Borderline Personality Traits
Leaders higher in Borderline Personality Traits - The 'Infatuated Influencers'
Leaders with higher levels of borderline personality traits tend to be marketing maestros and PR professionals. They can make people fall in love with almost anything, particularly when there is an emotional element to what they're promoting. Leaders with high borderline traits read people's emotions well and are typically masters of persuasion and influence. On the downside, if they fall out of 'love,' they may launch into emotional attacks and make derogatory comments about what was recently the 'love of their life.' Leaders with higher levels of borderline traits may be perceived by others as having a 'good side' and a 'bad side.'
Positive Impacts on Psychosocial Risk and Business Performance:
Increased Stimulation: Infatuated Influencers can effectively increase team stimulation, especially when tasks are mundane or under-stimulating. These leaders can boost energy and motivation by getting the team emotionally invested in a problem, particularly in the problem-identification stage. Their ability to galvanize people around an organizational purpose and vision is invaluable.
Emotional Engagement: Infatuated Influencers are masters at creating strong emotional bonds with their teams, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. This emotional connection can lead to higher engagement and dedication from team members.
Negative Impacts on Psychosocial Risk and Business Performance:
Increased Anxiety: The unpredictable feedback from Infatuated Influencers can amplify team anxiety. Suppose the team is already worried about the leader’s reactions. In that case, this can multiply fears about the future, draining cognitive resources and time as the team tries to avoid potential pitfalls.
Increased Ambiguity: Infatuated influencers' inherent unpredictability can create ambiguity around their reactions. Their ever-changing emotions and sense of self can leave the team unsure of what to expect, increasing stress and reducing effectiveness.
Increased Conformity: To avoid conflict, team members may conform to the Infatuated Influencer’s whims, sacrificing genuine input and constructive criticism. This can lead to an environment with a lack of collaboration and alignment.
Infatuated Influencers can be highly effective in roles requiring emotional engagement and influence. However, their unpredictability and the resulting anxiety, ambiguity, and conformity can significantly impair team performance and psychosocial safety. Balancing their strengths with an awareness of these risks is crucial for maintaining a healthy and productive work environment.
Leaders Lower in Borderline Personality Traits - The 'Steady Statisticians'
Leaders with lower levels of borderline personality traits come with a highly stable sense of self and tend to be viewed by others as solid and reliable. They tend to be logical, emotionally stable individuals with rational viewpoints and sound decision-making based on facts and data. On the downside, their rational behaviour may shape the perception they are uncaring, detached, and intractable. They may struggle to use emotion to create the right level of stimulation and motivation, and they may hold on to negative perceptions of situations and people and are not easily shifted.
Positive Impacts on Psychosocial Risk and Business Performance:
Reduced Anxiety: Steady Statisticians provide consistent feedback, which can mitigate anxiety. When a team is worried but presented with consistent facts and logic, this can minimize anxiety, preventing a drain on cognitive resources and time.
Reduced Ambiguity: Steady Statisticians, with their stable emotions and logic, cause the team to feel there is little ambiguity around how the leader will react, improving team function and performance.
Negative Impacts on Psychosocial Risk and Business Performance:
Managing Energy and Stimulation: The right stimulation level is critical for optimal performance. Steady Statisticians can decrease stimulation, which is risky when tasks are tedious. Misjudging the situation and applying too much logic can impair performance, especially in the initial problem-solving stage, when intense focus is needed. They may need help to energize the team, decreasing motivation.
Increased Conformity: Steady Statisticians can increase conformity. Team members may give up on arguing or accept the leader’s position, limiting collaboration and eroding alignment.
A poorly contained leader with low Borderline traits can create toxicity, believing their logical approach is ‘right.’ While a ‘cool-headed’ leader sounds positive, if they come across as cold or emotionally rigid, this can increase psychosocial risks and erode performance
