Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Seventh Edition: Instructor Resource
Chapter 2 – Trait Approach
Discussion Questions and Exercises
1. Define and discuss the importance of the following traits associated with leaders: intelligence,
self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability. Is this list all-inclusive?
2. Choose one of the main traits associated with leaders. How can it be developed?
Demonstrated to others? Identify one or two people who have this trait. How does it serve them
in their leadership role?
3. Are some traits harder to acquire than others? Why?
4. How might traits that enable a person to emerge as a leader in one situation not allow them to
maintain leadership over time? Can you give an example?
5.. What are the “Big Five” personality factors? How do they affect your leadership abilities and
capabilities? Which factor(s) was/were most strongly associated with leadership? Discuss which
6. In your experience, what other traits (like neuroticism) should an effective leader be low in?
7. Define/describe emotional intelligence. How big of an impact do you think emotional
intelligence has on helping people be successful? Give a personal example of its impact on your
8. How can leaders use emotion to facilitate thinking? Give an example.
9. Complete Case 2.1 and answer all questions. If you were one of the candidates applying for
this position what would you do to improve your chances of being selected? How would
knowledge of the trait approach help you with your preparation and application for this position?
10. Rate yourself on the Leadership Trait Questionnaire. What do you perceive as your greatest
strength? Give an example of how your behavior in one situation illustrated this strength. What
11. Is charisma an inborn trait or can it be acquired later on in life? How might a person acquire
charisma?
12. Compare the traits of emotional intelligence and social intelligence. How are they the same?
Different? Can a person possess one of these traits without the other?
13. Why do people’s perceptions of leaders matter? How does perception fit with the process
nature of leadership? How does it fit with the influential nature of leadership?
14. What outcomes of a group’s process might be linked to a leader’s intelligence?
Determination?
15. What is meta-analysis? Why might this be a useful approach to studying trait research?
16. Kirkpatrick and Locke postulated that leaders differ from non-leaders on six traits. What do
you think non-leadership looks like? Why might some people not want to be leaders?
17. What are some leadership challenges today? (For example, economic policy, climate change,