Trump is a 'neurotic creative destructor'
Donald Trump is an ‘emotionally unstable innovator’ with a ‘creative destructor’ personality and high neuroticism, according to an analysis of the Twitter posts of famous business leaders.
In two studies, researchers led by QUT analysed the tweets of a number of well-known entrepreneurs and CEOs, including Trump, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch and Oprah Winfrey.
An international research team — led by Associate Professor Martin Obschonka from the Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research at QUT — used a new computerised scientific method of analysing digital footprints to establish personality profiles of 106 business leaders.
The analysis found that Trump shows stronger signs of an innovator personality than other influential business leaders — scoring higher in openness to new experience and unconventional solutions, but low in agreeableness — which means a strong focus on competition, social distinction and Machiavellism.
Obschonka said Trump’s profile is similar to the classic personality type identified by Joseph Schumpeter characterised as ‘creative destruction’.
“We can now ask what such an apparent ‘creative destructor’ personality means for his policy that is influenced by his personality,” he said.
“Schumpeterian personalities might be on the rise in political leadership in today’s entrepreneurial societies dealing with and proactively responding to rapid change as well as valuing disruptive innovations,” he said.
“We also found Trump scored relatively high in neuroticism. Being high in this trait means being emotionally unstable and having trouble controlling urges.”
Trump was also found to score relatively highly in neuroticism — which means being emotionally unstable and having trouble controlling urges.
“So in the end, it seems that we could identify a personality pattern in Trump that makes him so distinct from the superstar entrepreneurs and CEOs in that he really seems to resemble a type of an emotionally unstable innovator,” he said.
“Being a single-minded, independent and creative rule-breaker can be good traits for entrepreneurs but they are probably more unusual in high-level politicians, particularly when coupled with high neuroticism.”
He said this personality profile could be a double-edged sword for Trump’s current position as president.
“More entrepreneurial thinking and acting in high-level politicians could boost an entrepreneurial economy, but such entrepreneurial personalities could also show an unconventional political leadership style that is highly successful in the business world but maybe not so successful in the political realm that requires careful diplomacy instead of risky entrepreneurial thirst for action.”
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