I have been thinking once again on the topic of personality and its application to leadership. I view personality from two perspectives – one from the internal viewpoint, or that which is on the inside of people that makes them who they are (values, beliefs, principles, etc.) and drives their behavior; and the second, from the external viewpoint, or from the perspective of what is observed (actual behavior).

To summarize:

Personality from the inside, or the view defined in terms of a person’s identity:

· This is how a person sees oneself and decides to present to others
· Based on hopes, dreams, and aspirations
· But – it is difficult to measure and difficult to study
· And – it is not always reflected in behaviors

Personality from the outside, or an observer’s view of a person – which is that person’s reputation:

· It can be defined in terms of traits (e.g., calm, ambitious, careful, gregarious, etc.)
· Reflects how a person’s behavior has been evaluated after repeated interactions with others
· Importantly, it can be used to predict a person’s performance
· It is easy to study -- job performance is based on an observer’s perspectives

Leaders have distinct identities and distinct reputations. The key in evaluating leaders is determining each of these two factors and using them to assess fit with a specific job and culture.