Personality & Values in the Workplace PDF

TOPIC 3: PERSONALITY AND VALUES INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY AND VALUES TO THE WORKPLACE. Person–Job Fit- To match job requirements with personality characteristics (job fit) How well individuals match their personalities to a job. Refer to Exhibit 4-1 (PAGE 137) CULTURE DIRREFENCES - In individualisti...

TOPIC 3: PERSONALITY AND VALUES INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITY AND VALUES TO THE WORKPLACE. Person–Job Fit- To match job requirements with personality characteristics (job fit) How well individuals match their personalities to a job. Refer to Exhibit 4-1 (PAGE 137) CULTURE DIRREFENCES - In individualistic countries where workers expect to be heard and respected by management, increasing person–job fit by tailoring the job to the person increases the individual’s job satisfaction. - In collectivistic countries, person–job fit is a weaker predictor of job satisfaction because people do not expect to have a job tailored to them, so they value person–job fit efforts less. Therefore, managers in collectivistic cultures should not violate cultural norms by designing jobs for individuals; rather, they should seek people who will likely thrive in jobs that have already been structured. **Organization seeking for individual who match/suit/fit the jobs rather tailored to individual characteristics. (collective culture) Person–Organization Fit Person–organization fit-People are attracted to and are selected by organizations that match their values. Examples: Using the Big Five terminology: - Extraverts fit well with aggressive and team-oriented cultures - Agreeableness match better with a supportive organizational climate - Highly open people fit better in organizations that emphasize innovation rather than standardization A match predicts: - High job satisfaction - Commitment to the organization - Task performance - Low turnover. Example: Millennials may react positively when they perceive that an organization is committed to work-life balance. The website is so important to the development of perceived person–organization fit that improvements to its style (usability) and substance (policies) can lead to more applicants. Other Dimensions of Fit Although person–job fit and person–organization fit is considered the most salient dimensions for workplace outcomes, other avenues of fit are worth examining: - Person–group fit - Is important in team settings, where the dynamics of team interactions significantly affect work outcomes - Person–supervisor fit - An important area of research because poor fit in this dimension can lead to lower job satisfaction and reduced performance. - Person– environment fit. Each dimension can predict work attitudes, which are partially based on culture. Personality Personality - Sum of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others. Measuring Personality assessments, personality tests are useful for: - Hiring decisions - Help managers forecast who is best for a job. The most common means of measuring personality: 1. Self-report- Individuals evaluate themselves The problem is: - In general, when people know their personality scores are going to be used for hiring decisions, they rate themselves as about half a standard deviation more conscientious and emotionally stable than if they are taking the test to learn more about themselves. - Accuracy (Depend on psychological condition at that time) e.g.: Bad mood  - Culture influences the way we rate ourselves. People in individualistic countries trend toward self-enhancement. (US) while people in collectivist countries trend toward self- diminishment. (Korea) Self-enhancement does not appear to harm a person’s career in individualistic countries, but it does in collectivist countries, where humility is valued (modest/low view/humble). Underrating (self-diminishment) may harm a person’s career in both collectivistic and individualistic communities. 2. Observer-ratings surveys - Independent assessment of personality. (Coworkers/Others) Though the results of self-reports and observer-ratings surveys are strongly correlated, research suggests that observer-ratings surveys predict job success more than self-ratings alone. However, each can tell us something unique about an individual’s behavior, so a combination of self-reports and observer reports predicts performance better than any one type of information. Personality Determinants Personality is the result of: - Heredity - Environment. Personality appears to be a result of both; however, research tends to support the importance of heredity over environment. Heredity - Refers to factors determined at conception: - Physical stature - Facial features - Gender - Temperament - Muscle composition - Reflexes - Energy level - Biological rhythms Personality can change over time. - More changeable in adolescence - More stable among adults. PERSONALITY AND PERSONALITY FRAMEWORK Personality frameworks: - Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - Big Five Personality Model. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Respondents are classified as extraverted or introverted (E or I), sensing or intuitive (S or N), thinking or feeling (T or F), and judging or perceiving (J or P): Extraverted (E) versus Introverted (I). Extraverted individuals - outgoing, sociable, and assertive. Introverts- quiet and shy.  Sensing (S) versus Intuitive (N). Sensing - practical and prefer routine and order, and they focus on details. Intuitive- rely on unconscious processes and look at the big picture. Thinking (T) versus Feeling (F). Thinking - use reason and logic to handle problems. Feeling - rely on their personal values and emotions. Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P). Judging- want control and prefer order and structure. Perceiving - flexible and spontaneous. The MBTI describes personality types by identifying one trait from each of the four pairs. For example, Introverted/Intuitive/Thinking/Judging people (INTJs) are visionaries with original minds and great drive. They are sceptical, critical, independent, determined, and often stubborn. ENFJs are natural teachers and leaders. They are relational, motivational, intuitive, idealistic, ethical, and kind. ESTJs are organizers. They are realistic, logical, analytical, and decisive, perfect for business or mechanics. The ENTP type is innovative, individualistic, versatile, and attracted to entrepreneurial ideas. This person tends to be resourceful in solving challenging problems but may neglect routine assignments. According to the Myers & Briggs Foundation, introverts account for over 50 percent of the E/I responses in the U.S. population. Indeed, two of the three most common MBTI types are introverts: ISFJ and ISTJ. ISFJs are nurturing and responsible, and ISTJs are dutiful and logical. The least common types are INFJ (insightful and protective) and ENTJ (focused and decisive). The MBTI is used in a variety of organizational settings. It is taken by over 2.5 million people each year, and 89 of the Fortune 100 companies use it. Evidence is mixed about its validity as a measure of personality; however, most of the evidence is against it. As Professor Dan Ariely noted about MBTI results, “Next time, just look at the horoscope. It is just as valid and takes less time.” One problem with the MBTI is that: - The model forces a person into one type or another; that is, you are either introverted or extraverted. There is no in-between. - Reliability of the measure: When people retake the assessment, they often receive different results. - Difficulty of interpretation. There are levels of importance for each of the MBTI facets, and there are separate meanings for certain combinations of facets, all of which require trained interpretation that can leave room for error. - Results from the MBTI tend to be unrelated to job performance. The MBTI can thus be a valuable tool for increasing self-awareness and providing career guidance, but because results tend to be unrelated to job performance. The Big Five Personality Model These are the Big Five factors: Conscientiousness-Measure of personal consistency and reliability. A highly conscientious person is: - Responsible - Organized - Dependable - Persistent A low conscientious person is: - Easily distracted - Disorganized - Unreliable. Emotional stability- Measure of person’s ability to withstand stress. People with emotional stability tend to be: - Calm - Self-confident - Secure. High scorers: - Positive - Optimistic - Happier Low scorers: - Neuroticism (nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure) - Hypervigilant - Vulnerable to the physical and psychological effects of stress. Extraversion -Captures us relational approach toward the social world. Extraverts tend: - Gregarious (sociable/fond of) - Assertive - Sociable - More positive emotions - More freely express these feelings. Introverts tend: - More thoughtful - Reserved - Timid - Quiet. Openness to experience- Addresses the range of interests and Fascination with novelty. Open people are: - Creative - Curious - Artistically - Sensitive. Low end of the category is: - Conventional and find comfort in the familiar.  Agreeableness-Refers to an individual’s propensity to defer to others. Agreeable people are: - Cooperative - Warm - Trusting. You might expect agreeable people to be happier than disagreeable people. They are, but only slightly. When people choose organizational team members, agreeable individuals are usually their first choice. In contrast, people who score low on agreeableness are cold and antagonistic. How Do the Big Five Traits Predict Behavior at Work? There are many relationships between the Big Five personality dimensions and job performance. Beginning with the strongest predictor of job performance: 1. Conscientiousness. Conscientiousness at Work As researchers have stated, “Personal attributes related to conscientiousness: -Success across many jobs -Spanning across low to high levels of job complexity, training, and experience. -Develop higher levels of job knowledge -Higher levels of job performance. -Maintain their job performance even when faced with abusive supervision.  -Engage more organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) -Less likely to engage in counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) or think about leaving the organization -Can adapt to changes (task demands/situations) -Engage in less unsafe behavior -Tend to have fewer accidents -Important to overall organizational success. Conscientiousness has pitfalls: - Extremely conscientious individuals can be too deliberate and perfectionistic, resulting in diminished happiness and performance, which includes task performance, safety performance, and OCB. - They may also become too focused on their own work to help others in the organization. - They are often less creative, especially artistically. Conscientiousness is the best predictor of job performance. 2.Emotional Stability Emotional stability is most strongly related to: - Life satisfaction - Job satisfaction - Reduced burnout and intentions to quit. - Can adapt to unexpected or changing demands. 3.Extraversion-People with extraverted personality traits: - Perform well in jobs that require interpersonal interaction. - Socially dominant, “take charge” people - More assertive than introverts. - Strong predictor of leadership emergence and behaviors in groups. - High job satisfaction and reduced burnout. Pitfalls: - Self-aggrandizing (promoting oneself as being powerful or important) - Egoistic - Too dominating - Social behavior can be disadvantageous for jobs that do not require frequent social interaction. 4.Openness: - Most creative and innovative compared with the other traits. - Effective leaders and more comfortable with ambiguity - Cope better with organizational change - More adaptable. - Less susceptible to a decline in performance over a longer time period. -Experience less work–family conflict. 5.Agreeableness: - Perform well in interpersonally oriented jobs (customer service) - Less work–family conflict - Less susceptible to turnover. (likely or liable, harmed) - Contribute to organizational performance by engaging in OCB. - More likely to engage in CWBs - Lower levels of career success - Less marketable - Less willing to assert themselves. OTHER PERSONALITY ATTRIBUTES As we have discussed, studies of traits have much to offer to the field of OB. Now we will look at other attributes that are powerful predictors of behavior in organizations: - Core self-evaluations - Self-monitoring - Proactive personality Core Self-Evaluations (CSEs) Core self-evaluations- Conclusions individuals have about their: - Capabilities - Competence - Worth as a person. People who have positive CSEs: - Effective - In control of their environment.  - High corporate social responsibility (CSR). Those with negative CSEs: - Dislike themselves - Question their capabilities - View themselves as powerless over their environment. CSEs relate to: - Job satisfaction - Careers that begin on a better footing - Career ascend more rapidly over time. - They perform especially well if they feel their work provides meaning and is helpful to others. - However, it is possible for one’s CSE to be too high—research suggests when it is, one may begin to become less popular with coworkers. Self-Monitoring Zoe is always in trouble at work. Although she is competent, hardworking, and productive, she receives average ratings in performance reviews and seems to have made a career out of irritating her bosses. Zoe’s problem is that she is politically inept (showing no skill) and unable to adjust her behavior to fit changing situations. As she said, “I am true to myself. I do not remake myself to please others.” Zoe is a low self-monitor. Self-monitoring-Individual’s ability to adjust behavior to external, situational factors. High self-monitors: - Adaptability in adjusting their behavior to external situational factors. - Highly sensitive to external cues - Can behave differently in varying situations  - Pay closer attention to the behavior of others - More capable of conforming - Show less commitment to their organizations but receive better performance ratings - More mobile in their careers, receive more promotions (both internal and cross-organizational) - More likely to occupy central positions in organizations. Low self monitors: - Display their true dispositions and attitudes in every situation - High behavioral consistency between who they are and what they do. However, self-monitoring can be considered a mixed blessing: despite the positive benefits, self-monitors may be seen as inauthentic, self- serving, or unprincipled. Proactive Personality Proactive personality identifies opportunities, show initiative, act, and persevere until meaningful change occurs, unlike those who generally react to situations. (Proactive-do something without waiting something to occur then react toward that) Proactive individuals have many desirable behaviors that organizations covet. They have: - Higher levels of job performance - Creativity - Do not need much oversight - Given more autonomy as a result more satisfied/committed/engage. - Important for work teams. Example: Chinese companies revealed that teams with high-average levels of proactive personality were: - More innovative - More likely to exchange information with others in a team, which builds trust relationships - Affected by the context. One study of bank branch teams in China found that if a team’s leader was not proactive, the benefits of the team’s proactivity became dormant or, worse, was suppressed by the leader **Leader plays the role even team members are proactive but not the leader it will not works VALUES AND CULTURAL VALUES VALUES -Represent basic convictions that “a specific mode of conduct or endstate of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence.” **What is right/wrong (judgmental element) Values tend to be relatively stable and enduring (Can be change) Established in our early years by: - Parents - Teachers - Friends - Others. There is also evidence linking personality to values, implying our values may be partly determined by genetically transmitted traits. Open people, for example, may be more politically liberal, whereas conscientious people may place a greater value on safe and ethical conduct. The Importance and Organization of Values Values influence our attitudes and behaviors at work. (Decision making/leadership style etc) Would your attitudes and behavior be different if your values aligned with the organization’s pay policies? Most likely. **Individual value and organizational value should be aligned because it will influence our attitude and behaviour at work. (job satisfaction/motivation level) Terminal versus Instrumental Values Terminal values-Refers to desirable end-states. Instrumental values-Refers to preferable modes of behavior, or means of achieving the terminal values. Examples of terminal values are: - Prosperity - Economic success - Freedom - Health - Well-being - World peace - Meaning in life. Examples of instrumental values are: - Autonomy and self-reliance - Personal discipline - Kindness - Goal orientation. A balance between the two is important, as is an understanding of how to strike this balance. Cultural Values Values are learned. They are passed down through generations and vary by cultures. Hofstede’s Framework Dimensions of national culture: Power distance - The degree to which people in a country accept that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally. - A high-rating on-power distance means large inequalities of power and wealth exist and are tolerated in the culture, as in a class or caste system that discourages upward mobility. - A low power distance rating characterizes societies that stress equality and opportunity. Individualism versus collectivism. - Individualism is the degree to which people prefer to act as individuals rather than as members of groups and believe in an individual’s rights above all else. - Collectivism emphasizes a tight social framework in which people expect others in groups of which they are a part to look after them and protect them.  Masculinity versus femininity- Masculinity is the degree to which the culture favors traditional masculine roles such as achievement, power, and control, as opposed to viewing men and women as equals. - A high masculinity rating indicates the culture has separate roles for men and women, with men dominating the society. - A high femininity rating means the culture sees little differentiation between male and female roles and treats women as the equals of men in all respects. Uncertainty avoidance. The degree to which people in a country prefer structured over unstructured situations. - High on uncertainty avoidance, people have increased anxiety about uncertainty and ambiguity and use laws and controls to reduce uncertainty. - Low on uncertainty avoidance are more accepting of ambiguity, are less rule oriented, take more risks, and accept change more readily. Long-term versus short-term orientation. This typology measures a society’s devotion to traditional values. - Long-term orientation-Look to the future and value thrift, persistence, and tradition. - Short-term orientation- People value the here and now; they also accept change more readily and don’t see commitments as impediments to change. Power distance is higher in Malaysia than in any other country. The United States is very individualistic; in fact, it’s the most individualistic nation of all (closely followed by Australia and Great Britain). Guatemala is the most collectivistic nation. The country with the highest masculinity rank by far is Japan, and the country with the highest femininity rank is Sweden. Greece scores the highest in uncertainty avoidance, while Singapore scores the lowest. Hong Kong has one of the longest-term orientations; Pakistan has the shortest-term orientation. Overall, the five original culture dimensions were found to be equally strong predictors of relevant outcomes. The researchers also found measuring individual scores resulted in much better predictions of most outcomes than assigning all people in a country the same cultural values. In sum, this research suggests Hofstede’s framework may be a valuable way of thinking about differences among people, but we should be cautious about assuming all people from a country have the same values. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Emotional Intelligence As the CEO of an international talent company, Terrie Upshur- Lupberger was at a career pinnacle. So why was she resentful and unhappy? A close friend observed, “Terrie, you were out on the skinny branch—you know, the one that breaks easily in a strong wind. You were so busy and overwhelmed and out of touch with your own values, cares, and guiding beliefs that you failed to pay attention to the branch that was about to break.” According to Upshur-Lupberger, she had failed to notice that her moods constantly swung toward frustration and exhaustion. Her job satisfaction, productivity, and relationships suffered. Worse, she was too busy to realize the deficiencies until she was completely depleted. She said, “I learned that, as a leader, you either pay attention to and manage the moods (including your own) in the organization, or... you ignore them and pay the price.” Upshur-Lupberger learned the value of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a person’s ability to: - (1) perceive emotions in the self and others - (2) understand the meaning of these emotions - (3) regulate his or her own emotions accordingly Refer to Exhibit 6-5. People who know their own emotions and are good at reading emotional cues—for instance, knowing why they’re angry and how to express themselves without violating norms—are most likely to be effective. Several studies suggest that EI plays an important role in: - Job performance - Team work - Citizenship behavior. Emotion Regulation Emotion regulation is to identify and modify the emotions you feel. Emotion management ability is a strong predictor of task performance for some jobs and for organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). How do you manage/regulate your emotion? (Sad? Angry? Frustrated?) - Individuals who are higher in the personality trait of neuroticism have more trouble doing so and often find their moods are beyond their ability to control. - Individuals who have lower levels of self-esteem are also less likely to try to improve their sad moods, perhaps because they are less likely than others to feel they deserve to be in a good mood. The workplace environment influences an individual’s tendency to employ emotion regulation: - In general, diversity in work groups increases the likelihood that you will regulate your emotions. For example, younger employees are likely to regulate their emotions when their work groups include older members. - Racial diversity also has an effect: If diversity is low, the minority employee will engage in emotion regulation, perhaps to “fit in” with the majority employees as much as possible. If diversity is high and many different races are represented, the majority employee will employ emotion regulation, perhaps to integrate him- or herself with the whole group. Regulating your emotions might seem beneficial but takes effort can be exhausting and sometimes can make the emotion stronger. Emotion Regulation Techniques 1. Emotional suppression, or suppressing initial emotional responses to situations. This response seems to facilitate practical thinking in the short term. However, it appears to be helpful only when a strongly negative event would illicit a distressed emotional reaction during a crisis. For example: A soldier in battle may suppress initial emotional distress after a shooting and thus be able to make clearer decisions about how to proceed. Example: A portfolio manager might suppress an emotional reaction to a sudden drop in the value of a stock and can therefore clearly decide how to plan. 2. Cognitive reappraisal (Reframing our outlook on an emotional situation) Cognitive reappraisal ability seems to be the most helpful to individuals in situations where they cannot control the sources of stress. Example: A recent study illustrates the potentially powerful effect of this technique. Israeli participants who were shown anger-inducing information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after they were primed to reappraise the situation showed more inclination toward conciliation and less inclination toward aggressive tactics against Palestinians than the control group, not only immediately after the study but up to 5 months later. This result suggests that cognitive reappraisal may allow people to change their emotional responses, even when the subject matter is as highly emotionally charged as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 3. Social sharing, or venting. Research shows that the open expression of emotions can help individuals to regulate their emotions as opposed to keeping emotions “bottled up.” Social sharing can reduce anger reactions when people can talk about the facts of a bad situation, their feelings about the situation, or any positive aspects of the situation. **Must choose the right person to talk to 4. Mindfulness (Awareness) Aware of the present moment, events, and experiences— has started to become popular in organizations. Mindfulness has roots in traditional Buddhist meditative techniques—in fact, it is the literal translation of the Vedic word sati, or “intentness of mind.” Ethics of Emotion Regulation Emotion regulation has important ethical implications.: Argue that controlling your emotions is unethical because it requires a degree of acting. Should be controlled so you can take a dispassionate perspective. Have ethical pros and cons that you will have to decide for yourself. Consider the reasons for emotion regulation and the outcomes. Are you regulating your emotions so you do not react inappropriately, or are you regulating your emotions so no one knows what you are thinking? Consider this: You may be able to “fake it ’til you make it.” Example: Acting like you are in a good mood might put you in a good mood. In one study, a group of participants was asked to hold only an efficient conversation with a barista serving them at Starbucks, while another group was asked to act happy. The happy actors reported later that they were in much better moods. OB Applications of Emotions and Moods Our understanding of emotions and moods can affect many aspects of organizational behavior: - Selection process - Decision making - Creativity - Motivation - Leadership - Negotiation - Customer service - Job attitudes  - Deviant workplace behavior, and safety. Implication: In fact, more employers are starting to use EI measures to hire people. For example: A study of U.S. Air Force recruiters showed that top-performing recruiters exhibited high levels of EI. Using these findings, the Air Force revamped its selection criteria. A follow-up investigation found hires who had high EI scores were 2.6 times more successful than those who did not. - Emotions are sometimes, knowingly, or not, used in selection decisions. Example: Hong Kong Chinese applicants are more likely to try to appear calm, rather than excited, during the selection process and Hong Kong Chinese employers are more likely to hire calm applicants. - Decision Making Moods and emotions have effects on decision making that managers should understand. Positive emotions and moods seem to help people make sound decisions. Positive emotions also enhance problem-solving skills, so positive people find better solutions. What about when you are in negative emotions and moods? **It depends on other factors and situations (please study on these)