There are some people in life that seem to be the one that everyone else likes. In high-school there was always that one really smart girl or that one really amazing athlete who would talk and be so nice to everyone regardless of what clique they belonged. There was just something about their personalities that everyone else was drawn to and it made them great leaders. It seems as though throughout adulthood these types of people continue to be “natural-born leaders” who are easily followed by others. So why does this occur? It seems as though the Big Five personality factors can explain a lot.
There has been a lot of research done on personality and leadership that has narrowed down personality traits to five basic factors. According to Northouse (2013), neuroticism (your tendency to be depressed, anxious, hostile), extraversion (your tendency to be assertive and outgoing), openness (your tendency to be informed, insightful, curious and creative), agreeableness (your tendency to be accepting, trusting, nurturing), and conscientiousness (your tendency to be thorough, organized, dependable and decisive) are the five basic factors, or the “Big Five”. And possessing some of these personality traits can be associated with being a good leader (p. 27).
Not surprisingly, extroversion has the highest correlation to leadership. If we go back to the example of the smart girl in high school, she was friendly to everyone. She was exceptionally extroverted; she was sociable with just about everyone and always seemed to be so positive. She was the class president, or the president of Future Business Leaders of America, or captain of something. But everyone liked her and everyone seemed to follow her lead. And, more importantly, she seemed to do it without even trying.
So why aren’t all extroverted people great leaders? Well that’s because simply being outgoing and sociable isn’t what makes you a good leader. It helps, sure, but what needs to be considered are the major leadership traits one must have to be viewed as a leader. Northouse (2013) describes the evolution of leadership traits throughout history and narrows it down to five major leadership traits (not to be confused with the Big Five personality factors). These traits are intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity and sociability (p. 23). And that is why not all extroverts are good leaders. There are four other traits necessary to be viewed as a good leader. Lacking in any one of these areas changes how followers view the leader and their willingness to follow them.
References
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications
Anthony Kenneth Cataldo says
Traits and Psychodynamics definitely influence our leadership abilities. We’re all born with a certain basket of traits that we bring to the leadership table. Our caregivers mold, shape, and polish those traits throughout our childhood, preparing us for the very near future. As we take our first steps out of the nest, the world around us continues to build upon our personality. When we’re faced with a challenge and given the opportunity to lead, it’s all of these years of preparation and inborn characteristics that either aid us in swimming or weight us to the bottom of leadership lake.
Extroversion has its place in certain situations but so too does introversion. I guess it all depends on the context behind each leadership opportunity. For example, an extroverted leader that does not understand the needs of their introverted followers will not be a successful leader by any means. Effective leadership using the psychodynamic approach is based on self-awareness and tolerance for the styles and behaviors of others (Northouse, 2013, page 339).
Reference:
Northouse, Peter. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
evj5076 says
A friend of mine from a high school works as a section chief for a Citibank in South Korea. I have known her for a long time. She is an introverted and shy person. When she has troubles at the workplace or with people, she often tells me that she wants to be an extroverted character.. However, she is one of the most meticulous, goal focused and patient people I’ve ever met. She fits perfectly at her demanding job.
As you mentioned, the five traits that contribute to a good leader are neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness (Northhouse, 2013). Even if my friend’s characteristics most likely meet agreeableness, the weakest factor among Big Five personality factors (p.27), I believe that the job demands made her a good leader. A good leader is a product of their environment, meeting the demands of her workplace strengthened her leadership skill.
In Korea, there was a successful leader who said ‘neither extroverted nor introverted personalities are the correct choice’. According to him, what chooses a leader is their environment such as types of industry to which he or she belongs. He adds that leader should be like a ‘chameleon’ being able to fit various environments.
References
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications
Lojie Martin says
Great post! I think you bring up a very important perspective. Is extroversion really the top trait leadership? The description according to Northouse (2013) is that extroversion is actually: sociability, assertiveness, positivity. Perhaps those three descriptions are more indicative of a leader and not really of an extroverted person.
Interestingly enough, I’m actually quite sociable and positive and can definitely be assertive when necessary.
However, I do agree that extroversion may not necessarily equal “good” leadership. I found an interesting study by Kaiser, LeBreton, and Hogan (2015) called The dark side of personality and extreme leader behavior, which touches upon “dark side” traits and how that is expressed through “excessive leader behavior”. The researchers described “dark side” traits including avoidant, paranoid, passive-aggressive, and antisocial behaviors to name a few. An interesting point they suggest is how some of these traits are hidden when accompanied with proper social skills. An example they illustrate is a manager who intimidates by using volatile behavior in order to prevent his employees from disagreeing with him. To others, it may seem that he is an excellent leader, however he is actually using coercive tactics to accomplish his tasks.
It seems to me that perhaps extroversion may not be best described as simply being sociable, positive and assertive.
References
Kaiser, R. B., LeBreton, J. M., & Hogan, J. (2015). The dark side of personality and extreme leader behavior. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 64(1), 55-92. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1560634970?accountid=13158
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications
gsl117 says
The examples that are provided demonstrate emergent leadership. People that we perceive as leaders in emergent situations need to fit our own notions of leader behavior. If someone fits the structure that each of us holds on to, then we identify that person as a leader. The characteristics that we apply can be gender biased (Hall, Workman & Marchioro 1998). Back when I was a Cub Scout, there were Den Mothers. The activities were community based. In the Boy Scouts, the men led the troop in camping and hiking trips across state lines. Patrol leaders emerged and were anointed by the troop leader. The expectation for leader ability between the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts was different.
Neither class president nor the president of Future Business Leaders of America, are gender specific. However, women are more likely to emerge as leaders for typically female tasks and men for male typical tasks (Hall, Workman & Marchioro 1998). It must be based on our collective view of male / female characteristics and societal roles that we select leaders for specific problems based on gender. The traditional roles in families as breadwinner and homemaker are slowly changing. Once society at large accepts changing roles, then leadership across gender task boundaries should also change.
I feel that extraverts make for entertaining leaders. Usually I am focused on what is being said that time just flies by but there comes a time when the talking must stop. Communication overload is one minus that extraverts do impose on followers (Northouse 2013).
References
Hall, R. J., Workman J. W., Marchioro C. A. (1998) Sex, Task, and Behavioral Flexibility Effects on Leadership Perceptions Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 74: 1-32, doi:10.1006/obhd.1998.2754
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Laura J Eisenhower says
After reading a Huffington Post article recently on introverted leaders and celebrities, I felt compelled to comment on your post. Leaders are expected to be extremely sociable, and interacting with the public certainly places leaders in a favorable light. Extroversion is such prominent trait of leaders that if we encounter a particular leader who tends to shy away from the public eye, we judge them as being snobbish or socially inept. Yet some of the greatest religious leaders, inventors, and even one of our presidents were introverted, and it greatly helped their success, rather than hindered it.
Abraham Lincoln has been touted as one of our greatest presidents, and while he did move to abolish slavery and gave the Gettysburg address in the aftermath of war, he liked to keep to himself when not engaging in presidential affairs. Eleanor Roosevelt, a highly influential First Lady was described as a “shy, awkward child” and even spoke of the importance of having a friendship with yourself (Schocker, 2013). We can likely attribute Albert Einstein’s contributions to science to his introverted lifestyle, as he once said “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind” (Schocker, 2013). Mahatma Gandhi was a well-known but quiet soul, who kept to himself and stayed calm despite the challenges he faced. He once quipped, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world” (Schocker, 2013). Tiny Rosa Parks, whose autobiography is entitled Quiet Strength, surprised many when she spoke up on the bus that day, as she was known for her soft-spoken nature and quiet social life (Schocker, 2013). Even Audrey Hepburn admitted to being a bit of an introvert, despite her celebrity status. She preferred to be alone in nature as opposed to being in the public eye (Schocker, 2013).
The fact that so many widely-known individuals shy away from extroversion is a bit surprising, considering the fact that people of their status are practically required to be social by today’s standards. They did not need to make a public spectacle of themselves to be acknowledge by history. In fact, these individuals were unexpectedly blessed by their introversion, as so many people who are thrown into the spotlight are scrutinized by the media and tabloids. While leaders feel they need to keep their social appearances and interaction frequent, the above named individuals have shown that a leader can make themselves known with becoming a public debacle, as so many who risk frequent social exposure run the risk of doing.
Schocker, L. (2013). 16 Outrageously Successful Introverts, Huffington Post.
Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/13/famous-introverts_n_3733400.html
Holly Maxine Mcnabb says
I really enjoyed this post; you got my attention with the title. The question you posed, “So why aren’t all extroverted people great leaders?” really strikes a chord with me because I consider myself a very good leader and I am definitely NOT extroverted.
Northouse (2013) describes extroversion as measured by sociability, assertiveness, and having positivity. I would rate myself very high in assertiveness and positivity, but I am by no means sociable, other than as a company leader. In a social setting, I would likely be found alone at the table watching others interact, or in a quiet chair somewhere reading a book I picked off someone’s coffee table.
You mentioned that “extroversion has the highest correlation to leadership”. I hope, for my own growth potential, that I can drill that down to be extroversion in a corporate setting. I thought about your high school girl; I would have been recognized as her polar opposite. When I talk about my high school years with professionals I associate myself with, they are shocked that I was always the girl in the corner. I guess I have come a long way.
Thanks again for your post. It helped me remember just how far I have come and how my other strong leadership traits have helped me step out of that corner of high school and into the position of a leader in my career.
References
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications