Character for Leadership: The Role of Personal Characteristics

particular character traits. This finding provides a significant link between the 
implied character aspects of the theory and psychologically defined character traits. 
This study, therefore, ties the theory to its characterological foundations. These 
findings are significant for the future development of transformational leadership 
theory in general and VLT in particular. 
The Leader’s Character, Values, Ethics and Morality 
Leadership is a moral enterprise (Burns, 1978, 2003; Gini, 1998b), and 
ethics are also a significant requirement (Ciulla, 1998a, 2002) with implications for 
the character of the leader based on the ethical or moral nature of leadership 
outcomes (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999). Values, too, have been considered 
foundational in the selection of effective leadership behaviors (Malphurs, 2004; 
O’Toole, 1996). However, there is still confusion over how these constructs differ 
from one another as well as interact in the leadership process. Theoretically, 
character is primary to the development of values, ethics, and morality (in that 
order). What this study has done is move the discussion from the theoretical to the 
practical by demonstrating the link between the leader’s character and leadership 
action. Certainly, values, ethics, and morality are at play in the process. This is 
demonstrated by some of the specific items on the TLP (Sashkin et al., 1997) that 
conceptually refer to moral choices on the part of the leader. 
TLP24 The leader keeps promises. 
TLP28 The leader uses power and influence to benefit others. 
TLP34 The leader acts in ways consistent with her or his words. 
TLP44 The leader can be trusted. 

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Character for Leadership 
64 
 
Each of these items come from the TLP (Sashkin et al., 1997) subscales of 
either credible leadership (focusing on the leader’s integrity) or follower-centered 
leadership (focusing on humility and the inclusion of others in the common vision 
and use of power). Each of these items possesses significant relationships (
r
= .399, 
p
< .01; 
r
= .313, 
p
< .01; 
r
= .575, 
p
< .01; 
r
= .348, 
p
< .01, respectively) with the 
TCI (Cloninger, Przybeck, et al., 1994) subscale of congruent second nature 
(having good habits, self-discipline, trustworthy). Through the use of such 
measurements, this study shows how such concepts are birthed from the character 
of the leader rather than simply emerging on their own. Visionary leadership 
embraces the moral fabric of leadership but does so without specifically identifying 
the characterological components at work that form the motivation to lead in a 
transformational manner. This study extends the research that has already been 
conducted on both visionary and transformational leadership to provide insight into 
the nature of the characterological foundation of leadership action. Specifically, this 
study demonstrates that those high in the character components of self-directedness 
and cooperativeness are more likely to exhibit visionary leadership behaviors, 
especially those related to confident leadership and follower-centered leadership, 
each tied to the individual character traits of self-directness and cooperativeness, 
respectively. 
One item addressed cursorily in the literature review but not addressed 
specifically in this study was the moral development of the leader. If moral 
development proceeds from the character of the leader as proposed, then those 
leaders with higher character levels would also express higher degrees of moral 
development. Further research should address this area specifically, especially 
since moral reasoning has already been demonstrated to impact transformational 
leadership (Turner et al., 2002). However, what is not known is if those leaders 
who possess specific character traits are better able to make moral decisions or if 
there are other components at play in enacting ethical and moral leadership 
behaviors. Assessment of this area will help strengthen the conceptual link between 
character, values, ethics, and morality. 

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