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Personality-and-Values

Personality is a stable yet evolving aspect of individuals that influences behavior and workplace dynamics, with the Big Five traits being a key framework for understanding it. Values play a crucial role in guiding behavior and decision-making, with distinctions between instrumental and terminal values. Additionally, generational values impact workplace interactions, emphasizing the importance of person-organization fit for employee satisfaction and performance.

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9 views

Personality-and-Values

Personality is a stable yet evolving aspect of individuals that influences behavior and workplace dynamics, with the Big Five traits being a key framework for understanding it. Values play a crucial role in guiding behavior and decision-making, with distinctions between instrumental and terminal values. Additionally, generational values impact workplace interactions, emphasizing the importance of person-organization fit for employee satisfaction and performance.

Uploaded by

opiasajosh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Personality encompasses a person’s relatively stable feelings, thoughts, and

behavioral patterns. Each of us has a unique personality that differentiates us from


other people, and understanding someone’s personality gives us clues about how
that person is likely to act and feel in a variety of situations. To lead effectively, it is
helpful to understand the personalities of different employees. Having this
knowledge is also useful for placing people into jobs and organizations.

If personality is stable, does this mean that it does not change? You probably
remember how you have changed and evolved as a result of your own life
experiences, parenting style and attention you have received in early childhood,
successes and failures you experienced over the course of your life, and other life
events. In fact, personality does change over long periods of time. For example, we
tend to become more socially dominant, more conscientious (organized and
dependable), and more emotionally stable between the ages of 20 and 40, whereas
openness to new experiences tends to decline as we age (Roberts, 2006). In other
words, even though we treat personality as relatively stable, change occurs. Moreover,
even in childhood, our personality matters, and it has lasting consequences for us. For
example, studies show that part of our career success and job satisfaction later in life
can be explained by our childhood personality (Judge & Higgins, 1999; Staw et al.,
1986).
Is our behavior in organizations dependent on our personality? To some extent, yes,
and to some extent, no. While we will discuss the effects of personality for employee
behavior, you must remember that the relationships we describe are modest
correlations. For example, having a sociable and outgoing personality may encourage
people to seek friends and prefer social situations. This does not mean that their
personality will immediately affect their work behavior. At work, we have a job to do
and a role to perform. Therefore, our behavior may be more strongly affected by what
is expected of us, as opposed to how we want to behave. Especially in jobs that involve
a lot of autonomy, or freedom, personality tends to exert a strong influence on work
behavior, something to consider when engaging in organizing activities such as job
design or enrichment.

How many personality traits are there? How do we even know? In every language,
there are many words describing a person’s personality. In fact, in the English
language, more than 15,000 words describing personality have been identified. When
researchers analyzed the traits describing personality characteristics, they realized
that many different words were actually pointing to a single dimension of personality.
When these words were grouped, five dimensions (known as the Big Five) seemed to
emerge, and these explain much of the variation in our personalities (Goldberg, 1990).
Temper - a person's state of mind seen in terms of their being angry or calm.

Personality is a more complex concept that develops gradually throughout life and involves a
person’s beliefs, thoughts, and preferences.
Understanding our own temperament can help us recognize our strengths and weaknesses, align
choices with our temperament, and foster better relationships.
In addition to the Big Five, researchers have proposed various other dimensions, or
traits, of personality. These include self-monitoring, proactive personality, self-esteem,
and self-efficacy.

• Self-monitoring refers to the extent to which a person is capable of monitoring his or


her actions and appearance in social situations.
• Proactive personality refers to a person’s inclination to fix what is wrong, change
things, and use initiative to solve problems. Instead of waiting to be told what to do,
proactive people take action to initiate meaningful change and remove the
obstacles they face along the way.
• Self-esteem is the degree to which a person has overall positive feelings about
himself or herself. People with high self-esteem view themselves in a positive light,
are confident, and respect themselves.
• Self-efficacy is a belief that one can perform a specific task successfully. Research
shows that the belief that we can do something is a good predictor of whether we
can actually do it. (BSMX 3-B)
Methods for measuring personality include:
1. Personality tests: These include self-report inventories and projective tests.
2.Behavioral observation: Observing how someone behaves in different situations.
3.Interviews: Used to determine an individual’s personality.
4.Projective tests: Techniques that reveal unconscious thoughts and feelings. (BSMX 3-A)

The determinants of personality include:

•Physical (biological/hereditary factors)


•Intellectual (intelligence/beliefs/attitudes)
•Social (family/peer groups/work relationships)
•Psychological (emotional intelligence/cognitive processes)
•Environmental factors
•Situational factors
•Cultural factors
•Brain and physical characteristics
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a self-report assessment that identifies an individual’s
personality type and psychological preferences.
Values are guides to human behavior. They are crucial for ethical decision-making in
philosophy. In psychology, values are the core of what makes a life meaningful, moving away
from short-term satisfaction to long-term fulfillment. Values are about what you consider
important to the life you want to live.

The importance of values lies in the following aspects:


•Values inform our thoughts, actions, and beliefs.
•They help us be authentic and conduct ourselves properly in social settings.
•Values transcend specific situations and are relatively permanent.
•They play a pivotal role in shaping our behavior, decisions, and interactions.
•Discerning our values leads to less stress, better health, and improved decision-making.
Instrumental Values vs. Terminal Values

What's the Difference?


Instrumental values and terminal values are two different types of values that
individuals hold. Instrumental values refer to the means or methods by which
individuals achieve their desired outcomes or goals. These values are focused on the
behaviors and attitudes that individuals believe are important to achieve success or
happiness. On the other hand, terminal values are the ultimate goals or outcomes
that individuals strive for in their lives. These values represent the result or the
desired state that individuals want to achieve. While instrumental values are more
focused on the process or journey, terminal values are more focused on the end
destination or outcome. Both types of values are important in shaping individuals'
beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, as they provide guidance and direction in their
pursuit of personal and professional fulfillment.
Generational Values in the Workplace:
A generation refers to a group of people who are born and grow up within the same time frame, usually
around 30 years. Each generation is characterized by shared values and attitudes, and when different
generations work together, generational values affect the workplace. Explore the identities of different
generations, learn about their differences and dominant values, and understand how this impacts the
generational work ethic.

Values and Beliefs


•Traditionalists (1925-1945): Respect for authority, discipline, and loyalty.
•Baby Boomers (1946-1964): Teamwork, stability, and commitment.
•Generation X (1965-1980): Autonomy, work-life balance, and adaptability.
•Millennials (1981-1996): Purposeful work, growth, and diversity.
•Generation Z (mid-to-late 1990s-2010)-: Entrepreneurial mindset, digital fluency, and innovation.
•Generation Alpha (2010-2024) – Digital era.

Person-Organization Fit Theory…


Person-Job Fit Theory focuses on the compatibility between individuals
and the job or tasks they perform at work. It considers factors such as
employee needs, job supplies, job demands, and employee abilities.
The theory emphasizes the importance of matching skills with job demands.
Additionally, person-organization fit refers to the alignment of a person's
personality, values, and goals with those of the organization.

'Person-Organization Fit Theory' refers to the compatibility between


individuals and the organizations they work for, based on the alignment of
their values and behaviors. It predicts how well employees adjust, perform,
and remain satisfied within an organization.

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