engleski

Traits Theory of Leadership: Critique From the Undistributed Middle

Traits approach to leadership has a long tradition but the popular understanding of it may lead to fallacious positions. This paper provides a critique, stemming from logic, of a reductionist approach to leadership. The reductionist approach is manifested in propositions such as “possession of trait X makes one a leader”. First, the logical fallacy of undistributed middle is explained. Second, the paper presents the appearance of the fallacy of undistributed middle in leadership trainings and popular leadership materials. Third, the paper traces the influence of transformational leadership on popular speakers on leadership and the fallacy they are committing. The paper demonstrates that popular unchecked traits understanding of leadership generate misleading, logically flawed, statements about leadership. The understanding of leadership built on such statements increases the ambiguity of the term leader and it likely results in ineffective training programs and actual performance on the job.

critique, leadership and management ambiguity, fallacy of the undistributed middle, traits theory, transformational leadership

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