Personality type, self-actualisation and deep-seated values : a psychological profile ofleaders in a financial organisation.

Abstract

This study focused on the description of a psychological profile of a group of organisational leaders in a financial services organisation. The relationship between their personality type (measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Form Q), self-actualisation (measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory) and deep-seated values (measured by the Psychological Map) was analysed. The study also explored whether gender and ethnicity predicted leaders’ personality type preferences, self-actualisation and deep-seated values, and whether males and females differ significantly regarding these variables. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted on a sample of 64 black and white leaders at middle and senior level. The psychological profile that emerged from the descriptive, multiple regression analyses and the analyses for the tests for significant mean differences revealed a number of significant relationships between the psychological variables and differences between gender and ethnic groups. The practical implication is that the organisation needs to consider the information about the profile to streamline its future leadership development initiatives.