Leadership Skills vs. Personality Traits
- Brittney Simpson
- Jan 6
- 3 min read
I’ve noticed that when leaders talk about what leadership means, there’s often an unspoken assumption.
“He’s just not a leader.”
“She doesn’t have the personality for it.”
“They’re great individually, but not leadership material.”
Usually, what people mean is that someone doesn’t match the kind of leader they’re used to seeing.
Confident.
Fast-talking.
Decisive in a room.
Comfortable taking up space.
But leadership isn’t about personality. And when we confuse the two, we make poor choices for our teams and organizations.
For years, leadership has been treated as something you either have or don’t. A natural presence. A certain energy. A way of being that stands out.
That belief quietly shapes:
Hiring decisions
Promotion conversations
Who gets coached—and who gets written off
And it holds organizations back more than they realize.
When leadership is treated like a personality trait, it becomes exclusive. It often favors extroverts, rewards confidence over competence, and values style more than substance.
It also overlooks a simple truth:
Leadership is built on skills, not personality.
Personality traits affect how someone comes across.Leadership skills determine how someone actually leads.
These are not the same.
A calm, introverted leader can create clarity and trust just as effectively as a charismatic one.
A thoughtful leader can make strong decisions without raising their voice.
A steady leader can move a team forward without dominating every conversation.
What matters isn’t how leadership looks.
It’s what it achieves.
Does this person:
Set clear expectations?
Make decisions and explain them?
Give feedback that helps people grow?
Create consistency instead of confusion?
Take responsibility when things go sideways?
These are skills.
They can be learned, practiced, and strengthened over time.
Personality alone doesn’t guarantee any of them.
This confusion shows up most clearly in performance reviews.
I often hear comments like:
“They’re doing the work, but they don’t lead the room.”
“They’re too quiet to manage people.”
When I ask what’s actually missing, the answer is rarely about presence.
It’s usually about:
Follow-through
Accountability
Avoiding issues instead of addressing them early
Not having hard conversations
These aren’t personality flaws.
They’re skill gaps.
When we treat them as personality problems, we miss the real opportunity to develop people.
When organizations overvalue personality, they often reward the wrong things:
People who sound confident, even when they’re unclear
People who take up space, even when they don’t create direction
People who feel decisive, even when they don’t bring others along
At the same time, capable leaders get overlooked because their style doesn’t fit the usual leadership mold.
Over time, this leads to frustration.
Burnout.
And leadership teams that look confident but struggle to deliver results.
The best leaders I’ve worked with don’t all sound the same.
Some are warm and relational.
Some are direct and no-nonsense.
Some are quiet and deeply thoughtful.
What they share isn’t personality.
It’s discipline.
They:
Prepare for conversations
Communicate decisions clearly
Hold people accountable consistently
Reflect on what’s working and what’s not
Adjust when needed
That isn’t charisma.
That’s skill.
If you’re helping people grow as leaders, the real question isn’t whether they have the “right” personality.
A better question is:
What leadership skills do they need to build next?
Clarity
Feedback
Decision-making
Delegation
Boundary-setting
These are teachable.
These are coachable.
These are scalable.
When organizations focus on skills instead of personality, leadership becomes more inclusive, effective, and sustainable.
And if you’re a leader who’s ever wondered whether you’re really “cut out” for leadership, it’s time to rethink that idea.
You don’t need to be louder.
You don’t need to be more charismatic.
You don’t need to mimic someone else’s style.
What you need are the right skills, a willingness to practice, and support to help you grow.
That’s how real leadership develops.
Visit us at savvyhrpartner.com and follow us on social media @savvyhrpartner for expert tips, resources, and solutions to support your business and your people. Let’s bring savvy thinking to your people strategy!
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