copyright © 2010 pearson education, inc. leadership in organizations 2-1 chapter 2 managerial...

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Leadership in Organizations2-1

Chapter 2Managerial Traits and Skills

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Leadership in Organizations 2-2

Learning Objectives

Understand how conceptions about the importance of traits have changed over the past 70 years

Understand the different types of traits that have been used in leadership research

Understand the types of research methods that have been used to study leadership traits and skills

Understand what traits and skills are most relevant for effective leadership


Learning Objectives (Cont.)

Understand how traits and skills are related to leadership behavior

Understand how the relevance of a trait or skill depends on the situation, type of organization, and national culture

Understand the traits and skills that cause some people to derail in their managerial careers

Understand the limitations of the trait approach


Nature of Traits and Skills

Trait – Variety of individual attributes, including aspects of personality, temperament, needs, motives, and values

Need (motive) – Desire for particular types of stimuli or experiences

Values – Internalized attitudes about what is right and wrong, ethical and unethical, moral and immoral

Skill – The ability to do something in an effective manner


Three-Factor Taxonomy of SkillsTable: Three-Factor Taxonomy of Broadly Defined Skills


Research on Leader Traits and SkillsStogdill’s Review of the Research (1948 & 1974)Table: Findings in Early Research on Leader Traits and Skills


McCelland’s Managerial Motivation Measured with the Thematic Apperceptions Test

(TAT) Need Basis

Need for power Socialized power orientation Personalized power orientation

Need for achievement Need for affiliation

Optimal Pattern for Large Organizations Strong socialized power orientation Moderate need for achievement Low need for affiliation


Miner’s Managerial Motivation

Measured with a Sentence Completion Scale Correlates with Advancement

Desire to exercise power Desire to compete with peers Positive attitude toward authority figures


Critical Incident Research on Competencies

Measured with Behavior Event Interview Traits of Effective Managers

Strong efficiency orientation Strong socialized power orientation High self-confidence Strong belief in self-efficacy Internal locus of control


Critical Incident Research on Competencies (Cont.)

Interpersonal Skills of Effective Managers Strong oral presentation skills Strong interpersonal skills Ability to manage group processes Ability to build member identification and team spirit

Conceptual Skills of Effective Managers Inductive reasoning Deductive reasoning


Longitudinal Research with Assessment Centers

Utilize Multiple Methods to Assess Traits & Skills Advancement Predictors after 8 years (AT&T

Study) Desire for advancement Dominance Interpersonal skills Cognitive skills Administrative skills

Advancement Predictors after 20 years Achievement orientation Self-confidence Energy level Low need for security


CCL Research on Managers Who Derail

Advancing Managers versus Managers who were Dismissed, Transferred, Retired Early, or Plateaued

Traits, Skills & Competencies of Successful Managers:

Emotional stability Lack of defensiveness Integrity Interpersonal skills Technical and cognitive skills


Managerial Traits EffectivenessTable: Specific Traits Related to Leadership Effectiveness


Big Five Personality TraitsTable: Correspondence of the Big Five Traits with Specific Traits


Managerial Skills and Effectiveness Technical Skills – Include knowledge about

methods, processes, and equipment for conducting the specialized activities of the manager’s organizational unit

Conceptual Skills – Involve good judgment, foresight, intuition, creativity, and the ability to find meaning and order in ambiguous, uncertain event

Interpersonal Skills – Include knowledge about human behavior and group processes, ability to understand the feelings, attitudes, and motives of others, and ability to communicate clearly and persuasively


Other Relevant Competencies

Emotional Intelligence Social Intelligence Systems Thinking Ability to Learn


Situational Relevance of Skills

Figure: Relative Importance of Skills for Different Levels of Management


Situational Relevance of Skills (Cont.)

Transferability of Skills Across Organizations Difficult to transfer lower-level managerial skills Disagreement about transferability of upper-level

managerial skills Requisite Skills and the External Environment

Mix of skills changes over time Impacted by:

Globalization Technological development Social change


Application for Managers

Guidelines for Understanding and Improving Relevant Competencies

Maintain self-awareness Develop relevant skills Remember that a strength can become a weakness Compensate for weaknesses


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Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

copyright © 2010 pearson education, inc. leadership in organizations 2-1 chapter 2 managerial...

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