This is also very interesting that different kinds of leadership yield different results, which gets evident in the organizational output and the employee’s behaviour (Sam et al., 2012). For example, leaders who have enthusiasm, they are very keen to adapt the different changes if they are asked to do so. They are very adjustable in nature, which makes them highly suitable for the workplace as they believe in assimilating with the workforces. On the other hand, tough-minded leaders are very practical and less attached to sentiments. They are loosely attached to the varied emotions of employees. Such leaders are worthy for the organization but not for the employees. Some employees find such leaders very professional and less expressive, which also prevents them from making strong connectivity with such leaders. In such circumstances, employees work just for the sake of its needs; however, they find it difficult to attach themselves with such employees (Wasylyshyn, Shorey & Chaffin, 2012). The main purpose of this assignment is to make its readers understand that different traits of leaders have strong connectivity with their different motives and effective characteristics. However, the assignment would make its reader understand that not all the traits are productive in nature as far as operation is concerned. Moreover, this assignment would also make its readers understand the different possibilities, which a particular trait can cause on the respective surroundings.

Theory of traits states that leaders have different sets of trait, which is born in them or are produced in the influence of various surrounding circumstances. Leadership is a topic that has many theoretical facts behind it, which tries to provide it a layer, so that, it could become understandable to the readers. The leadership theory has been categorised in many different traits, which according to the leadership theory are ideal characteristics that a leader possess or can have to influence a group (Amanchukwu, Stanley & Ololube, 2015). It means that different traits of leadership such as enthusiasm, self-assurance, tough-minded etc. have their good impact on its followers. However, this is not always true because at times leaders can be strict, which are bearable to many but some might find this a strange behaviour. For example, encouraging employees to work extra over the normal shift time might be a good resource for earning, as this would provide them over time allowances. However, on the other hand, some might not take this as an equally good option. To such employees, work life balance matters a lot. For example, Australians have high flair to work life balance than the Japanese (Chhokar, Brodbeck & House, 2013). Differences can also be found at the same workplace.

Theory of Traits

Traits and motives are two different terms with different characteristics as well but they collectively give birth to effectiveness, which the leader has on its followers. Motives can be termed as different behavioural states, which influence its followers differently at different circumstances (Chemers, 2014). For example, employees those have behavioural issues, it is then required from leaders that they use strong ethical attitude to rectify the faulty behaviours. Traits are those factors that influence the leaders for a particular motive when it is required. A leader takes different motives, which is best feasible to the surrounding circumstances only when it has the capability to excel into the requirement. For example, a leader can have passion to inspire the behaviour of employees but it might or might not inspire the same. This is because employees might have some issues, which is not repairable through any theoretical approach. It rather requires some practically added to it. For example, if an employee has issues with the work nature of his or her respective workplace, leaders can never be able to motivate such employees by just using some motivating theories. Leaders in such circumstances would rather need to understand the exact problem and then work accordingly (Daft, 2014). If the concerned employee has issues with the work pressure, it is advisable to make him understand the requirement. If the concerned employee persists with the same feeling then it is better that respective leader use the most feasible approach to resolve the issue. Leaders should first check the truthiness of the escalated issue and then accordingly act to reduce the work pressure. This can either be done by aligning additional manpower or by extending the work deadline. Leaders can go both the ways depending on the feasibility of the options with the surrounding circumstances in the concerned organization.  

It is indeed undeniable that leaders who have strong passion to success and does not know any obstacle as big as it appears, they tend to inspire and influence mass followers. For example, Mark Zuckerberg who is the founder and CEO of Facebook has had never thought that his innovation would bring him such as success. Mark Zuckerberg who is just above the age of 30 has become one of the most powerful billionaire in this universe (Kirkpatrick, 2012). It is evident that leadership skills play a high role in conquering the success; however, it is also undeniable that very few leaders have been successful in producing the same effect. It is indeed very important for leaders to become practical and use the leadership characteristic according to the situation. They need to mix it up with some practical yet feasible decisions to influence its followers. Leadership skills and motives then require a right execution of it in order to become an effective leader and influence the behaviour of its followers. It is also evident in the mentioned example that a proper execution of a correct set of leadership characteristics is indeed more important for yielding the success. Colonel Harland Sanders present strong supporting evidence in this regard. The man who started at the age of 65 did conquer the success after facing the failure at approximately 1009 times (Ozersky, 2012). This clearly proves that leadership qualities are born but it takes time to yield the deserving success, which is only possible if it is executed at the most appropriate time.

Traits, Motives, and Effectiveness

Traits, motives and effectiveness are all a part of leaders, which are potential characters and can produce potential results as well provided if it is executed appropriately according to the circumstances. Leadership characteristics are born in leaders but they need to realise the right time to execute the most appropriate leadership characteristic, which could yield the desire success. Leadership qualities are born; however, it takes time to realize the inbuilt qualities. Colonel Harland Sanders took 65 years of his age to realise that he has leadership quality in him. He realised the potential of a leader in him after facing failure on approximately 1009 times. He eventually travelled a long journey with no success and then finally realised that he can make a difference. Colonel Harland Sanders then took a bold step to come up with chicken recipe and             the rest is history. Colonel Harland Sanders is one of the most powerful billionaires on this earth and KFC is one of the most powerful fast food brands in the world. A proper execution of leadership qualities is also evident in the example of Mark Zuckerberg who is just above the age of 30; however, he is one of the most powerful billionaires in this world. Nobody has had ever thought that a social platform would be such a success; however, Mark Zuckerberg realised the urgency at the most appropriate time and the rest is history. Facebook is the highest engaged platform across all the social platforms that are available. These two examples clearly state that theoretical concept on leadership traits; motives and effectiveness are truthful to an extent when there is no such urgency. However, it is not as effective in situations when it needs to analyse the most productive leadership traits. It simply depends on the decisions, which leaders take according to the situational needs. Such decisions might not look like a leadership trait or motive; however, the future would define the usefulness of such decisions. True leadership examples are very few; however, those few examples have set benchmark for other to follow.

References

Amanchukwu, R. N., Stanley, G. J., & Ololube, N. P. (2015). A review of leadership theories, principles and styles and their relevance to educational management. Management, 5(1), 6-14.

Chemers, M. (2014). An integrative theory of leadership. Psychology Press.

Chhokar, J. S., Brodbeck, F. C., & House, R. J. (Eds.). (2013). Culture and leadership across the world: The GLOBE book of in-depth studies of 25 societies. Routledge.

Daft, R. L. (2014). The leadership experience. Cengage Learning.

Germain, M. L. (2012). Traits and skills theories as the nexus between leadership and expertise: Reality or fallacy?. Performance Improvement, 51(5), 32-39.

Kirkpatrick, D. (2012). The Facebook effect: The real inside story of Mark Zuckerberg and the world’s fastest growing company. Random House.

Northouse, P. G. (2015). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.

Ozersky, J. (2012). Colonel Sanders and the American Dream (Vol. 3). University of Texas Press.

Sam, M., Fazli, M., Tahir, M. N. H., & Abu Bakar, K. (2012). Owner-managers of SMEs in it sector: leadership and company performance.

Wasylyshyn, K. M., Shorey, H. S., & Chaffin, J. (2012). Patterns of leadership behaviour: Implications for successful executive coaching outcomes. The Coaching Psychologist, 8(2), 74-85.