Chapter 4

Personality and Values

Learning Objectives
Define personality, describe how it is measured, and explain the factors that determine an individuals personality. Describe the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality framework and assess its strengths and weaknesses. Identify the key traits in the Big Five personality model. Demonstrate how the Big Five traits predict behavior at work. Identify other personality traits relevant to OB.

Define values, demonstrate their importance, and contrast terminal and instrumental values.
Compare generational differences in values, and identify the dominant values in todays workforce.

Identify Hofstedes five value dimensions of national culture.

Personality

What is Personality?

The dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment. Gordon Allport

The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts and interacts with others, the measurable traits a person exhibits

Personality

Measuring Personality

Personality Tests

Helpful in hiring decisions

Self Report Surveys

Most common method

Observer Rating Surveys

Provide an independent assessment of personality often better predictors

Personality
Personality Determinants
Factors determined at conception: physical stature, facial attractiveness, gender, temperament, muscle composition and reflexes, energy level, and bio-rhythms Heredity Approach argues that Twin studies: raised apart but genes are the source of very similar personalities personality Parents dont add much personality development to There is some personality change over long time periods

Heredity

Personality Traits

Enduring characteristics that describe an individuals behavior The more consistent the characteristic and the more frequently it occurs in diverse situations, the more important the trait
5

Personality
The Myers Briggs Indicator (MBTI)
A personality test that taps four characteristics and classifies people into 1 of 16 personality types using 100 questions

Most widely-used instrument in the world

Extroverted (E) vs. Introverted (I)

Sensing (S) vs. Intuitive (N)

Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)

Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)

Each of the sixteen possible combinations has a name

6

Personality
The Big Five Personality Model
A personality assessment model that taps five basic dimensions

+ + + Extraversion Extraversion

Introversion - - -

The quality of being comfortable with relationships (Sociable, gregarious, and assertive) Higher performance Enhanced leadership Higher job & life satisfaction

Personality
The Big Five Personality Model
+ + + High Agreeableness Low - - -

The ability to get along with others (Good-natured, cooperative, and trusting) Higher performance Lower levels of deviant behavior

+ + + High Conscientiousness

Low - - -

The number of goals on which a person focuses (Responsible, dependable, persistent, and organized) Higher performance Enhanced leadership Greater longevity
8

Personality
The Big Five Personality Model
+ + + More Emotional Stability Less- - -

Less moodiness and insecurity (Calm, self-confident, secure under stress (positive), versus nervous, depressed, and insecure under stress (negative) High job & life satisfaction Lower stress level

+ + + More Openness

Less - - -

The capacity to entertain new ideas and to change as a result of new information (Curious, imaginative, artistic, and sensitive) Training performance Enhanced leadership More adaptable to change
9

Personality
Other Personality Traits Relevant to OB
Core Self Evaluation The degree to which people like or dislike themselves A pragmatic, emotionally distant power-player who believes that ends justify the means An arrogant, entitled, self-important person who needs excessive admiration The ability to adjust behavior to meet external, situational factors. The willingness to take chances. Aggressively involved in a chronic, incessant struggle to achieve more in less time Identifies opportunities, shows initiative, takes action, and perseveres to completion higher job performance

Machiavellianism

win more often Less effective in their jobs more likely to become leaders.

Narcissism

Self Monitoring

Risk Taking

make faster decisions with less information

High performance Creates positive change 10 in the environment 10

Types A Personality

Proactive Personality

Values
What is Values?
Basic convictions on how to conduct yourself or how to live your life that is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state of existence

Attributes of Values
Content Attribute Intensity Attribute
That the mode of conduct or end-state is importance

Persons beliefs about his or her capabilities to perform a task 11

Values

What is Value System?

A hierarchy based on a ranking of an individuals value in terms of their intensity

Tends to be relatively constant and consistent

12

Values
What is the Importance of Values?

Provide understanding of the attitudes, motivation, and behaviors

Influence our perception of the world around us

Represent interpretations of right and wrong

Imply that some behaviors or outcomes are preferred over others

13

Values

Terminal Versus Instrumental Values Rokeach Value Survey

Terminal Values

Desirable end-states of existence; the goals that a person would like to achieve during his or her lifetime

Instrumental Values

Preferable modes of behavior or means of achieving ones terminal values

14

Values
Generational Values
Cohort Veterans Entered Workforce 1950-1964 65+ Approximate Current Age Dominant Work Values Hard working, conservative, conforming; loyalty to the organization Success, achievement, ambition, dislike of authority; loyalty to career Work/life balance, team-oriented, dislike of rules; loyalty to relationships Confident, financial success, self-reliant but team-oriented; loyalty to both self and relationships
15

Boomers

1965-1985

40-60s

Xers

1985-2000

20-40s

Nexters

2000-Present

Under 30

Linking an Individuals Personality and Values to the Workplace

Personality - Job Fit Theory
A theory that identifies six personality types and proposes that the fit between personality type and occupational environment determines satisfaction and turnover John Hollands Personality-Job Fit Theory Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI)

Realistic

Social

Investigative

Enterprising

Artistic

Conventional

1. 2. 3.

There appear to be intrinsic differences in personality between people. There are different types of jobs. People in jobs congruent with their personality should be more satisfied and have lower turnover. 16

Linking an Individuals Personality and Values to the Workplace

Person Organization Fit

The extent that employees personality must fit with the organizational culture.

People are attracted to organizations that match their values.

Those who match are most likely to be selected.

Mismatches will result in turnover.

Can use the Big Five personality types to match to the organizational culture.

17

Global Implications

Personality

Do frameworks like Big Five transfer across cultures? Yes, but the frequency of type in the culture may vary Better in individualistic collectivist cultures than

Values

Values differ across cultures Hofstedes Framework for assessing culture five value dimensions: Power distance - Individualism vs. Collectivism - Masculinity vs. Femininity Uncertainty Avoidance - Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation

18

Global Implications
Hofstedes Framework for Assessing Cultures

Power Distance

The extent to which a society accepts that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally High Distance

Low Distance

Relatively equal power between those with status / wealth and those without status / wealth

Extremely unequal power distribution between those with status / wealth and those without status / wealth

19

Global Implications
Hofstedes Framework for Assessing Cultures

Individualism

Collectivism

The degree to which people prefer to act as individuals rather than as members of groups

A tight social framework in which people expect others in groups of which they are a part to look after them and protect them

Masculinity The extent to which the society values work roles of achievement, power, and control, and where assertiveness and materialism are also valued

Femininity

The extent to which there is little differentiation between roles for men and women
20

Global Implications
Hofstedes Framework for Assessing Cultures

Uncertainty Avoidance

The extent to which a society feels threatened by uncertain and ambiguous situations and tries to avoid them Low Uncertainty Avoidance

High Uncertainty Avoidance

Society does not like ambiguous situations and tries to avoid them

Society does not mind ambiguous situations and embraces them

21

Global Implications
Hofstedes Framework for Assessing Cultures

Long-term Orientation

Short-term Orientation

A national culture attribute that emphasizes the future, thrift, and persistence

A national culture attribute that emphasizes the present and the here-and-now

22

Global Implications
GLOBE Framework for Assessing Cultures
Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) research program (Nine dimensions of national culture)

Humane Orientation

Performance Orientation

How much society rewards people for being altruistic, generous, and kind

How much society encourages and rewards performance improvement and excellence

23