While technical know-how may get you the job, it’s your personality and leadership character that determine how far and how effectively you go. But how much does personality shape leadership success?
Though often confused, character and personality are distinct yet deeply intertwined. Personality refers to a person’s consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving traits, such as introversion, extroversion, openness, empathy, or conscientiousness. Character, in contrast, reflects moral fiber, integrity, humility, courage, and accountability.
Put simply, personality determines how a leader behaves, while character determines why they behave that way. A magnetic personality can attract followers, but it is character that earns and sustains trust. Without integrity, even the most charming leader risks derailing credibility and morale.
Research in organisational psychology, including the Big Five Personality Model by Costa and McCrae, consistently links traits such as conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability with effective leadership.
A leader high in openness is more innovative, while a leader high in conscientiousness fosters discipline and consistency. Daniel Goleman, renowned for his work on Emotional Intelligence (EI), argues that self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation, all influenced by personality, form the backbone of successful leadership.
Jim Collins, in his classic Good to Great, describes top-tier leaders as those who combine personal humility, a personality trait, with professional, a character strength. The blend of both defines sustainable leadership.
Studies have therefore linked personality to leadership styles and demonstrated how it shapes our social interactions, behaviours, and influences key aspects of our lives, from family to corporate careers. Managers can identify personality influences through honest self-assessment.
Reflective questions such as “Do I listen as much as I talk?” or “How do I react to criticism? Am I empathetic?”, reveal patterns that either strengthen or limit leadership.
Tools such as the DISC Assessment, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the Genos Emotional Intelligence Competencies framework give deeper insight into these tendencies. For example, a dominant “D” personality in DISC may need to cultivate empathy and patience, while a steady “S” type might learn assertiveness to drive performance. It is therefore important to understand the personality of workplace colleagues and our managers, as it helps in managing our relationships with them.
Leaders of organisations should recognise that leadership development is not about technical expertise alone. They can use 360-degree feedback, coaching programmes, and leadership assessments to help managers understand and refine how their personality impacts others.
Google’s landmark Project Oxygen confirmed that the best managers are not necessarily technical experts but great communicators and coaches, with skills grounded in emotional awareness and behavioural adaptability.
When companies deliberately nurture self-awareness in leaders, they reduce conflict, enhance collaboration, and boost engagement. Every leader can turn their natural personality traits into strengths with the right mindset and support.
An introverted leader, for instance, can use their reflective nature to build meaningful one-on-one connections and think strategically before acting, a style that has defined leaders like Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, who demonstrates empathy, a growth mindset, futuristic thinking and innovations, collaborative, and a people-centered, inclusive leadership style.
Equally, an extroverted manager can learn to pause, listen, and create space for quieter team members, fostering inclusivity and psychological safety.
Leadership is not about changing who you are, but expanding how you lead.
Personality and behaviour traits can be detected right from recruitment. Behavioural interviews, situational judgment tests, and psychometric assessments help organisations gauge cultural and leadership fit.
The CEOs nightmare is hiring a well-meaning and highly skilled manager, who unfortunately fails to fit the leadership philosophy, both get frustrated, and the new hire has to leave either on their own accord or at the nudge of the board.
A deep behavioural interview, personality, and leadership assessment may have prevented such a situation. And it affects employees with supervisory roles, no matter the level. Certain personalities can cause immense stress to employees and lead to staff exits.
A hospital seeking empathetic leaders, for example, may prioritise emotional intelligence and agreeableness. After hiring, coaching and feedback sessions reinforce desirable leadership behaviours while helping individuals correct blind spots.
Reliable tools help individuals and organisations build awareness and focus on leadership skills growth. DISC helps leaders understand their behavioural dominance, influence, steadiness, and compliance. MBTI clarifies thinking and decision-making preferences.
Genos EI measures 8 leadership competencies: self-awareness, awareness of others, self-management, emotional reasoning, authenticity, empathy, and inspiring performance.
When integrated into development programmes, such tools turn self-awareness into a leadership asset.
Personality is not destiny, but it profoundly shapes how leaders think, decide, and connect. Great leadership occurs when character anchors personality and self-awareness tempers natural tendencies.
As psychologist Carl Jung wisely said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” In leadership, that awareness is not optional; it is the foundation of influence, trust, and authentic success.
If you are a leader, take a personality test. It could be the missing link to your leadership effectiveness.
The writer is an HR strategist, leadership and career coach, and founder Pristine Management Solutions Ltd.
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