In the early 1900s, an organized approach to studying leadership began. The early studies were based on the assumption that leaders are born, not made. Researchers wanted to identify a set of characteristics, or traits, that distinguished leaders from followers or effective from ineffective leaders. Leadership trait theory assumes that there are distinctive physical and psychological characteristics accounting for leadership effectiveness.

In fact, personality traits do affect leadership style. Researchers analyzed traits, or qualities, such as appearance, aggressiveness, self-reliance, persuasiveness, and dominance in an effort to identify a set of traits that all successful leaders possess. The list of traits was to be used as a prerequisite for the promotion of candidates to leadership positions. Only candidates possessing all the identified traits were to be given leadership positions.

In 70 years, more than 300 trait studies were conducted. However, no one has come up with a universal list of traits that all successful leaders possess. In all cases, there were exceptions. Even though it is generally agreed that there is no universal set of leadership traits or qualities, people continue to study and write about the importance of leadership traits.