The Four Factor Theory of Leadership

A Foundation of Good Leadership

Learn about these four basic foundations of good leadership.

© iStockphoto/Veni

"Leadership is getting players to believe in you. If you tell a teammate you're ready to play as tough as you're able to, you'd better go out there and do it. Players will see right through a phony. And they can tell when you're not giving it all you've got."
- Larry Bird, Basketball player

If someone asked you what the basics of good leadership are, what would you tell them?

Perhaps you'd use phrases like "having integrity," "inspiring people," "leading from the front," and a whole range of other phrases besides.

Good leadership involves many different attributes, but there are common factors that link many of them.

In this article we'll examine the Four Factor Theory of Leadership, a classic model that defines four basic dimensions of effective leadership. We'll then look at how you can use these dimensions with your team.

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