Chat with AIExam 2: Traits Motives and Characteristics of Leaders
Tamara is the CEO of an energy firm. She is known for her natural abilities to manage crisis and guide her team effectively. Kevin, one of the managers at Tamara's organization, is of the opinion that the "heredity" factor plays the main role in Tamara's leadership abilities. However, Kevin's fellow worker, Allen, feels that the hereditary factor alone is not sufficient to become a complete leader. If you were Allen, how would you justify his stance?
(37) 
VerifiedThe traits, motives, and characteristics required for leadership effectiveness are caused by a combination of heredity and environment. Leaders are both born and made. Personality traits and mental ability traits are based on certain inherited predispositions and aptitudes that require the right opportunity to develop. Cognitive intelligence is a good example. We inherit a basic capacity that sets an outer limit to how much mental horsepower we will have. Yet people need the right opportunity to develop their cognitive intelligence so that they can behave brightly enough to be chosen for a leadership position.
Evelyn Williams, who directs the leadership development program at Stanford University, makes the following metaphor: "I think leadership is a combination of nature and nurture. Just as some musicians have a special talent for playing instruments, some people seem to be born with leadership abilities. But whatever their natural talent, people can certainly learn to be better musicians-and better leaders." The physical factor of energy also sheds light on the nature-versus-nurture issue. Some people are born with a biological propensity for being more energetic than others. Yet unless that energy is properly channeled, it will not help a person to become an effective leader.
Advances in neuroscience provide additional evidence that there is most likely a genetic and biological component to leadership. David Rock, founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute in Australia, points out that an effective leader is adaptive, such as knowing when to be dogmatic versus collaborative, or when to focus on details versus the big picture. To be adaptive, a person needs an integrated brain. Such integration requires strong connections across all regions of the brain. These connections are mostly genetic although they can be enhanced though mental activities such as creativity training. When the brain is well integrated, the leader can switch between different approaches with ease, such as being tough and unforgiving in one situation and displaying empathy in another. Research about emotional intelligence reinforces the statements made so far about leadership being a combination of inherited and learned factors.
A person's genes, therefore, influence the emotional intelligence necessary for leadership. However, experience is important for emotional intelligence because it increases with age, and a person usually becomes better at managing relationships with practice.
An important strength of the trait approach to leadership is that it:
(45) VerifiedA
Part of relationship management in emotional intelligence is building bonds with other people.
(32) VerifiedTrue
Kent is an enthusiastic leader, so his enthusiasm is likely to:
(41) According to the theory of emotional intelligence, a person with a high degree of self-management is adaptable and exerts emotional self-control.
(37) Lewis is a team leader at a multinational corporation. Before assigning tasks to his team members, he asks for their preferences and suggestions, to not only enhance project delivery efficiency, but also increase team members' satisfaction. Which of the following traits best describes Lewis' approach?
(35) Research about emotional intelligence and leadership concludes that:
(34) Mike is the head of a research team at a technology firm. In spite of constant rejection of Mike's ideas by the senior officials, he consistently pursues his ideas without losing confidence. This shows that Mike is a(n) _____ leader.
(31) A hands-on and deeply engaged leader who is talented at developing innovating business strategies is most likely to be strong on which of the following traits or characteristics?
(35) A synthesis of research studies suggests that when workers trust their supervisor, work satisfaction tends to be higher.
(37) Which of the following is true of a leader with socialized power motives?
(32) Grace, the CEO of an oil and gas exploration company, decides to buy an oil block, even though experts have warned her of security risks and uncertainty with regard to oil presence. Grace completes the oil deal, and exploration in the block confirms oil presence. Which of the following traits best describes Grace's actions?
(33) Self-confidence is an important leadership characteristic found:
(28) A resonant leader is one who scores low on emotional intelligence.
(31) Passion for the work on the part of a leader often expresses itself as a(n):
(41) Clara is the CEO of an online retail store. Her business saw a 40 percent increase in profits in the current year owing to her instant adaptation to current and upcoming trends. This shows that:
(43) Edwards is the head of the procurement department at FreshDelights, a frozen yogurt chain. Anticipating a reduction in the demand for frozen yogurt in the upcoming winter season, Edwards decides to reduce the dairy procurement. Edwards is:
(34) 
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