1.4 What Makes a Great Leader? A Brief Historical Overview

Personal Experience with Leadership

Based on our own life experiences, we all have theories in our heads about how things work. These theories-in-practice are the models we use to guide our behavior and predict future results. You have come to this course not as a blank slate but as someone with a good deal of life experiences. In fact, you’ve most likely experienced both good and bad leadership on a personal level. You may have provided both good and bad leadership at different times in your life. Given this, you likely have ideas or theories about what makes a good leader. We hope this course will help you develop and evolve your theories-in-practice, or models that you will use to guide your behaviors, feelings, and thoughts regarding leadership.

The History of Leadership

In order to understand something well, it’s helpful to know its history. So to learn more about what makes a great leader, let’s briefly review some of the fundamental leadership models that have been developed over the last 100 years. Knowing the history and evolution of leadership theories will provide a foundation for our learning and potentially help us to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

Trait Theories of Leadership

In general, research on leadership in the modern era began as a search for the core traits and characteristics that make great leaders. These characteristics were originally thought to be inborn dispositions that were part of a person’s personality. Those born with these traits were thought to be unique and extraordinary individuals who were somewhat predestined to become leaders. The trait theory of personality and the great man theory of leadership (leadership studies during the 19th century focused heavily on Western male military leaders) included lists of characteristics that a person was either born with or not. Therefore, some people were destined to be leaders depending on the inherent traits that they possessed at birth.

This prevailing thinking brought up questions of whether leadership was exclusively a naturally inherent characteristic or disposition in a person’s genes, or whether a person could enhance and develop leadership traits and skills after birth. Table 1.1 below is an example of a list of traits and skills that have been attributed to great leaders throughout history:

Behavioral Approaches to Leadership

Early leadership models evolved away from a primary focus on trait theories toward behavioral theories of leadership. Companies and researchers wanted to know what leaders do in addition to who they are or how they appeared to others. They asked, what are the key behaviors that can be observed in successful leaders? This focus on leadership behaviors coincided with the recognition that not all effective leadership behaviors are a result of genetic dispositions instilled at birth, but instead leadership behaviors might be developed based on experience and training. Organizational training programs began to emerge in an attempt to assist managers become better leaders. Thus was born an era of leadership studies focused on behavioral theories.

Contingency Leadership Theories

As our understanding of leadership became more sophisticated, companies and researchers observed that different situations called for different leaders. No single leadership style, list of traits, or set of behaviors seemed to work best for every situation or context. Military contexts appeared to require different leaders than political or organizational contexts. Researchers realized that what made a great leader in a certain setting was contingent upon the specific situation and the circumstances surrounding the followers. Studies of situational leadership tended to focus on key factors such as the nature of the leader, the nature of the followers, and the nature of the tasks. Thus was born an era of contingency leadership theories that attempted to explain why certain leaders succeeded better in certain contexts and situations.

Modern Approaches to Leadership

In general, our understanding of what makes a great leader has evolved from leader-focused studies to follower-focused studies. Early studies did not emphasize the relationships between the leader and the followers, nor the impact of the context and followers upon the leader. Most recently, research on leadership effectiveness has focused on the characteristics of the followers rather than just the characteristics of the leader. Effective leaders recognize the needs, concerns, and aspirations of their followers. Important leadership theories have been developed that focus on the transactional (mutually beneficial give-and-take) and transformational (developing trust and higher purpose) relationships between leaders and followers. The notions of the servant-leadership, team leadership, and authentic leadership have been introduced in this recent era of follower-focused leaders.

What makes a great leader? Historical leadership theories are likely similar to your own theories about leadership. Great leaders have certain internal characteristics, traits, and dispositions. Great leaders not only have internal characteristics, but they also have developed skills and exhibit certain leadership behaviors. Great leaders understand that certain behaviors work better in some contexts than others and that effective leadership is contingent upon the situations. Finally, great leaders are adept at understanding their followers and are able to help them with their needs, concerns, and aspirations. Over time our leadership models have built upon and evolved from trait theories, to behavioral theories, to contingency theories, to follower-focused theories. In this course we’ll build even further upon this foundation to help you develop your own signature model of leadership that works for you.