Is your company chairman a driver or a thinker? Or maybe he or she might be a facilitator or an integrator? It seems executives and non-executive directors have different ideas about the qualities they want in a company chairman.

From a survey of 400 British company directors, headhunters CCG Ward Howell International and industrial psychologist Ms Brenda Bell set out four preferred profiles of a company chairman.

In their report, What Does It Take to Be A Good Chairman?, the Facilitator is detached, affiliative, visionary and focused, low on ego and does not engage in power struggles with the chief executive. The Thinker, is shrewd, visionary and detached, challenging and analytical, works through the chief executive but has no doubts about his/her power. The Driver is directive, passionate, focused and affiliative, a charismatic leader likely to tower over others on the board.

The Integrator sets out to win heart and minds, has insight, is visionary, passionate and affiliative, intellectually brilliant with a flair for communications and relationships.