Dit onderzoek richt zich op de vraag wat de effecten zijn van een niet-hiërarchische werkomgeving op leiderschap. Onderzocht wordt of niet-hiërarchisch leiderschap (in een matrix-, project- en netwerkorganisatie, of bij zelfsturende teams zoals bij projectmanagement) leiderschapskwaliteiten aantrekt, selecteert en behoudt. Het onderzoek toont aan, dat niet-hiërarchisch leidinggevenden hoger scoren op het persoonlijkheidskenmerk neuroticisme, vooral bij de subschalen angsten/nervositeit, ergernis, depressie, kritiekgevoeligheid en stressgevoeligheid, en lager scoren op extraversie, vooral bij de subschalen hartelijkheid, sociabiliteit en dominantie/assertiviteit. De belangrijkste conclusie van dit onderzoek is dat leiderschapskwaliteiten die samenhangen met neuroticisme en extraversie ondervertegenwoordigd lijken te zijn in een matrix-, project- en netwerk georiënteerde werkomgevingen, als ook bij innovatieprojecten en projectmanagement in het algemeen. Deze twee persoonlijkheidskenmerken hangen sterk samen met transformationeel leiderschap. De volgende kwaliteiten lijken bij niet-hiërarchisch leiderschap minder sterk ontwikkeld te zijn dan bij hiërarchisch leidinggevenden: inspirerend en enthousiasmerend vermogen, leiderschapscharisma, effectieve conflicthantering, het geven van feedback, assertiviteit, het vermogen tot het versterken van groepscohesie, bevorderen van een groeps- of teamontwikkeling richting meer autonomie en sterkere performance, initiatief met betrekking tot ondernemerschap, synergie tussen teamleden op het gebied van innovatie, kennisproductiviteit en reflectieve vaardigheden, als ook 'performance' in het algemeen in werkomgevingen met veel sociale interactie. Aanbevelingen worden gedaan met betrekking tot werving en selectie, als ook voor het opleiden en ontwikkelen van niet-hiërarchisch leidinggevenden. ABSTRACT This paper is devoted to answer the question whether nonhierarchical leadership (in a matrix, process, network structure, or in a project based work environment) attracts, selects and attains leadership qualities related to transformational (charismatic, inspiring & empowering) leadership. More in particular, we would expect leaders with lower scores concerning neuroticism, and with higher scores concerning extraversion and agreeableness. Enhancement of innovational capacities and knowledge productivity are the main motives for applying the structuring principles of a matrix, process, network organization, or of project management. The indicated personality traits are closely related to transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is needed to effectuate innovational and adaptive capacities, as well as for the enhancement of knowledge productivity in organizations. We analyzed whether significant differences could be found when personality traits of non-hierarchical (project) leaders and hierarchical operating managers are compared. Our study revealed, that non-hierarchical (project) leaders had indeed higher averages concerning neuroticism, and lower averages concerning extraversion. Neuroticism is negatively related to leadership charisma. Neuroticism, extraversion and agreeableness are related to transformational leadership in general. The overall conclusion of this study is that leadership qualities related to neuroticism and extraversion, tend to be underrepresented in the group of nonhierarchical leaders in a matrix, process or network structure, or in a project based work environment. Analyzing significant differences of the sub scales of neuroticism and extraversion revealed that these leadership qualities are specifically related to learning/adaptive capacities, feedback and conflict solving processes, knowledge productivity in teams, enhancement of group cohesion and coping with stressful situations. Furthermore, these qualities are closely related to several dimensions of transformational leadership: idealized influence, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation. Implications for training and development, and for selection processes are discussed. Also, some recommendations are put forward, related to the enhancement of the effectiveness of applying the structuring principles of a matrix, process, network or project based work environment.
The ideology of inclusive education signifies that every child should be able to attend a regular school, unless there are insoluble barriers which make this impossible. This principle is voiced in treaties such as the Salamanca Statement and the No Child Left Behind Act. Accordingly, many countries nowadays aim at integrating students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream education.A specific challenge for teachers who apply for inclusive education is teaching students who show challenging behaviour in the classroom1. A growing number of teachers report feelings of professional inadequacy in teaching students with behavioural difficulties. Feelings of professional inadequacy are said to occur when a teacher lacks pedagogic and/or didactic skills to act adequately in demanding classroom situations.Teachers of students with behavioural difficulties are found to be particularly at risk for experiencing occupational stress. Moreover, these teachers are more likely to end their career in education earlier than teachers who are teaching students with other SEN or without. Many teachers of students with behavioural difficulties tend to pay too much attention to controlling student behaviour rather than to teaching.At the same time, in this respect, students with behavioural difficulties are a population at risk as well. Regardless of the underlying cause of their behavioural problems, students with behavioural difficulties gain less academic progress than students who go through a normal development. Strikingly, this academic delay appears to increase rapidly over the years.For all the feelings of professional inadequacy, there are also teachers who are somehow able to bring out the best in all their students. These teachers are able to engage students, meet their differing needs and increase their potential. These teachers are commonly said to be equipped with a teacher’s X-factor; an enigmatic, yet unexplained talent causing a teacher’s excellence in the classroom.A widely accepted key determinant of successful schooling is teacher quality. Accordingly, the competencies of expert teachers have already been studied in detail. However, recent evidence points at personality as an underlying core factor from which these competencies may arise. In the literature, personality is defined as relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours.Much literature has already been published on the relationship between personality and job performance. Virtually all studies on the subject report strong correlations between the Five-Factor Model of Personality and job performance. However, until recently, these relations were not explored in the field of education. A first study of this kind was conducted by the authors. The results of this study were presented at last year’s ECER in Istanbul.The personality dimensions of Conscientiousness (facets of competence, self-discipline, ambition) and Neuroticism (facets of depression, vulnerability, shame) were found to discriminate expert teachers from non-experts. Furthermore, significant relationships were found between teacher personality and teacher quality in teaching students with behavioural difficulties for Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Extraversion (assertiveness).With the aim of contributing to finding ways to accurately recruit expert teachers of students with behavioural difficulties, a cohort of in-service teacher-trainees was studied on their personality and performance in teaching students with behavioural difficulties. The authors wondered whether the relationships found in the previous study could be established or replicated in teacher education?
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The purpose of this study is to investigate how several personality traits and two affective states might be associated with organizational (affective) commitment in a Middle Eastern collectivist culture like Turkey. We tested moderated mediation models of the effects of Big-Five personality traits on affective commitment to the organization while investigating the mediation effects of two affective states (i.e., positive affectivity and negative affectivity) and the moderating effects of a personality trait (i.e., core self-evaluations) on these relationships. Data were collected in a field study (N = 312) using a time-lagged research design. As expected, the results indicated that the traits extraversion and agreeableness are positively related to affective commitment through positive affectivity when core self-evaluations is high-to-medium in strength. The results also showed that the indirect and negative effect of neuroticism on affective commitment via negative affectivity was not supported. The main contribution of this study is the focus on personality and affectivecommitment linkages, giving an increased understanding of the processes, mechanisms, and conditions (i.e., indirect and moderating) operating within these linkages.
