Cognotive Factors of Leaders
Cognotive Factors of Leaders
Cognotive Factors of Leaders
Page 1
c) Creativity
Many effective leaders are creative in the sense that they arrive at
imaginative and original solutions to complex problems.
Creative ability lies on a continuum (range, field, variety), with some
leaders being more creative than others.
At one end of the creative continuum are business leaders who think of
innovative products and services.
At the middle of the creative continuum are leaders who explore
imaginativebut not breakthroughsolutions to business problems.
At the low end of the creative continuum are leaders who inspire group
members to push forward with standard solutions to organizational
problems.
d) Insight Into People and Situations
Another important cognitive trait of effective leaders is insight, a depth of
understanding that requires considerable intuition and common sense.
A manager with keen insight is able to make wise choices in selecting
people for key assignments.
Another major advantage of being insightful is that the leader cab size up
the situation and adapt his or her leadership approach accordingly.
Insight is also closely linked to perceiving trends in the environment.
Leader must be able to process many different types of information, and
use their perceptions to predict the direction of environmental forces.
e) Farsightedness and Conceptual Thinking
To develop vision and corporate strategy, a leader needs farsightedness,
the ability to understand the long-range implications of actions and
policies.
Ray J. Friant, Jr., recommends that to develop as future business leaders,
junior executives should be given long-term assignment in long-range
planning and implementation.
At the same time they should go through their usual developmental
rotations such as intermediate-term assignments in marketing and
manufacturing.
Chapter # 2 Traits Motives and Characteristics of Leaders
Page 2
f) Openness to Experience
Yet another important cognitive characteristic of leaders is their openness
to experience, or their positive orientation toward learning.
People who have great deal of openness to experience have welldeveloped intellects.
Traits commonly associated with the dimension of the intellect include
being imaginative, cultured, curious, original, broad-minded, intelligent and
artistically sensitive.
Page 3