Trait Theory and the Mystique of Leadership

Since trait approach focuses merely on the individual leadership traits of that person, this approach to find leadership qualities is very focused. We could all rattled off lists a mile long of the qualities found in both of these great men, just as throughout all of the trait approach research there has been a long list of traits applied to the personalities of leaders. However, there are five that remain consistent through out the research. Intelligence, Self-Confidence, Determination, Integrity and Sociability are considered the five major leadership characteristics

FDR was no doubt an educated man, he was a Harvard graduate and an attendee of Columbia Law School. He had the privilege of growing up with an elite education. His strength in the intelligence trait lies with his ability to problem-solve and the use of his knowledge to relate to the people he governed, rather than his actual IQ. It has been proven that leaders who utilize their intelligence to gain ground over the public can ostracize those beneath them; FDR did exactly the opposite. He used his intelligence to not only come up with government policies that would eventually steer America out of the Great Depression, but he also had the inclination to put strong minded men right below him to aid in carrying out his vision of the New Deal. JFK, received the similar privilege of education and attended Harvard as well, he had the same ability to relate to the public. Both of these leaders held a public position that required a high degree of education. JFK used not necessarily his IQ, but the fact that he had an Ivy League education to his advantage. During his presidency, the public seemed in awe of the perfection in his life, his education and the assumption of his IQ added to this awe.

The most prominent feature that both JFK and FDR shared was their skill at public speaking. Public Speaking requires not only a confidence in what you're speaking about, but also in yourself. The Presidential campaign process alone shows that they both wi

Some topics in this essay:
Americans FDR, Public Speaking, FDR JFK, Law School, Desperate Americans, JFK FDR, Integrity Sociability, Ivy League, American History, Deal JFK, trait approach, major leadership, american history, john fitzgerald kennedy, trait theory, fitzgerald kennedy, delano roosevelt, franklin delano, leaders discussed, john fitzgerald, major leadership trait, franklin delano roosevelt, leadership trait,