Assessing Leadership Style: Trait Analysis

Profiling the Operational Codes of Political Leaders

P-i. Nature of the Political Universe (hostile/friendly)
HOSTILE FRIENDLY
Extremely Very Definitely Somewhat Mixed Somewhat Definitely Very Extremely
-i.o -.75 -.50 -.25 o.o + .25 +.50 +.75 +1.0

I-1. Direction of Strategy (conflict/cooperation)
CONFLICT COOPERATION
Extremely Very Definitely Somewhat Mixed Somewhat Definitely Very Extremely
—i.o —.75 -.50 -.25 o.o +.25 +.50 +.75 + 1.0

pretation based on the distance between the score and the nearest

descriptor.

For example, a score of—.21 is anchored to the descriptor "Some-

what Hostile" on the nature of the political universe scale for P- r,

because it is closest to -.25 on the continuum of possible balance

scores. A score of +.41 is anchored to the descriptor "Definitely

Cooperative" on the direction of strategy scale for I-i, because it is

closest to +.50 on the continuum of possible scores. The interpreta-

tion of these two scores for a leader takes the following form: "He or

she believes that the political universe is somewhat hostile, and he or she also

believes that a definitely cooperation-oriented direction is the best strategy in

this universe."

The central tendency indices for the leader's beliefs about the

prospects for realizing political values (P-2) and his or her beliefs

about the intensity of tactics (1-2) also vary between —i.o (e.g.,

Extremely Pessimistic) and +1.0 (e.g., Extremely Optimistic). The

indices are calculated by multiplying each verb by the scale values

P-2. Realization of Political Values (pessimism/optimism)

PESSIMISTIC OPTIMISTIC

Extremely Very Definitely Somewhat Mixed Somewhat Definitely Very Extremely

—i.o -.75 --50 -.25 o.o +.25 +.50 +.75 + 1.0

1-2. Intensity of Tactics (conflict/cooperation)

CONFLICT COOPERATION

Extremely Very Definitely Somewhat Mixed Somewhat Definitely Very Extremely

—i.o —.75 --50 -.25 o.o +.25 +.50 +.75 +1.0