During our VIP Leadership sessions, we survey attendees by having them answer specific situational questions to determine their personality type. When we pass out the results, I always call out each personality type and do a show-of-hands of those who are that type so they can see the breakdown in the room.
For more than 10 years since I have been doing these leadership sessions all over the United States, there is one personality type that seems to always represent the majority of leaders in the room.
Want to guess which traits dominate among leaders in America?
We see the majority of leaders exhibiting what we call the “Lion” personality (more on that later). This personality type is characterized by someone who is strong, bold, direct and takes charge of situations.
There is a misconception, especially in the Western world, that the best leaders are ones who have these specific “lion-like” traits, recognizing them as “leadership skills” and elevating them above others who do not exhibit these characteristics.
When I worked in Tokyo, Japan, leaders (and employees) were very much the opposite of a “lion”. It is culturally appropriate to be quiet in meetings, to not challenge the speaker in front of the room (and by "challenge" I mean even asking them a question, or asking them to go back a slide or two to clarify a point, etc.). Because of this, Americans that came to Japan for our meetings might see that behavior as not being "engaged" in meetings, or that silence meant agreement. In many meetings, the Japanese would nod meaning that they "understood" the points being made, but that nod did not mean “I agree.” Of course, this caused issues!
In our Western culture, due to our independent spirit, we can see "Lions" as strong, bold, and even describe them as "leaders". But in much of the world, people see the lion personality by "blindspot" words we show in the session as “rude," steamrolling people, etc. Japanese leaders may raise their voice in more of a 1-on-1 setting with their people, but not as likely in a group setting.
So, is this “Lion” personality that is so dominant among our leaders in the West the only one that is suited for leadership?
Our answer is a resounding ‘no.’ We believe that some of the greatest leaders throughout history looked varied in leadership styles and personality traits. Some were very much a fearless “Lion” personality who led the charge to accomplish great things for their people. Others were known for their quiet, peaceable and controlled disposition when leading. There have been great leaders who were very stoic, methodical and analytical, always taking plenty of time to think through the best course of action. And let’s not forget to mention those leaders who had such a charismatic personality that inspired and motivated even the most Eeyore-esque follower.
Before we go any further, let me explain the personality assessment we like to use so we can have a baseline for defining terms. There are many different personality tests out there and as times and trends have passed, some have been more popular than others. Our team of professionals have found many of them to be complicated and difficult to remember which personality one is and how to define that type.
We use a very simple 5-minute assessment developed by Gary Smalley in which personality types are characterized by four different animals: lion, otter, beaver and golden retriever.
Each of these personality types has its strengths and blindspots. We talk in detail during our leadership sessions about how leaders and employees can effectively use their unique personality strengths in their workplaces and homes, and also address how to best navigate the blindspots and weaknesses of that particular type. We also acknowledge that people often don’t fit into one particular personality type and that humans are multi-faceted (exhibiting different blends of personality types) and can be influenced by their culture and environments.
People not only are “wired” a certain way, but national cultures exist, as do "company cultures" so people sometimes have to try to "fit in" to succeed and that can be very stressful if you are not naturally that personality type. You can do it for a while, but it drains water out of your bottle.
Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all and not one particular personality type is best suited for leadership over the others. Effective leaders embrace their natural abilities, yet make a conscious, continuous effort to balance their particular strengths and blindspots.
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