THE Mindsets OF A Leader

In recent years, we have interviewed leaders from more than 80 organizations in a variety of industries. Based on those conversations and drawing from research in both cognitive leadership and developmental psychology, we have identified six leadership mindsets: We call them the Sociopath, the Egoist, the Chameleon, the Dynamo, the Builder, and the Transcender. Each one represents a set of assumptions and beliefs about the nature and purpose of leadership -- and about how best to wield it. In our experience studying and working with leaders, we've found that they rarely possess a single mindset. Instead, they have a portfolio of mindsets, and each one -- as well as the overall mix, which varies from person to person -- influences a leader's decisions and behaviors and can thus alter the direction, focus, and performance of the organization. This article examines each mindset in turn and provides some guidance on how people can better understand and make the most of their own portfolios.