Leadership Traits and Theories

These flashcards cover key leadership traits, theories, styles, and behaviors for exam preparation.

Optimism

A positive mindset; expecting good outcomes.

Self-confidence

Trust in one’s own abilities and decisions.

Honesty

The #1 trait followers want in leaders.

Integrity

Consistency between words, values, and actions.

Drive

High motivation, energy, and determination.

Strength Formula

Strength = Talent × Investment.

Operational Leadership

Focuses on vertical control, results, and position power.

Collaborative Leadership

Focuses on horizontal influence, teamwork, networking, and flexibility.

Advisory Leadership

Focuses on expert guidance, integrity, and people skills.

Autocratic Leadership

Leader-centered control; effective when skills differ greatly.

Democratic Leadership

Shared decision-making; involves follower input.

Consideration Behavior

Focuses on people, relationships, and support.

Initiating Structure

Focuses on tasks, direction, and performance.

LMX

Leader–Member Exchange.

In-group Members

Receive trust, communication, support, and opportunities.

Out-group Members

Receive formal, limited interaction.

Contingency Theory

No single best leadership style; it depends on the situation.

Telling Style

High task, low relationship.

Selling Style

High task, high relationship.

Participating Style

Low task, high relationship.

Delegating Style

Low task, low relationship.

Follower Readiness Low

Requires Telling style.

Follower Readiness Moderate

Requires Selling style.

Follower Readiness High

Requires Participating style.

Follower Readiness Very High

Requires Delegating style.

Fiedler’s Model

Leader style is fixed (task-oriented or relationship-oriented).

Fiedler Effectiveness Factors

Leader–member relations, task structure, position power.

Path-Goal Theory

Leaders clarify the path to rewards.

Path-Goal Leadership Types

Directive, Supportive, Participative, Achievement-Oriented.

Vroom-Jago Model

Helps leaders decide follower participation level.

Substitutes for Leadership

Things that make leadership unnecessary.

Neutralizers

Things that block or reduce the leader’s influence.

Self-awareness

Knowing your personality, values, attitudes, and perception.

Big Five Personality Traits

Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Openness.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that 'I control my outcomes.'

External Locus of Control

Belief that 'Others control my outcomes.'

Instrumental Values

Behavior-focused values (e.g., honesty, loyalty).

End Values

Outcome-focused values (e.g., success, love).

Stereotyping

Assigning characteristics based on group membership.

Halo Effect

Letting one trait influence all judgments.

Projection

Attributing your feelings to others.

Perceptual Defense

Avoiding or ignoring threatening information.

Recency Bias

Remembering recent events more than older ones.

Fundamental Attribution Error

Blaming the person rather than the situation.

Self-serving Bias

Success attributed to self; failure to external factors.

Left-brain Thinkers

Logical and analytical thinkers.

Right-brain Thinkers

Creative and intuitive thinkers.

Whole-brain Model

Includes analytical, practical, relational, and imaginative abilities.

Managing Up

Building a productive relationship with your leader.

Leaders Want from Followers

Make-it-happen attitude, collaboration, staying current, growth.

Alienated Follower

Critical but passive.

Conformist Follower

Active but uncritical.

Pragmatic Follower

Adjusts behavior to the situation.

Passive Follower

Uncritical and inactive.

Effective Follower

Active and critical thinker (best type of follower).

Managing Up Strategies

Understand leader’s style, be a resource, build trust, help them succeed.

Courage to Manage Up

Includes responsibility, respectful challenge, serving, leaving if needed.

Good Feedback

Timely, specific, future-focused, performance-based.

Four I's of Transformational Leadership

Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation, Individual Consideration.

Transactional Leadership

Focuses on rewards for performance; stability and tasks.

Charismatic Leadership

Leadership that inspires devotion; can be positive or dangerous.

Coalitional Leadership

Building alliances and understanding power networks.

Machiavellian Leadership

Manipulative and power-focused; part of the Dark Triad.

Types of Hard Power

Legitimate, Reward, Coercive.

Types of Soft Power

Expert and Referent.

Influence Tactics

Higher vision appeal, rational persuasion, friendliness, reciprocity, building allies, direct persuasion.

Structural Frame

Focuses on systems, rules, and policies.

Human Resource Frame

Focuses on people, relationships, and needs.

Political Frame

Focuses on power, conflict, and negotiation.

Symbolic Frame

Focuses on culture, meaning, and symbols.

Ethical Guidelines for Leaders

Fairness, transparency, Golden Rule, and considering impact on others.