Cross-Situational Consistency and Perceptual Accuracy in Leadership

Abstract

The trait approach to leadership has long been abandoned. The prevailing belief, based primarily on two early reviews of the research examining the personality differences between leaders and nonleaders (by Mann and Stogdill) and on the interpretation of certain rotation design studies of leadership, is that contingency theories of leadership best explain the phenomenon. However, some current research has been more favorable to the trait approach. The present research examined cross-situational stability in leadership by having leaders (people who held current formal leadership positions) interact with nonleaders on four tasks that required social organization and coordination. As predicted, stability in leadership across the four tasks and some evidence for consistency across groups were found, as was a high level of consensus and accuracy in perceptions of leadership.