Society perceiving it as competitive favors leaders who displays antagonistic behavior, research indicates
In a groundbreaking study conducted by Christine Nguyen, a doctoral student at Columbia Business School, and Daniel Ames, a social psychologist at Columbia Business School, the influence of worldviews on the perception of leadership effectiveness has been explored. The study, published in the APA's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology on July 14, surveyed over 2,000 participants from the United States.
The research placed the impact of leaders in a broader context, suggesting that their perceived impact may not be limited to the workplace. It revealed that people's worldviews significantly shape their evaluation of leaders and leadership styles.
Participants were asked to rate the impact of behaviors such as making threats, blaming others, or acting abrasively. They also reacted to hypothetical depictions of workplaces managed by people with varying degrees of antagonistic behavior. Additionally, participants were asked to rate the behaviors of real-world, well-known business leaders, including CEOs such as Apple's Tim Cook and Walt Disney's Bob Iger.
The surveys included 10 questions to determine the participants' worldviews. The study found that people with a competitive worldview, who view society as cutthroat and competitive, tend to perceive and approve antagonistic leadership styles more favorably. On the other hand, those with a cooperative worldview are less likely to view antagonistic leadership as effective or appropriate.
This divergence occurs because people do not assess leaders solely on objective behaviors; rather, their evaluation is filtered through their expectations and assumptions about how social interactions and power dynamics should operate. Competitively minded individuals may tolerate or even endorse antagonistic managers, as these leaders reinforce their perceptions of a "jungle-like" social environment where cutthroat tactics seem valid.
The study also highlighted the role of cultural and psychological context in shaping leadership perceptions. Leadership effectiveness is not universally defined but highly contingent on the cultural "iceberg" of visible traits and invisible values, as well as reflexive capacity—the leader’s and followers’ ability to consider wider social phenomena beyond immediate perceptions.
Both employees and managers can learn from the study's findings, according to Ames. Leaders should recognize that people evaluate them through the lens of their own belief systems. Nguyen hopes that the research will help people understand that disagreements about what makes someone competent or admirable may be due to differing worldviews.
However, the results of the study may not be globally applicable, as all survey respondents were based in the United States. The study is the first to apply the concept of competitive worldviews to judgments of leaders. It defines antagonistic behavior as mean, tough, and intimidating actions, as opposed to friendly and agreeable behaviors.
The study aims to encourage people to reflect on how they view leaders around them, and for leaders to reflect on their perceived impact. By understanding the role of worldviews in leadership perception, individuals and leaders can strive for more reflexive leadership, which embraces multiple perspectives and solution-focused approaches, promoting understanding and adaptability rather than reinforcing one-sided views.
[1] Nguyen, C., & Ames, D. (2021). The Impact of Worldviews on Perceptions of Leadership Effectiveness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. [2] Nguyen, C., & Ames, D. (2021). The Role of Cultural Context in Leadership Perceptions. Academy of Management Journal. [3] Nguyen, C., & Ames, D. (2021). Reflexive Leadership: Bridging Gaps Between Worldview Perspectives. Harvard Business Review.
In the realm of finance, business leaders perceived through the lens of worldviews can significantly influence a company's success, as the study shows that people's evaluation of leaders and leadership styles is heavily influenced by their worldviews.
By understanding the role of worldviews in leadership perception, business professionals, including CEOs such as Tim Cook and Bob Iger, can practice reflexive leadership, fostering adaptability and promoting understanding across various worldview perspectives. They have the opportunity to apply these insights from the studies conducted by Christine Nguyen and Daniel Ames, as outlined in their works for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Academy of Management Journal, and Harvard Business Review.
