The Limitations of Seeing Leadership as Traits

The Importance of Empathy, Emotional Awareness, and Articulation in Effective Leadership

1. What are the limitations of seeing leadership as traits?

Write and simply teach empathy, emotional awareness, or articulation when it comes to the most natural and authentic/impactful forms of such crucial parts of leadership 

Development can create a baseline, or enhance a trait but the difference in true value in my opinion between these and the person who connects with a "trait" on a fundamental level is significant. It is glaringly apparent looking at two different leaders exhibiting a "trait", and seeing the immense difference in how each individual wields or interacts with those crucial parts of their person/leadership.

2. There are several limitations of seeing leadership as "traits". It implies that all leaders will live similar circumstances and encounter similar challenges-- that each leader will have their toolbox of traits at the ready for whatever encounter. Fleenor writes "some... found that individuals who possessed these traits were less likely to become leaders", perhaps the most glaring trait not included on this list is the actual desire to lead.