Individual differences determine our preferred
behaviors.
By studying and understanding these tendencies, OB can
more accurately predict individual and group
interactions. Self awareness - a conscious understanding of ourselves
(personality, talents, preferences and biases).
Awareness of others - recognizing and being attuned to the
styles, moods, and personality of others.
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Components of Self Self-concept
The view individuals have of themselves as
physical, social, spiritual, and moral beings.
Self-esteem – belief in one’s self worth based
on overall self-evaluation.
Self-efficacy-belief in one’s ability accomplish
a specific task.
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Heredity and environment
Heredity sets the limits on the
development of personality characteristics.
Environment determines development
within these limits.
About a 50-50 heredity-environment split.
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Researchers study how personality
develops over time:
As a continuum of dimensions over time.
As a series of stages over time.
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Personality
Combination of characteristics that
comprise the unique nature of a person as
that person reacts and interacts with
others.
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“Big Five” personality dimensions
Extraversion
Being outgoing, sociable, assertive.
Agreeableness
Being good-natured, trusting, cooperative.
Conscientiousness
Being responsible, dependable, persistent.
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“Big Five” personality dimensions
Emotional stability
Being unworried, secure, relaxed.
Openness to experience
Being imaginative, curious, broad-minded.
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Social traits
Surface-level traits that reflect the way a
person appears to others when interacting
in various social settings.
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Information gathering
Getting and organizing data for use.
Styles range from sensation to intuitive.
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Evaluation in problem solving
Making judgments about how to deal with
information once it has been collected.
Styles vary from an emphasis on feeling to
an emphasis on thinking.
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Personal conception traits
The way individuals tend to think about
their social and physical settings, their
major beliefs, and their personal
orientation concerning a range of issues.
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Locus of control
The extent to which a person feels able to
control his/her own life.
Concerned with a person’s internal-
external orientation.
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Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2-17
People and circumstances control my
fate!
I control what happens to me!
EXTERNALS
INTERNALS
Proactive Personality – Actively
influence making a change in their
environment.
Persevere until change occurs
More receptive to organizational change
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Authoritarianism
Tendency to adhere rigidly to conventional
values and to obey recognized authority.
Dogmatism
Tendency to view the world as a
threatening place.
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Machiavellian personality:
Approach situations logically and
thoughtfully.
Are capable of lying to achieve personal
goals.
Are rarely swayed by loyalty, friendships,
past promises, or others’ opinions.
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People with a low-Machiavellian
personality:
Accept direction imposed by others in
loosely structured situations.
Work hard to do well in highly structured
situations.
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What are your Machiavellian tendencies?
Take the Mach test to find out.
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Self-monitoring
A person’s ability to adjust his/her behavior
to external, situational (environmental)
factors.
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Emotional adjustment traits
How much an individual experiences
distress or displays unacceptable acts.
Type A orientation
Type B orientation
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Stress
A state of tension experienced
by individuals facing
extraordinary demands,
constraints, or opportunities.
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Source of stress
Stressors
The wide variety of things that cause stress
for individuals
Types of stressors
Work-related stressors
Life stressors
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Work-related stressors: Task demands
Role ambiguities
Role conflicts
Ethical dilemmas
Interpersonal problems
Career developments
Physical setting
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Life stressors
Family events
Economic difficulties
Personal affairs
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Stress and performanceConstructive stress (or
eustress) Moderate levels of stress act in
a positive way for both individuals and organization.
Destructive stress (or distress) Low and especially high levels
of stress act in a negative way for both individuals and organization.
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Coping responses
Problem focused
Make a plan to deal with the problem
Emotion focused
Change your attitude
o Positive ‘self talk’ can help. (Dr. Shad Helmstetter,
video, 7 min.)
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Personal wellness
Take responsibility to enhance and maintain
wellness through disciplined self management
(weight, diet, smoking, alcohol use, physical
fitness).
Employee assistance programs
Provide help for employees who are experiencing
personal problems and related stress
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Values
Broad preferences concerning appropriate
courses of action or outcomes.
Values influence behavior and attitudes.
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Terminal values
Reflect a person’s preferences concerning
the “ends” to be achieved.
Instrumental values
reflect a person’s beliefs about the means
for achieving desired ends
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Gordon Allport’s values categories
Theoretical- discover truth through reasoning.
Economic – usefulness, practicality.
Aesthetic – value beauty and form.
Social - value people and relationships.
Political – interest in power and influence.
Religious – interest in unity.
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Maglino’s categories of workplace values
Achievement
Helping and concern for others
Honesty
Fairness
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Value congruence
Occurs when individuals express positive
feelings upon encountering others who
exhibit values similar to their own.
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Current trends in the workplace:
From valuing shared values such as
duty, honesty, organizational loyalty.
To valuing meaningful work, self-
fulfillment, and pursuit of leisure.
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Think of a job you had in which you
excelled and were most productive.
Which of your individual values
contributed to this?
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Culture
The learned and shared way of thinking
and acting among a group of people or
society.
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1) Power Distance
2) Uncertainty avoidance
3) Individualism-collectivism
4) Masculinity-femininity
5) Long-term/ short-term
orientation
How willing are people to accept status and power?
How strongly to people preferred structured organizations?
Which is more valued – the individual or the group?
Are stereotypical m/f traits valued?
Save for the future and be persistent, or ‘live for today’?
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Workforce diversity
The presence of individual human
characteristics that make people different
from one another.
Practices and policies that seek to include
people who are considered in some way
different from the prevailing group.
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Stereotyping
Occurs when one thinks of an individual
belonging to a group and the characteristics
commonly associated with the group are
assigned to the individual in question.
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Benefits of focusing on diversity: Diverse talents and backgrounds contribute to
competitive advantage.
Promotes creativity and innovation.
Workforce better reflects customer base.
Increased employment increases productivity
and benefits larger community.
Reduced legal noncompliance costs.
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Race
Gender
Ethnicity
Economic
Education
Disability
Religion
Religion
Sexual
Orientation
Marital Status
Parental Status
Military
Experience
Gender
After steady progress,
advancement of
women to higher
levels has stalled.
“Leaking pipeline”
#of women decreases
the more senior the
roles become.
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Race and Ethnicity
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
includes protections against discrimination in all
areas of recruitment, hiring, and promotion.
Workplace attitudes have changed: from focus
on legal compliance to a focus on inclusion.
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Social Identity Theory
Developed to understand the psychological
basis of discrimination.
Categorizing yourself as a member of a
social group leads to ‘in-group’
identification.
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Age
Diverse workforce (40% Baby Boomers, 36%
GenXers, 16% Millenials).
Differences in work ethic among groups can
result in organizational stress.
Interesting discussion of this subject on
current blogs. (e.g. CNNMoney)
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Disability
Any form of impairment or handicap.
Advocates are seeking new definition in order to
remove the stigma that has been associated
with the term ‘disability
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Sexual Orientation
Attitudes toward gays and lesbians have
steadily improved.
Organizations are including non-
discrimination policies and extending equal
health and insurance benefits to domestic
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Important lessons for valuing and
supporting diversity.
Appreciate differences.
Acknowledge that diversity shapes the organization.
Respect the needs of all.
Practice inclusion.
Avoid linking differences to stereotypes.
Commit to social responsibility.
2-52Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.