Trait theory proposes that leadership is determined by ...

• A. Researchers studying the lives of prominent leaders throughout history.
• B. Randomized experiments in laboratories.
• C. Surveys of corporate performance.
• D. Analyses of market trends.

Answer: (A)

Leadership is viewed as arising from stable personal traits that leaders carry across situations. Trait theory suggests that certain characteristics—like intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability—predispose someone to lead. To identify these traits, researchers study the lives and biographies of prominent leaders, looking for patterns that recur across different contexts. This approach directly aims to link enduring attributes to leadership emergence and effectiveness, which is why it best fits the concept. Other methods focus on outcomes or external factors rather than inner dispositions: laboratory experiments manipulate variables, surveys of corporate performance measure results, and analyses of market trends examine external conditions rather than personal characteristics.