Trait, Skills, and Situational Leadership Approaches: a Comparative Examination

TRAIT, SKILLS, AND SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP APPROACHES: A COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION

LEAD 720: Leadership Theory and Practice

Professor: Dr. David C. Greenhalgh

Submitted by:
Ronald Greilich
Eastern University
April 15, 2011

Introduction
There are many theories of leadership but three of the more formative are the trait approach, the skills approach, and the situational approach theories. This paper will compare these approaches, their foundations, and their research records as well as challenges to the theories and their position in the current examination of leadership, with discussion as to what is required to fully comprehend them and the future of research in these areas. Of all the leadership theories that are studied, the two that are the most similar are the traits and skills approaches, yet they differ in one dimension that is considerable. Conversely, the situational approach is one of several contingency based leadership theories that proceeds past the concept of leadership traits, characteristics, and skills and delves into the realm of varying leadership styles to match a situation. In this regard a comparison of the trait and skills approaches with the situational approach is appropriate to emphasize the range of approaches in the study of leadership theories.

The theories and their roots
The trait approach
The oldest of leadership theories is the Trait approach, which is defined as special identifiable, universal traits that (born) leaders possess. The theory holds that these individuals are endowed with an aura, or set of talents, which sets them apart from others and as such, are not like other people. Thomas Carlyle (1888) is most associated with the Trait theory of leadership through his famous lecture, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History, in which he reflected upon history as giving the world the benefit of "heroes", giving detailed analysis of the influence of several such men, including Muhammad, Shakespeare,

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