Examining the Influence of Personality Traits on Leadership Effectiveness

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and leadership styles, specifically authoritative, democratic, facilitative, and situational leadership. The Big Five personality traits include extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience. Through an extensive literature review, present study explores how each of these personality traits can impact a leader's decision-making process, communication style, and overall approach to leading a team. Additionally, it also examines how different leadership styles can be more effective depending on the specific personality traits of the leader and the needs of the team. The authoritative leadership style is most effective for leaders who are high in extraversion and low in agreeableness, while the democratic leadership style is best suited for leaders who are high in agreeableness and openness. The facilitative leadership style is most effective for leaders who are high in conscientiousness and openness, and the situational leadership style is most effective for leaders who are adaptable and able to adjust their leadership style based on the needs of the team. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and leadership styles, offering insights into how leaders can leverage their unique personality traits to become more effective and successful in their roles.
This study explored the influence of personality traits on leadership effectiveness among healthcare professionals. Conducted using a cross-sectional quantitative design, data were collected from 30 participants through standardized self-report measures. The participants were predominantly master’s-prepared professionals with an average age of 33.6 years and 8.17 years of work experience, reflecting a mature and experienced cohort. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and linear regression to examine the relationship between leadership and personality. The results revealed a moderate positive correlation (r = .574, p = .001), suggesting that individuals who demonstrated strong leadership qualities also exhibited well-developed personality traits. Furthermore, linear regression analysis showed that leadership significantly predicted personality traits (B = 0.917, t = 3.71, p = .001), accounting for approximately 33% of the variance in personality scores (R² = 0.329). These findings indicate that leadership effectiveness is closely linked with personality attributes and that leadership qualities can be significant predictors of behavioral tendencies. This relationship supports the view that leadership development programs in healthcare should integrate personality assessments and tailored interventions to enhance professional growth. The evidence from this study underscores the importance of fostering both leadership competencies and self-awareness in personality as complementary dimensions of effective healthcare practice.SS