The moderating effect of leadership on the relationship between personality and performance.

AIM: To examine how personality and leadership influence efficiency in the nursing service environment.

BACKGROUND: Leadership and personality contribute to the success and failure of a unit. However, how they interact to influence performance is still understudied.

METHODS: We used matched pairs sample design to survey 135 head nurses and 1353 registered nurses on validated instruments of demographic characteristics, leadership styles and personality during June and July of 2014. Efficiency was calculated using Data Envelopment Analysis. Tobit regression was used for analysis.

RESULTS: High conscientiousness and low neuroticism were significantly associated with higher efficiency. Particularly, under the initiating structure leadership style, high conscientiousness, high extraversion, high agreeableness, high openness and low neuroticism were related to higher efficiency. Openness would improve efficiency under a low consideration leadership style.

CONCLUSIONS: Most personality traits were related to higher efficiency under the initiating leadership style. Only openness would improve leaders' efficiency under a high initiating structure and a low consideration leadership style.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Considering personality as one factor of selecting head nurses, selecting the right person can improve the fit between individuals and organisations, which in turn, improves job performance. Training head nurses to develop better leadership styles in nurses is another way to enhance efficiency.