Read on to find out how science explains these 5 leadership traits

People define leadership in a lot of different ways. For some, it could be as simple as the willingness to step up and be the guiding force for everyone. However, a surprising fact reveals that leadership can actually be defined by science.

Certain psychological studies have looked at the factors or qualities that create a leader. Some studies wondered what makes an effective leader, while other studies made investigations into whether genetics have something to do with leaders being “born” instead of “made.”

More topics on the field of science tackling leadership seek to find whether gender plays any sort of role in leadership, or if the likelihood of a person becoming a leader can be predicted. What has emerged so far points to five main traits and qualities.

Here are 5 leadership traits that can be explained by science:

1. Most leaders have a high IQ. Although not everyone with higher IQs turn out to be leaders, a study by Judge, Colbert, and Ilies in 2004 suggested a strong correlation between intelligence and leadership. However, the study also discovered that the relationship between the two is not as high as previously thought.
2. Leaders tend to have influence and charisma. Since leadership involves the management of followers, influence and charisma are necessary in fulfilling the role. Afsani Nahavandi details in his book, The Art and Science of Leadership, that these traits are necessary to handle followers.
3. Leaders are most likely goal-directed. Consequent to being influential and charismatic, Nahavandi also poses that leaders must be able to work toward a goal that needs achieving.
4. Outgoing people are more likely to be leaders. Another study, one conducted by Judge et al. in 2002, uncovered that extraversion indicates a strong leadership characteristic. Hence, people who are more sociable have higher tendencies of becoming leaders.
5. Personality shapes a leader. Finally, personality traits such as integrity, business ethics, and emotional intelligence also point toward leadership, since these are qualities that increase the effectiveness of a person in managing a group or a company.

Nevertheless, despite the role of science in explaining the traits of a leader, people who want to lead can still shape their futures with their own hands. To do this, one must have the right mindset and prepare an action plan to develop leadership skills. Most importantly, in order to succeed in leading people, one must keep in mind that accountability and leadership go hand in hand.

Is leadership a topic that interests you? We can talk about it in detail. Let’s connect through my Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads and let me hear your thoughts. You can also pick up my book Daily Thoughts for Success for more insight.

References:

Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas. 2016. “What Science Tells Us About Leadership Potential.” Harvard Business Review, September 21. Accessed September 5, 2017. https://hbr.org/2016/09/what-science-tells-us-about-leadership-potential

Judge, Timothy A., Joyce E. Bono, Remus Ilies, and Megan W. Gerhardt. 2002. “Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review.” Journal of Applied Psychology 87:765-780. Accessed September 5, 2017. doi:10.1037//0021-9010.87.4.765.

Judge, Timothy A., Amy E. Colbert, and Remus Ilies. 2004. “Intelligence and Leadership: A Quantitative Review and Test of Theoretical Propositions.” Journal of Applied Psychology 89:542-552. Accessed September 5, 2017. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.89.3.542.

Nahavandi, Afsaneh. 2000. The Art and Science of Leadership. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Accessed September 5, 2017. http://www.prenhall.com/divisions/bp/app/standesign/pdfs/D12_Sample.pdf