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In the charity sector the ability to manage one’s emotions is even more necessary, says Kilbride. Photograph: Images.com/Corbis
In the charity sector the ability to manage one’s emotions is even more necessary, says Kilbride. Photograph: Images.com/Corbis

Five personality traits that make a good charity leader

This article is more than 9 years old

As leadership becomes ever more important in the charity sector, psychologist Geraldine Kilbride outlines the things that make a trailblazer

As charities face unique pressures to clarify their impact and distinguish their brand among competition, they are increasingly trying to get to grips with what makes a good leader. The following Big Five personality traits have been shown to correlate positively with success in the leadership space.

By contrast, research also reveals there are certain traits associated with incompetence in managers or leaders. Included among these are untrustworthiness, over-control, exploitation, micro-management and irritability. Also noted is unwillingness to use discipline, deal with underperforming employees, and poor choices when it comes to making staffing or business decisions.

1. Extraversion

This trait includes characteristics such as excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness and high amounts of emotional expressiveness. This often demonstrated by a dominant or assertive style, with high energy or activity levels, speech fluency, sociability and social participation.

2. Agreeableness

This personality dimension includes attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection and other pro-social behaviours. People with this trait tend to have a friendly, approachable nature and a willingness to give and receive support.

3. Conscientiousness

Common features of this dimension include high levels of thoughtfulness, with good impulse control and goal-directed behaviours. Those high in conscientiousness tend to be organised and mindful of details and to have a keen sense of responsibility, personal integrity, and overall ethical conduct.

4. Neuroticism

This trait is often referred to as emotional stability, which is an ability to adjust and balance emotions appropriately, in an independent and self-confident manner. By contrast, individuals high in this trait tend to experience emotional instability, anxiety, moodiness, irritability and sadness.

5. Openness

This trait features characteristics such as imagination and insight, and those high in this trait also tend to have a broad range of interests.

Effective charity leadership

In my work with leaders in the sector, I have found that the neuroticism trait has a critical impact on effectiveness. Emotional stability in the workplace is a foundation for creating a suitable working environment. I worked with one chief executive who, though bright and decisive, created tension and uncertainty in the office because of her quick temper and irritability. Her staff could not relax and concentrate on their work because they were continually in a state of tension, awaiting the next emotional flare-up.

The board of trustees became aware of the situation only when staff turnover reached unusual levels. The flipside of the energetic, capable person they encountered in the quarterly board meetings came to the fore more frequently in the office, where staff soon learned not to debate or challenge ideas or solutions coming from the chief executive – because they were likely to be negatively rewarded by displays of anger.

How can charities use these traits?

Today, the importance of emotional intelligence, (which is strongly related to the measurable trait of neuroticism) is taken as a crucial attribute of successful leaders. In the charitable sector, this ability is even more necessary – where values, ethics and social justice are normal. To be not only self-aware but able to manage one’s emotions appropriately equips leaders with an emotional bedrock that can lead to an open workplace culture that encourages participation.

Geraldine Kilbride is an organisational psychologist and director of the Future Leaders Programme at the Resource Alliance

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