What does the perfect boss look like? Do you see a charismatic, colorful person with radiance, great personality and at least as great visions for you? At the same time, do you imagine a professional expert who has built his company from the ground up himself?
That's the kind of leader you want to follow, right? Someone who takes the lead and sets out the vision?
There is something to suggest that, because in many companies it is these or similar criteria that determine who should be hired or promoted to manager.
But are charisma and professional expertise really the best measure when it comes to the ability to lead others?
The psychologist thinks so Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic does not.
Because with radiance and visions often come a number of less appealing traits. Eg. the charismatic leader is often also:
Personality traits that make it difficult to cooperate, empathize and keep a cool head.
An extensive amount of research indicates that the personality profile of the most talented leaders is completely different. They are much more boring: calm, balanced and predictable. What Chamorro-Premuzic also calls emotionally mature. And there is the first of three character traits to look for if you want to find the best leaders. The other two are social competence and high integrity.
Emotional maturity is characterized by being emotionally stable, agreeable and conscientious. Not surprisingly, we all become more mature (dull) with age. Although many Western cultures see good adaptability, conservatism and regularity as something negative, these are personality traits that are a great advantage when it comes to leadership.
Research shows that, that effective leaders are highly adaptable, sociable, friendly, flexible and sensible. What Chamorro-Premuzic emphasizes is "[…] the reverse of the famous self-made billionaires and tycoon entrepreneurs we often use as examples of great leaders.”
The most skilled managers are also socially competent. That is they are good at what is called "emotional labor”. This means they are good at solving problems between people, which requires being able to use and display emotions strategically – and knowing that it's not about you. Chamorro-Premuzic refers to psychological studies, which shows that the most effective leaders are those “who have a stable core, a solid grounding, focus on others and manage to create a safe and supportive environment where creativity and productivity thrive” (our translation).
Integrity is the third trait that characterizes a good leader. Integrity describes Chamorro-Premuzic as an "attribute" that is best assessed by having others assess you. If you ask employees how likely it is that the boss cheats them, you get a picture of the manager's integrity. And again, it is the boring boss who scores the highest.
The more dysfunctional tendencies a boss exhibits, the lower employees score his integrity.
The next time you hire a manager, consider whether you let yourself be blinded by the big arm movements and personalities. How many skilled managers walk around unknown in your company or organization?
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