Does Personality Predict Preferred Managerial Style? Evidence from New Zealand and the United States

Abstract

In contrast with more traditional command and control organizations, recent years have witnessed a trend toward more participative managerial structures, where direct supervision is de‐emphasized and front‐line workers plan and think for themselves. As suggested by the person‐organization fit literature, research is needed which identifies individuals whose characteristics represent a good match with alternative manager‐subordinate relationship structures. This study investigates whether differences in personality are systematically associated with preferences for first‐line management jobs requiring alternative supervisory approaches. Using participants drawn from New Zealand and the United States (n = 200), results generally indicate that individuals who prefer more participative managerial styles also exhibit higher levels of agreeableness and openness to experience. Two components of extraversion (sociability and ambition), display significant and opposing relationships with preferences for more participative styles of management. While individuals preferring more participative styles of management exhibit higher levels of sociability, they also exhibit lower levels of ambition.

Followers’ preference for consideration and initiating structure leadership styles: Evidence from the laboratory

“…Having the choice, open followers likely rather choose the consideration leader than the initiating structure leader who might be more likely to restrict their intellectual and creative autonomy. Thus, the current results add evidence to previous studies which also reported that openness is a significant predictor of leadership preferences (e.g., Emery et al, 2013;Felfe & Schnyns, 2010;Stevens & Ash, 2001). However, our study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first that showed that openness does not only affect ratings but also leadership choices.…”

“…In contrast to the existing literature, no other personality factor was a significant predictor of leadership preferences. In particular, precursor studies reported that agreeableness is related to leadership preferences (e.g., Emery et al, 2013;Felfe & Schnyns, 2010;Stevens & Ash, 2001). However, the current results based on larger sample sizes than any previous study, suggest that the relevance of agreeableness can be doubted.…”

“…In another field study on 153 clerical workers, agreeableness was related to a preference for a transformational leader (Felfe & Schnyns, 2010). Finally, a survey study with 225 students found positive associations between followers' agreeableness and openness and a preference for a participating leadership style (Stevens & Ash, 2001). In sum, the overall evidence on personality predictors of preferences for leadership styles appears to be rather inconsistent, in that each study yielded a somewhat different set of predictive personality factors.…”

Sex and Personality Differences in Job Value Preferences

“…It measures seven dimensions of personality: Adjustment, Ambition, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Prudence, Inquisitive and Learning Approach. The manual provides evidence of the tests reliability and validity and many papers have been published that used it (Hogan, Barrett, & Hogan, 2007;Sheppard, Han, Colarelli, Dai, & King, 2006;Stevens, Guthrie, Ash, & Coate, 2002).…”

Employability skills and vocational education and training policy in Australia: An analysis of employer association agendas

“…With association demands for employability skills now focused on VET, these difficulties more fully enter training policy and practice. Although recent research has attempted to restore some of the credibility of psychological testing at work by reporting stronger links between personality and performance than earlier research had found, the use of such tests remains 'more widespread than would be supported by the evidence' (Fincham and Rhodes, 1999, 124;Murphy and Davidschofer 2001, 439;Stevens, Guthrie, Ash and Coate 2002). Inherent problems remain not only with testing instruments but in specifying required personality qualities for particular jobs and in relying upon training to instill them.…”