Gender differences in the personality features of British managers

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Understanding personality traits crucial for effective management.
• Assessing potential differences in personality between managers and the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the personality profiles of British civil service managers.
• To compare these profiles against British adult population norms.
• To investigate gender and grade-related variations in managerial personality traits.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF) to assess 132 British civil service managers.
• Compared manager data against established norms for the British adult population.

Main Results:

• Managers scored significantly higher on intelligence, dominance, confidence, and extroversion.
• Observed minimal gender differences in these managerial traits, unlike the general population.
• Managerial trait strength increased with hierarchical grade, more pronounced in males.

Conclusions:

• British civil service managers display distinct personality profiles emphasizing key leadership competencies.
• Personality traits associated with management are amplified at higher organizational levels.
• Gender moderates the relationship between managerial grade and trait expression.