Presidential Management and Personality

Presidential Studies The Presidency is the most studied job in the world. – Academically more works (papers, books, etc) are done about the Presidency than any job – By everyday people the Presidency is the most followed job in the world. The Presidency is the most misunderstood job in the world. – Everyday people misunderstand do not know how our system of government works and the President’s place in it. – Why do Academics screw it up?

Approaches to Presidential Studies Historical Approach Looking at historical events and evaluating how President handled them at the time.

Approaches to Presidential Studies Formalistic Approach Examining the laws and rules that govern the office and how they impact the President.

Approaches to Presidential Studies Managerial Approach Studying how Presidents structure decision making and information flow in the White House.

Approaches to Presidential Studies Psychological Approach Examining how Presidential personality types influenced the job performance and decisions made by Presidents.

The Problem Historical Approach Formalistic Approach Managerial Approach Psychological Approach You have to be trained in all of these aspects, and have little bias in which one provides the best look at the President. U.S. History Class Text Lecture

Management Examines the way information is shared and communicated. Examines how decisions are made.

Importance Management is the most overlooked aspect of the Presidency. Most major mistakes of Presidents can trace their roots into a break down in management or a faulty management structure

President as Manager Presidents are notoriously bad managers. – Not seen as high on their priority list – Often sheltered from “bad” information because people fear displeasing the President – Staff can be quite petty

Importance of Chief of Staff In charge of all organizational aspects of the Presidential office – Keeps staff in order – Manages information flow to and from President – Controls access to President

Formalistic System of Management President and Top Advisors White House Staff and Cabinet Department Heads Bureaucracy Information Decisions Strengths Allows for clear, orderly decision making Weaknesses Can be a slow process Information can be distorted

Competitive Management President Top Advisors Vs. Strengths Best ideas generated through this process Weaknesses Can burn out staff Causes distrust

Collegial Management President Strengths Less demands due to open dicsucssion Builds up trust Weaknesses Time consuming “Group Think”

Corporate Management President Top Advisors Strengths Empowers people who are experts to make decisions Weaknesses Lack of oversight can lead to problems

Presidential Personality Based on the belief that a person’s personality (psychology) has an impact in all aspects of their life, including job performance. Like the practice of psychology it was not readily accepted until the 1970s.

James David Barber A political scientist who wanted to examine how a person’s make-up impacted their job performance as President. Analyzes past president’s personalities and says we can make predictions based on personality type. Rejected by most scholars at the time However after his prediction that Nixon’s personality was not well suited to the office seemed to come true, received credibility. 1972

Barber’s Personality Scale Level of Activity – Active – Passive Character (Not moral character, but more your approach to life as an optimist or pessimist) – Positive – Negative

Barber’s Four Personality Types Active Positive Active Negative Passive Positive Passive Negative

Active Positives Characteristics High Self Esteem Goal Oriented Rational Flexible

Active Positives According to Barber, Active Positives have the best personality suited to the demands of the office of President of the United States.

Active Positives Characteristics Low Self Esteem Power Oriented Irrational Inflexible

Active Negatives According to Barber, Active Negatives have the worst personality suited to the demands of the office of President of the United States.

Passive Positives Characteristics Optimistic Attention Oriented Tolerant Likeable

Passive Positives

Passive Negatives Characteristics Duty Oriented Intolerant Inflexible

Passive Negatives