Assessing Leadership Style: Trait Analysis

Saddam Hussein's Leadership Style

(the higher the score here, the more likely the focus on getting things
done). These similarities with and differences from other leaders have
implications for Hussein's leadership style. The discussion that fol-
lows is based on extensive research in the social sciences on how these
characteristics affect leadership, elaborated in chapter 8.

Nationalism and Distrust of Others

The higher the score on nationalism, the more isomorphic the leader

and the country; indeed, in the leader's eyes, he or she is the country.

If something happens to the nation, it happens to the leader too, and

vice versa. Such leaders are likely to internalize threats to the state as

threats to their power and prestige. Moreover, leaders high in

nationalism will perceive their political world as divided into friends

and enemies ("us" versus "them") and will be quick to blame their

enemies for the country's problems. They are prone to see only the

TABLE 17M. HUSSEIN'S SCORES ON SEVEN TRAITS

Hussein's

Average Middle East

Characteristics Hussein's Score Profile Leaders

Nationalism .66

Belief can control .49

events

Need for Power .57

Conceptual .49

complexity

Distrust of others .53

Self-confidence .83

Task vs. interpersonal .56

focus

High

Moderate

Moderate (ME)

Leans high (87)

Moderate

High (ME)

Leans high (87)

Leans high

(ME)

High (87)

Moderate

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

= < > = < > = < > = < > = < > = < > = < >

.49

.47

.50

.44

.31

.57

.54

.42

.64

.49

.48

.50

.44

.43

.45

.71

.52

.88

.54

.49

.59

Compared to

87 Heads of

State

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

Mean

Low

High

= < > = < > = < > = < > = < > = < > = < >

.42

.32

.53

.44

-30

.58

.50

.37

.62

.44

.32

.56

.41

.25

.56

.62

.44

.81

.59

.46

.71