Personality

Objectives Define personality Describe eight categories in MBTI personality framework Identify the “Big Five” personality variables & their relationship to behavior in organizations Discuss the implications of personality assessment

Personality The combination of psychological traits we use to classify & describe a person in terms of characteristics such as quiet, passive, loud, aggressive, etc.

The Big-Five Model 1. Extroversion - Comfort level with relationships 2. Agreeableness - Propensity to defer to others 3. Conscientiousness - Measure of reliability 4. Emotional stability - Ability to withstand stress 5. Openness to experience - Range of interests & fascination with novelty

Other Key Personality Traits Locus of control - Belief that life is controlled by oneself vs. outsiders Machiavellianism - Tendency to manipulate and maintain emotional distance Self-esteem - Degree one likes or dislikes oneself Self-monitoring - Sensitive to external cues to behave differently Risk propensity - Willingness to take chances Type A personality - Incessantly struggling to achieve more

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator One of the most widely used frameworks for classifying personalities 100-question personality test asks how people feel & act in particular situations Classifications on four scales are combined for 16 personality types (INTJ, ESTJ, etc.) 1. Extroverted or Introverted (E or I) 2. Sensing or Intuitive (S or N) 3. Thinking or Feeling (T or F) 4. Perceiving or Judging (P or J)

Personality & National Culture The Big Five Model of personality appear in almost all cross-cultural studies

Matching Personalities & Jobs Personality-Type associated with: Employee satisfaction propensity to leave job GOAL = personality matching occupational environment

Implications for Managers Personality Match personality types with compatible jobs Can be difficult to separate personality from culture Personality measures widely used but poorly understood