You don’t need my expertise in evaluating personality from demeanor to have been struck by the night and day differences between Donald J. Trump and Hillary R. Clinton in their recent debates. Does either one of them have the traits most desirable in a president? To help make that judgment here is my list of the most desirable personality traits in a President of the United States.
Certainly one characteristic is a lack of impulsiveness, or to put it more positively, toleration for ambiguity. Jumping to conclusions before as much evidence as can be gathered is obtained would be a drawback. Wanting to know about a variety of choices, with the possible advantages and disadvantages of each could serve a president well, with the proviso that sometimes fast decisions may be required.
Tolerance for risk-taking is a second desirable trait. Should we want a president who is risk adverse or one who, like a downhill skier, enjoys the thrills of taking risks? Neither! We need a president somewhere in between, occupying a middle ground—but such ground isn’t always available. The decision about what to risk should depend on estimates of the possible gains and losses, but that can’t always be known. Sometimes it may depend on the president’s personality.