Received:
2026-01-11 | Accepted:
2026-06-22 | Published:
2026-06-30
Title
Leadership and personality characteristics in the armed forces: a comparison of three levels of managerial experience
Abstract
This study examines associations between the level of managerial experience in leading people and selected personality and motivational characteristics relevant to military leadership. A quantitative cross-sectional design compared three groups of members of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic: cadets without practical leadership experience (XX-I, n = 40), commanders with short-term managerial experience (XX-II, n = 40), and senior officers with long-term managerial experience (XX-III, n = 38). Personality characteristics were assessed using the Bochum Personality Inventory (BIP). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, between-group comparisons (analysis of variance with post-hoc tests), and correlational analyses between experience level and BIP dimensions. The results revealed small to moderate differences between groups, particularly in the domains of social competencies and work style. Sociability, decisiveness, and conscientiousness showed the most consistent positive associations with higher levels of managerial experience, whereas emotional stability and resistance to stress did not display a systematic linear pattern across career stages. Overall, the findings suggest that certain personality characteristics relevant to military leadership are associated with career progression and may differentiate across stages of professional development. From a practical perspective, the results may inform more targeted selection and development of commanders, with greater emphasis on socio-interactional competencies and the professionalization of work-related behaviors.
Keywords
Military leadership, personality, Bochum Personality Inventory (BIP), Managerial experience, Social competencies, Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic
JEL classifications
F51
, F52
, F62
URI
http://jssidoi.org/jesi/article/6642
DOI
Pages
91-104
Funding
This is an open access issue and all published articles are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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