The development of leadership theory began with trait theory. Early leadership studies were based on the assumption that leaders are born, not made. Researchers wanted to identify the characteristics or traits that distinguished leaders from followers or effective leaders from ineffective ones. Leadership trait theorists attempt to determine a list of distinctive characteristics that account for leadership effectiveness.

Researchers analyzed physical and psychological traits, such as appearance, aggressiveness, self-reliance, persuasiveness, and dominance in an effort to identify a set of traits that all successful leaders possessed. Our personality is made up of traits, and thus, personality is an important part of trait theory because personality affects a leader’s behavior. If researchers could have come up with a universal list of traits, managers could select only leaders possessing all the traits and predict that they would succeed as leaders.

Unfortunately, the theory didn’t work because, in 70 years, more than 300 trait studies were conducted. However, no one was able to compile a universal list of traits that all successful leaders possess. Organizations continue to hire and train for traits that contribute to their success.