ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Qualities of leadership
Calder Retail's board reviewed ten past CEOs. All were outgoing and confident, but three were highly successful, four were average and three were failures. The board's consultant concludes that the shared traits were necessary but not sufficient. Which conclusion is best supported by the evidence?
The best-supported conclusion is that traits may help leaders emerge but do not alone explain success. Since successful, average and failed CEOs all shared the same traits, differences in outcome must come from other factors such as context, behaviour and followers. Traits are therefore necessary perhaps, but not sufficient.
- ATraits explain performance fully, since all ten shared them
- BTraits are irrelevant to leadership, since outcomes varied
- CLeadership effectiveness is determined only by the style adopted towards followers
- DTraits may help leaders emerge, but other factors such as context and behaviour explain differing successCorrect
Explanation
Common traits across both successful and failed CEOs mean the traits do not by themselves predict effectiveness. They may help people emerge as leaders, but outcomes were driven by other factors such as situation and behaviour. Option B overstates, as traits may still matter, and option C overstates the role of style alone.
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