Grouping People by Perceptions about the Traits of a Leader
The groups of traits describe what amount to different styles of leadership, and as we might suppose, different people are attracted to the different styles in different degrees. We found that there are five well defined segments among the respondents based on their preferred leadership styles, and that they have very different ideas about what makes for an ideal leader.
The largest segment, which accounts for 36 percent of the sample, is very attracted to the traits from the Connection with People and Missionary Zeal groups in Table 5, and slightly attracted to the traits in the Can-Do Spirit group. On the other hand, this segment tends to mistrust the traits in the Intellectual Firepower and Attraction groups. Thus, their ideal leader combines strong people skills with visionary qualities, and makes a good team player as well; he or she is certainly no intellectual, nor is he or she charismatic.
A second segment, which accounts for 24 percent of the sample, is in a way the inverse of the first segment. These people are very strongly attracted to the traits in the Attraction group, and strongly attracted to those in the Missionary Zeal group also. The Intellectual Firepower traits also have some appeal for them. The Can-Do Spirit traits are of no importance to them, while the Connection with People traits are mildly mistrusted by this group. Their ideal leader would seem to be someone who is charismatic, visionary and intelligent, and perhaps is detached enough not to get caught up in interpersonal dramas.
A third segment, 19 percent of the sample, strongly prizes the traits in the Intellectual Firepower group, and is mildly interested in the traits in the Connections with People group also. However, they are strongly mistrustful of the Can-Do Spirit and Attraction trait groups, and moderately mistrustful of the Missionary Zeal trait group. Their ideal leader is apparently a strong, clear thinker who can connect with people through the force of ideas, rather than appeals to action, charisma or a messianic vision.
A fourth segment, also 19 percent of the sample, is strongly attracted by the Can-Do Spirit trait group and moderately attracted by the Attraction trait group. They emphatically reject the traits in the Missionary Zeal group, and are somewhat mistrustful of those in the Connections with People group, though they are indifferent about those in Intellectual Firepower group. The ideal leader for this group is a can-do team player, a person of action who steers entirely clear of anything that smacks of vision, and is attractive to others but not a touchy-feely type.
A fifth segment—only 1 percent of the sample—has a very simple conception of leadership. This segment strongly values the traits in the Attraction group and mistrusts all the others. Their ideal leader is simply an attractive, charismatic person.
Demographic analysis shows that there are no clear trends that define where one is likely to encounter the five segments.
