Personality tests that you take on the internet can be controversial in psychology because these tests fail to measure validity or reliability. People are complex and putting them in a category can get messy. However, in my eyes, these categories may not be the most perfect test out there, but for many, it is easy to categorize our personality types. For me, my type that MBTI matched me up with represents me 80-90%n of the time and I feel like I can identify with my results. Have any of you taken the MBTI before? Perhaps it was helpful, or it was totally inaccurate. After briefly looking at each category and deciding which function best fits with this style of leadership, the ESTP personality type is the best fit. They are extroverted, making them more inclined to lead people, practical in their mental energy. ESTP people are also thinkers making them logically orientated to find the best fit for a new situation along with flexibility.
As for this blog post I was wondering what personality types make the best leaders, especially within the situational method. We all have the stereotype that a leader is one type of person who holds a certain characteristic of traits, such as higher extroversion and their cognition is to focus on progression. However, this class teaches us that there are different types of leaders that can embody different traits and qualities. For situational leadership types, they are defined as those that determine the situation around them and assess it. After assessing it, they then find what is needed to fit that situation and mold their leadership style according to the fit.
Here I will be focusing on the MBTI types and the categories that represent each letter of that personality. The first category represents the mind, whether you are extroverted or introverted. It determines how we interact with what is around us, but it does not always have to represent whether you prefer people all the time. Situational leaders can be both, but extroverts may have the slighter edge, and the way these two types assess the situation around them is influenced by introversion or extroversion. From my experience, I find introverted leaders (professors, teachers, bosses) to be more understanding of those who want to work alone. Perhaps empathy might be an influence. The second function is the mental energy consisting of intuitive and observant cognitions. Intuitive look at the past and future to judge what they see, as observant looks at what exactly is in front of them. So the situational leader may need to be higher in observational thinking.
The third category represents the nature that determines how decisions are made and emotional coping mechanisms. Someone can either be thinkers or feelers and they both come with different mechanisms. Thinkers are logically based as feelers are more interpersonal and empathizers. In the situational leadership model, both are can be utilized to look at the situation their followers are in. Feelers can look at the issue with empathy and someone on an emotional level, perhaps what is going on internally. As thinkers will probably strategize and provide different strategies from an external perspective rather than consider the feelings of followers. The practical aspect to this style can be applied to thinkers.
Lastly, the tactics category looks at the approach to working, planning, and making decisions, consists of judging and prospecting. The judging types are organized and thorough with their plans and prefer to be predictable, as the prospecting type figure what to do as they go, making them more flexible. Flexibility is very crucial and part of our situational leader, because if their followers come across a new and sudden situation the leaders must make a quick decision right there.
Sources
Hamel, R. (2021). Lesson 5: Style and Situational Approaches.
Northouse, P .G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications
https://www.16personalities.com/profile
I wanted to respond to your post because I love Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. I really think it’s interesting how you classified each letter into whether it would led itself to leadership and how. I think this can be related to the personality leadership theory more so than the style approach but I still really appreciate your analysis. My MBTI is INFJ, and I notice in my leadership style that I’m very empathetic, I concentrate on the needs of the people I manage, but also I often get overwhelmed and worn out after large, long meetings I have to run. The introverted nature of my personality allows me to schedule smaller, more intimate meetings with the people I manage. I think this is a strength because I can to get to know them and their passions better than someone who only interacts with them in larger settings.
I did evaluate some personality tests and their validity in predicting leadership potential and performance for a pervious assignment for this class. The MBTI was considered weak in correlation to leadership performance. According to one study, the MBTI was not valuable in some situations because the situational needs from the leader would override the expected behavior predicted by the MBTI (Michael, 2003). Therefore, it is important to mention that leadership behavior is not stagnant and cannot be predicted in every situation based on personality. This study also recommends that the Big Five may be more accurate at determining leadership potential (Michael, 2003). Do you think the Big Five model of personality would provide more reliable data to support leadership potential and performance?
References:
Michael, J. (2003). Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a tool for leadership development? Apply with caution. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 10(1), 68-81. doi:10.1177/107179190301000106