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Rule breakers and attention seekers: Personality predictors of integrity and accountability in leaders
Author(s) -
Nei Kimberly S.,
Foster Jeff L.,
Ness Alisha M.,
Nei Darin S.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of selection and assessment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.812
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1468-2389
pISSN - 0965-075X
DOI - 10.1111/ijsa.12201
Subject(s) - accountability , psychology , hedonism , personality , great rift , social psychology , big five personality traits , public relations , applied psychology , political science , law , physics , astronomy
Unethical leadership behavior can encourage follower CWBs and have costly organizational impacts. In this meta‐analysis, we use data from 3,000 managers and executives to identify antecedents of ethical behaviors: integrity and accountability. Results suggest that many five factor model (Big Five) personality scales, personality derailers (dark side attributes), and values predict integrity and accountability. Leaders who are more conscientious, professional, and rule following and less attention seeking receive higher ratings of integrity and accountability. The strongest relationships were often for personality derailers (Excitable, Leisurely, Mischievous, Imaginative). Values and preferences (Aesthetics, Hedonism, Recognition) also had notable relationships. We discuss our results and their implications for organizations seeking to reduce CWBs, promote OCBs, or establish a climate of ethical behavior.