Heterogeneity of Leadership Styles as Behavioral Units: The Role of Personality in Searching for Leadership Profiles

The main aim of the presented empirical study is verification that leadership styles are not homogenous. Using hierarchical cluster analysis (n = 477), we demonstrated heterogeneity of leadership styles expressed in behavioral configuration of leadership profiles. Individual differences in leadership profiles reflect authentic managerial leading styles, which managers deploy in real organizational circumstances. Presented findings yielded that configurations of leadership styles, i.e. leadership profiles, go beyond a two-dimensional pattern of task- and follower-orientation. This study also determined that there are differences in the personality configuration between leadership profiles (n = 333). By verifying differences in personality traits in each of the leadership profiles, we have also proven that they are psychologically consistent. Results deliver a distinction among leaders who are active, task-oriented, sociable and conscientious labeled Natural leaders; inactive but open to experience, agreeable and rewarding named Pseudo-democrats; active, oriented towards personal achievement, risk oriented and high on neuroticism labeled Machiavellians; and inactive, dysfunctional, absent, low on extraversion and conscientiousness named Pseudo-supervisors. This study shows that authentic managerial leading styles extend beyond “pure” task- or follower-orientation; rather they require abilities to utilize various kinds of behavioral styles in a given situation.