Leadership & Management Discussion for Lesson 11: Personality and Reflection as a Leadership Tool

Lesson 11 Reading Objectives 1. The student will comprehend and distinguish personality traits and psychological types. 1. The student will comprehend and distinguish personality traits and psychological types. 2. The student will know his/her psychological type and describe the implications for his/her relationships and leadership performance. 2. The student will know his/her psychological type and describe the implications for his/her relationships and leadership performance. 3. The student will comprehend why introspection and reflection are valuable tools for a leader. 3. The student will comprehend why introspection and reflection are valuable tools for a leader.

Lesson 11 Reading Objectives 4. The student will comprehend the Paul Principle and how to avoid it. 4. The student will comprehend the Paul Principle and how to avoid it. 5. The student will apply reflection and introspection to better understand their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. 5. The student will apply reflection and introspection to better understand their strengths and weaknesses as a leader.

Lesson 11 Discussion Objectives 1. The student will know their psychological type and describe the implications for their relationships and leadership performance. 1. The student will know their psychological type and describe the implications for their relationships and leadership performance. 2. The student will apply reflection and introspection to better understand their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. 2. The student will apply reflection and introspection to better understand their strengths and weaknesses as a leader.

Psychological Types  Psychological types help define cognitive styles i.e. mental processes used to perceive and make judgments from information.  Knowledge of these cognitive styles can help you relate better to people because you better appreciate how they make decisions.  According to Psychiatrist Carl Jung, how people gather and evaluate information determines their cognitive style.

Psychological Types  Sensation type Individuals Prefer routine and order Prefer routine and order Search for precise details Search for precise details Prefer to work with established facts Prefer to work with established facts  Intuitive type Individuals Prefer overall perspective – “big picture” Enjoy solving problems Dislike routine Prefer to look for possibilities Gathering Information

Psychological Types  Feeling type individuals Need to conform Need to conform Adapt to others’ wishes Adapt to others’ wishes Avoid problems that may cause disagreement Avoid problems that may cause disagreement  Thinking type Individuals Rely on reason and intellect Downplay emotion in problem solving and decision making Evaluating Information

Psychological Types  Cognitive Styles—two dimensions of information gathering and evaluation are combined to produce a four-way classification of cognitive styles: Sensation/Thinking Sensation/Thinking Intuitive/Thinking Intuitive/Thinking Sensation/Feeling Sensation/Feeling Intuitive/Feeling Intuitive/Feeling

Introspection and Reflection  Introspection Enables leader to realize gaps between who they are, who they think they are and who they are perceived to be. Enables leader to realize gaps between who they are, who they think they are and who they are perceived to be. The introspection process should be accomplished systematically and should be done regularly with the help of an executive assistant, trusted friend or spouse. The introspection process should be accomplished systematically and should be done regularly with the help of an executive assistant, trusted friend or spouse.

Introspection and Reflection (Cont.)  Questions to ask yourself: - Establish a schedule – how do you spend your time? - Establish you priorities – what are they? - Examine your reliability – do you honor commitments? - Who tells you the news – good or bad? - How long are your meetings – are they short & to the point? - How well do you listen? - Are you feared/distrusted or respected/liked?

Introspection and Reflection (Cont.)  Does your body language promote teamwork?  Are you a communicator – do you help your people learn and develop?  Do you speak and write well?  Are you a reader?  Are you a disciplinarian – are you fair and consistent?  Do you enjoy your job?  Are you an innovator?  Do you maintain mental and physical fitness?  Do you deflect or magnify pressure?  Are you tuned-in or out-of-touch?

Introspection and Reflection (Cont.)  Are you a delegator?  Are you a non-drinker, drinker or alcoholic?  Are you an optimist or pessimist?  What are your ethics and values – based upon what?  Are you ambitious?  Are you secure or insecure?  Are you a philanderer?  What is your integrity level?  Are you intense of relaxed?  Are you decisive or indecisive?  Are you conceptual – can you translate goals into a conceptual framework?

Introspection and Reflection Establishing your schedule— how do you spend your time? Establishing your priorities— what are they? Examining your reliability—do you honor commitments ? How long are your meetings— are they short, brisk and to the point? How well do you listen? Only by listening do you learn what’s going on. Are you feared, distrusted, like, respected or loved? Examining your reliability—do you honor commitments? Are you a communicator— do you help people develop? Speaking & writing ability?

Introspection and Reflection Are you a disciplinarian? Do you enjoy your job? Are you an innovator? Are you flexible? Are you physically and intellectual fitness? Do you deflect or magnify pressure? Are you tuned in or out of touch? Are you an innovator? Are you a delegator? Are you a non- drinker, drinker or alcoholic? Are you an optimist or pessimist? Are you religious? What are your ethics and values?

Introspection and Reflection Are you a writer? Are you ambitious? Are you secure or insecure? Are you a philanderer? What is your integrity level? Are you intense or relaxed? Are you decisive? Can you put mission, goals, requirements, responsibilities in a conceptual framework?

Personality Traits  Personality traits impact interpersonal relations and job performance: - Extroversion - Introversion - Conscientiousness - Agreeableness - Emotional Stability - Openness to Experience  Self-Monitoring is critical to success

Personality Traits (Cont.)  Extroversion - Social, gregarious, assertive - Values input from external sources  Introversion - Reflective, thoughtful, innovative - Values internally derived solutions  Emotional Stability - Often referred to as “Neurotic”

Personality Traits (Cont.)  Agreeableness - Courteous, flexible, trusting - Friendly and cooperative  Conscientiousness - Careful, thorough, organized - Dependable and tolerant  Openness to Experience - Imaginative, curious, innovative - Well-Developed intellects

Self-Monitoring Behavior  The process of evaluating and controlling how we are perceived by others - High Self-Monitors are pragmatic, sometimes, Chameleon-like characters who may say what others want to hear. - Low Self-Monitors avoid situations that require them to adapt – may appear inflexible.

Paul Principle  Peter Principle; one’s highest level of incompetence - Antidote is meticulous preparation  Paul Principle; gradual obsolescence of leaders as they lose touch with the organizations they lead: - Become overly risk-averse - Resist change - Fail to take advantage of technological advances - Antidote is engagement; professional reading program training symposia, team-building, etc. to re-connect with training symposia, team-building, etc. to re-connect with staff. staff.

Next Class  The Power of Perception  Read: Leadership & Management, Chapter 12 Leadership & Management, Chapter 12

Summary  Knowing the different personality types and how each may react to various situations can be a critical component of effective leadership.  An accurate assessment and clear understanding of your own personality traits is an important prerequisite to understanding others.  The reflective leader is able to analyze leadership situations in light of what he/she already knows.

Questions? ???