Chapter 2: Developing Self-Awareness

Chapter 1: Developing Self-Awareness

• Self-awareness is a foundation for being a better manager and person
• Seeking self-knowledge is a prerequisite for personal growth

Learning Objectives

• Increase awareness of your sensitive line
• Increase awareness of your emotional intelligence
• Increase awareness of your personal values and moral maturity
• Increase awareness of your character strengths
• Increase awareness of your cognitive style
• Increase awareness of your orientation toward change
• Increase awareness of your core self-evaluation

Self-Assessments in the Text

• Self-Awareness Assessment Instrument measures the extent to which you are self-aware
• Emotional Intelligence Assessment measures emotional style and intelligence
• Defining Issues Test assesses moral and values maturity based on responses to controversial social issues
• VIA Instrument assesses character strengths and identifies signature strengths
• Cognitive Style Indicator assesses how you gather and evaluate information
• Locus of Control Scale measures your opinion about the causes and influences of events in your life
• Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale assesses comfort level in situations with ambiguity and uncertainty
• Core Self-Evaluation Scale measures core personality attributes that predict human behavior

The Sensitive Line

• This is the point at which individuals become defensive when encountering information inconsistent with their self-concept
• Threat-rigidity response is when individuals become rigid when threatened

Crossing the Sensitive Line

• The sensitive line is less likely to be crossed when information is verifiable, predictable, and controllable
• Self-disclosure allows us to improve self-awareness
• Willingness to discuss ambiguous aspects of ourselves is also related to growth
• High self-disclosers are generally better liked and have closer relationships
• People with excessive or insufficient self-disclosure are generally not as well received

Appreciating Individual Differences

• Observing differences helps eliminate social barriers
• Creating distinctions creates social barriers

Two Important Functions

• Better understand your own uniqueness as an individual
• Diagnose, value, and utilize the differences you find in other people

Five Core Aspects of Self-Awareness

• Figure 1.1 depicts:
  • Emotional Intelligence: Identifies emotional awareness and control
  • Core Self-Evaluation: Identifies underlying personality attributes
  • Values: Identifies personal standards and moral judgement
  • Attitudes Toward Change: Identifies adaptability and responsibility
  • Cognitive Style: Identifies information acquisition and evaluation

Emotional Intelligence

• It is difficult to measure and define
• Considered an important measure of managerial and life success
• It allows one to develop emotional competencies
• Emotional intelligence competencies were twice as important as cognitive intelligence (IQ) and technical expertise
• Many studies support the importance of emotional intelligence

Components of Emotional Intelligence

• The ability to diagnose and recognize your own emotions
• The ability to control your own emotions
• The ability to recognize and diagnose the emotions of others
• The ability to respond appropriately to emotional cues
• Example: EQ 360

Values

• These are among the most stable and enduring characteristics of individuals
• They are often taken for granted
• They ground attitudes and personal preferences
• They serve as a basis for important life decisions
• Help to define morality and ethics
• Often defined by culture

Trompenaars Cultural Value Dimensions

• Universalism means societal rules and norms are valued and is common in Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United States
• Particularism means individual relationships are valued and is common in China, Indonesia, Korea, Venezuela
• Individualism means individual contributions are valued and is common in Austria, Denmark, Nigeria, United States
• Collectivism means team contributions are valued and is common in Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Philippines
• Affective means showing emotions is valued, and is common in France, Iran, Spain, Switzerland
• Neutral means unemotional responses are valued and is common in China, Ethiopia, Japan, Korea
• Specific means segregating life’s roles is valued and is common in Denmark, Holland, Sweden, United Kingdom
• Diffuse means integrating life’s role is valued and is common in China, Korea, Nigeria, and Singapore
• Achievement means personal accomplishment is valued and is common in Austria, Canada, Norway, United States
• Ascription means inherent attributes are valued and is common in Czech Republic, Egypt, Indonesia, and Korea
• Past and Present means the Past is tightly connected to future and is common in France, Japan, United Kingdom
• Future means the Future is disconnected but valued and is common in Netherlands, United States
• Internal means Individual control is valued and is common in Austria, Canada, United Kingdom, United States
• External means control comes from outside forces and is common in China, Czech Republic, Egypt, and Japan

Personal Values

• Instrumental Values: desirable standards of conduct for attaining an end
• Terminal Values: desirable ends or goals for the individual
• Employees with organizationally congruent values are more productive and satisfied

Values That Managers Desire

• Sense of Accomplishment
• Self-Respect
• A Comfortable Life
• Independence

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

• A. Preconventional (Self-Centered)
  • Moral reasoning and instrumental values is based on personal needs and wants
• B. Conventional (Conformity)
  • conforming to and upholding the conventions and expectations of society
• C. Postconventional (Principled)
  • Represents the most advanced level of moral reasoning and the most mature set of values development

Character Strengths

• Appearance of Beauty
• Bravery
• Creativity
• Curiosity
• Fairness
• Forgiveness
• Gratitude
• Honesty
• Hope
• Humanity
• Humor
• Judgment
• Kindness
• Leadership
• Love
• Love of Learning
• Perseverance
• Perspective
• Prudence
• Self-Regulation
• Social Intelligence
• Spirituality
• Teamwork

Ethical Decision-Making and Values

• Most managers feel pressured to compromise standards to meet company goals
• There is often Conflict between maximizing economic and social performance

Standards for Making Ethical Decisions

• Front Page Test
• Golden Rule Test
• Dignity and Liberty Test
• Equal Treatment Test
• Personal Gain Test
• Congruence Test
• Procedural Justice Test
• Cost-Benefit Test
• Good Night's Sleep Test
• Virtuousness Test

Cognitive Style

• It is an individual’s inclination to perceive, interpret, and respond to information in a certain way
• It is based on:
  • The manner in which you gather information
  • The way in which you evaluate and act on information
• They are not the same as personality types
• They are inclinations that can be altered over time

Dimensions of Cognitive Style

• Knowing Attributes
  • Emphasizes facts, details, and data
  • Seeks clear, objective solutions
  • Focuses on validity, credibility of data
  • Emphasizes accuracy and precision
  • Possible Liabilities
    • Slow to make decisions
    • Not very creative
    • Resistant to innovation
    • Intolerant of multiple views
• Planning
  • Attributes
    • Emphasizes planning and preparation
    • Seeks agendas and outlines
    • Focuses on methods, processes, and follow-up
    • Emphasizes clear actions and routine
    • Possible Liabilities
      • Frustrated by the status quo
      • Intolerant of ambiguity
      • Stressed by complexity
      • Difficulty handling illogical issues
• Creating
  • Attributes
    • Emphasizes creativity, risk-taking, and innovation
    • Seeks novelty and ambiguity
    • Focuses on spontaneity and possibilities
    • Emphasizes interaction and getting many inputs
  • Possible Liabilities
    • Resistant to structure
    • Tends to break rules
    • May make many mistakes
    • Tends to ignore data andfacts

Attitudes toward Change

• Graduates of management schools will face an environment unlike any previously experienced
• Prediction of change will continue to increase in the future

Change Orientation

• Tolerance of Ambiguity
  • The extent to which individuals are comfortable coping with unclear situations.
  • Individuals who have a high tolerance of ambiguity also tend to be more cognitively complex
  • Example: COVID
• Locus of Control
  • The attitude people develop regarding the extent to which they control their own destinies
  • One of the most studied and written-about aspects of orientation toward change

Locus of Control

• Internal Locus of Control: “I was the cause of the success or failure.”
• External Locus of Control: “Something else caused the success or failure.”

Internal Locus of Control

• Associated with managerial success (at least in North America)
• Less alienation from work environment
• More satisfaction at work
• Less stress
• More position mobility

External Locus of Control

• Tendency to use coercive power more than internal leaders
• Poor performance in stressful situations

Core Self-Evaluations

• Core evaluations subconsciously influence people’s appraisal of themselves, the world, and others

Personality

• The relatively enduring traits that makes an individual unique

Determinants of Personality

• Biology and genetics
• Determination

Personality Traits

• The Big Five Dimensions of Personality
  • Extraversion
  • Agreeableness
  • Conscientiousness
  • Neuroticism
  • Openness

Core Self-Evaluation

• Four Components
  • Self-Esteem
  • Generalized Self-Efficacy
  • Neuroticism
  • Locus of Control

The Effects of Core Self-Evaluation

• Positive Self-Regard
  • Self-esteem
  • Self-efficacy
  • Emotional stability
  • Locus of control
• Results in
  • Personality uniqueness
  • Job satisfaction
  • Job performance
  • Life happiness

Behavioral Guidelines

• Identify your sensitive line
• Understand differences between values and those of other cultures
• Identify a set of principles on which you will base your behavior
• Expand your cognitive style, tolerance for ambiguity, and locus of control
• Enhance your emotional intelligence by monitoring your responses to others
• Develop your core self-evaluation by capitalizing on strengths and accomplishments
• Engage in honest self-disclosure
• Keep a journal for self-analysis