Pros and Cons of Trait Theory

The pros of great man theory is that it is very straight forward and simple, leaders are born not made. It was a divine gift if you will. The problem with this theory is that history has shown that just because you are born in a position of power does not mean you will be a great leader. The pros of trait-based theory are that it makes it easier to compare leaders. It is also very concrete and easy to understand. Lastly, it provides a basis for which we can assess whether people are great leaders. However, this theory does have its limitations. Traits are a considerably subjective matter. What one person might see in a leader can be perceived quite differently by someone else. Also, just because that certain person has those traits does not mean they will implement them into actions/behaviors that would make them a great leader. Furthermore, this theory does not consider the followers’ perspectives or the situation that they may be in. Lastly, since it is a subjective theory, there is no agreement to which are the most important to have. How can we truly define what specific traits make a great leader when we are all entitled to our opinions and when we all have different perspectives and values. However, even with taking all of this into account, I do agree with the article “Leadership: do traits matter?” For it says that though there is a lot more to leadership then traits, traits do “endow people with the potential for leadership.” What also is clear, is that leaders do possess certain traits that make them different from others, whether or not they are born or made with them, and whether or not we can come to a general consensus on what those traits are.