Who are leaders? Are leaders born to lead, or are they created in crisis? Are they tough? compassionate? laid back? powerful speakers? all of the above? By understanding how researchers study and view leadership, one thing becomes clear: leaders are not one thing but a mix of different communication skills and styles.

Before exploring how leadership functions in groups, it is important to have a basic understanding of what leadership really is. Scholars have long explored critical questions about leadership: What personal qualities do effective leaders have? What distinctive behaviors do they demonstrate? Why do some leadership approaches work in some situations but not others? The research resulting from such questions reflects four primary perspectives on leadership—the traits view, the style view, the situational view, and the functional view. Together, these perspectives clarify what it means to be a leader in a variety of group situations.

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