Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology shows that employees who are assertive are more likely to be promoted into leadership roles. However, assertiveness does not correlate with the traits that make leaders effective. Effective leaders tend to exhibit high achievement motivation, a preference for order, strong self‑discipline, and optimism.
Organizations that rely on assertiveness as a hiring criterion risk appointing leaders who lack the skills to guide teams well. The study suggests re‑evaluating selection processes to focus on motivation, order, self‑discipline, and optimism instead. Still, the findings are based on aggregated past studies and may not capture all contextual variables that influence leadership success.
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