Patterns of leader characteristics: Implications for performance and development

Current theories of leadership suggest that certain types of individuals ar e especially likely to succeed as leaders in certain organizations. The int ent in the present article was to first identify types or subgroups of indi viduals entering the U.S. Army based on ability, personality, and motivatio nal characteristics, and subsequently identify which types tend to be found in upper level positions. A Ward and Hook cluster analysis revealed seven types in a sample of junior Army officers. Three of these types are also pa rticularly prominent among upper level Army leadership positions. The seven types displayed some differences in skills and patterns of career developm ent. Based on these findings, it was concluded that organizations should re cognize the need for different types of people to fill different types of o rganizational leadership roles.