Northouse, Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Lecture Notes
Chapter 2: Recognizing Your Traits
Chapter Summary
I. Leadership Traits Explained
A. Intelligence
B. Confidence
C. Charisma
D. Determination
E. Sociability
F. Integrity
II. Leadership Traits in Practice
A. George Washington
B. Winston Churchill
III. Leadership Snapshot: Nelson Mandela
IV. Case Study: An Emerging Leader
Chapter Objectives
1. Understand the six key leadership traits.
2. Reviewing traits and characteristics of famous leaders.
Lecture Notes
• Why are some people leaders and others not?
• What makes people become leaders?
• Do leaders have certain traits?
I. Leadership Traits Explained
A. Extensive trait research conducted by social scientists
B. Very long list identified of important leadership traits
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
C. House et al (2004) study of 17,000 managers in 62 different cultures identified
22 universally valued traits
D. Six specific traits leaders need to be successful
1. Intelligence
a. Definition – Having good language skills, perceptual skills and
reasoning ability
2. Confidence
a. Definition – Feeling self-assured and believing one can accomplish
3. Charisma
a. Definition – Special magnetic charm and appeal, giving the leader
4. Determination
a. Definition – Being very focused and attentive to tasks; know where
5. Sociability
a. Definition – Leader’s capacity to establish pleasant social
6. Integrity
a. Definition – Honesty and trustworthiness; taking responsibility for
one’s actions; authenticity
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Negative example of former president Bill Clinton, lying during a televised speech about his
relationship with Monica Lewinski
II. Historical Leadership
A. George Washington (1732-1799)
1. Biography
a. Born into a prosperous Virginia family; grew up on a plantation.
b. 7 years of formal schooling; worked as a surveyor
c. Entered the military at age 20
d. Commander in chief of the Continental Army from 1775-1783
i. Retired to Mt. Vernon in 1797; died at age 67.
2. Traits and Characteristics
a. Modesty, moral character
b. Demonstrated integrity, virtuousness, and wisdom
c. Neither highly education, nor brilliant
d. Tall, careful about appearance
B. Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
1. Biography
a. One of the greatest statesman and orators of the 20th century
b. Served in the British military during WWI
2. Traits and Characteristics
a. Average student
b. Loner; not many friends
c. Bouts of depression throughout his life
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
.
C. Mother Teresa (1920-1997)
1. Biography
a. Born in Macedonia
b. Joined the Catholic Sisters of Loreto at age 18; worked as high
school teacher in Calcutta for 18 years
c. Left the convent in 1948 to devote herself to working full time with
the poorest of the poor in the slums of the city
d. In 1950 she founded a new religious order, the Missionaries of
2. Traits and Characteristics
a. Simple woman; chose to live in poverty
b. Focused on goal of caring for the poorest
D. Bill Gates (1954-)
1. Biography
a. Interest in computers began at age 13; developed his first software
program
b. Attended Harvard but left before graduating
c. Co-founded Microsoft in 1975
d. Developed MS_DOS system and Internet Explorer browser
e. Was the wealthiest person in the world for many years ($70 billion)
2. Traits and Characteristics
a. Intelligent and visionary
b. Task oriented and diligent -12+ hour workdays
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
E. Oprah Winfrey.(1954-)
1. Biography
a. One of the most powerful and influential woman in the world
b. Born in rural Mississippi; dysfunctional family; raised by
grandmother
c. Learned to read very early; skipped two grades in school
d. Difficult high school years; molested by family member
e. Honors student in high school; national recognition for public
speaking ability
f. Full scholarship to college where she studied communication and
worked at a local radio station
g. Eventually became host of the Oprah Winfrey show
2. Traits and Characteristics
a. Excellent communicator
b. Comfortable in front of an audience
c. Intelligent and well-read
F. Summary
1. Each of these leaders is unique
3. Can learn from them how our own traits affect our leadership
III. Leadership Snapshot: Nelson Mandela.(1932-)
Born in 1918 in a small African village
Grew up in South Africa during apartheid
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Studied law, opened first black law partnership in 1942
Became a leader in African National Congress, resisting South
Africa’s apartheid policies
Influenced by Gandhi’s ideal of nonviolent resistance, but came to
support violent tactics of opposition to apartheid government.
Sent to prison in 1964; served 27 years.
IV. Case Study