Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd.

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman, Virgin Group, Ltd.

Introduction

Leadership is defined as the process of influencing an organized group towards accomplishing its goals [1]. We have learned that the leader is not exclusive in the leadership process. Researchers Fred Fiedler and Hollander recognized this and introduced the importance of the follower and the situation in the leadership process. Richard Branson is considered one of the most unorthodox business men of the 21st century. This paper will analyze Branson as a leader. However, because his leadership success is not mutually exclusive, his followers and the important situations that define his career will be addressed.

The Leader

What are Branson's Personality traits? (Myers-Briggs Analysis)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most popular personality assessment tool used today[13]. It is used by employers and social scientists alike to predict how an individual will react in certain situations based on questions answered in a questionnaire. In the workplace, a Myers-Briggs Indicator score can help managers arrange a group to work together, by placing individuals that will complement each other's personalities together. This helps the group produce better work, and overall, is better for the company. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator places individuals into one of sixteen different roles. They are broken down into combinations of four separate dichotomies:

Extraverts vs. Introverts

Intuitive vs. Sensing

Thinking vs. Feeling

Judging vs. Perceiving

These four dichotomies represent the attitudes, function, and lifestyle of an individual. The attitude, represented by extraverts vs. introverts, is a description of where a person finds their energy. Simplified, people that feel refreshed and like to relax with a group of other people are extraverted, while individuals who enjoy time to themselves to refresh are introverted. The function portion consists of the intuitive vs. sensing and the thinking vs. feeling responses. Intuitive vs. sensing is an observation on how an individual takes in information. An intuitive person may have what seem to be erratic thoughts, while making large jumps in logic that may seem perfectly connected to them, but disconnected to others. A person in the sensing population takes in information in more of a linear and logical way, taking things in order as they seem logical and necessary. The other half of function is making decisions based on thinking vs. feeling. People in the thinking group will make decisions based on facts and logic, and the outcome as it relates to facts and analysis. They will think about what is good for the outcome of the problem. A feeling individual will make decisions based on how it will affect the people involved. Finally, the lifestyle of a person can be described by Myers-Briggs as judging vs. perceiving. A judging person will make decisions based on the information at hand, and will typically move on to the next problem without the decision lingering in their minds. A perceiving person, however, will seek out more information on a problem before they make a decision on it. After they make a decision, they may be looking back at past decisions ...