Pros & Cons of Trait-Based Leadership Theories

There are many positive and negative views on trait-based leadership.  Some feel that establishing specific traits to define leadership can provide a clear direction of where leadership should be going.  It can give a person a foundation in their leadership journey and provide them with something to strive towards.  On the other hand, defining leadership through specific traits can keep a person "locked in" on only those certain traits and doesn't allow their unique leadership traits to come out.  It can hold someone back from their true leadership potential and put them down for not having all of those specific traits.  Some people feel that traits are obtained at birth and may be harder to learn than others if they don't already possess that specific quality.