Theory of Great Man.

The "Great Man" theory of leadership raises debate.. Are leaders "born" or "made 

Man theory as one of the most important leadership and management theories and practices, which assumes that good leaders are born with innate traits and skills that make them special, and these traits cannot be taught or learned. According to this theory, leaders deserve to be in office; Because of their special features, for example, Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and others. You also assume that a person who is capable of leadership possesses the personality traits of a leader from birth that distinguish them from others, and that these traits are not something you can learn.

very impressive

The idea of ​​the theory began in the 19th century at the hands of the Scottish writer "Thomas Carlyle", and relies on that history can be explained - to a large extent - due to the influence of great men or heroes, who are very influential individuals; Either because of charisma, intelligence, wisdom, initiative, self-confidence, insight, social sense, effective communication skills, or the use of political skill to exercise influence in a way that affected the course of history.

 So the criterion for the existence of successful leadership here depends on the innate talents that the leader possesses; Where the leader, through his influential personality, can win over subordinates when they are ready to accept change.

Argument

But this assumption did not find much acceptance by some scholars. With the development of educational tools and skills that can be acquired, great leaders emerge, and in 1860 the thinker “Herbert Spencer” presented a different vision, contrary to the theory of the great man, in which he asserted that those who are such a great man are The product of their societies, and that their actions would not have occurred without the social conditions before their lives, the philosopher and psychologist “William James” replied, defending the theory of the great man, and that the unique physiological nature of the individual is the decisive factor in the formation of the great man, which in turn is the decisive factor in changing his environment in a unique way, and without him the new environment would not have taken place.

Leader traits

For his part, the researcher "Stu Ghodel" studied more than 278 papers during 66 years, in which he delved into the qualities of leaders between 1904-1970 AD; He concluded that leaders differ from subordinates in a set of traits: intelligence, initiative, perseverance, self-confidence, responsibility, vigilance, insight, and social sense. that modern theories are inconsistent with the great man's theory; Leadership has become an art in which people can be trained and their talents refined, and is not necessarily limited to innate qualities. This does not mean that any individual can become a great leader; There are people who cannot bear the burden of responsibility, and they bear the heavy burden of decision-making and its consequences, and there are those who evade it.

Most notable criticism

This theory has been subject to many criticisms, the most prominent of which are the following:

In addition to the assumption that leaders are either born or not born, and that there is no work or effort required to be able to become a leader, this indicates that social or psychological leaders are predetermined, and that leaders are unable to come from the shadows, either they are chosen or No.

Most of the traits associated with this theory are masculine in nature, and do not match the true psychology of good leaders

A leader cannot make a difference within any group; If the group does not make some kind of change on its own or the group does not respond to the change, then change and making a difference depends more on the group itself and not on the leader.

Leadership traits can be greatly developed and acquired. It is not required that a person be born with some individual traits that qualify him for leadership positions. However, through personal development, an individual can acquire the same traits that qualify him to assume a particular leadership position.

It is a traditional theory that does not correspond to most modern theories; As leadership has become a form of art, which can be trained.

Not all individuals who possess so-called natural leadership qualities become great leaders, as the theory is based on the concept that if leadership were simply an innate quality, then all people who possess the necessary traits would eventually find themselves in leadership roles.

Importance

Accordingly, it can be said that the theory of the great man has enjoyed an important place among leadership theories, and it has been applied in many researches and studies in various fields, such as social, political and military fields, and despite the criticisms leveled against it, it is considered one of 

.the most prominent and well-known leadership theories

:Refence

https://tanmia-idaria.ipa.edu.sa/Pages/182-16.aspx