#2- The Spaghetti Noodle of Leadership

If you read last week’s blog, you got a small glimpse into some aspects of my perspective on leadership and, in my eyes, what matters most in this life. This blog will continue to be a culmination of thoughts and my perspective on a set of weekly topics that, hopefully, can shed light on what makes us all better leaders in our own lives.

This week, we are going to dive into the notion of trait theory: the idea that effective leaders share certain identifiable characteristics. At the core of it, this suggests that personality traits like humility, confidence, and work ethic are natural, inborn talents… or are they? When it comes to this physical, lived experience, in one way or another, how we look outward is what ultimately makes us look inward... as a friend, to your family, and to your coworkers.

The real question we must examine here is: what makes you human, and what makes you a good leader?

There is no secret sauce to the recipe we are whipping up to get a 'perfect leader', but the theme that constantly drives this thought is perspective, and how much of it you are willing to see. I believe that no one is born innately with every ingredient and spice needed to be a great leader... A large part of the final pasta you eat in life is all in the prep. But where the real difference lies is in perspective. The adversity. The moments of figuring it out (sometimes all by yourself). It’s a combination of many things, open to your own interpretation, and more often than not, shaped by experience rather than perfection. (As you can tell, I have been thinking about pasta and my recent trip to Italy).

Now let's ladle some pasta together!

What are the strengths and weaknesses of trait theory?

The idea of trait theory dates back some time now... About 100 years ago, when researchers were asking if true leaders were born and not made, I think they stopped looking at the big picture rooted in progress. When you are born, you have simply not seen enough to make your own decisions and it's (again) really about perspective...

Strengths:

We see in trait theory that it identifies common leadership qualities. It helps pinpoint traits often seen in effective leaders, giving people a clearer picture of what leadership can look like.

It's a fairly easy trait to understand and apply. Trait theory is simple. You are born with these traits or not.

It encourages self-awareness by highlighting traits: it invites people to reflect on their own strengths and areas for growth.

Weaknesses:

Looking at trait theory on a surface level, it assumes leadership traits are fixed and implies that leaders are born rather than developed, overlooking the idea of growth through experience and things like adversity.

Another big one is that it ignores situational context and the theory doesn’t fully account for how different environments, cultures, or challenges require different leadership approaches. Was there any particular pressure growing up? Or was the environment so stable that it was rooted in growth? Ponder that...

Lastly this theory just oversimplifies leadership as an idea. It reduces leadership to a list of traits really misses the complexity of human behavior, relationships, and evolving perspective over time... I'm sure by now you can see where I stand.

Next lets look at:

4 important leadership traits (in my eyes)

Confidence~ with a dash of competence

Empathy

Resilience

Humility

These traits matter to me because I’ve learned that leadership, much like the pasta I mentioned earlier, is never about a single ingredient. Confidence~with a dash of competence, is knowing when to trust your instincts because you’ve put in the prep, studied the recipe, and earned the right to lead. Empathy is understanding who you’re cooking for, recognizing that everyone at the table comes from a different place and experiences the meal differently. Resilience is staying with the process when the heat gets high, trusting that pressure and patience are part of what brings everything together. And humility is knowing that the dish isn’t about you at all... It’s really about creating something meaningful for others to enjoy. None of these traits come fully formed at birth; they are developed in the prep, through trial, mistakes, and perspective. These traits are earned, not given, and they continue to shape how you genuinely show up as a leader every day.

How do these reflect in times of diversity, inclusion, and globalization? Especially in the current political climate? 

In times of diversity, inclusion, and globalization, leadership traits like confidence with competence, empathy, resilience, and humility become essential because leadership is no longer about control, at the end of the day it’s about connection. In today’s political climate, where division is common, these traits help leaders create spaces rooted in trust and a common ground for understanding.

How does Collins' Level 5 Leadership align with or challenge trait theory?

Collins’ idea of Level 5 Leadership both aligns with and challenges trait theory in an interesting way for me. On one hand, it supports the idea that certain traits matter, things like humility, discipline, and quiet confidence show up consistently in Level 5 leaders. In that sense, trait theory helps identify some of the ingredients that tend to be present in strong leadership. Where Level 5 leadership seems to challenge trait theory is in how those traits come to exist. Collins makes it clear that these leaders aren’t flashy, loud, or naturally charismatic. They’re developed over time, shaped by pressure, failure, and persistence. If leadership were simply about being born with the right traits, then Level 5 leaders wouldn’t be so rare now would they...

Going back to the pasta analogy one last time, trait theory focuses on the ingredients laid out on the counter, assuming some people simply start with better ones. Level 5 leadership is about what happens after the stove is turned on... The slow simmer, the adjustments, the patience. It’s the long prep and the willingness to keep refining the dish that ultimately makes it great!

See you next week!

SGH