Are you Flexing Your Leadership Style?

As I’m flying today with a copilot who has an opposite personality preference for his outer world lifestyle, I’m reminded of the gift of self-awareness.  I also realize the opportunity I have of studying my copilots’ personality differences in order to learn more about them and to flex my own. In educational terms, my realization is referred to as Metacognition and is defined as awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes. To become metacognitively aware means that learning must be process-oriented, experience-seeking, time-flexible, spontaneous, and autonomous to be successful.

For those unfamiliar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the dichotomy identified as being at the root of most conflict between two people is the preference for judging (J) and perceiving (P). A quick review of J and P preferences follows.

The judging or J style defines one who prefers structure, order, and closure in their outer world lifestyle. These types appear to be purposeful, organized, and decisive. A hallmark J attribute is their nature to cease data collection as soon as it is possible in order to decide. J pilots and leaders approach life with a decisive plan and a strong need for sticking to and closing on that plan. The perceiving or P style is visible by a need for spontaneity, flexibility, and keeping options open. A hallmark P attribute is the tendency to delay decisions as long as possible in order to take in more information with the hope of making better choices. P pilots and leaders approach life with openness to change and the intent to experience as much as possible.

Understanding these personality differences is valuable in aviation (as well as in leadership) because it is known to reflect the dominant culture of educational and business practices based on a J model, often referred to as a military model. As such, aviation curricula believed to be outcome-directed, goal-motivated, closure-oriented, performance-driven, standards-based, timely, accurate, and within budget are seen as acceptable. These descriptors highly correlate with the preferences of those who validate the J preference.

In a study of the leadership styles of Js and Ps (Roush & Atwater, 1992), the J leaders were negatively correlated with the Passive Management, Situational Leadership, or Laissez-Faire leadership style whereas P type leaders were positively correlated with these leadership styles. In addition, during qualitative interviews, the P types were more aware of their reflexive or passive approach and had more consistent self-ratings than the Js. They were, in other words, metacognitively aware of their passive style.

As my business of performance consulting involves highlighting and conveying the imperatives of emotional intelligence for today’s leaders and pilots, I’m always thrilled to see research that validates our MBTI preference strengths and differences.