Great Man Theory
Early approaches in this genre included the great man theories, which were based on the assumption that the capacity for leadership is inherent--that great leaders are born, not made or developed.
These theories often portrayed great leaders as heroic, mythical, and uniquely destined to rise to leadership when their skills were needed. The term great man reflects an assumption of these early theories that leadership was a predominantly male quality, especially in the domains of political and military leadership.
These theories often portrayed great leaders as heroic, mythical, and uniquely destined to rise to leadership when their skills were needed. The term great man reflects an assumption of these early theories that leadership was a predominantly male quality, especially in the domains of political and military leadership.