Leadership: Leaders, Followers, Environments

Personality and self-awareness

When we observe an act of kindness by someone, we might remark that such behavior is due to the gentle nature of the person. We have all heard individuals complain about others, noting that their personalities are too different or that they have a personality conflict with them. Engaging and charming individuals are said to have pleasing personalities; persons who have difficulty coping with adversity and change are described as temperamental or anxious. These everyday observations essentially describe how individuals routinely interact with others and how they respond to their environments. They refer to one's personality, the defining character of a person.

LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Personality and organizational behaviors

Personalities of leaders and managers affect how people within their organizations communicate. Bill Gates, one of America's great entrepreneurs, says this about the importance of information, “The most meaningful way to differentiate your company from your competition is to do an outstanding job with information. How you gather, manage, and use information will determine whether you win or lose … The winners will be the ones who develop a world-class digital nervous system so that information can easily flow through their companies ...