Psychological Dimensions and Pathways to Leadership Selection and Effectiveness in Nigeria
Keywords:
Leadership selection, leadership effectiveness, psychological assessmentAbstract
This paper examined the psychological aspect of leadership selection processes in Nigeria. In Nigeria, the recurring reports by mass media have been a paradox of a country abundantly blessed with human and natural resources. The problem of development lies in leadership. Some past and present Nigerian leaders cannot claim innocence of embezzlement or mismanagement of public funds. Thus, deficiencies in the leadership selection process can adversely influence the quality and effectiveness of a leader in terms of developmental success. Qualitative data generated from secondary sources were analysed using textual analysis. There is a linkage between leadership selection and leaders’ effectiveness. The study also revealed that leadership selection processes in Nigeria lack psychological approaches that can enhance the quality and effectiveness of leadership. The paper concludes that leadership selection should be more rigorous, competitive, transparent, and merit-based. It recommends the adoption of psychological evaluation to ensure the selection of purposive, competent, and development-oriented leaders in Nigeria.
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