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ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Qualities of leadership

Tavira Foods promoted Anil to lead its Lisbon plant because he scored highly on personality tests for extraversion, conscientiousness and emotional stability. Within a year the plant had low morale, although Anil performed well in a previous stable role. Which is the most valid criticism of trait theory that this case illustrates?

The case shows that trait theory ignores situational and follower factors. Anil had the same traits in both roles but performed differently, so possessing desirable traits does not guarantee effectiveness everywhere. Leadership outcomes depend also on context, task and team, which pure trait approaches do not explain.

  1. ATraits are impossible to measure, so the test results are meaningless
  2. BTraits only matter in public sector organisations
  3. CTrait theory ignores the situation and followers, so the same traits do not guarantee effectiveness in every contextCorrect
  4. DTrait theory assumes leaders are made through training rather than born

Explanation

Anil's traits were unchanged but results differed between contexts, showing that trait theory neglects situational factors and followers. Option A is wrong because personality traits can be measured. Option D reverses the theory, as traits are usually seen as innate.

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