Adult agricultural leadership development programs play an important role in preparing emerging and established leaders for the future of agriculture and the food system. Just like every individual has a unique fingerprint, each has a distinct personality that influences how they learn and lead. Agricultural leadership development programs, such as the International Association of Programs for Agricultural Leaders (IAPAL) provide programs to develop the leadership capacities for participants, "alumni are change makers, burnished with a professional leadership development acumen, and a personal exigency to make positive change." Working with 28 IAPAL affiliated programs I collaborated with an amazing team to analyze the unique personality characteristics of over 1,100 program alumni with the goal of identifying personality trends which might be helpful to create impactful programs.
Key Findings
Age: Significant differences were observed across seven personality aspects, including Industriousness and Orderliness. Older participants tended to report higher Industriousness but lower Orderliness, highlighting the potential for tailored discussions around work habits and leadership perspectives.
Organizational Level: Higher organizational levels correlated with greater Openness and Assertiveness. These traits may reflect the adaptability and confidence needed for leadership roles.
Educational Attainment: Higher education levels were associated with increased Openness (Intellect) and Agreeableness (Politeness), suggesting that educational experiences shape relational and intellectual capacities.
Region: Geographic region had minimal influence on personality traits, suggesting that leadership educators may prioritize other demographic characteristics when tailoring programs.
Practical Implications
Tailor Learning Environments: Use personality differences to design programs that foster collaboration and learning among diverse participants.
Foster Transformational Leadership: Incorporate discussions about personality traits like Compassion and Enthusiasm to enhance human-focused leadership skills.
Encourage Intergenerational Dialogue: Create opportunities that leverage differences in work habits and perspectives across age groups to enrich learning experiences.
Recognizing the role of personality in leadership development offers an opportunity to create more effective and engaging agricultural and food system leadership programs. By tailoring learning environments to reflect the unique characteristics of participants, leadership educators can enhance collaboration, deepen discussions, and improve outcomes. As agriculture continues to evolve, leadership programs that intentionally address personality traits will help prepare participants to lead with empathy, adaptability, and a clear vision. I've included the full paper below if you would like to learn more. Please be sure to share your insights using the comments.
Lamm, K. W., Holder, M., Randall, N. L., Edgar, D. W., & Lamm, A. J. (2021). Agricultural leadership development program participant personality and demographic characteristics: an empirical analysis. SAGE Open, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211061577
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