Individual differences Dynamics of Organizational Behavior Virginia Tech MBA Program Andrew Watson

Agenda Shanghai Tang case Break Individual Differences (Ch. 2) 10 minutes Please indicate your NPA scores (but not your name) on board Individual Differences (Ch. 2) Personality Including Big 5 traits Ability Looking forward

Shanghai Tang Case Questions posed on Canvas, such as: What is [organization]? What advice would you give? What other questions does the case raise? Is it a good case? What do we mean by good, in this context? We might not agree

Individual Differences Chapter 2, also known as: Personality and Ability Personality basics Traits Including Big Five Scores on each trait on board Measuring personality Abilities

Personality and Related Concepts The pattern of relatively enduring ways that a person feels, thinks, and behaves (G&J’s words, my emphasis) Trait Component of personality Traits > Types? As a means of understanding and describing personality

Influences Influences on Personality Personality influences Nature: genetic heritage Nurture: life experiences Including early life Personality influences Affect Cognition Behavior Also influenced by situation

The Big Five Model of Personality Dimensions, or general traits of personality Each comprises multiple more specific traits Big Five Extraversion Positive affectivity Neuroticism Negative affectivity Agreeableness Toward others Conscientiousness Key difference between Theory X and Theory Y? Openness to Experience Includes the more specific trait of willingness to take risks

Other Traits Locus of control Self-monitoring Self-esteem External or internal? Self-monitoring Attention to image presented to others Self-esteem Type A or Type B? Needs, for: achievement, affiliation, power

Measuring Personality Multiple instruments are available What criteria should we use to select an instrument? Academic: is it valid? is it reliable? Personal: it did (not) seem to work on me References: which organizations have used it? Web user’s filter: is it free and quick? Two instruments meeting the last criterion: Newcastle Personality Assessor (NPA) Let’s get scores on board, if we haven’t already Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS) Similar to Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI)

Type Table MBTI ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ MBTI Based on 4 dichotomies from Jung’s theory Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) Sensing (S) or Intuition (N) Thinking (T) or Feeling (F) Judging (J) or Perceiving (P) Based on types, rather than on traits c.f. Big Five

Ability Capability to do something Cognitive Physical Emotional General intelligence, comprising more specific abilities: Verbal, numerical, reasoning, memory,… Physical Emotional Emotional intelligence: ability to understand and manage feelings and emotions One’s own, and those of others We’ll discuss emotions soon

Individuals and Organizations Attraction-selection-attrition (ASA) model Individuals tend to be attracted to, and selected by, organizations with “personalities” similar to their own Those with different personalities tend to leave The organization converges toward a particular personality How can organizations and managers use the material in this chapter? Problems with trying to change personality with training Personality is “relatively enduring” Would it ethical to try to change an employee’s personality? So how else can we use the material in this chapter?

Looking Forward Syllabus Before next meeting Get to know it Add to Apr 27: Paper 2 due Let me know of other ways in which syllabus could be clearer Before next meeting Canvas Get to know the site for this course Check that email I send via Canvas gets to you Watch one of two videos Canvas Discussion for 02/03 includes links Skim the motivation chapters: 6, 7

Standard Closing Preparation for next meeting: see Canvas Discussion Anything else I should say to the whole class? Rest of evening Safe home Enjoy Anything you’d like to discuss with me? As individual or group