case inciDent 2 Leadership TraitsResearchers have been interested in leadership traits for over a century

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case inciDent 2 Leadership TraitsResearchers have been interested in leadership traits for

over a century. Hundreds of studies have been conducted,

resulting in a basic consensus on leadership traits or characteristics

that separate leaders from non-leaders. Today,

among the key traits we often attribute to leaders, determination

is one that can be seen in many who are influential

and successful.

The 19th century German philosopher Frederick

Nietzsche's maxim "That which does not kill us, makes

us stronger" can be applied to leaders of organizations

today. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill offered

slightly different advice to the students in his commencement

speech at the Harrow School on October 29, 1941,

when he said, "Never give in, never, never, never, never—

in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in

except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never

yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming

might of the enemy." Antonio Horta-Osorio, the

Portuguese banker who became CEO of Santander UK

in 2006 and assumed the helm of Lloyds Banking Group

in March, 2011, demonstrates the kind of attitude that

Churchill's speech describes. Horta-Osorio encountered

serious personal problems that led the board to

grant him a sabbatical from his leadership position at

the bank. An avid tennis player, a scuba diver who routinely

encountered sharks, and a 12-hour-a-day banker,

Horta-Osorio had been in his position at Lloyds for just

eight months when he was granted a medical leave of absence

to recover from insomnia and exhaustion, which

were symptoms of stress. Confidential sources speculated

that he was unable to meet the demands of the

position—turning around a bank in trouble—and his

inexperience in leading a large complex bank brought

about his medical problems. Some financial pundits

believed that he would never recover sufficiently to resume

his leadership at the bank. However, on January 9,

2012, some two months later, Horta-Osorio proved them

wrong. By his account, during his recovery process, he

reflected on the experience and learned that all people

are human with strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore,

since his return to the bank, he has managed to

strengthen the bank's position in the industry showing

as a top performer among major British banks.

Horta-Osorio's persistence, in combination with

other leadership traits, enabled him to succeed where

non-leaders may not have. After getting a "reality check"

on his personal and mental health, he persevered, developed

his strategy, remained focused and spirited, and

called on others for support, rather than succumb to the

negativism of naysayers.

Questions

Q1: What leadership traits does Antonio Hotra-Osorio

demonstrate as a result of his ability to resume his

role at Lloyds Bank after such a personal issue?

Q2: Are there other examples of leaders who have

been able to overcome such adversity? Who are

they? Did they approach the problem as Hotra-

Osorio did?

Q3: To what degree is it possible to develop leadership

traits? Are they innate? What are some ways one

can develop persistence?