Followers' Personality and Leadership

Abstract

The study presented in this article investigates how the personality of subordinates is related to leadership, an area largely neglected in prior research. Subordinates ( n = 289) rated their immediate superior on transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership measured by the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and completed the NEO-FFI, with the five traits neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The results revealed that subordinates' personality ( n = 289) was only moderately associated with leadership ratings. Links were found between ratings of transformational leadership and subordinates' level of neuroticism and agreeableness. Furthermore, ratings of passive-avoidant leadership were associated with subordinates' level of agreeableness and openness.