Cognitive Styles in Creative Leadership Practices: Exploring the Relationship between Level and Style

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between two measures used to assist change and transformation efforts, the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory which assesses style or manner of cognition and problem-solving, not level or capability, and the Leadership Practices Inventory which measures the extent to which leaders exhibit certain leadership behaviors associated with accomplishing extraordinary results. These two measures of level and style should be conceptually distinct and show no or only modest correlation. Analysis yielded statistically significant and meaningful relationships between scores on the Kirton inventory and two scales of the Leadership Practices Inventory. Implications and challenges for research and practice were outlined.

The KAI cognitive style inventory: Was it personality all along?

“…Innovators are more likely to be perceived as transformational leaders (Church & Waclawski, 1998). Being innovative is positively and significantly associated with two of five factors of the Kouzes and Posner Leadership Practices Inventory (Isaksen, Babij, & Lauer, 2003).…”

Cognitive Styles in an International Perspective: Cross-Validation of the Cognitive Style Indicator (CoSI)

“…Cognitive styles are extensively studied in diverse research domains because they are considered to be the missing link between cognition and personality (Jacobson, 1993;Riding & Rayner, 1998;Isaksen, Babij, & Lauer, 2003;Zhang, 2004). Sternberg (1988, p. 218) argued that cognitive styles represent an important link between intelligence and personality because "they probably represent, in part, a way in which personality is manifested in intelligent thought and action."…”

Cognitive style, entrepreneurial leadership and career success: the moderating role of social norms

“…According to social cognitive and entrepreneurial cognitive theories, cognitive style potentially determines an individual's ability to identify complex business ideas and entrepreneurial opportunities, and is a psychological attribute that may promote or hinder creative behavior (Chatterjee, 2014;Chen et al, 2015;Miron et al, 2004). A leader's cognitive style affects his or her behavior in identifying problems and opportunities, searching for information and resources, and generating divergent thinking (Chatterjee and Price, 1980;Isaksen et al, 2003;Avolio, 2000).…”

“…Individuals with adaptive cognitive styles follow rules and use more traditional methods to solve problems. Leaders with adaptive cognitive styles often refer to experience, follow existing procedures to complete work or solve problems and maintain high stability and accuracy in the work (Isaksen et al, 2003;Kahai et al, 2013;Pryor et al, 2021). Compared to leaders with innovative cognitive styles, they are more conservative and less aggressive, as well as less likely to engage in entrepreneurial leadership behavior.…”