The Psychology of Leadership

The observation of the psychological makeup of leaders has taken place within organizations and groups of all kinds for several decades. What was considered a psychologically adapted leader at the turn of the twentieth century is now considered rigid, patriarchal, and unnecessarily oppressive. Different models of psychological attributes and characteristics have evolved just as the practice of leadership has evolved. Yet, despite the varying components of each model, from the early days of domination-submission configurations to a charismatic hero attached follower to the empowering servant-leader mind-set, leaders have been assessed as psychologically distinct from the rest of the human population.