Leadership Traits free essay sample

There are several different leadership theories and styles. The Great Man Theory assumes that great leaders are born and not made (Starker n. D. ). This theory makes me think of our Founding Fathers leading their people through a revolution without utilizing dictatorship. The Great Man theory is similar to the Trait Theory as is it based on the traits that people are born with. In essence, leadership traits inherited from parents and grandparents (Starker n. D. ).The Kennedy Family comes to mind with this theory. They have several generations of politicians in their family which helps to support the potential finding of a leadership gene. In my opinion, a successful leader is one who has natural leadership skills but remembers to listen to the people they are leading and involving them in the decision-making process. Getting buy in from your team is critical. The approach I described above falls into the Participative Leadership style (Starker n. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership Traits or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page D. ).While understanding that some decisions have to 4 be made at a higher level, it is also important to take opportunities to involve your constituents in decisions that affect them. For example, not including employees in the decision-making process regarding whether a company huts down between Christmas and New Yeats Day is appropriate. However, asking staff to decide the best way to implement a new process in their department can make the change take place more effectively, making the implementation process a success with minimal effort on the leaders part. Empowering people to make decisions that make them more efficient or effective can have a huge, positive impact on the success of your team and ultimately your success as a leader. One of my strengths as a leader is my ability to maintain trusting relationships with my staff and colleagues. I listen to their suggestions as well as their concerns and make it a point to follow-up to make sure that the changes put in place addressed their issue. Most people appreciate being included in decision making.Another leadership ability I have built over my years as a leader is the ability to focus on a persons strengths. This approach helps them to build the confidence to work on their weaknesses. My weaknesses as a leader are my emotions and big heart. I have matured over the years and have learned from my mistakes as well as from receiving constructive feedback from my leaders, peers and staff. A recent survey taken by my staff showed that I can be trusted as a leader.