Final answer:
Leadership traits considered important globally include transformational, charismatic, and democratic styles, but their effectiveness can depend on cultural context, follower characteristics such as extroversion, and societal norms. Transformational leadership is typically viewed as more effective, though a mix of styles may be observed in successful leaders. The interaction between leader and follower traits is complex, with education and organizational outcomes reflecting these dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of leadership and the traits that are seen as important across various countries has been a topic of great interest within the field of organizational studies and business. Research has identified certain leadership styles and traits that may be effective universally or may vary depending on cultural and situational contexts. For instance, transformational leadership is often contrasted with transactional leadership, with the former typically being considered more effective according to studies by Eagly et al. (2003). However, different leadership styles like democratic, transactional, and charismatic leadership can be successful depending on the setting, whether it's in education, business, or government.
Considering the personal traits of followers, such as the degree of extroversion, is also crucial as it might influence the type of interaction they require with their leaders for optimal functioning. This interplay between leadership styles and follower characteristics contributes to the complexity of effective leadership dynamics. Moreover, the cultural context cannot be ignored, with comprehensive studies by researchers like Den Hartog et al. (1999) revealing both culturally-specific and universally-endorsed attributes of charismatic/transformational leadership.
Education systems that rank highly globally share common practices related to leadership in their recruitment and standards, implying that leadership qualities also play a role in educational outcomes. Overall, while leadership traits such as being transformational, charismatic, and democratic are often emphasized, the success of these traits can be contingent upon the followers' characteristics and the societal norms within the leaders operate.