MGMT 200 Personality & Individual Differences

What is Personality?  Personality is defined as the combination of characteristics that comprise a person’s unique nature  Nature vs. Nurture  Proactive vs. Reactive  Organizational Needs…is there an “ideal personality” type?  One size does not fit all!  Big Five Personality Model 1. Extraversion: Outgoing, sociable, assertive 2. Agreeableness: Good-natured, cooperative 3. Conscientiousness: Responsible, dependable 4. Emotional stability: Secure, relaxed, calm 5. Openness to experience: Imaginative, broad-minded

Personality: Jung Typology ► Four personality dimensions that identify 16 different personality types:  Extraversion- Introversion  Sensing-Intuitive  Thinking-Feeling  Judging-Perceiving ► Also researched by Myers & Briggs, and Keirsey ► Job characteristics matched to individual traits, preferences

Personality & Locus of Control INTERNALS I control what happens to me! EXTERNALS People and circumstances control my fate!

 A person’s general predisposition to feel and exhibit certain behaviors  Negative Affect (NA)  Individuals prone to experience anxiety, depression, guilt, cynicism  Positive Affect (PA)  Individuals prone to describe themselves as cheerful, enthusiastic, confident, active, & energetic  Emotional intelligence (EI)  Ability to understand others’ emotions, manage relationships well Personality & Affect Self-AwarenessSocial Awareness Self Management Relationship Management Emotional Intelligence

Positive & Negative Emotions Emotions are the most short- lived, and often intense, range of feelings we experience! Can lead to changes in our mood, which are longer-lasting.

How do emotions & moods influence organizational behavior? Emotion and mood contagion  spillover effects of one’s emotions and mood onto others – stress and coping mechanisms factors Emotional labor  regulating one’s emotions to display those desired by the organization Emotional dissonance  inconsistencies between emotions we feel and emotions we project

Understanding Individual Differences Important for predicting individual & group behavior across situations:  Self awareness: a conscious understanding of ourselves (personality, talents, preferences and biases)  Self-monitoring: adjusting behavior to situational factors  Self-concept: the perception individuals have of themselves  Self-esteem: belief in one’s self worth  Self-efficacy: belief in one’s ability to accomplish a task

Link between Individual Differences & Behavior in Organizations Figure 3.1: The Link between Attributes and Behavior in Organizations Source: K. R. Murphy (1996a). A Combination of “Can-do” & “Will-do”

Workforce Diversity ► Diversity: Variation in the human characteristics that distinguish one individual from one another ► Trends Affecting Workforce Diversity  Economy, cost of living = dual- income households  Globalization  Demographics = age/generation groups, ethnic and racial shifts

Employment Legislation in the U.S. ► Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964  Prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and veteran status in all employment decisions, applies to any organization with 15 or more employees  Enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or the EEOC ► Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  Protects rights of people with disabilities involving forms of impairment, limitations, and inability to perform normal daily functions ► Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)  Protects employees and job applicants from discrimination on the basis of age for everyone over the age of 40

Benefits of Workplace Diversity ► Companies that promote equal employment opportunity generally do better at attracting and retaining talented employees  Diversity of talents and skills enables competitive advantage ► Global marketplace demands a workforce with language skills, cultural sensitivity, and awareness of global differences ► Companies with effective diversity programs can avoid lawsuits and damage to their reputation ► Progressive organizations:  articulate a clear diversity mission, set objectives, and hold managers accountable for fair decisions and actions  find the most diverse possible pool of qualified candidates  help employees trying to balance the complex, multiple demands of work and personal life  work-life balance support and programs  provide awareness training and opportunities for collaboration across diverse work groups ► identifying in-group/out-group mentality and stereotypes ► focus on inclusion

TED Talk: Susan Cain – The Power of Introverts TED Talk: Susan Cain - The Power of Introverts TED Talk: Susan Cain - The Power of Introverts