CEOs Unveiled: A Deep Dive into Leadership Traits and Ethical Behavior

Recent decades provide ample evidence of the potential for unethical behavior in organizational leadership. From Enron to Volkswagen and Wells Fargo to Purdue Pharma, we see that ethical failings in managerial ranks can have devastating effects on organizations and society at large.

In this episode, we explore some research on the dynamics of leadership personality and its implications for ethical behavior (or lack thereof). We preface our discussion with an overview of the five-factor model of personality (the so-called Big Five), which looms large over this research domain. From there, we probe multiple dimensions of the phenomenon:

• Personality traits that are most associated with ethical leadership behavior
• Differences in ethicality across distinct leadership styles 
• Red flags for the potential of ethical failings in leaders
• The damage that can be done by narcissistic leaders

As always, we glean actionable insights for managers and those charged with identifying potential leaders in organizations.

Studies discussed in this episode include the following:

• De Vries, R. E. (2012). Personality predictors of leadership styles and the self–other agreement problem. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(5), 809–821.
• Kalshoven, K., Den Hartog, D. N., & De Hoogh, A. H. (2011). Ethical leader behavior and big five factors of personality. Journal of Business Ethics, 100, 349–366.
• O’Reilly III, C. A., Chatman, J. A., & Doerr, B. (2021). When “me” trumps “we”: Narcissistic leaders and the cultures they create. Academy of Management Discoveries, 7(3), 419–450.
• Sosik, J. J., Gentry, W. A., & Chun, J. U. (2012). The value of virtue in the upper echelons: A multisource examination of executive character strengths and performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(3), 367–382.
• Van Scotter, J. R., & Roglio, K. D. D. (2020). CEO bright and dark personality: Effects on ethical misconduct. Journal of Business Ethics, 164, 451–475.