What to do with trait theory when it comes to leadership and negotiation?

For quite some time the most common thinking about effective leadership hinged on Trait Theory. Trait Theory in general is about the characteristics of leaders and has been traditionally used to predict leadership effectiveness. Those traits are then used to gauge the likelihood that people will succeed as leaders. Similarly, various scholars have applied to idea of Trait Theory to negotiation as well, citing such traits as the ability to listen, think quickly on one's feet, be assertive, and empathic.

The question this blog is examining is whether it is helpful to use Trait Theory to conduct such an assessment and if the theory really helps identify successful leaders and negotiators.  In other words, what are the benefits and limits of such a theory and what can be concluded about this idea.        


The benefits of Trait Theory are:

1.  It is a relatively straight-forward concept.  If you possess the traits of an effective leader and negotiator than you have a high likelihood of being successful.  If you don't, well, you can either try to learn them (which the theory says is very hard to do) or you are out of luck and should try another endeavor.  
2.  Trait Theory provides a very clear way to analyze and assesses effective leadership and negotiation.  It sets forth benchmarks that can be measured.   
3.  Traits do matter in certain ways to help understand successful leadership.  Like anything, this can be taken too far, but the contribution is there nonetheless.  
4.  There is ample research to support the concept to varying degrees.  

The limits of the Trait Theory are:

1.  If taken too literally the theory is very limiting as to who can be a successful leader.  Because many people believe traits are something you are born with you cannot learn to adopt them.  The conclusion, therefore, is only certain people are cut out to be leaders or negotiators.     
2.  The theory, while it strives for objective measures, is inherently subjective in how it is applied.  
3.  There is not exact agreement on what the key traits are (there are many that have been identified) and there is disagreement over which are the most important.         

So what does all this mean and what can we conclude about trait theory:

There is little question that trait theory has given those interested in leadership and negotiation quite a bit to think about.  It helps those within an organization, for example, to know what to look for when scouting for the next generation of leaders and negotiators.  It can also help instill confidence in individuals should they possess these traits.  

That stated, it seems that trait theory may be a necessary, but not sufficient condition for leadership and negotiation success.  The fundamental question in my mind is related to how people acquire these traits.  The theory seems much less helpful and interesting if the conclusion is that we are simply born with these traits and they cannot be learned.  There is little question we are born with certain physical traits, but far less clear when this issue relates to cognition.  In fact, most of the things that make people successful leaders and negotiators emerge from success and failure loops where learning is a core part of what helps us grow.