The 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. A compelling argument for the trait approach is that there is convincing evidence that leaders possess personal characteristics that differ from those of non-leaders.

The current emphasis on emotional intelligence, charisma, innovative thinking, and ethical conduct, which are really traits, attitudes, and behaviors, reinforces the importance of the trait approach. Understanding the traits of effective leaders serves as an important guide to leadership selection. If we are confident that honesty and integrity, as well as creativity and imagination, are essential leadership traits, then we can concentrate on selecting leaders with those characteristics.