Think You Know Your Leadership Style?

Your personality might say otherwise.

Author

Lex Gonzales
February 09, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

MISSION:

Career Ladder helps motivated professionals grow their career and income in half the time by sharing career strategies used by the top 1% professionals.

I used to think I wasn’t ‘leadership material’— until I discovered how my personality type was my biggest advantage.

How about you?

Struggling to lead effectively?

Aligning your leadership style with your personality could be the breakthrough you need.

Here’s how…

In This Issue

  • Today’s Ladder: The connection between your personality and your leadership style.

  • Takeaway: Why you should lean in to your own style.

  • Resources: Links to helpful resources.

  • ICYMI: Links to recent editions.

Today’s Ladder:

The Connection Between Personality and Leadership

Your personality impacts how you interact with others, make decisions, and face challenges.

Tools like the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can reveal your strengths and blind spots.

For example:

  • Extroverts often shine in public roles, motivating and energizing their teams.

  • Introverts thrive in thoughtful decision-making and one-on-one interactions.

Knowing your tendencies helps you adapt and lead more effectively.

Personality Types and Leadership Styles

The MBTI uses four pairs of personality traits to categorize individuals into one of 16 personality types.

This model will help you understand your natural tendencies and adapt your leadership styles to become more effective:

  • Strategic and Commanding (ENTJ): 

    ENTJs excel at planning and motivating teams but must ensure their assertiveness doesn’t come off as harsh.

  • Inspirational and Values-Driven (INFP): 

    INFPs foster team morale through empathy and authenticity, making them exceptional in inclusive environments.

  • Methodical and Reliable (ISTJ): 

    ISTJs create structure and consistency but benefit from opening up emotionally to connect deeper with their teams.

  • Charismatic and Visionary (ENFP): 

    ENFPs inspire creativity and innovation but can improve by focusing more on details.

How to Use Your Personality to Become a Better Leader

  1. Self-Awareness: Recognize your natural tendencies and adjust as needed.

    For example, if you are an extroverted leader, you may need to work on listening more during team discussions.

  2. Tailored Strategies: Adapt your approach to suit team dynamics.

    Introverted leaders can focus on meaningful one-on-ones, while extroverts might energize larger group settings.

  3. Conflict Resolution: Understand personality-driven conflicts to foster harmony.

    For instance, helping detail-oriented and big-picture thinkers collaborate effectively.

Takeaway:

Why You Should Lean In to Your Own Style

I used to think leadership wasn’t for people like me.

I wasn’t the loudest in the room. I didn’t command attention with booming speeches or effortless charisma.

In meetings, I preferred to listen, observe, and think before I spoke.

Meanwhile, the ones who seemed destined for leadership—confident, assertive, always ready with an answer—moved up while I stayed in the background.

One day, my boss pulled me aside after a team project.

“You know,” he said, “people listen when you speak… not because you talk the most, but because you say what matters.”

That hit me.

For years, I had assumed leadership looked either of these three traits:

  • Bold

  • Directive

  • Extroverted

But my quiet, thoughtful approach had earned trust. People came to me for guidance, not because I forced it, but because they knew I’d listen.

So I leaned into it.

Instead of trying to be someone I wasn’t, I led in my own way—by fostering collaboration, asking the right questions, and making space for others to shine.

And that’s when everything changed.

Not long after, I got the promotion and the salary increase I was looking for.

Leadership isn’t about fitting a mold.

It’s about understanding who you are.

Resources:

  • “On Becoming a Leader” by Warren G. Bennis - this book distinguishes leadership from management and explores the qualities of effective leaders through interviews with executives, entrepreneurs, and psychologists. It emphasizes personal growth and leadership development

  • “Dare to Lead Podcast” by Brené Brown - based on her best-selling book, this podcast delves into vulnerability, courage, and empathy as essential components of leadership, featuring interviews with change makers and thought leaders.

  • 16personalities.com - with this free online quiz, you’ll learn what really drives, inspires, and worries different personality types, helping you build more meaningful relationships.

😎 What Happy Professionals Know… That You Don’t (Yet)

✋ 5 Outdated Career Advice That Could Be Holding You Back

💵 Scared to Negotiate Your Salary? Here’s How to Get What You Deserve

I appreciate your feedback! It will help shape the future issues of CAREER LADDER!

If you’re curious why I want you to succeed twice as fast, here’s why.

To your success,

Dr. Lex ✍️

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