Leadership Competencies Among Managers

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to present the results of a survey conducted among managers (N=38) in the framework of the project “Development of the Bounded Leadership Theory”. The research juxtaposes two types of variables: (1) leadership competencies outlined in Kozminski’s theory (i.e. anticipatory, visionary, value-creating, mobilizing, self-reflection) with (2) three psychological predispositions of leaders, such as intelligence, personality and ability to influence others. The tested predispositions represented three groups: non-variable traits, or permanent characteristics (intelligence), partially variable characteristics (personality) and variable characteristics (influence tactics).

Methodology: A total of 38 middle and senior managers, students of the MBA programme at Kozminski University, took part in the survey. Participants flled out a preliminary version of the Leadership Competence Questionnaire, as well as tests pertaining to intelligence, personality and influence tactics. The hypotheses were tested using Spearman’s rho correlation. The research has brought interesting results relating to the correlation between the fve tested competencies and leadership predispositions.

Findings: Permanent and partly stable characteristics do not correlate with leadership competencies, i.e. a high score in leadership competencies is not necessarily synonymous with high intelligence levels or positive personality traits. Correlations have been observed between mobilization skills and influence tactics in the surveyed sample, i.e. legitimacy and personal appeals that leaders have recourse to and, in the case of value-creating competencies, an interesting correlation with legitimacy.

Originality: The study constitutes an important contribution to the extant literature, as – first and foremost – it represents a new approach to the understanding of leadership competencies. Secondly, it reveals correlations between complex skills, i.e. competencies, and permanent, relatively permanent and variable characteristics of contemporary leaders. Thirdly, it is the starting point for further research on leadership competencies.