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The characteristic often associated with Theory X leadership is pessimism regarding human behavior. This theory, developed by Douglas McGregor in the 1960s, posits a view of employees as inherently lazy, lacking ambition, and needing to be closely supervised and controlled to ensure productivity. Theory X leaders operate under the assumption that people are motivated primarily by monetary rewards and will avoid work if they can. This perspective leads to a more authoritarian style of management where directives are given and compliance is enforced, reflecting a fundamental lack of trust in employees' willingness or ability to take initiative or self-manage.

In contrast, the characteristics linked to encouragement, trust, collaboration, and empowerment align more closely with Theory Y leadership. Theory Y posits a more optimistic view of human nature, believing that people are self-motivated, take responsibility, and seek satisfaction in their work. Thus, those traits do not accurately reflect the mindset encapsulated in Theory X.