Similar to the trait approach, skills approach takes on a leader-centered perspective on leadership. Skills approach shifts our thinking from a personality perspective to an emphasis on skills and abilities that can be learned and developed. Skills approach suggests that knowledge and abilities are needed for effective leadership

The impetus for skills research started with a classic article published by Robert Katz (1955) titled "Skills of an effective Administrator." Katz's approach was an attempt to transcend the trait problem by addressing leadership as a set of developable skills. Katz suggested that effective administration (leadership) was built on three persona skills: Technical, Human and Conceptual. Skills imply what leaders can accomplish whereas traits imply who leaders are (innate characteristics). Skills are defined as the ability to use one's knowledge and competencies to accomplish a set of goals or objectives.

TechnicalSkills: Having the knowledge to be proficient in a specific type of work or activity. An example would be a computer software company, which would include software language and programming.

HumanSkills: Having the knowledge about and being able to work with people. It differs from Technical skills, which has to do with working with things (Katz, 1955). Human skills are "people skills."

ConceptualSkills: The ability to work with ideas and concepts. Conceptual skills involve the ability to work with ideas, where these ideas can shape an organization's vision and culture.

Mumford (2000) formulated a skills-based model of leadership characterized as a capability model built on the relationship between a Leader's knowledge, skills and performance.

Trait Leadership theory implies leadership is only for the gifted few (Great Man), skills approach suggests that many individuals have the potential for leadership. His model is composed of five different components: Competencies, Individual Attributes, Leadership Outcomes, Career Experiences, and environmental Influences.

The skills-based leadership model is primarily descriptive---it describes leadership from a skills perspective. The skills approach provides a framework for understanding the nature of effective leadership. It positively correlates effective leadership with development, learning, knowledge, problem-solving, human relations and social judgment skills.

1. After looking at the research above, which leadership theory do you believe is the most effective? Trait or skills? Why? Are both theories still valid today? Why or why not?