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Dissertation Abstract

Perfectionism in Leadership: Exploring the Link between Leader Self-Esteem, Leader Self-Efficacy, Leader Narcissism, and Perfectionism

Jacque L. King
Regent University

Perfectionism in leadership is hypothesized to be a result of low self-esteem, low self-efficacy, and a high level of narcissism with its underlying elements of need for power as a result of humiliation. This exploratory study seeks to determine a clear link between a leader's self-esteem and perfectionism, a leader's self-efficacy and perfectionism and a leader's narcissism and perfectionism. More specifically, the relationship between how a leader feels about himself/herself, feels about his/her capabilities, and if leadership fills a need for power in the leader as a result of humiliation. Through stepwise multiple regression, the results of the 1965 Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the 2001 Chen, Gully & Eden New General Self-Efficacy Scale, the 1988 Raskin & Terry Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and the 1990 Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, this is administered to students enrolled in an applied doctoral program offered through a Christian university in the southeastern section of the United States. The regression analysis indicates that leader perfectionism correlates positively with leader self-esteem and negatively with leader self-efficacy and leader narcissism. Leader perfectionism also correlates negatively with age. These results key to the development of new training opportunities in leadership that will benefit both leader and follower.