"Negative" personality traits in our leaders

[Mr Skeptic]

 

To Be Good, Sometimes Leaders Need to Be a Little Bad; Study Examines 'Dark Side' Personality Traits and Leadership

ScienceDaily (Oct. 19, 2010) — Outgoing. Assertive. Calm. Practical. Decisive. These are obvious qualities that one would want in their leaders.

 

But what about, say, arrogant, hesitant, overly dramatic, inflexible, or being a "yes-man"? A new study has found that when it comes to leading, some of those negative personality traits aren't such a bad thing, either.

 

The study was for military officers, so it might not apply elsewhere. Yet it seems that it does; for example people characterize Bush as arrogant and inflexible, and Obama as too hesitant, yet they got to be president.

 

Also, some of these traits are better for different situations, for example you wouldn't want a leader to be hesitant in a combat situation.

 

What about for our politicians though? I think we might need a slightly arrogant politician to get very difficult things done, and politicians usually have plenty of time to be hesitant which would be better than a swift but wrong decision.