Leadership

PSYCH 485 blog

Not All Leaders Are Perfect

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In #PSYCH485 this week, the focus was on the trait approach to leadership. When people hear the word “leadership”, there mind automatically thinks of a person, an experience, or a definition. Individuals all have their own thoughts on what it takes to be a leader, how a leader acts, and why leaders are needed. Let’s be honest in how the common person views a leader: intelligent, understanding, trustworthy, determined, and self-assured. They have all the five main traits that Peter G. Northouse lists in Chapter 2 of his book “Leadership Theory and Practice”. It seems like a leader has it all together. After all, if they have made it to the point in life where they are able to direct others in to doing something that they have already mastered, they must be successful. Wouldn’t we all rather be leaders than followers?

There is something about the word “follower” that simply sounds like it is a bad thing. It’s a labeling name that you don’t want to be called in your social circle. I can hear it in my head now, the judgments that one pass to the person who would be considered a follower. When is she going to stop being a follower and start thinking for her own mind. Or the one thing that we have all heard or said ourselves, He is following in his father’s footsteps. Even if it’s NOT a bad idea for that person to be a follower, there will always be at least one person who says it with negativity, as though the only way to success is through leadership.

I could sit for hours and discuss how being a follower can still be a leader per se, but my focus is on the leader right now: that individual who can do no wrong because their traits are of high honor. Let me show assurance that I have not a cold heart towards leaders. I have many great leaders in my life, and feel that I am one for others as well. I find this topic of leadership intriguing, in that there are always positive traits that leaders are known for and praised on. There is a dark side of personality traits that people seem to forget about. Thankfully, the Penn State World Campus course ‘PSYCH 485’ in the Lesson 2 commentary addresses these six negative traits that leaders can have.

As based on the commentary, the six personality traits that are viewed dark-sided are: “argumentative; interpersonal insensitivity; narcissism; fear of failure; perfectionism; impulsivity.” The bad personality traits can be viewed as opposite effects that occur when the main five positive traits are taken too far, or not far enough. Intelligence can become argumentative. Self-confidence can lead to narcissism. Determination can show a fear of failure and strive for perfectionism. Interpersonal insensitivity replaces integrity. Sociability has the extreme opposite skills as that of impulsivity. If a leader has a handful of great traits, but even one dark-side trait, are they really a great leader?

It interests me to study the dark-side of leadership traits, mainly because exposing the hidden layers of any individual can lead to a better understanding of society. We don’t actually know all that we think we know from what we see when we first see it. Being a follower is generally associated with a negative perception, but at least those individuals keep it real with their strengths and weaknesses. Leaders can move mountains, which is needed in the world, but that does not mean they will have a happy and successful life. A successful leader needs to stay clear of the dark-side leadership traits, because they will ruin all that they have worked hard to become. My advice to all leaders is to stay passionate about your field of work, and don’t let the increasing demands and stress take over your mind and soul.

For additional reading, check out this link: https://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/157670/leader-development-and-dark-side-personality.pdf. It offers a great perspective on dark-side leader traits, including a study that took place involving statistics, strategies, and analysis.

 

References:

Northouse, Peter G. (Ed.). (2015). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7th Ed.).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Pennsylvania State University (2016). Leadership in Work Settings—PSYCH 485. Online course lesson. Penn State World Campus. The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 21, 2016 from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/sp16/psych485/002/content/02_lesson/06_page.html

Future Science: The Reverse Identification of Leadership

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432 hz brainrhythm

Are the traits of a leader obviously positioned on the surface or underlying deep in the psyche? When we think of a leader the general consensus would be the identification of traits that a leader embodies. Those people that exude emotional strength, intelligence, resolve under pressure, empathy and so forth. But it can be questioned if the leader personality goes deeper to encompass traits such as spatial awareness, influential energies, and a specific aura of life.

Psychology as a science is concerned with affirmed data of measurable things. But beyond the box of numbers, charts and data graphs there is more to the human experience than exuded emotional characteristics. The five factor model gives us an outline of the dimensions of personality; conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extraversion. While science is confined to the available knowledge of presiding time, I wonder if these ‘dimensions’ can be measured on an even more generalized level. Such as the vibrational energies of successful leaders, and if this could be measured in reverse. Such as to say that a leader can be identified before the characteristics are assessed in that person.

Though this may seem a science fictional assumption, I think it is not beyond reason. There is a pattern in the traits of leaders. A sense of strong will, influential emotion and the ability to draw on a knowledge base, all contribute the characteristic dimensions aforementioned. There is a large body of research that shows extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability are all positively correlated with leadership success. (PSU, 2015) If it is continuously proved that these same personality traits are identifiable in all leaders then it would be a correct assumption to say successful leaders would all exude the same living vibrations which allow them to perform in a way which influences those around them.

The issue with this theory is the same brought up for trait approaches such as the Five Factor Model. The challenge that Stogdill (1948) suggested is that there is no consistent set of traits that are different in leaders and followers. Leaders in one situation are not necessarily leaders in another situation. (PSU, 2015) What is the solution to this conflict? Can a leader be pin pointed indefinitely or is it a specific state of being that comes and goes depending on circumstance? Only time will tell in the scientific study of leadership and the progression of methods to gathering data. But on any side of the argument it can be agreed upon that leadership is a state of being and this state of emotional output can be measured. It is my suggestion that leadership’s dimensional output can be measured prior to other means which require cognitive analysis, if only we had the advanced science available to do so.

 

 

Citations

Penn State University Course Creator.(2015). Lesson 2: Trait Approach. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa15/psych485/001/content/02_lesson/01_page.html

Stogdill, R. M. (1948). Personal factors associated with leadership: A review of the literature. Journal of Psychology, 25, 35-71.

Brianrhythm.png. (2013) Retrieved from: http://humansarefree.com/2011/03/does-conspiracy-extend-to-musical-scale.html

Middle Child as a Leader

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The way a child is raised effects the qualities they develop. Many times the middle child is overlooked. They are left to figure things out on their own. This allows them to develop traits, skills, and a personality to be an effective leader. An article by Lynne Griffin shows the qualities a middle child develops due to the way they are brought up. Being a middle child myself, I think the article is accurate and supported by the Trait and Skills approach. The middle child has certain traits that enable them to use skills in order to lead a group to success.

The Traits Approach explains the Five Factor Model of personality. The five factors include: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extroversion. Individuals who score high on conscientiousness are hard working, enjoy planning, and are committed. Those who have a high agreeableness score are friendly and work well in teams. In individual who is high on neuroticism can handle stress well. This individual is calm and stable. Openness to experience describes a person who enjoys trying new things. They are willing to take more risk in search for an adventure. A high score on extroversion describes an individual who is self confident and out going. These traits are typically found in successful leaders. The skills approach focuses on skills a leader can learn rather than on traits a leader is born with. The skills approach described by Katz is a three skills model. This model contains technical, human, and conceptual skills. Technical skills are those specific to the certain task at hand. If a leader is working at a software development company, the technical skills would be coding and programing. Technical skills are more important for lower level leaders such as supervisors. Human skills are what people know as people skills. Human skills are being able to recognize emotions or being able to motivate an employee. This skill is important for middle and upper management positions. Conceptual skills is the ability to have a vision and goal. It is seeing a direction and future for the organization that one is leading. This skill is important for top level management such as CEO. The combination of these traits and skills in a middle child make them great leaders.

The middle child shows agreeableness and human skills by being a social being and a great team player. This develops because they learn to relate to both the older and younger child. They become well rounded and are able to adapt to many situations, an aspect of neuroticism. 52% of Presidents in the United States have been the middle child. Being neglected growing up is an advantage for them in the long run. They are able to become independent and think outside the box expressing their openness to experience. They are not influenced easily but they are more empathetic. They are also more oriented to principles and concepts and so focus on justice. These components together show that they can be equal parts skilled in human and conceptual skills.

The middle child is not used to getting their way. In order to get what they want they need to develop skills that we see in good negotiators. They learn to compromise and find a solution that will be beneficial to all parties. Risk taking and openness to experience is also seen in a middle child. A leader with these qualities will not be afraid to try new things in order to solve problems. Many times the middle child will have low self esteem because the lack of attention at home. This is good because they do not have huge egos. High self esteem does not correlate to better grades in school or greater success in life.

It is important to realize that the qualities the middle child develops are due to the way the child is brought up. The environment of being the middle child molds who they become. The middle child becomes flexible and can adapt to many situations. They are open minded and empathetic, which enable them to relate to others. They fit well with others and avoid conflict. Taken together, the middle child becomes a well rounded individual. I believe that those qualities do prepare them to become great leaders.

References

Griffin, L. (2012, October 18). “The secret powers of middle children.” Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness and Find a Therapist. Retrieved from <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/field-guide-families/201210/the-secret-powers-middle-children>.

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: theory and practice (Sixth Edition ed.). Los Angeles, CA, USA: Sage Publications.

Pennsylvania state university world campus. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2014, from Psychology 485: Leadership in Work Settings https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa14/psych485/001/content/06_lesson/04_topic/01_page.html

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