Which of the following is NOT an external influence on management and leadership styles?

The personality of the leader is not an external influence on management and leadership styles because it is an internal characteristic. A leader's personality encompasses their individual traits, values, and behaviors, which shape their decision-making and interaction with others within the organization. Unlike external influences such as political changes, environmental changes, and economic changes, which occur outside the organization and can affect management practices, the personality of the leader is intrinsic and cannot be categorized as an external factor.

External influences typically refer to conditions and events that occur outside an organization that impact its operations, strategy, and management approaches. For instance, political changes might involve new regulations affecting how a company manages its workforce, while economic changes could influence management styles by altering fiscal priorities and resource allocation. Environmental changes may involve natural events or shifts in sustainability practices that impact operational processes. Therefore, these external factors are crucial in shaping the leadership and management dynamics of an organization, while an individual leader's personality remains a personal attribute that influences their style independently of external conditions.