1. The Role of Traits, Motives, and Charisma in Leadership

2. Learning Objectives Describe the trait theory of leadership
Understand how emotional intelligence is related to leadership
Nature vs. nurture view of leadership
Describe the role of charisma in leadership
Understand how charisma and transformational leadership are related

3. Trait (or Universal) Theory of Leadership
Certain personality traits and other individual attributes are associated with effective leadership across many situations
If we have these traits and attributes, then we will be successful as leaders
Requires that we measure individuals on these attributes in some way

4. Individual Attributes
Account for 30-50% of the differences in an individual’s behavior
Examples:
Personality traits
Cognitive, emotional, and physical competencies
Motives
Values and attitudes
Skills and knowledge
Demographic variables

5. What is personality? Definition: Source: Nature vs. Nurture?
Set of unique traits and other mental characteristics that give consistency to an individual's behavior across situations
Source: Nature vs. Nurture?
What “twin studies” reveal
The role of genes
The role of environment, including culture
Gene X Environment interactions

6. Personality Development
Does personality change across the life span?
Are there “windows of opportunity” for personality change?

7. General Personality Traits of Effective Leaders

8. Task-Related Personality Traits of Leaders

9. Model of Emotional Intelligence
Managing
Self
Individual
Motivation
Self Awareness
And Regulation
Emotional
Trigger
Emotional
Response
Behavioral
Response
Managing
Others
Empathy
Motivational
Influence

10. Leadership Motives (Needs)

11. Cognitive Factors Associated with Effective Leadership

12. How do we measure personality traits?
1. Observation
2. Projective tests such as inkblots and TAT's
3. Validated paper and pencil (or computerized) tests and inventories

13. Just look at the picture briefly (10-15 seconds) and write the story it suggests.

14. Just look at the picture briefly (10-15 seconds) and write the story it suggests.

15. Problems in personality measurement
People must give reliable and truthful answers
People must understand the language used
Responses may be affected by mood
People may have multiple identities across situations and find it difficult to self-assess their "real" personality

16. So,
Let’s do some
self assessment!

17. Locus of control
Definition: the extent to which one believes that the things that happen to them are under their own or others’ control
Spheres of control: personal, interpersonal, or sociopolitical
Has effects on: Motivation, leadership, job selection and design, stress, and change
Cultural differences may determine locus of control

18. Locus of Control: Internals
Believe their own abilities and efforts control the things that happen to them
Are independent, like to participate in decisions, are involved in work, adjust to work and handle job stress well, like to influence others, are future rather than present oriented, are achievement oriented, and may chafe under too many rules, restrictions, and rigidity

19. Locus of Control: Externals
Believe that others, situations, and fate control what happens to them.
They prefer structure, do not like to work independently, have few expectations based on past successes or failures, and are susceptible to influence attempts by others

20. Means and Ranges of Scores on Locus of Control
Class Personal Interpersonal Sociopolitical Mean Range Mean Range Mean Range N
EMBA III
KMBA
KMBA
KMBA
KMBA
PMBA
NUWC
NUWC
NAVY
MGT

21. Machiavellianism
Degree to which one uses deceit, lying, and compromising ethics to attain one’s own self interest; strong believers in “the end justifies the means”
High Machs:
Have lots of self confidence and self esteem
Are cool and calculating
Try to manipulate ambiguous situations to control them
Do not let feelings and loyalty to get in the way of obtaining own ends

22. Machiavellianism
Differences between locus of control (interpersonal sphere) and Machiavellianism:
They are positively related, but internals use “legitimate” methods of influence while high Machs use duplicitous techniques

23. Means (Ranges) of Machiavellian Scores
Means (Ranges) of Machiavellian Scores
EMBA
Full Time and Part Time MBA
Undergraduates
(43-85)
(46-112)
(55-118)
(35-83)
(47-87)
(49-106)
(40-79)
(42-103)
(54-100)
(41-95)
(31-91)
(37-122)
(41-97)
(50-87)
(49-85)
(47-91)
(42-118)
(42-104)
(52-111)
(42-103)
68 (45-90) 
NUWC
(41-88) 
Navy
(40-97)
(53-100)
62 (33-86)
NUWC 
(49-109)
(49-98)
(48-94)
Average
Average 73
Average 76

24. Kolb McIntyre Learning Style
Measures the ways people prefer to learn
Why important?
Determines how we train others and help them to change and adapt
Helps us understand why "some people never learn”
May be linked to other dispositional variables: risk taking, being creative, emotionality
Helps us see there are variable ways to determine the "truth"

25. Information evaluationCE
Sensing
Horizontal arrow:
Information evaluation
Introversion
Accommodators
Divergers AE RO
Extraversion
Convergers
Assimilators
Vertical arrow: Information gathering AC
Intuition

26. Big Five Personality Variables
General personality variables that are said to cover the most important traits that differentiate us from each other
Extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, openness to experience, and conscientiousness

27. Correlations of Traits with Satisfaction, Leadership, and Motivation
Job Satisfaction
Leadership
Motivation
Neuroticism
-.29
-.24
-.31
Extraversion
.25
.31 --
Openness
.02
.24
Agreeableness
.17
.08
Conscientious-ness
.26
.28
Total R
.41
.48
.49
# of samples
163 73 65

28. Research on the “Big Five” Traits
Absenteeism: Extraversion is positively related while conscientiousness is negatively related to absenteeism
No differences found between racial groups, and thus less adverse impact when using for selection purposes compared to cognitive ability tests

29. Research on the “Big Five” Traits
Agreeableness
Needed for jobs requiring teamwork and good interpersonal facilitation skills
However, negatively related to career satisfaction
Extraversion
Related to positive affectivity and interpersonal facilitation
Positively related to salary levels, promotions, and career satisfaction

30. Research on the “Big Five” Traits
Dark side to conscientiousness
Not helpful for jobs that require creativity, innovation, spontaneity, or quick decision making ("analysis paralysis")
Openness to experience
Needed for jobs requiring innovation, creativity, and spontaneity
Predictive of cross-cultural sensitivity and success in international assignments
Negatively related to salary levels obtained

31. Research on the “Big Five” Traits
Emotional Stability (Neuroticism)
Related to negative affectivity (whiners?)
Cope poorly with stress
Negatively related to career satisfaction

32. Research on the “Big Five” Traits: European Samples
Conscientiousness and emotional stability are valid predictors across job criteria and occupational groups (police, professionals, managers, salespeople, and skilled labor)
Extraversion: positively related to extrinsic career success (salary, promotion) more for European than US executives
Neuroticism: negatively related to extrinsic success more for US than European executives

33. Other personality traits
Dogmatism
Rigidity and inability to change
Close-minded
Authoritarianism:
Rigid adherence to conventional values
Belief in rigid hierarchies and status systems
Obeys authority unquestionably
Prefers highly structured work situations and directive leadership

34. Why is studying personality important to leadership?
Useful in selection, training, motivation, communication, and change
Job/career fit and success
Affects decision making, problem solving, conflict management, managing politics, and coping with stress
Helps us understand how others are different from us, despite similar experiences and situations

35. Why is studying personality important to leadership?
Personality predicts how well we do in terms of "contextual performance" (i.e., commitment, absenteeism, involvement, dedication, interpersonal facilitation)
Abilities and job experiences predict task performance better
Cultural differences may impact personality: may determine one's success in managing cross-culturally

36. Strengths and Limitations of Trait Approach
Identifies many and sometimes contradictory traits
Does not specify how much of a trait or characteristic is needed
Can breed an elitist conception of leadership
Strengths
Serves as a guide to leader selection
Can guide individuals in preparing for leadership
Predicts “contextual” rather than “task” performance

37. What is charisma? Greek: “divinely inspired gift”
Special quality of leaders whose purposes, powers, and extraordinary determination differentiate them from others (e.g., heroism, magnetism, exemplary character, etc.)

38. What do charismatic leaders do?
Have idealized vision of the future
Superb communication skills (use stories, anecdotes, and non-verbal strategies)
Inspire trust using faith and hope
Make people feel capable of achieving goals
Engage in emotional appeals
Use drama and unconventional influence approaches
Incur personal risk and self promote incessantly
Many create major changes in the situations in which they operate

39. What are the sources of charisma?
Personal power sources of leader: expertise and referent power
Special knowledge, skills, experience, or personal character that attracts followers
The group’s or network’s attribution about the characteristics of a leader (involves ongoing interactions and impression management)

40. What are some positive effects of charisma?
Trust the leader
Begin to hold beliefs similar to those of the leader
Have affection for the leader
Identify with and attempt to emulate the leader
Emotional involvement in goals and mission of leader
Extra-role commitment

41. What are some negative effects of charisma?
Deception, manipulation, and exploitation of followers
Convince followers to take great and sometimes deadly risks
Followers may give up thinking for themselves and blindly obey leader
May lead followers to illegal, unethical, or socially irresponsible ends

42. What is transformational leadership?
Processes which bring about major change in organizational settings
Focus followers on system-wide rather than just self interest
Build vision, shared values,and a larger meaning
Imagine different and better conditions and ways to achieve them

43. How Transformations Take Place

44. How is charisma related to transformational leadership?
Many transformational leaders are considered charismatic
But not all charismatic leaders engage in major change processes
Transformational leaders are more concerned than charismatic leaders with:
personal development of followers
empowerment of followers
innovation and change