The Influence of Personal Characteristics
on the Employees’ Performance
an observation based on Charles Handy’s model
Didi Kurniadinata – IULI 18 Oct 2019
Background
Background
• People are different
• The performance of a company is determined
mostly by the quality of human capital
• Technical vs non-technical skills
• Hard skills vs Soft Skills (human skills)
• Matching one’s special power in personality with the
matched job specification is indipensable
• ‘personaal charecteristics give colour to the
behaviour that may predict a person’s work
performance’ (Prihadi, S.F. 2004)
Theoretical Base
• Jung (Intro vs Extro; Think vs Feel; Sense vs
Intui) – indiv contains a pyscho process that
integrate reversed characteristics aspects)
• MBTI
• DISC
• KEIRSEY
Author
4 Types of People
William Moulton
Marston (DISC)
Dominance
Influence
Steadiness
Compliance
David W. Keirsey
Rationals - NT
Artisans - SP
Guardians - SJ Idealists - NF
Charles Handy
Zeus
Athena
Apollo
Dionysus
Zeus
• Likes Power and dominant
• Impulsive
• Quick in making decision
• Fast and likes winning
• Trust people and delegate well
• High Risk Taker
• Nothing is impossible
Apollo
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Neat, in order, stable
Likes system and rules
Enjoy routine
Likes harmony
Likes security
A lot of considerations in making decision
Does not like dominant person
Often internalize feeling
Athena
• Likes tasks and challenges
• Creative and competent
• Enthusiastic and experimental
• High solidarity
• Satisfaction comes from task completion
• Achievement is more important than promotion
• Easily to get bored when there is no challenges
• Calculated risk-taker
Dionysus
Individualistic
Expert
Doesn’t like organisation
Loyal to profession than to position or
promotion
• An organisation needs him and not the other
way around
• Academic or scientific challenges
• Arguments use logical thinking
•
•
•
•
Modelling
Personal
Characteristics
Employees
Charles Handy’s Model
Zeus
Apollo
Athena
Performance
Dionyus
Job Descs and Job Specs
Job Descs and Job Specs
Job Descs and Job Specs
Job Descs and Job Specs
Steps - A
1. Look at the record of technical skills of employees
based on educational background and list of
professional development.
2. Establish Job Descriptions and Job Specifications of
each position.
3. Assess employees and record their types of person
within the framework of Charles Handy’s Model,
whether a person is a Zeus or an Apollo, or an
Athena, or a Dionysus. The record of types of
person of an employee is given two highest scores
as the two main charateristics, for example A=
Zeus, Athena; B= Apollo, Athena; C= Dionysus; D=
Athena, Dionysus and other combinations.
Steps - B
4. Match the technical skills with job descriptions.
5. Note a person with the corresponding technical
skills and look at the job specifications telling
skills or abilities outside the technical skills. Then
look at the type of person he/she is. When
matched up to 80%, then it is going to be fine.
6. When a person has been fine in the technical skills
but not in the type of person; then it is suggested
to make some changes.
7. When everyone is matched of at least 80% in terms
of technical skills and types of person, it is
assumed that the employees’s performance will
raise
Examples of Matching
Position
Job Descriptions
Job Specifications
Marketing
Manager
Plan Marketing
Planner
Program
Risk-taker
Lead a team
Studies Management
Accountant
Accountant
Sales Person
Experience in Sales
Canvassing
Creative
Director
Creative, Graphical
designer
Consultant
Oil and Gas
background
Type of gods
 Zeus, Athena
 Athena
Meticulous, likes
routine,
 Apollo, Athena
 Apollo
Confident
Good attitude
Creative
Think out of the
box




Convincing
Athena, Zeus
Athena
Dionysus
Dionysus,
Athena
 Zeus, Athena
 Athena, Zeus
Conclusion
• Placement
• Integration between technical skills
and non-technical skills
• Further studies on organizational
behaviour