The differing effects of the extraversion facets on leadership behaviours
Master thesis
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Date
2016Metadata
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- Institutt for psykologi [3317]
Abstract
Several meta-analyses have shown extraversion to be an important predictor of leadership emergence, effectiveness, and behaviours. However, in recent years researchers have shown that introverts in some conditions are equal or even better leaders. There have also been several calls for researchers to focus on narrower personality traits, as these might be more valid predictors than broader traits. For that reason, the relationship between facets of extraversion and leadership behaviour was investigated. In a preliminary quantitative survey study, eaders and their subordinates (N = 234) participated. Leaders completed the NEO personality inventory and the change, production, employee (CPE) instrument, while subordinates rated their leader on the same instrument. The resulting CPE factor structure supported previously found structures. Factor analysis of the personality traits and the CPE dimensions revealed mostly the same structure as previously found, that extraversion was related to change leadership. Further analyses at the facet level, however, revealed that only three facets, assertiveness, activity and gregariousness were central in explaining this domain level relationship. The other three facets loaded on other dimensions. Further regression analyses confirmed that facets are differently related to leadership behaviours. Assertiveness was positively related to subordinate rated change and production, while excitement seeking was negatively related to self-rated production and subordinate rated employee. The negative relations of excitement seeking illustrates the value of facet level analysis of personality, as high scores on this facet contributes to high scores on extraversion which is usually thought to be positively related to leadership.