Leadership Behaviours and Traits Notes

Overview of Leadership Behaviours and Traits

  • Leadership is not innate; it is developed through dedication and effort (Vince Lombardi).

Agenda

  • Personality and Leadership

  • Values

  • Attitudes

  • Perceptions

  • Attributions

  • Cognitive Differences

Understanding Personality

  • Leaders can be distinguished (e.g. Mother Teresa vs. Alan Joyce)

  • Personality comprises traits that shape behaviour:

    • Combination of characteristics forms unique character.

    • Understanding personality variations enhances leadership effectiveness.

Personality Traits

  • Definition: Distinctive characteristics that classify individual behaviour.

  • Personality influences behaviour and perceptions and is shaped by genetics and environment.

The Big Five Personality Dimensions

  1. Surgency (Extraversion)

    • Includes leadership and extraversion traits.

    • Individuals high in this trait often seek leadership roles and are competitive.

    • Lower scores tend to be followers, avoiding competition.

  2. Agreeableness

    • Traits: Warmth, caring, and compliance.

    • High scorers: Good-natured, sympathetic, and courteous.

    • Low scorers: Often seen as cold or rude.

  3. Conscientiousness

    • Traits relate to achievement, responsibility, and dependability.

    • High scorers are well-organized and self-disciplined.

    • Low scorers may be disorganized and negligent.

  4. Emotional Stability (Adjustment)

    • Refers to emotional control.

    • High stability indicates calmness and positivity; low scores are related to neuroticism.

  5. Openness to Experience

    • Relates to willingness to try new things; imaginative and unconventional tendencies.

    • Low scores indicate conventionality and resistance to change.

Correlation with Leadership

  • Surgency and Conscientiousness are strongly correlated with leadership effectiveness.

  • Openness to experience shows a positive correlation, while Agreeableness has a weak link, and Adjustment (emotional stability) is negatively correlated with effective leadership.

Introversion vs. Extroversion

  • Introverts: Shy and introspective.

  • Extroverts: Outgoing and socially engaged.

Locus of Control

  • Internal Locus: Believes they control their own life and actions.

  • External Locus: Thinks outside forces control their fate.

Authoritarianism

  • Preference for structured power dynamics; authoritarian leaders prefer control and direction.

  • Modern leadership favors less authoritarian approaches.

Self-Monitoring

  • High Self-Monitors: Adapt behaviours according to social cues; more flexible and successful in diverse environments.

  • Low Self-Monitors: Consistent behaviour; less sensitive to others' feelings.

Personality Profiles

  • Profiles assess strengths and weaknesses, aiding in job placement.

  • Traits like high conscientiousness and low emotional stability impact job performance positively and negatively, respectively.

Traits of Effective Leaders

  • Nine essential traits:

    1. Dominance

    2. Self-Confidence

    3. Stability

    4. Intelligence

    5. Sensitivity to Others

    6. High Energy

    7. Internal Locus of Control

    8. Integrity

    9. Flexibility

Dominance

  • Integral to the trait of surgency; leaders must want to take charge without being domineering.

High Energy

  • Positive drive and persistence; significant in leadership.

Locus of Control

  • Internal locus is vital for leaders; they accept responsibility for outcomes.

Self-Confidence

  • Essential for decision making and fostering team confidence.

Stability

  • Emotionally balanced leaders contribute to effective collaboration.

Integrity

  • Trustworthiness and ethical behaviour are crucial for leadership efficacy.

Intelligence

  • Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities predict performance.

Emotional Intelligence

  • Comprising self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management, vital for leadership interaction.

Flexibility & Sensitivity to Others

  • Flexibility ensures adaptability to change, while understanding individual dynamics supports effective teamwork.

Values, Attitudes and Behaviours

  • Values: Fundamental beliefs guiding behaviours (e.g., fairness).

  • Attitudes: Comprised of beliefs, feelings, and behaviours; influenced by various factors.

  • Self-Esteem: Affects job choice and performance; higher self-esteem typically leads to more effective leadership outcomes.

Theory X and Theory Y

  • Theory X: Assumes people dislike work and require control.

  • Theory Y: Suggests intrinsic motivation and self-direction.

Perception and Attribution Theory

  • Attribution: Understanding behaviours through internal and external causes; influenced by distinctiveness, consistency, and consensus.

Cognitive Differences

  • Recognizing left-brained versus right-brained tendencies can enhance team dynamics.

Strategies for Working with Others

  • Recognize individual differences and adapt accordingly.

  • Prioritize respectful interaction and effective communication.

Summary of Week 6

  • No lecture next week; focus on tutorial preparations for essay discussions.