“The Choleric is a 🔥 firebrand personality. Hence, his leadership style is usually quick and hot”.

While the natural strengths of a predominant choleric leader usually enables him to be a very effective leader with very strong, self willed character. His corresponding innate weaknesses tends to make his leadership style be looked at as being very narcissistic, despotic, and autocratic. Even though his leadership style is more often than not described by these adjectives, however, it is usually unintended by him. But some of his natural idiosyncrasies and weaknesses that are inherent in his temperament usually predisposes him to ruling or leading in a manner that can be qualified with these negative adjectives.

Consequently, he often inadvertently have himself influenced by his weaknesses regardless of the fact that he possessed some strong natural leadership qualities, which are usually referred to as the choleric leadership strengths. There is no other leader that have more people divided because of his leadership style more than a predominant choleric leader. For while some people do appreciates his style of leadership because of some of his remarkable laudable achievements regardless of majority of his shortcomings, others are usually very averse to his personality and will seldom appreciate him regardless of whatever he achieved in leadership. We shall be considering some of the major weaknesses and strengths of this leader and how they impact or influence his leadership style. Let’s start with the major weaknesses of the typical choleric leader in leadership;

**Major Weaknesses Of The Choleric Leader In Leadership.**

As stated earlier, the main weaknesses of a typical choleric leader are usually considered to be very hostile and inhumane to those he’s leading or his followers. Let us briefly look at them one after the other.

**High-handedness:**

There’s no other temperament or personality that can be more high-handed in infringing or trampling on your right when he has the advantage over you, when it comes to achieving his goals more than a typical choleric personality. Naturally, a choleric is a highly ambitious and goal-oriented personality who does not hesitate to use whatever means at his disposal to accomplish and achieve his ends. Therefore, when he attains a leadership position, no one dares stand on his way when he wants to get something done or achieved.

It usually is not uncommon for him to subject his subordinates and those working for him to some extreme measures, even if it means denying them of some of their rights and privileges to get what he wants, a typical choleric leader will not hesitate in doing that. He is that type of leader that in his quest to achieve his goals, will mandate you to work longer hours than the official working time without seeking your consent or having any form of negotiation with you.

And any attempt to remind or tell him about the organization’s stipulated working time, or trying to point him to your right is usually considered an act of insubordination, which will definitely attract a negative consequential effect. Unarguably, high-handedness is one of the main natural weakness of a typical choleric leader that usually impacts negatively on his leadership capabilities.

**Inconsiderateness:**

The natural inconsiderateness of a typical choleric personality also finds its way into his leadership responsibility. Of the four basic temperaments, choleric personalities are the most self-sufficient and self-reliant who often believes that they can always have their way, achieve whatever they desire with or without anyone, and can even do without anybody. However, their natural wisdom, cleverness, bold, and sophisticated lifestyle undoubtedly enables them to easily use others to achieve their ends if peradventure they must need the support of someone to accomplish those.
However, his innate self-sufficiency and self-reliance, plus the mentality of being able to do without anyone doubtlessly makes him a very Inconsiderate person. It also makes him unable to delegate responsibility, since he lacks trust in others and feels that no other person can do a better job than himself.

A typical choleric leader seldom considers the feelings of others when he’s got a goal to accomplish or target to meet. Neither does he pander towards your sentiments or opinion as long as it is at variance to his. He is opinionated and narrow-minded in his thought rarely condescending to your own opinions or suggestions. Even though he may bow to, or consider a superior argument, but be careful not to make him feel like he’s not the boss in your argument. Aside his loved ones or close associates that he has got so much respect and regards for, this leader seldom considers anyone in his thinking, thoughts, and actions.

**Insensitivity:**

Apart from the sanguine who comes close, if there’s any temperament that needs to work on, and develop its emotional intelligence, I think it’s the choleric temperament. For the ability to be sensitive to the feelings of others, and also being sensitive to potential conflicts or what could be a major source of conflicts between others and oneself, and of course making conscious effort to forestalling it certainly requires high emotional intelligence.

But quite unfortunately, a typical choleric personality has the least developed emotion of the four temperaments. As a result of this, it’s not an uncommon thing for him to display acts of insensitivity towards the feelings of others, nor be sensitive to some actions and attitudes that could lead to the breakdown of peaceful coexistence and Interpersonal relationships. Unequivocally speaking, a typical choleric leader is naturally the most insensitive leader of any of the four basic temperament types.

For a certainty, because of his natural undeveloped emotions and lack of consideration for others, he does not seem to be sensitive to some major conflict catalyst between him and others, neither is he appreciative of the feelings of others. More often than not, his followers, close associates, those working for, and with him, and even his sweetheart will usually complain of his lack of sensitivity to their plights or feelings. This no doubt has consequently hampered the typical choleric leader’s relationship with those he is leading or those who are very close to him.

**Domineering:**

Of the four basic temperament types, no other temperament can be more domineering and assertive more than a predominant choleric. Next to the choleric is the typical sanguine personality who comes distant close. Naturally speaking, predominant choleric personalities are highly domineering and assertive. These fire  personalities always wants their own ideas, opinions, decisions, or suggestions to be preferred and considered ahead of other’s. Not preferring and considering theirs, makes them feel that they’ve been undermined and their ego has been bruised. This could trigger aggression, hostility, emotional outburst, and perhaps lead to other negative repercussions.

When in any leadership role or capacity, it is usually not uncommon for the choleric leader to always want his unilateral decision to stand and hold sway. For he often believes that his decisions and what he wants is the best for everyone, and there can be no better other than his. A typical choleric leader likes things done his own way, it is either his way or nothing. Otherwise, he will not hesitate to ride roughshod over anyone who does not pander to his decision, or align with what he wants. If you are working with, or under a typical choleric boss, being dumb, literally speaking, and always pandering to what he wants without any kind of resistance will make him further dominate you. But it’s of course the surest way of getting what you want from him, because he likes to get one hundred percent loyalty from his staffs and subordinates.

However, being very intelligently conversational, knowing how to present your ideas, opinions, and suggestions in the most decorous and courteous manner will make him little respect and regards for you, and he will not hesitate to make you his close associate and perhaps work with you to accomplish his goals. But frequently challenging his decisions and authority, and trying to make him feel that he’s not competent enough, will certainly be at your own peril. Discretion should guide you when working with a predominant choleric leader or boss, otherwise, that peaceful and cordial working relationship will be missing, which will obviously affect your productivity and perhaps your mental health. For no other leader puts others under pressure more than a typical choleric leader.

**Indecorous:**

Much as he likes people to be very courteous,  polite, and respectful when talking to him or correcting him over a mistake. A predominant choleric leader is arguably the most impolite, disrespectful, and indecorous when scolding, correcting, or maybe expressing his disapproval and unsatisfactory feeling towards others. Maybe because of their work attitude, or any little mistake made by his followers and subordinates. He does not hesitate to publicly criticize and backlash them using some very uncanny and unpleasant words that could be demeaning and disrespectful. When this happens, that healthy working relationship between him and majority of those working for, or with him will clearly be lost, and which will negatively impact productivity because no human being likes to be lightly esteemed.

A temperament like sanguine may be able to take his disrespectful attitude for granted without allowing it affect his mood and mental state, because of his free and easygoing nature. But some temperaments such as; melancholy and phlegmatic will dwell longer in depressive thoughts of that unpleasant experience, and it will take them quite sometime to overcome the inherent emotional trauma.

Being indecorous is one of the choleric leaders’ main weakness which negatively impacts his leadership responsibility and creates a difficult working relationship with those working for, and with him. Perhaps his lack of consideration for others, and insensitivity towards the feelings of his subordinates, and also his willingness to quickly get it off his chest, makes him unable to exercise decorum when addressing the supposed mistakes or frailties of others.

**Lack Of Empathy:**

Empathy or compassion for followers or those being led is one of the main qualities of any successful leader. For this will undoubtedly motivate him to ensuring that he meets their needs. Empathy for others is usually inherent in the temperament we are born with, and it is a function of how emotionally developed we are. Those who are less emotionally developed, will be the least empathetic toward others while those with a developed emotion, will have high emotional intelligence and of course will show more empathy toward the course of others.

Predominant melancholy and sanguine personalities seem to be more emotionally balanced than phlegmatic and choleric, hence their empathetic nature towards others. A typical choleric personality has got the least developed emotion of the four temperaments hence, he’s unlikely to show empathy towards others. A typical choleric leader is the most unsympathetic towards the negative feelings or unfortunate experiences of others. Even though he may try to do his best to bring succor, but his disposition and character rarely shows or depict empathy.

His natural lack of empathy clearly makes him trivialize, and sacrifice human capital development and the welfare of those working for him on the altar of physical infrastructural development. Unless he has another secondary temperament that is more empathetic than his predominant choleric temperament in considerable amount, or if he were raised by very loving and caring parents, he will seldom care about others or be empathetic towards his fellow human being. If not raised with love by very loving and caring parents, he will most likely become a bully and a wicked person.

For he seems to have stopped crying at the age of twelve, and tears seem to have dried up from his eyes before he is eighteen. Therefore, seeing others going through some painful and unfortunate experiences mean very little to him. The tears of others usually drives him berserk, for he often wonder why they should cry. Therefore, if you are working under a predominant choleric boss, don’t always expect him to show empathy or be too empathetic to your course, especially when he is more focused on work and achieving his goals and objectives.

**Aggression:**

Aggression and hostility is synonymous with the choleric temperament and a predominant choleric personality is usually an aggressive person. For his impatience with others, quick disposition to anger, and also quick temperedness often predisposes him to being hostile and aggressive. Additionally, he’s got innate low boiling point and high volatility that he easily boils off and becomes highly volatile at the slightest provocation.

A typical choleric leader who is confronted with an external threat or any act he views unfriendly will often opt for a fight or showdown just to display his prowess and fearlessness than negotiate or sue for peace. He considers it a sign of weakness and timidity not fighting back when his provoked. Because of his aggressive and hostile behavior, so many people often tends to avoid and keep their distance from him. Consequently, he unconsciously build a wall of defense around himself that no one dares to intrude.

You should be prepared for a very quick aggressive reaction, revenge, or a fierce showdown if you hurt or step on the toe of a predominant choleric leader. As a boss, certain things usually triggers his hostile and aggressive behavior. Top among them are; inability to achieve his goals and objectives, a lazy or less productive employee, failure to adhere strictly to his directives, poor work attitude, and any other attitude or behavior that smack of unserious disposition to work, or that tends to slow him down when he’s eager to accomplish a task. He does not hesitate to lambast and lampoon his staffs and subordinates if he notices any act of complacency or unserious attitude to work.

**Hard To Please:**

Choleric personalities are the most difficult people to please and get their approval or commendation. Just as their melancholy counterparts are hard to satisfy because of their perfectionist tendencies, cholerics are hard to please because of their selfreliance and self-sufficiency. A typical choleric leader will rarely commend or compliment you even if he is convinced that you’ve done a good job.  For he believe that commending you will make you become complacent and perhaps loose focus or lower your efficiency. He also thinks that what is there to applaud you for when he can also do the job, and even better. And finally, he considers it an aberration complimenting and commending you for a job you are being paid to do.

Sometimes, verbal commendation and applause usually does not cut it for him and he will seldom wear smiling face, but more often than not a hard look even if he feels impressed with your work. However he usually expresses his excitement and satisfaction through granting your request or giving approval to your proposal which is usually unusual of him. Therefore, when you see your choleric boss quickly grants your unofficial or off work request, or gives his approval to your proposition without vocally commending you for a job well done, you should know that he is actually impressed with your work attitude.

Working with a hard to please choleric boss or leader could be one of the most exasperating experience you will have, but if you understand his personality and what he panders towards, then you will have one of the most wonderful experience working with him. Being hard to please is one of the weakness of most predominant choleric leaders which undoubtedly lowers the morale of their staff and subordinates, and make them less productive. But choleric leaders must understand that little commendations and approvals, for those working for and with him especially coming from a very charismatic and astute leader like him, will definitely boost their morale and spur them to do more and better.

In conclusion, all the innate weaknesses of a predominant choleric leader are rarely hidden, these weaknesses are always easily noticed since he’s an extrovert, expressive, and unreserved person like his sanguine counterpart. Therefore, even before he ascends any leadership role or position, his weaknesses usually comes to the fore in his interpersonal relationship with others. As a result, you can easily evaluate the kind of leader he will be if entrusted with any leadership responsibility. Having said that, let us briefly consider some of his leadership qualities and strengths

**Natural Strengths Of A Choleric Leader In Leadership:**

Like I earlier stated, the natural strengths of a typical choleric leader usually enables him to become a very strong and effective leader whose achievements and impacts cannot be easily forgotten, because he’s a very impactful and influential leader. Consequently, he tends to have so many people who are divided for and against, across different lines because of his leadership style. No other temperament commands more followers and has a cult following in leadership more than a predominant choleric leader. For as his weaknesses tends to portray him as a tyrant, so are his strengths strong enough to make him accomplish remarkable things that most people appreciate and admire about him. Let us look at these strengths one after the other.

**Visionary:**

Among the four basic temperaments, no other temperament can be more visionary than a predominant choleric personality, perhaps a melancholy personality should come close to him in this regard. A typical choleric is a very ambitious person who always likes to be at the top, do things differently from others, and achieve remarkable results. His self-reliance and self-sufficiency usually motivates him to work very tirelessly and doggedly until he has achieved his goal or find himself at the peak of any endeavor he has chosen.

His ambition to always be at the top usually drive or propel his vision of achieving and accomplishing very great and extraordinary things. And his result or goal-oriented nature often turns him into a workaholic who does not rest until his vision becomes a reality. No leader likes to start and complete his own projects and programs rather than completing the one started by his predecessors more than a typical choleric leader. And there is no other leader has brought onboard more new infrastructural projects into existence more this leader.

Majority of the world’s skyscrapers and other gigantic infrastructures were conceived, started, and completed by the choleric leader. But he probably hired a phlegmatic or melancholy personality to draw the design. Before vying for any leadership role or position, he already has his programs and plans intact, and rarely does he deviate from them no matter what happens. If you need a visionary leader who can accomplish great and other extraordinary things in leadership, or conceive and implement new projects, a typical choleric personality unarguably possesses that innate quality and ability.

**Productive:**

Apart from the melancholy leader who comes close, there’s no other temperament leader that is usually more productive and efficient than a predominant choleric leader. His workaholic, goal-oriented, and business minded nature usually enables him to be far ahead of others in terms of productivity. This leader is very passionate about productivity, accomplishing a task, and physical or concrete products and deliverables that everyone can see and relate to. Consequently, he has an aversion for a lazy and unproductive staff or personnel.

Poor work attitude or any other attitude or behavior that smacks of some unserious disposition to work, or that tends to slow him down when he’s eager to accomplish a task irritates him a lot. He does not hesitate to lambast and lampoon his staffs and subordinates if he notices any act of complacency or unserious attitude to work which could affect his productivity. You must be hard-working and productive for you to have cordial and seamless working relationship with a typical choleric leader and maybe get his recommendation and approval.

**Fearless And Courageous:**

If there’s any temperament that has gotten rid of fear from his DNA, and erased it from his dictionary that he has become very allergic to it, is the predominant choleric personality. I believe these personalities have excessive secretion of adrenaline “fight” hormone into their blood, hence their natural fearless traits and disposition. A typical choleric leader is not one given to fear. The only thing he fears is fear of not being able to achieve his goals and ambitions, but he must find a way to get whatever he wants.

Adversities do not also break him or make him vicillate, they rather motivate him to become dogged in pursuing his dreams and aspirations. He does not wait to be stimulated by his environment, but he often stimulates his environment with his ideas, goals, and aspirations and motivates himself to keep working until he achieves his dreams and desires. The choleric leader is doubtlessly the most courageous and fearless leader who is not intimidated by challenges and circumstances.

He is a leader who has got the capacity to go into some unfamiliar and uncharted territories and successfully navigates his way through. This leader treads on paths where even angels fears to tread without having his feet burned. As a result of his courage and fearlessness, his fame and influence as a leader tends to be more intense and widely broadcasted than those of any other temperament. Since courage is one of the main hallmark of an effective leadership, then a typical choleric leader has got no challenge with being very courageous as a leader.

**Charismatic:**

It is not uncommon for an influential choleric personality who is hardworking, fearless, and courageous to become a very charismatic and motivational leader. This leader has got the capability to motivate and influence you into doing what he wants or become a much more productive person. He is seldom timid, and he is one who is not afraid of looking anyone in the face and tell them what or how he feels. He oozes confidence, and also demonstrates capacity in taking responsibility. Perhaps his assertiveness, bluntness and ability to quickly express his disapproval over something he is not impressed with, makes him turn some of his unproductive staffs and workers into very productive persons.

The predominant choleric leader knows how to motivate and inspire his lieutenants or those he is leading to be as productive as he is, or force the best out of them. Working with a typical choleric leader is one of the most nostalgic feeling, or uncertain experience you will have. For if you focus or dwell so much on his weaknesses to the extent that they induce in you an aversion for him, then you are likely to always be at loggerhead with him and perhaps you will rarely be positively impacted by his natural strengths. But looking beyond his weaknesses and being able to manage them, and rather choosing to focus on doing your job, the chances of being influenced by his leadership strengths will be very intense.

As a young apprentice in my early twenties who worked under a typical choleric boss, I almost abandoned my apprenticeship and run away because of the weaknesses and oddities that’s often been exhibited by him. These weaknesses constantly irritates me as a predominant melancholy personality because I lack the mental strength to withstand being reduced to nothing by someone. Therefore, it was really not easy for me to get over his high-handedness, inconsiderate, and disrespectful attitude.

But the emphasis placed on that particular skill by the organization I approached for a job gave me the courage and impetus to persist, so I decided to overlook and take the idiosyncrasies of my choleric boss for granted. But today, I believe I can boast of the fact that among all those who worked under different bosses with other types of temperaments, I was given an award as the best apprentice and the best as long as that skill was concerned. In conclusion, working under a predominant choleric boss or leader is like passing an unrefined gold through  fire in order to get a purer commodity.

**Decisive:**

A choleric leader is a very decisive leader. This leader unlike other temperament leader, does not wait for things to get bad and maybe become bastardized before taking a decision about what to do. He is a very proactive rather than reactive leader, and you can count on him to take a firm stand on any issue, or a firm decision when it matters. As long as the onus is on him and responsibility is placed upon his shoulders, he does not wait until he gets the support and approval of everyone like his predominant phlegmatic counterpart will do, before taking a decision, eventhough majority of his decisions are considered unilateral and totalitarian by his subordinates.

His natural wisdom and forthrightness enables him to make the right decisions that more often than not leads to a very positive outcome or result. However, since he is also sometimes impulsive like his sanguine counterpart, it’s also not uncommon for him to sometimes make decisions outside of careful planning, thoughts and reasoning. Consequently, some of his decision may become counter-productive by reason of the fact that it was made out of emotions and sentiments. And since it was not carefully thought through before proceeding to action, it is usually very difficult for him to remedy the damages his decision would have caused. But if a typical choleric leader can be a little bit more detailed and strategic in his decision making process, he will be more accurate in his decisive ability

**Forthright:**

Forthrightness is a lifestyle that is very much synonymous with the choleric temperament. No other temperament is usually very bold and courageous enough to look into your eyes and tell you the truth, which others may be economical about more than a predominant choleric personality. Unless other negativities finds there way into his life, naturally a typical choleric personality sticks with the truth, and he does not vicillate under pressure of speaking truth regardless of who is involved.

If he is with you, he is very clear about it and he rarely compromises. And if he is against you, he is also crystal clear about it, and he is usually not apologetic about his decision. Therefore, when entrusted with leadership, you can be confident that he will often face anyone with the truth after he has dispassionately looked at issues. His laws and principles are as clear as the biblical sermon on the mount. And he does not hesitate to make them very clear to anyone who is working with him. Because of this clarity, he would have no apology when confronting you with the truth and punishing you adequately peradventure you default.

**Pragmatic:**

There’s no other temperament leader that is more practical, and accentuates practical and pragmatic leadership than a typical choleric leader. This leader doesn’t believe in theoretical or idealistic leadership, but in very practical, examplery, and onfield leadership. It’s basically for this reason that you will often see him on the field, and in various project and construction sites to ensure that his dreams and visions become a reality. He is not a leader that gives directives or a task and go to relax. He moves around to make sure that his directives are carried out to the latter.

Because of his pragmatic leadership, all his staffs, followers, and subordinates tends fall in line with his visions and work assiduously towards achieving them. His passion for practicality and pragmatism makes him feel less passionate about paperworks and documents. Too much of those usually drives him berserk; for he believes in getting into the field and getting the job done. Asides a typical sanguine leader, a predominant choleric leader is another leader who is easily bored by too much details of paper work and documents.

Consequently, it’s not uncommon for him to begin a project without adequate or proper documentation. His passion to quickly get things done and completed makes him trivialize any theoretical activity that seems to be wasting his time. Pragmatic leadership is undoubtedly one of the quality of an effective leader, and a natural strength of the choleric leader. But he should always consider working with a predominant melancholy or phlegmatic for record keeping, careful and proper documentation.

**Protective:**

The fearless, courageous, and egocentric nature of a typical choleric personality also makes him a very protective leader who often protects his followers from any external aggression. This leader is very passionate about defending his followers and territory. As a political leader in the status of a president or governor, defense is usually one of his core priority in leadership, and he will not hesitate to defend his territory against any kind of external hostility.

This is because he doesn’t want other territories to view him nor his people as being a weakly or conquered people. Consequently, others tends to become very wary of him because of his aggressive and pugnacious nature. Even in his erotic relationship, no other temperament defends and protect his loved ones and sweetheart more than a predominant choleric personality. Therefore with a choleric leader, the safety and security of his followers is guaranteed.

Conclusively, the choleric leader is a very strong and effective leader. But while his innate weaknesses may make him appear to be a tyrant and portrays his leadership style as being tyrannical. Majority of his strengths are very much required for very effective and efficient leadership. But a predominant choleric leader must as a matter of fact endeavor to manage his weaknesses, and delegate responsibilities to other temperament types who their strengths may be better suitable for certain roles and responsibilities.