Personality at Work: The Drivers and Derailers of Leadership

CHAPTER 13

Dominance Is Not Leadership

Everybody knows a Left-Sider. At their best, they are results-oriented, driven to succeed, confident, and assertive. Some are more creative, others more exacting and precise—or, like Steve Jobs, both. Some are quietly capable, and others are promoters, exude charisma, and put on a show. They focus on projects and tasks, on getting the job done. Their Grit and their drive are compromised by inflexibility and the need to dominate, control, and compete. They can be self-absorbed, self-centered. and interpersonally insensitive. And while most are not overtly hostile, their rigid, controlling, and competitive behaviors interfere with team processes and productivity.

Left-Siders have a natural affinity for being ...