Do you have what it takes to be a leader? At one time, the popular belief was that leadership skills could not be learned; instead, certain people were born with the traits necessary to lead. This Trait Theory was the basis for the "Great Man" Theory-only a great man could be a leader. As you read in your Learning Resources this week, the great man philosophy has been challenged a great deal in recent times, but many still believe that there are certain traits common to the best leaders. Most people have all of these characteristics, but the measurement of each characteristic varies with each individual person.

To prepare for this Assignment, go to the "Leadership Trait Questionnaire" (LTQ) in your course text. The LTQ is designed to be taken by you and by five people familiar with you. For this Assignment, you do not need to ask other people to complete the questionnaire. Instead, complete it yourself and use only the scores from your own questionnaire. Be as honest and objective as you can. Keep your scores for analysis in the Final Research Paper.

Write a 1- to 2-page paper describing your experience with the LTQ. Explain how your questionnaire responses indicate your personal leadership philosophy. Describe any questionnaire results that may have surprised you. Apply the characteristics of the Trait Approach to your personal leadership style. Explain how traits you may have been born with might help you be an effective leader.