Toxic Factors in Leadership Search

We have long known that search committees over-value extraversion as a factor in hiring leadership talent. That this extends to selection of heads of school is supported by NAIS data showing that a preponderance of heads are Myers-Briggs extraverts. Nonetheless, no evidence exists to suggest that extraversion, and the related attributes of charisma, high productivity, overconfidence, and high self-regard are associated with successful leadership.Instead, a working paper by Michael Housman and Dylan Minor, from the Harvard Business School, shows that such a constellation of seemingly positive factors is often associated with toxicity in the workplace, either as a boss or a colleague. Such hires are sometimes called "high risk, high reward" leaders. Our experience is that few educational institutions can afford the all too real downside risk. Recognizing the potential for bias in hiring is a large part of setting it aside and making more rational decisions.