CEO Personality: A Different Perspective on the Nonfamily Versus Family CEO Debate

R. Kelleci; Frank Lambrechts; Wim Voordeckers; Jolien Huybrechts

doi:10.1177/0894486518811222

CEO Personality: A Different Perspective on the Nonfamily Versus Family CEO Debate

R. Kelleci, Frank Lambrechts^*, Wim Voordeckers, Jolien Huybrechts

^*Corresponding author for this work

Organisation,Strategy & Entrepreneurship

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Based on a unique, hand-collected data set, we examine the personality traits of nonfamily and family CEOs in privately held Belgian family firms using the Occupational Personality Questionnaire. We find significant differences between nonfamily and family CEOs with regard to nine personality traits: independent minded, democratic, data rational, behavioral, detail conscious, conscientious, relaxed, worrying, and trusting. The findings suggest a very balanced personality profile for nonfamily CEOs and a rather strong-willed personality for family CEOs. Moreover, while the results suggest that the personalities of nonfamily CEOs matter for firm performance, no such indications were revealed for family CEOs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	31-57
Number of pages	27
Journal	family business review
Volume	32
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0894486518811222
Publication status	Published - Mar 2019

Keywords

nonfamily CEO
family CEO
personality
occupational personality questionnaire
upper echelons theory
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
STRATEGY
Occupational Personality Questionnaire
SUCCESSION
JOB COMPETENCES
UPPER ECHELONS
PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT
SOCIOEMOTIONAL WEALTH
LEADERSHIP
FIRM PERFORMANCE
VALIDITY

Access to Document

10.1177/0894486518811222

Cite this

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title = "CEO Personality: A Different Perspective on the Nonfamily Versus Family CEO Debate",

abstract = "Based on a unique, hand-collected data set, we examine the personality traits of nonfamily and family CEOs in privately held Belgian family firms using the Occupational Personality Questionnaire. We find significant differences between nonfamily and family CEOs with regard to nine personality traits: independent minded, democratic, data rational, behavioral, detail conscious, conscientious, relaxed, worrying, and trusting. The findings suggest a very balanced personality profile for nonfamily CEOs and a rather strong-willed personality for family CEOs. Moreover, while the results suggest that the personalities of nonfamily CEOs matter for firm performance, no such indications were revealed for family CEOs.",

keywords = "nonfamily CEO, family CEO, personality, occupational personality questionnaire, upper echelons theory, ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, STRATEGY, Occupational Personality Questionnaire, SUCCESSION, JOB COMPETENCES, UPPER ECHELONS, PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT, SOCIOEMOTIONAL WEALTH, LEADERSHIP, FIRM PERFORMANCE, VALIDITY",

author = "R. Kelleci and Frank Lambrechts and Wim Voordeckers and Jolien Huybrechts",

note = "data source: own collected data (by co-author)",

year = "2019",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1177/0894486518811222",

language = "English",

volume = "32",

pages = "31--57",

journal = "family business review",

issn = "0894-4865",

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T1 - CEO Personality: A Different Perspective on the Nonfamily Versus Family CEO Debate

AU - Kelleci, R.

AU - Lambrechts, Frank

AU - Voordeckers, Wim

AU - Huybrechts, Jolien

N1 - data source: own collected data (by co-author)

PY - 2019/3

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N2 - Based on a unique, hand-collected data set, we examine the personality traits of nonfamily and family CEOs in privately held Belgian family firms using the Occupational Personality Questionnaire. We find significant differences between nonfamily and family CEOs with regard to nine personality traits: independent minded, democratic, data rational, behavioral, detail conscious, conscientious, relaxed, worrying, and trusting. The findings suggest a very balanced personality profile for nonfamily CEOs and a rather strong-willed personality for family CEOs. Moreover, while the results suggest that the personalities of nonfamily CEOs matter for firm performance, no such indications were revealed for family CEOs.

AB - Based on a unique, hand-collected data set, we examine the personality traits of nonfamily and family CEOs in privately held Belgian family firms using the Occupational Personality Questionnaire. We find significant differences between nonfamily and family CEOs with regard to nine personality traits: independent minded, democratic, data rational, behavioral, detail conscious, conscientious, relaxed, worrying, and trusting. The findings suggest a very balanced personality profile for nonfamily CEOs and a rather strong-willed personality for family CEOs. Moreover, while the results suggest that the personalities of nonfamily CEOs matter for firm performance, no such indications were revealed for family CEOs.

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KW - Occupational Personality Questionnaire

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