ABSTRACT
The concept of leadership is one of the most extensively written about concepts in modern behavioral science, with numerous books and theories crafted about the subject. Early leadership theory has had a profound impact on the historical development of our understanding of leadership. This body of work has been referred to as the “great men theories” since it focuses on studying the characteristics of great men who were believed to have been born leaders. The study of leadership skills and competencies actually emerged as an area of leadership research as a reaction to the inability of researchers to clearly agree on a definitive set of traits. The skills and competencies area of study has also received renewed interest in recent years. In 2000, Munford, Zaccaro, Conelly, and Marks developed a skills-based leadership model. This model has five components: competencies, individual attributes, leadership outcomes, career experiences, and environmental influences.
