Assessing Leadership Style: Trait Analysis

The Psychological Assessment of Political Leaders

Hermann also expanded the traditional foreign policy outcome

variable of aggression, or war versus peace (e.g., as used in table 2.2),

into a much more differentiated and elaborate series of alternative

foreign policy behaviors and outcomes that could be predicted from

personality. Each orientation is assumed to have its own characteris-

tic worldview, style, and level of tolerance for disagreement. Leaders

of different orientations have different ways of searching for informa-

tion, picking advisers, and dealing with opposition.

TABLE 2.3. PERSONALITY ORIENTATIONS AND THEIR COMPONENT
PERSONALITY VARIABLES

Expansionist

Active/
independent

Influential

Mediator/

integrator

Opportunist

Developmental

Definition

Interest in gaining control over more

territory, resources, or people

Interest in participating in the

international community, but on

one's own terms and without

engendering a dependent

relationship with another country

Interest in having an impact on other

nations' foreign policy behavior, in

playing a leadership role in regional

or international affairs

Concern with reconciling differences

between other nations, with

resolving problems in the

international arena

Interest in taking advantage of present

circumstances, in dealing

effectively with the demands and

opportunities of the moment, in

being expedient

Commitment to the continued

improvement of one's own nation

with the best help available from

other countries or international

organizations

Component Variables

Power motivation

Nationalism

Belief in ability to control events

Self-confidence

Distrust

Task orientation

Affiliation motivation

Nationalism

Belief in ability to control events

Cognitive complexity

Self-confidence

Task orientation

Power motivation

Belief in ability to control events

Cognitive complexity

Self-confidence

Interpersonal orientation

Affiliation motivation

Belief in ability to control events

Cognitive complexity

Interpersonal orientation

Cognitive complexity

Interpersonal orientation

Affiliation motivation

Nationalism

Cognitive complexity

Self-confidence

Interpersonal orientation

Source: Data from Hermann 1987b, 170-73.