The trait approach has been frequently used to study leadership. The supporters of this approach determined that the personality traits of good leaders are innate, not learned. One of the most well-known models of personality is the Five Factor Model (FFM). The FFM of personality includes the following broad dimensions: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extraversion (Pennsylvania State University). Possessing some or all of these traits is a good indicator of a successful leader (Judge, Bono, Ilies, & Gerhardt, 2002), with extraversion being the greatest predictor of a post-interview job offer in a leadership position (Caliguiri, 2000).
My personality traits portray me as an introvert and not highly open to experience, so does that mean that I will not hold a leadership position in the future, or not be what is considered to be a good leader? Since I am not best suited for a leadership position according to the trait approach, it made me wonder if I could alter my personality to increase the probability of my earning a leadership position. Would I be able to fight genetics and the life experiences that shaped me into who I am today? I turned to the trusty internet for some answers.
According to Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, the static-character research that is based on the FFM doesn’t consider an in-between area (Bryner, 2007). Dweck believes this area contains the fundamental beliefs that individuals develop as they grow. She goes on to propose that two mindsets, fixed or growth, develop early in life and play a large part in personality, specifically motivation and achievement. She claims that the unfixed traits are only beliefs and they can be changed. As such, since beliefs can change, so can personalities.
I found another article that described one’s personality as being partially genetic. Experiences also help to form our personalities; they change our minds, actions, and feelings (Goodman, 2012). The article also went on state that our “Big 5” personality traits (FFM) change over time. These changes are actually responses to normal life transitions. It asserts that if we can challenge our pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving, and make those changes permanent, then our personality will be altered. An example provided in the article is an exercise to help one become more extroverted. If I, being an introvert, were to enter a social setting, pretend that I felt perfectly comfortable, and challenged my pattern of behavior by initiating a conversation with a stranger, that I would eventually develop new patterns and become more sociable and assertive.
Since I cannot change my genetics or past experiences to alter my personality in the present, I see no harm in performing exercises like the one mentioned in Goodman’s article to help me in my career in the future. Forcing myself into different environments will provide me with new and varied experiences which will, in turn, affect my personality. Like Goodman’s article suggests, I can “fake it ‘til (I) make it” (Goodman 2012), and continue to challenge myself to improve my sociability and openness to experience. In turn, this will help me become a better leader in the future.
References:
Bryner, J. (2007). Study: Your Personality Can Change (and Probably Should). Live Science. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/9507-study-personality-change.html
Caliguiri, P. M. (2000). The Big Five Personality Characteristics as Predictors of Expatriate’s Desire to Terminate the Assignment and Supervisor-Rated Performance. Personnel Psychology, 53(1), 67-68.
Goodman, N. (2012). Can You Actually Change Your Personality? Mother Nature Network. Retrieved from http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/can-you-actually-change-your-personality
Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R., & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002). Personality and Leadership: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 765-780.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus. (2014). Lesson Commentary 2: Trait Approach. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp14/psych485/001/content/02_lesson/01_page.html