Leadership is a multi-complex subject that has foregone numerous studies and practices to uncover the makeup of its phenomenon, but what about leaders with multiple personalities? Are they considered leaders? Do we account for leaders we may already know with multiple personalities or are they swept under the rug? It’s a topic rarely discussed in leadership. I believe it may be due to the lack of comfort it may create or one just does not know enough about it yet?
Leadership is linked to many factors of an individual and that individual is connected to cognitive development which is connected to the psychological development of a person. The reason I bring this up is because I’ve been dying to see “Split” starring James McAvoy who plays a man who has Dissociative Identity Disorder with 24 different characters male and female that were developed over time starting at the age of three. Although maybe eight personalities were consistently shown throughout the movie a few leaders rose among a single person. Who could have suggested that a man diagnosed with twenty-four personalities could successfully and unknowingly kidnap three teens without?
Some might ask, how is this possible? What does this have to do with traits, skills and behavior? I was intrigued by the thought that while theories, practices and questionnaires have been researched and discovered to assess one individual what about those that we cannot detect under these tools of leadership? Does it not make them potential leaders even though they fall under other circumstances? Had the Traits, Skills and Behavioral Approach been shared with Hitler, Nelson or Kevin (fictional character of film “Split”), what would the assessments suggest?
Adolf Hitler did anyone see him as a leader, even though in his earlier years he was seen as lazy and rebellious, or after the fact that when his mother passed away, he became depressed and developed and even greater anger and hatred for all accept Nazi Germans? Was it traits which is believed to be born with, or skills (what one can learned or developed), or behavior (how a person responds to situations or people) that aided in a monstrous leader. What was his success in leadership?
Hitler-Skills Approach/ While many could call him a million things, his organizational leadership skills can be considered one of the greatest. Though in my opinion a monster, his ability to problem solve, competency to accomplish goals and obtain the followers he did aided in his success.
Nelson Mandela, who was regarded as bright, a prankster and petty thief and in his youth lost both parents within weeks of each other, who would have known his success? What qualities aided in his leadership?
Nelson-Skills Approach/ Nelson who was imprisoned for standing up for what he believed was right. His end goal was for the betterment of a nation, he himself being faced with the death penalty was set free and became the president of South Africa. His ability to problem solve and competencies were companied by an ability to create followers without attempting to.
While it is not the skills approach nor skills solely that aid in all three individuals success, traits and behavior play a huge part, what all three have in common, are the end goals that aided in their leadership regardless how grotesque. While qualities such as traits, skills and behavior make up a good portion of leadership, it may be “what the individual is working towards” or “attempting to accomplish” (skills approach) that defines the leader.
Definitions:
Behavior Approach- Leadership style approach that emphasizes how the person behave in situations or act towards people. (Northouse, 2016)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is referenced as an involuntary escape from reality where thoughts, identity, consciousness and memory are disconnected. (nami.org)
Skills Approach- Leadership style approach that emphasizes what a person is capable of. Northouse, (2016) Leadership: Theory and Practice
Traits Approach- Leadership style approach that emphasizes the personality characteristics of a leader. (Northouse, 2016)
References
Boehmer, E. (2008). Nelson Mandela : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, GB: OUP Oxford.
Dan Tucker A composer, and writer. (1992, May 10). Masters of. calamity. Chicago Tribune 1963
Nami
https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions/Dissociative-Disorders/Overview
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Photos courtesy of:
flikr.com,
alamy.com
ovguide.com
rnn5034 says
This is an excellent post. I also analyzed Nelson Mandela, but for the blog post last week. Which leader do you think best encompasses the behavioral approach?
In my opinion, Nelson Mandela was an extremely competent leader in regards to the behavioral approach. He combined both relationship behaviors with task behaviors (2016). When Mandela was in jail as a political prisoner, he was able to stay safe and build relationships because he was attentive to other’s emotions and behavior, as well as how he came across (2013). He built himself a reputation as a person with integrity, even during his 27 years in prison. This enabled him to build trust with people and complete his tasks. For example, he built a prison garden with the help of his fellow inmates.
Sources
Martin, P (2013). Nelson Mandela: The Emotionally Intelligent Leader. Retrieved from http://blog.haygroup.com/nelson-mandela-the-emotionally-intelligent-leader/
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications.