ABSTRACT

Promotion into a leadership role is an objective way to determine that someone not only transcends in their field but is acknowledged for doing so. In an environment where gender stereotypes can alter women’s aspirations for leadership, the traits, practices, and beliefs of women who have successfully adopted leadership roles should be clearly accounted for. Their perspectives are powerful enough to obtain promotion amongst their peers and interviewing such women has shown that those who want to lead must be open to change, effective communication, and the demands of the team. The trait approach to leadership suggests that good leaders share fundamental commonalities and the previously mentioned traits incorporate the approach’s major leadership traits: intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability. These traits in leadership are not limited to women for expression, however, presenting them as reasons, why these women excel, encourages others to emulate them as they navigate in organizations that value them.