Predictors of Leadership Behavior in Early Career White-Collar Professionals: The Roles of Personal Characteristics and Career Context

This research studies the leadership development of 243 working MBA students and finds personal characteristics and career context to be associated with development of leadership behavior in general, and with specific leadership styles. Specifically, personal characteristics of proactiveness, risk taking, and social skill, and the career contextual variables number of subordinates, level of interaction with others, and time pressure are found to be associated with increased development of leader behavior. Gender was not a differentiator in the development of leadership; however, socially skilled males with high interaction working under time pressure exhibit directive leadership, while personality variables are associated with egalitarian leadership.