Mgt 4310 Individual Differences Week 2

Objectives  Examine how individuals differ in the work place  Explain the competing values framework  Examine why it is important to identify your personal differences and to understand how these differences may affect your employees or you as a manger.

Competing Values Framework of Leadership __________________________________ Human Relations Open Systems Internal Process Rational Goal

Human Relations Model Internal Process Model Rational Goal Model Open Systems Model Focus on employees -morale -needs -openness Participative decision making Training Focus on control systems -bureaucratic -tight rules -centralized control -documentation Focus on productivity and efficiency - lots of planning -setting goals -competitiveness Focus on change -growing the organization -innovation -being responsive

Competing Values Framework Roles

The Positive and Negative Zones

Personality Differences  The Big 5: –Extraversion: sociable, friendly  Extraverts versus introverts –Neuroticism: experience negative affect, view the world negatively –Agreeableness – get along well with others

Personality Differences  The Big 5: –Conscientiousness: high self-discipline, careful, persevering –Open to Experience: broad range of interests, will take risks, open to experience

Personality Differences  Locus of Control –Belief in one’s ability to control one’s situation/life  Internals versus Externals  Self-Monitoring –The extent to which one is attuned to/or cares about how one presents one’s self to others

Personality Differences  Self-Esteem –Belief in ones abilities and self-worth  Type A and B –Type A’s highly competitive, have a strong sense of urgency, impatient and hostile –Type B’s are more relaxed

Personality Differences  McClelland’s Needs –N Ach – Enjoys challenging but not unachievable tasks, likes to set goals and have clear feedback, likes to have control over outcomes –N Aff – Enjoys maintaining good relations with others, sensitive to others feelings –N Pow – Desires to exert influence over others

Personality Differences  Skills and abilities –Cognitive Intelligence –Physical Ability  Emotional Intelligence –Understanding and managing one’s own and other’s emotions

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model Reflective Observation (discussion) Concrete Experience (exercises/events) Abstract Conceptualization (reading) Active Experimentation (assignments, testing) Knowledge

Four Styles of Learning Concrete Experience (CE) Learning from Feeling -learn from experiences -relating to people -being sensitive to the feelings of others Reflective Observation (RO) Learning by watching a listening -carefully observing before making judgements -viewing issues from different perspectives -looking for the meaning of things Concrete Experience (CE) Learning from Feeling -learn from experiences -relating to people -being sensitive to the feelings of others Reflective Observation (RO) Learning by watching a listening -carefully observing before making judgements -viewing issues from different perspectives -looking for the meaning of things Abstract Conceptualization (AC) Learning by thinking -logically analyzing ideas -systematic planning -acting on intellectual understanding of situations Active Experimentation (AE) Learning by doing -ability to get things done -risk taking -influencing people and events through actions

Concrete Experience Abstract Conceptualization Reflective Observation Active Experimentation Accommodator Strengths: getting things done, leadership, taking risks Too Much: trivial improvements, meaningless activity Too Little: work not complete on time, not directed to goals impractical plans Diverger Strengths: Imaginative, understanding, recognizing problems, brainstorming Too Much: Paralyzed by alternatives, can’t make decisions Too Little: no ideas, can’t recognize problems and opportunities Converger Strengths: problem solving, decision making, deductive reasoning, defining problems Too Much: solving the wrong problem, hasty decision making Too Little: lack of focus, scattered thoughts, no testing of ideas. Assimilator Strengths: planning, creating models, defining problems, developing theories Too Much: no practical application, castles in the air Too Little: unable to learn from mistakes, no sound basis for work, no systematic approach

Concrete Experience Abstract Conceptualization Reflective Observation Active Experimentation Accommodator Strengths: getting things done, leadership, taking risks Too Much: trivial improvements, meaningless activity Too Little: work not complete on time, not directed to goals impractical plans Diverger Strengths: Imaginative, understanding, recognizing problems, brainstorming Too Much: Paralyzed by alternatives, can’t make decisions Too Little: no ideas, can’t recognize problems and opportunities Converger Strengths: problem solving, decision making, deductive reasoning, defining problems Too Much: solving the wrong problem, hasty decision making Too Little: lack of focus, scattered thoughts, no testing of ideas. Assimilator Strengths: planning, creating models, defining problems, developing theories Too Much: no practical application, castles in the air Too Little: unable to learn from mistakes, no sound basis for work, no systematic approach

Concrete Experience Abstract Conceptualization Reflective Observation Active Experimentation Accommodator Strengths: getting things done, leadership, taking risks Too Much: trivial improvements, meaningless activity Too Little: work not complete on time, not directed to goals impractical plans Diverger Strengths: Imaginative, understanding, recognizing problems, brainstorming Too Much: Paralyzed by alternatives, can’t make decisions Too Little: no ideas, can’t recognize problems and opportunities Converger Strengths: problem solving, decision making, deductive reasoning, defining problems Too Much: solving the wrong problem, hasty decision making Too Little: lack of focus, scattered thoughts, no testing of ideas. Assimilator Strengths: planning, creating models, defining problems, developing theories Too Much: no practical application, castles in the air Too Little: unable to learn from mistakes, no sound basis for work, no systematic approach

Our personal theories determine what we see and how we act

Task  Drawing on ideas from your pre- meeting assignment, gather together a group of about 5 people and develop a representative list of your perceptions of: –the qualities and skills essential to a manager’s success in today’s business world.

Competing Values Model  Greatest strength can be transformed into the greatest weakness  Master managers analyze the situation and balance the competing values

Stages in the Reflection Process Analysis of the problemArticulation of a problem Formulation and testing of a tentative theory Action (or deciding whether to act)