This article provides a qualitative and quantitative review of the trait perspective in leadership research. The authors used the five-factor model (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) as a framework and meta-analyzed 222 correlations from 73 samples. The results indicated that Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness had significant correlations with leadership, with Extraversion being the most consistent correlate. The five-factor model had a multiple correlation of .48 with leadership, suggesting strong support for the trait perspective. The authors also explored the relationship between lower-order personality traits and leadership, finding that sociality, dominance, achievement, and dependability displayed moderately strong correlations. The study found that the relationships between traits and leadership generalized across different study settings, with Extraversion being the only trait that generalized across all settings. The meta-analysis also revealed strong multiple correlations between the traits and leadership, indicating a robust relationship.This article provides a qualitative and quantitative review of the trait perspective in leadership research. The authors used the five-factor model (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) as a framework and meta-analyzed 222 correlations from 73 samples. The results indicated that Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness had significant correlations with leadership, with Extraversion being the most consistent correlate. The five-factor model had a multiple correlation of .48 with leadership, suggesting strong support for the trait perspective. The authors also explored the relationship between lower-order personality traits and leadership, finding that sociality, dominance, achievement, and dependability displayed moderately strong correlations. The study found that the relationships between traits and leadership generalized across different study settings, with Extraversion being the only trait that generalized across all settings. The meta-analysis also revealed strong multiple correlations between the traits and leadership, indicating a robust relationship.