“Great man” theories focused on identifying the innate qualities possessed by great social, political, and military leaders. Given the features of the trait approach, which of the following statements are NOT appropriate? The trait approach is devoted to demonstrate a definitive list of leadership traits such as self-monitoring, intelligence, and sociability The trait approach takes a highly subjective interpretation of the most important leadership traits The trait approach gives us some benchmarks for what we need to look for if we want to be leaders The trait approach is informative as it takes situations and relationship into account for leadership outcomes The trait approach has its long history in research field that gives a measure of credibility that other approaches lack Question 9 ( 2 points) Followers with an external locus of control believe EXCEPTE That the task characteristics are in charge of the events that occur in their lives That leaders are in charge of events that occur in their lives That fate and change are in charge of events that occur in their lives That the organization is in charge of the events that occur in their lives That they are in charge of the events that occur in their lives
The correct answer and explanation is:
Trait Approach and Leadership
The statements that are NOT appropriate in regard to the trait approach to leadership are:
- The trait approach takes a highly subjective interpretation of the most important leadership traits.
- The trait approach is not based on highly subjective interpretations but aims to objectively identify and quantify the traits that are associated with effective leadership. Researchers focus on finding consistent patterns of traits that successful leaders exhibit, rather than relying on personal interpretations.
- The trait approach is informative as it takes situations and relationships into account for leadership outcomes.
- The trait approach focuses mainly on individual traits and does not typically consider the context or relationships. It is often criticized for its lack of situational consideration, as it tends to assume that certain traits are universally effective regardless of context.
Explanations for the Correct Statements:
- The trait approach is devoted to demonstrating a definitive list of leadership traits such as self-monitoring, intelligence, and sociability.
- The trait approach is focused on identifying key qualities that leaders possess, and many studies have tried to pinpoint specific traits such as intelligence, confidence, sociability, and self-monitoring. Researchers believe that these traits are common in successful leaders.
- The trait approach gives us some benchmarks for what we need to look for if we want to be leaders.
- By identifying essential leadership traits, the trait approach can provide guidelines or benchmarks for individuals who want to develop leadership qualities. It suggests that possessing certain traits increases the likelihood of effective leadership.
- The trait approach has its long history in research, giving it a measure of credibility that other approaches lack.
- The trait approach has been one of the earliest theories in leadership research, and its long history provides a foundation for its credibility. While other leadership approaches (e.g., behavioral or contingency approaches) have emerged later, the trait approach remains a key part of leadership studies.
Locus of Control
The correct answer is:
- “That they are in charge of the events that occur in their lives.”
Explanation:
Followers with an external locus of control believe that events in their lives are controlled by external factors such as fate, luck, or the influence of others (e.g., leaders, the organization). They do not believe they have control over the events in their lives.
- External Locus of Control: Individuals with an external locus of control attribute outcomes and events to external forces such as fate, chance, or other people’s decisions. This means they feel they are not in control of their own destiny.
- Internal Locus of Control: In contrast, individuals with an internal locus of control believe that they can influence the outcomes of events in their lives through their own actions, decisions, and behaviors.
So, the statement “That they are in charge of the events that occur in their lives” describes an internal locus of control, which is the opposite of the external locus of control.