My Research
[photo above] Perfectionism | Ian Usher | Flickr
AN EXPLORATION OF THE LEADERS’ PERFECTIONISM AND THE LEADERS' LEADERSHIP STYLE
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
- Perfectionism - widely researched
- Perfectionism may seriously harm our mental health, and
- Perfectionism has unhealthy and healthy components
- Transformational, Transactional and Passive Avoidant Leadership - widely researched
- Limited research on how Perfectionism affects Leadership Style
- Influence of Perfectionism on emotions, cognition, behaviors, and physical health
- There is a strong need to add research in the area of Perfectionism of the leader to gain a better understanding of the leaders’ Leadership style
(Moate et al., 2019; Sotardi & Dubien, 2019; Suh, 2017; Stahlberg et al., 2019; Ocampo et al, 2019)
WHAT WE KNOW
(Perfectionism): In the summary of literature, there was a mixture of both positive, negative, and no significance. There were positive relationships between Perfectionism and MBE- Active and positive relationships between Perfectionism and Transformational Leadership both of which were self-rated.
Due to limited studies in perfectionism and transformational leadership, I leaned on parallels in my literature reviews and there were positive relationships between Personality, specifically Extraversion, and Openness both self-reported and self-reported Leadership Emergence. Neuroticism self-rated had a negative relationship on Leadership Emergence when self-rated.
There were also positive relationships between self-rated Personality and other-rated Leadership Behaviors. Also, studies showed negative relationships between self-rated psychopathic personality and Transformational Leadership.
Perfectionism studies with other parallels that were self-rated like well-being, showed positive relationships. One study indicated no significance with Perfectionism Standards self-rated and well-being.
The Outcomes
[photo above] Perfectionism | Ian Usher |
In my study, the results showed:
- The higher leaders self-rated on Perfectionism Standards, the more Transformational the leader.
- The higher leaders self-rated on Perfectionism Standards, the more Transactional the leader.
- The higher leaders self-rated on Perfectionism Discrepancy, the less Transformational the leader.
- The higher leaders self-rated on Perfectionism Discrepancy, the more Passive Avoidant the leader.
When controlling for age, gender, leadership experience and education level, the outcomes in my research were:
- The older the leader, the less Passive Avoidant the Leader.
- The results for Gender and Transformational Leadership showed no significant findings.
- The more Leadership Experience in the Leader, the more Transformational the Leader.
- Those leaders with HS or GEDs were more Transactional while those with degrees higher than HS or GED such as an Associates, Bachelors, and Graduate degrees were less Transactional.
So now what?
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