EXAMINING THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS AND LEADERSHIP STYLES IN SELECTED MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS IN NIGERIA.

Abstract

Effective leadership is one of the most essential aspects that lead to the success of an organisation, particularly in multinational corporations where multicultural working teams and high-risk environments require adaptability in leadership styles. The effect of personality traits on leadership styles in selected multinational corporations in Nigeria was is examined in this present study to bridge the gap in knowledge on the effectiveness of a leader in complex business environments. This study adopts the quantitative research methodology, and data were collected from 398 employees through a structured questionnaire using an online Google form. Using the regression analysis, this research confirmed that leadership styles and personality traits are statistically significant but with a weak connection (R = 0.276, R² = 0.076, p = 0.000), as only 7.6% of leadership style can be attributed to personality traits. ANOVA analysis also indicated that personality factors significantly influenced democratic leadership (p = 0.001), laissez-faire leadership (p = 0.017), and transformational leadership (p = 0.000) but not autocratic leadership (p = 0.094). This suggests that it is a combination of situational and personal factors that influence the effectiveness of a leader, which supports the contingency theory of leadership. This study is a contribution to leadership literature in highlighting the limited predictive power of personality traits and the need for organisations to adopt contextual and adaptive models of leadership development.