Great Presidents are
Stubborn and Disagreeable
What makes a great president? Research by Steven Rubenzer, Ph.D. and his colleagues suggests that the presidents that we consider to be the greatest were stubborn and disagreeable. More than one hundred presidential experts were enlisted to fill out personality tests based on their knowledge of the 41 U.S. presidents. They were instructed to consider only the five years immediately prior to their election in order to eliminate the effects of the presidency itself on the person.
| Great presidents, were not only stubborn and disagreeable, but were also more extraverted, open to experience, assertive, achievement striving, excitement seeking and more open to fantasy. |
Every four years Americans ask themselves what kind of person they want leading their country, but presidential personality characteristics have become issues at other times too. Bill Clinton's indiscretions with Monica Lewinsky raised this issue of "character" midway through his second term, and Richard Nixon seemed truly paranoid throughout his presidency.
How do Al Gore and George W. Bush measure up? The researchers found that previous great presidents were not only stubborn and disagreeable, but were also more extraverted, open to experience, assertive, achievement striving, excitement seeking and more open to fantasy, aesthetics, feelings, actions, ideas and values than other presidents. The great presidents were lower on straightforwardness, vulnerability and order.
The authors identify "achievement striving" and "competence" as two of the best correlates of greatness in the presidency. "Presidents who succeed set ambitious goals for themselves and move heaven and earth to meet them," according to the authors. They point to Teddy Roosevelt as an example, and contrast him with lesser presidents Grant and Harding. Neatness doesn't count either "It seems that being a bit disorganized, like Lincoln, is somewhat of an asset for attaining historical greatness," according to the authors.
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