An Analysis of Personality Characteristics, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Attributes of Louisiana Community and Technical College Chancellors

This study explores the personality characteristics, emotional intelligence, and leadership attributes of twelve Louisiana community college chancellors in order to better understand leadership selection in community and technical colleges. Hogan’s Leadership Forecast Series and the self-reported Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire short-form were used to explore and describe the leadership qualities of chancellors. More specifically, the Hogan Leadership Forecast Series of assessments included the Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MPVI), Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), and Hogan Development Survey (HDS). Assessments were administered in May 2018. Findings indicated that, in general, chancellors varied widely in their personality characteristics (including both potential “bright-side” and “dark-side” qualities), as well as motives, and values. However, the chancellors showed considerable similarities in reporting a high level of comfort with both transformational and transactional leadership styles. The chancellors varied greatly in relation to interests, stressors, and bright-side qualities, as well as emotional intelligence. By better understanding the personal dispositions and leadership styles among current leaders, it may be possible to better select future leaders within the system. It seems that high scores on Transformational and Transactional leadership scales were common among the leaders. Findings suggest that looking at leadership processes may be a more fruitful method for researchers than examining and assessing personality traits in the selection process. This study may therefore, provide baseline data that contributes to future selection, retention, development, and recruitment of community college chancellors. Given the increased challenges of leadership shortage and turnover, and the leadership crisis that exists in higher education in general, this study may help to provide personality factors and leadership attributes that may be helpful in clarifying the desired traits and profiles of future leadership candidates