Character for Leadership: The Role of Personal Characteristics

Character for Leadership 
17 
 
several behavioral components discussed have explicit characterological 
foundations. The willingness to incur significant personal risk, such as that 
demonstrated by self-sacrificial leadership (Choi & Mai-Dalton, 1998; De Cremer 
& van Knippenberg, 2004), as well as the use of power are both elements founded 
in the leader’s character trait of cooperativeness examined elsewhere in this study. 
House and Howell (1992) considered the personal characteristics of charismatic 
versus noncharismatic leaders and found a distinction in their personalities. Those 
elements that were explicit were those that distinguished personalized versus 
socialized charismatic leaders. Consequently, those same elements parallel the 
character trait of cooperativeness. 
Summary 
Transformational leadership provides a strong foundation for the 
consideration of the leader’s character in the process of moral leadership. However, 
the inclusion of character in the theory is implicit at best and needs to be 
established explicitly to demonstrate its importance. 
There has recently been a reawakening of the consideration of leader 
characteristics and their impact on leadership effectiveness. The early divestiture 
from trait theories of leadership (as a result of Stogdill, 1948) generated a 
significant move from research regarding the trait perspective, primarily because no 
single characteristics were thought to be consistent across effective leadership 
contexts. However, Stogdill’s article, in reality, proposed that while no one set of 
characteristics was essential for leadership, there were groups of characteristics that 
interacted (Kirkpatrick & Locke, 1991). With a reevaluation of this foundational 
assertion comes the opportunity to consider whether certain leader characteristics 
are important to effective leadership. 
In line with this perspective on the leader’s personal characteristics, 
character assessment can be a useful tool for leadership development of those 
committed to professional and personal growth (Clark, 2003). However, even 
measurements of character do not seem to readily grasp the essential components. 
Furthermore, many leadership theories do not incorporate character in the process 

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Character for Leadership 
18 
 
of enacting effective leadership behaviors. What is necessary is a theory of 
leadership that incorporates the character of the leader. 
VLT 
VLT, developed by Sashkin and his colleagues (Sashkin & Rosenbach, 
1996; Sashkin & Sashkin, 2002), incorporates leader characteristics into the 
framework of the theory. Again, one of the primary reasons for consideration of 
VLT over other existing leadership theories is that fact that VLT “shows how the 
personal characteristics of the leader guide transformational leaders’ actions” 
(Sashkin & Sashkin, p. 184). Yet, at the same time, VLT holds many elements in 
common with these other theories. 
e primary reasons for consideration of 
VLT over other existing leadership theories is that fact that VLT “shows how the 
personal characteristics of the leader guide transformational leaders’ actions” 
(Sashkin & Sashkin, p. 184). Yet, at the same time, VLT holds many elements in 
common with these other theories. 
VLT does not discount the importance of leadership behaviors. It simply 
attempts to include such factors that influence transformational leadership 
behaviors, including personal characteristics and characteristics of the leadership 
situation. Therefore, VLT appears to be more holistic than other conceptions of 
transformational leadership that exist.
VLT does not discount the importance of leadership behaviors. It simply 
attempts to include such factors that influence transformational leadership 
behaviors, including personal characteristics and characteristics of the leadership 
situation. Therefore, VLT appears to be more holistic than other conceptions of 
transformational leadership that exist.
Sashkin and Sashkin (2002) compared VLT to other theories of leadership. 
VLT thus comprises an integration of the current research base on transformational 
leadership. See Figure 2 for a proposed model of the theory. 
Sashkin and Sashkin (2002) compared VLT to other theories of leadership. 
VLT thus comprises an integration of the current research base on transformational 
leadership. See Figure 2 for a proposed model of the theory. 
Leader 
character 
Abilities 
Leadership 
behaviors 
Leadership 
outcomes 
Situational 
factors 
Feedback processes
Figure 2: The role of character in leadership. 
Figure 2: The role of character in leadership. 
Compared with other theories, VLT explicitly includes the elements of the 
leader’s personal characteristics (character and abilities), leadership behaviors, 
factors specific to the situation, and leadership outcomes. The leader then utilizes 
Compared with other theories, VLT explicitly includes the elements of the 
leader’s personal characteristics (character and abilities), leadership behaviors, 
factors specific to the situation, and leadership outcomes. The leader then utilizes 

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