Are Some Just Born With IT?
Photo by Jojo Stott [1]
Greatness is something to which everyone aspires, especially when it comes to leadership. William Shakespeare wrote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” This quote raises an essential question in the discussion about great leaders: Are they born with certain traits, or is great leadership something you can develop over time? Is it nature, nurture, or maybe a bit of both?
Peter Northouse is a key voice in this conversation, and in his book, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Ninth Edition [2], he points out that effective leadership isn’t just about the traits and behaviors of the leader. It also involves the interactions between leaders and followers in different situations. By presenting various leadership approaches and theories—like trait, skills, behavioral, situational, servant, adaptive, and transformational—Northouse offers a thorough examination that shows how these approaches can be assessed and applied in real-life situations. This article will briefly examine two leadership theories that Northouse discusses: Trait and Transformational. We will explore how these theories compare and interact with contemporary ideas concerning leadership.
Leadership Defined
First, we need to understand how Northouse defines leadership for his exploration. He acknowledges the challenge and various attempts to define leadership throughout history, highlighting its complex nature. However, he still offers his own definition in the context of four distilled key components:
Despite the multitude of ways in which leadership has been conceptualized, the following components can be identified as central to the phenomenon: (a) Leadership is a process, (b) leadership involves influence, (c) leadership occurs in groups, and (d) leadership involves common goals. Based on these components, the following definition of leadership is used in this text: Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. [3]
Clearly, leadership is a tricky concept with lots of layers. Some see it as a trait or natural ability, while others consider it a skill, a way of acting, or even a relationship. For many, it’s also about the process of leading. In reality, leadership is probably a mix of all these ideas, with each one showing a different side of what it means to lead.[4] For Northouse, it is essential to understand leadership as both a process and a relationship in pursuit of success.
Trait vs. Transformational
Next, we will consider two of the several theories and approaches used by Northouse explorers: the trait approach and transformational theory.
Trait theory emphasizes inherent qualities such as charisma, confidence, and intelligence that characterize effective leaders. He explains:
Trait definition of leadership: Leadership is defined by the traits such as height, intelligence, extraversion, fluency, and other traits that a leader with followers possesses. Process definition of leadership: Leadership is defined as the interaction between leader and followers.[5]
Considering transformational leadership, Northouse provides a detailed discussion rather than a strict definition. He explains that leaders influence their followers and organizations through four key components: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.[6]
To better understand the relationship between these two theories, I recruited the help of ChatGPT, which produced this comparison chart[7]:
Trait Leadership Transformational Leadership Leadership as innate: Focuses on who the leader is. Leadership as developed: Focuses on what the leader does. Static: Traits are relatively fixed. Dynamic: Leadership evolves through interactions and behaviors. Universal traits apply across all situations. Situational: Leadership effectiveness depends on context and relationships. Does not emphasize followers. Emphasizes the leader-follower relationship and mutual transformation. Predictive: Traits are seen as predictors of success. Developmental: Leadership is a process of inspiring growth and change.
This comparison highlights some key assumptions made within these two theories of leadership. Trait theory contends that leaders are born rather than made and identifies specific characteristics that differentiate leaders from non-leaders. In contrast, transformational theory suggests that leadership abilities can be developed over time. Trait theory views leadership as a “fixed” attribute, while transformational theory perceives it as something that can grow and evolve. Northouse acknowledges that the trait approach has provided valuable benchmarks for identifying the qualities we should seek to cultivate to become effective leaders.[8] While trait theory offers insight into foundational qualities that may predispose someone to be a good leader, Northouse presents the Transformational theory in a way that rejects the idea that leaders are solely born. By contending these traits are not static, his position aligns well with Carol Dweck’s growth mindset[9], making the case that leadership is a skill that can be improved over time.
A Confluence of Theories
Transformational leadership focuses on behaviors that align with some modern leadership theories, such as those proposed by Eve Poole. Poole argues that leadership is a skill that can be cultivated, challenging the fixed perspective of trait theory.[10]
Trait Theory offers valuable insights but is limited in explaining how leaders adapt and grow. Transformational Theory, Dweck’s growth mindset, and Poole’s Leadersmithing emphasize leadership as a skill that develops through effort and experience. Together, these concepts reinforce the idea that leadership is not a privilege of the few but an attainable craft for the many, provided one is willing to put in the effort to grow and learn. Leadership is less about being “born with it” and more about being willing to “forge it.” Which begs the question: What skills, traits, or experiences do you need to lead more effectively?
If I had more space, I would explore how Northouse presents additional leadership theories, such as the Skill, Behavior, and Situational approaches, and how they mingle with the ideas already mentioned in this article.
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[1] Stott, Jojo, “Glynn Barrett,” Photo. https://www.jojostott.com/glyn-barrett.
[2] Peter Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice Ninth Edition, Kindle Edition, (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2022).
[3] Ibid., 57.
[4] Ibid., 82.
[5] Ibid., 88.
[6] Ibid., 352-352.
[7] ChatGPT, response to “Can you help me understand how Peter Northouse compares and contrasts Trait Leadership Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory?” OpenAI, November 30, 2024. https://chatgpt.com.
[8] Peter Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, 115.
[9] Carol Dweck, Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential, (London: Robinson, 2017).
[10] Eve Poole, Leadersmithing: Revealing the Trade Secrets of Leadership (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017).
About the Author
Chad Warren
A husband, father, pastor, teacher, and student seeking to help others flourish.14 responses to “Are Some Just Born With IT?”
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Ok, is there some subliminal message behind putting Glyn’s photo on your post? Actually, your post was very insightful. I liked your comparison of Trait and Transformational Leadership styles. Understanding that various types of leadership come into play in different situations or times, as you continue with your current context and some of the more recent discoveries, do you any specific form of leadership that jumps out as one that will best serve you as you lead them?
Diane, thanks for asking! Right now, I think transformational leadership is the best approach. It really focuses on inspiring and empowering everyone to work towards a common goal. This style helps not just our church flourish, but also supports personal growth and creates a strong sense of teamwork.
Love it Chad, thanks. I’m wondering which traits of leadership do you feel you do and don’t need to work on?
Debbie, I believe I need to work on developing greater empathy and decisiveness. I will strive to keep growing in various areas, but my naturally developed strengths appear to be emotional intelligence, initiative, and vision.
Chad,
I appreciate your post and your use of ChatGPT. I am part of an AI task force at my university, and we are going to start exploring more of how to incorporate AI into the classroom while at the same time ensuring that students do not become dependent upon it.
As I read your post, I was thinking about a podcast I was recently listening to where the guest talked about a person having genetic traits (this particular podcast was discussing Same Sex Attraction) but that often times the traits will never manifest because they are not exposed to an environment that allows it. When considering the trait theory of leadership, I wonder if the same could be true. Are there people who have exceptional leadership traits, but they are never placed in an environment that allows those traits to manifest themselves? I also wonder if the perceived stress of leadership, especially political, scares people away from even pursuing it, thus their traits remain dormant.
Jeff, that’s a fascinating insight, and I think it draws an interesting parallel between environmental factors and the manifestation of traits, whether in leadership or other areas of life. Trait theory suggests that certain innate characteristics can make individuals more likely to succeed as leaders, but the environment significantly influences whether those traits are developed. Without the right context—such as opportunities and support—leadership qualities may remain dormant.
Additionally, the stress associated with leadership roles, especially in high-stakes fields like politics, can deter individuals from stepping up. Many with exceptional leadership traits may avoid such roles, not due to lack of ability but because of the pressure involved.
This highlights the need to create supportive environments that encourage potential leaders. Leadership development programs aimed at reducing fear and building confidence could help reveal talents that might otherwise go unnoticed. Exercises like those developed by Eve Poole and her team in Leadersmithing might also encourage potential leaders.
Chad,
I am absolutely dying laughing as soon as I opened up this blog. I’m sitting in a coffee shop and people are wondering what is wrong with me.
Thank you for the great laugh. Regarding the first picture you added, what specific traits might that individual have been born with that makes him such a great leader?
Adam, I have observed that he has natural intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, sociability, and a strong work ethic.
Hi Chad, great post, thanks for thinking deeply but also keeping it lighthearted. While reading Northouse, I considered leadership a multi-faceted diamond, with many theories describing only one of two facets. All of the theories have some merit. While we wouldn’t say that innate traits are the most important, they do certainly play a role in a leader’s success.
So, in response to your question, I realized that when I evaluate a leader’s effectiveness, I need to evaluate it in full rather than just one or two facets.
What about you?
Christy, thank you for your comment! Your analogy of leadership as a multi-faceted diamond captures its complexity. I agree that no single theory can explain all aspects of leadership, so we need a holistic view to assess effectiveness.
This highlights the importance of adaptability. A good leader combines different strengths to meet their team’s needs. Your analogy makes me wonder what often-overlooked traits we should consider when evaluating a leader’s effectiveness?
Great work Chad. How has this semester ‘forged’ transformational leadership in you?
Ryan, thank you for your question. Transformational theory focuses on personal growth, and the readings this semester have significantly deepened my understanding of the factors related to both personal and organizational growth. This knowledge will help me better lead others toward growth, which is a core principle of transformational leadership theory.
Hi Chad, Thanks for the smile with the opening photo.
Christy wrote about bias toward trait theory and that has me wondering how often people with the ‘right’ traits are placed into positions of leadership and then people are left complaining about their bosses…or maybe this is just my experience? Merry Christmas,
Julie
Julie, thank you for your comment, and Merry Christmas to you as well! You bring up an excellent point. While having the “right” traits can be beneficial, it doesn’t always ensure effective leadership. These traits may open doors, but it is how they are applied that ultimately determines success—or leads to frustration for those being led. This serves as a reminder that good leadership requires more than just traits; it also demands growth, skill, and passion.