Does Personality Predict Preferred Managerial Style? Evidence from New Zealand and the United States

Abstract

In contrast with more traditional command and control organizations, recent years have witnessed a trend toward more participative managerial structures, where direct supervision is de-emphasized and front-line workers plan and think for themselves. As suggested by the person-organization fit literature, research is needed which identifies individuals whose characteristics represent a good match with alternative manager-subordinate relationship structures. This study investigates whether differences in personality are systematically associated with preferences for first-line management jobs requiring alternative supervisory approaches. Using participants drawn from New Zealand and the United States (n = 200), results generally indicate that individuals who prefer more participative managerial styles also exhibit higher levels of agreeableness and openness to experience. Two components of extraversion (sociability and ambition), display significant and opposing relationships with preferences for more participative styles of management. While individuals preferring more participative styles of management exhibit higher levels of sociability, they also exhibit lower levels of ambition.