Session 2

Individual Differences:
Personality and Ability

Understanding and
Managing
Organizational
Behavior

Fifth Edition Image from opening case

Jennifer M. George
Gareth R. Jones

©2007 Prentice Hall

 Learning Objectives
§ Understand the nature of personality and how it is
determined by both nature and nurture
§ Describe the Big Five personality traits and their
implication for understanding behavior in
organizations
§ Appreciate the ways in which other personality traits,
in addition to the Big Five, influence employees’
behaviors in organizations
§ Describe the different kinds of abilities that
employees use to perform their jobs
§ Appreciate how organizations manage ability
through selection, placement, and training
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 Individual Differences

Personality Ability

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 Personality

Personality is the
pattern of relatively enduring ways
that a person
feels, thinks, and behaves

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The Nature of Personality

§ Develops over a person’s lifetime

§ Generally stable in the context of work
§ Can influence career choice, job
satisfaction, stress, leadership, and even
performance

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 JoHari Window

What I can see

of myself

What others can Common My

see of myself knowledge blindspots

.
My
My
unconscious
secrets
self

.
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 Exhibit 2.1 Nature and Nurture:
The Determinants of Personality

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 Exhibit 2.2 The Interaction of
Personality and Situational Factors

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Exhibit 2.8 Personality Traits
Relevant to Organizations

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 Locus of Control

Internal External

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 Self-Monitoring

Self-monitoring is the extent to which

people try to control the way they present
themselves to others.

High Low

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 Exhibit 2.9
A Measure of Self-Monitoring

§ I find it hard to imitate the behavior of other people.*

§ At parties and social gatherings, I do not attempt to
do or say things that others will like.*
§ I can only argue for ideas that I already believe.*
§ I can make impromptu speeches even on topics
about which I have almost no information.
§ I guess I put on a show to impress or entertain
others.

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 Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is the extent to which people

have pride in themselves and their
capabilities.

High Low

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Type A vs. Type B Personality

§ Type A individuals have an intense desire

to achieve, are extremely competitive, have
a sense of urgency, are impatient, and can
be hostile.
§ Type B individuals are more relaxed and
easygoing.

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McClelland’s Learned Needs

Need for
Power

Need for Need for

Achievement Affiliation

Managers should have a high need for achievement and power.

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 The Big Five Model of
Personality

Extraversion

Neuroticism

Agreeableness

Conscientiousness
Openness to
Experience
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 Exhibit 2.4
A Big Five Personality Profile

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Extraversion (Positive Affectivity)

Personality trait that predisposes individuals

to:
§ experience positive emotional states and;
§ feel good about themselves and the world around
them.

Extraverts Introverts

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 Exhibit 2.5
A Measure of Extraversion

How accurately does each statement describe you?

§ It is easy for me to become enthusiastic about
things I am doing.
§ I often feel happy and satisfied for no particular
reason.
§ I live a very interesting life.
§ Every day I do some things that are fun.
§ I usually find ways to liven up my day.
§ Most days I have moments of real fun or joy.

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Neuroticism (Negative Affectivity)

Personality trait that reflects people’s

tendency to:
§ experience negative emotional states,
§ feel distressed, and
§ generally view themselves and the world around
them negatively

High Low

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 Exhibit 2.6
A Measure of Neuroticism

How accurately does each statement describe you?

§ I often find myself worrying about something.
§ My feelings are hurt rather easily.
§ Often I get irritated at little annoyances.
§ I suffer from nervousness.
§ My mood often goes up and down.
§ I sometimes feel “just miserable” for no good
reason.

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 Agreeableness

§ Personality trait that captures the distinction

between individuals who get along well with
other people and those who do not.

High Low

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 Exhibit 2.7
A Measure of Agreeableness

How accurately does each statement describe you?

§ I am interested in people.
§ I am not really interested in others.*
§ I sympathize with others’ feelings.
§ I insult people.*
§ I have a soft heart.
§ I am not interested in other people’s problems.*

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 Conscientiousness

§ Personality trait that describes the extent to

which an individual is careful, scrupulous,
and persevering.

High Low

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 Exhibit 2.7
A Measure of Conscientiousness

How accurately does each statement describe you?

§ I am always prepared.
§ I leave my belongings around.*
§ I pay attention to details.
§ I make a mess of things.*
§ I get chores done right away.
§ I often forget to put things back in their proper
place.*

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Openness to Experience

§ Personality trait that captures the extent to

which an individual is:
– original,
– open to a wide variety of stimuli,
– has broad interests, and is
– willing to take risks as opposed to being
narrow-minded and cautious

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 Exhibit 2.7 A Measure of
Openness to Experience

How accurately does each statement describe you?

§ I have a rich vocabulary.
§ I have difficulty understanding abstract ideas.*
§ I have a vivid imagination.
§ I am not interested in abstract ideas.*
§ I have excellent ideas.
§ I do not have a good imagination.*

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 What is MBTI?

§ Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

§ Detailed psychometric indicator of
personality type (not a test)
§ History: theoretical work by Carl Jung;
practical applications by Katherine Briggs
and Isabel Myers refined over 60 years

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Making Sense of Your World

Extraversion Introversion

Sensing INtuition

Feeling Thinking

Judging Perceiving

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 DISC

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 D characteristics

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 I characteristics

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 S characteristics

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 C characteristics

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 The Nature of Ability

§ What a person is capable of doing

§ Types of ability:
– Cognitive ability
– Physical ability
• Motor skill
• Physical skill
– Emotional intelligence

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 Exhibit 2.10
Types of Cognitive Ability

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 Group exercise

§ Match these descriptions of eight cognitive

abilities with the suitable professions for
each cognitive type.

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Nam can easily solve arithmetic problems and deal Verbal Anthropologists, travel agents,
with number consultants, wedding planners

Minh can recall things ranging from simple to Numerical Therapists, interior designers,
complex statements or sentences car mechanics, computer
software designers
Hung can reach appropriate conclusions from Reasoning Translators, salespeople,
observations and evaluate the implications of a managers, researchers
series of facts
Linh can determine the location or arrangement of Ability to Air traffic controllers,
objects in relation to her own position and to see architects, clothing designers,
imagine how an object would appear if its position in relationship astronauts
space changed
Khanh can uncover visual patterns and see Deductive Comedians, teachers, lawyers,
relationships within and across patterns writers
Mai can see how two things are related to each Ability to Professional photographers,
other and then apply this knowledge to other remember airplane pilots, cruise ship
relationships and solutions captains, landscape designers

Hiep can come up with solutions for problems Spatial Waiters, investment bankers,
engineers, accountants
Phuong can understand and use written and Perceptual Medical researchers,
spoken language detectives, scientists,
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Exhibit 2.11 Cognitive Abilities

§ Verbal ability § Ability to see

relationships
§ Numerical ability
§ Ability to remember
§ Reasoning ability
§ Spatial ability
§ Deductive ability
§ Perceptual ability

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Figure 2.12 The Determinants of
Cognitive and Physical Abilities

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 Emotional Intelligence

§ The ability to understand and manage one’s

own feelings and emotions and the feelings
and emotions of others.
§ A good understanding of how to use
emotions to promote effective functioning
and well-being.
§ Self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy,
motivation, social skills

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Exhibit 2.13 A Measure of
Emotional Intelligence
§ I have a good sense of why I have certain feelings
most of the time.
§ I always know my friends’ emotions from their
behavior.
§ I always set goals for myself and then try my best to
achieve them.
§ I am able to control my temper so that I can handle
difficulties rationally.
§ I have good understanding of my own emotions.

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 A Measure of Emotional
Intelligence
§ _____ 1. I have a good sense of why I have certain feelings most of the time.
§ _____ 2. I always know my friends’ emotions from their behavior.
_____ 3. I always set goals for myself and then try my best to achieve them.
§ _____ 4. I am able to control my temper so that I can handle difficulties rationally.
§ _____ 5. I have good understanding of my own emotions.
§ _____ 6. I am a good observer of others’ emotions.
_____ 7. I always tell myself I am a competent person.
_____ 8. I am quite capable of controlling my own emotions.
_____ 9. I really understand what I feel.
_____10. Iamsensitivetothefeelingsandemotionsofothers.
_____11. Iamaself-motivatingperson.
_____12. IcanalwayscalmdownquicklywhenIamveryangry.
_____13. IalwaysknowwhetherornotIamhappy.
_____14. Ihavegoodunderstandingoftheemotionsofpeoplearoundme. _____15.
Iwouldalwaysencouragemyselftotrymybest.
_____16. Ihavegoodcontrolofmyownemotions.
Scoring: Self-Emotions Appraisal = sum of items 1, 5, 9, 13
§ Others-Emotions Appraisal = sum of items 2, 6, 10, 14 Use of Emotion = sum of items 3,
7, 11, 15 Regulation of Emotion = sum of items 4, 8, 12, 16
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 Management of Ability

Selection

Placement Training

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 Management of Ability

§ Selection: Managers can control ability in organizations by

selecting individuals who have the abilities the organization
needs. To do this, managers must identify the tasks they want
the employee to accomplish and then identify which abilities
are needed to accomplish these tasks.
§ Placement: Once individuals are selected and become part of
an organization, managers must accurately match each
employee to a job that will capitalize on his or her abilities.
§ Training: Training acknowledges nurture while selection and
placement are concerned with the nature aspects of ability.
Job-appropriate training is effective in increasing employees’
skills and abilities, and job performance. Training can even be
use to increase employees’ levels of emotional intelligence

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