FEAR OF FAILURE IS SBY’S DARK-SIDE PERSONALITY TRAIT
By Beni Bevly
There is one common comment regarding Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) allegedly negative traits: he is always doubt and too cautious. Because of this comment, I would like to find out what actually behind these traits and how it will influence his leadership as the president of Indonesia.
One of the resources mentioned that in uncertain situation and with unclear rules of game, SBY’s leadership probably becomes inefficient. This kind of situation, plus increasingly conflict even may cause SBY withdraw from his position.
SBY also tends to avoid conflict and maintain good relationships with others. He wants to make sure that his action is correct and he does not want to get blamed. Therefore, he always needs the clear legal guidance for his political actions.
There is an article in Indonesian which describes SBY’s particular trait clearly and briefly:
Tetapi dalam situasi yang mengambang dan tidak memiliki aturan yang jelas, kemungkinan kepemimpinan SBY tidak terlalu efisien. Situasi yang tidak jelas aturannya malah sangat mungkin mengarahkannya untuk mundur dan menarik diri. Begitu pula dalam situasi yang diwarnai konflik antarelite dan ketiadaan kesatuan komando.
SBY membutuhkan dasar formal yang kuat bagi tindakan-tindakan politiknya. Ia perlu yakin dulu bahwa yang diperbuatnya adalah hal yang tidak membuatnya disalahkan banyak orang. Kecenderungannya menghindari konflik agar tetap dapat berhubungan baik dengan orang lain makin menunjukkan adanya kebutuhan itu.
Ia tipe orang yang membutuhkan konsultasi dengan banyak pihak sebelum mengambil keputusan. Kecenderungan hati-hati itu tak jarang memperlambat gerak-geriknya dan mengesankan ia peragu dalam membuat keputusan. Pengaruh karakteristik kepribadian anak tunggal secara psikologis masih kuat dalam dirinya. (Kompas, 24 Juni 2004)
According to Hughes, Ginnett and Curphy in Leadership: Enhancing the Lesson of Expertise, 2002, there are dark-side personality traits that are irritating or counterproductive behavior tendencies that interfere with a leader’s ability to form cohesive teams and that cause followers to exert less effort toward goal accomplishment. Here are several dark-side personality traits:
Argumentative
Leaders possessing this trait do not take personal criticism well and opt to start arguments and have a hard time ending them.
Interpersonal insensitivity
Leaders possessing this trait tend to be aloof and unaware of how they come a cross to others, and to have difficulties putting themselves in “other people’s shoes.”
Narcissism
Leaders with this trait tend to be overly self-confident, self-centered, and extremely ambitious. They grossly overestimate their ability have strong sense of entitlement, and often hold others in contempt. Extremely arrogant, they are always right and not afraid to tell you so. Such individuals often exploit followers for their own self-aggrandizement.
Fear of failure
These individuals make poor leaders because they dread being criticized. As a result, they tend to be overly cautious and reluctant decision-makers. When forced to make decisions, they often impose old solutions to problem even when it is obvious that they will not work.
Perfectionism
These leaders maintain extremely high standards for themselves and their followers, and their inflexibility, nitpicking, and micromanaging tendencies can be extremely irritating.
Impulsive
As leaders, these individuals are hedonistic and often ignore the feelings of followers when in pursuit of their own pleasure. They enjoy testing limits, may fail to keep promises and commitments, and often neglect to consider the consequences of their actions.
Among these six dark-side personality traits, it seems there is one trait that fits into SBY’s, i.e. fear of failure. If fear of failure trait really belongs to SBY’s as his dark-side personality trait, I hope he realizes it and makes an effort to improve it, so he can be a better president.
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*Beni Bevly holds BA in Political Science, MBA in Marketing, and is a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) candidate. He is the founder of Overseas Think Tank for Indonesia.
Yeah, I agree. This president that we have is the kind of president who takes things a bit too slowly. Too bad. He keeps asking his people too much like he doesn’t have strong ability to lead this country. I guess he’s too “wong jowo.” I wish we had a leader with powerful motivation like Soekarno again but not a playboy one though
I think SBY should work harder to make sure that his leadership is the most appropriate type for Indonesia at the moment. He is a good leader at some level, but everybody can be improved.
@ guebukanmonyet, in making a decision, one can be influenced by the culture that she or he belongs to. However, there are some cultures that are ineffective and not compatible in solving certain problems. As a president, SBY should recognize this and set a side that kind of culture.
@ Jennie, yes, everybody has room to improve. I hope SBY’s closest advisory let him know about his dark-side personality trait so he can improve.
I guess I want to know why he does that (over-consult with his political partners). Perhaps it’s really not his (natural) trait. Perhaps it’s what’s really required to keep this nation united… (though not the most efficient for the non-politicians)?
Bleu, I think, part of the problem is SBY worries too much about how strong the power that he really has. He is not sure he will be able to control other people with his legitimate power. If we compare to Gus Dur when he was a president, he even almost did not care if he had enough power to run this country. Without much back up from military, he fired Wiranto. Actually that was quite scary thing to do at that time.