ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
PERSONALITY
CHAPTER 4
© 2003 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
Personality is made up the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors that make a person unique. In addition to this, personality arises from within
the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life.
There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to behaviors. Essentially,
people act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of situations.
Personality influences how we move and
respond in our environment and act in certain
ways.
Personality is displayed in more than just
behavior. It can also be seen in out thoughts,
feelings, close relationships, and other social
interactions.
Sigmund Freud ( (May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939
What is Personality?
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY DETERMINANTS
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Enduring characteristics that describe an individual’s
behavior.
The visible aspect of one's character as it impresses
others
He has a pleasing personality
He is serious
She is kind
PERSONALITY TRAITS
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
The more
consistent the
trait, the more
frequently it
occurs, the more
important it is.
PERSONALITY TRAITS
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
The Big Five
Model of
Personality
Dimensions
The MyersBriggs Type
Indicator.
Major Personality Indicators
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Extroversion
Sociable, gregarious, and assertive
Agreeableness
Good-natured, cooperative, and trusting.
Conscientiousness
Responsible, dependable, persistent, and organized.
Emotional Stability
Calm, self-confident, secure (positive) versus nervous, depressed,
and insecure (negative).
Openness to Experience
Imaginativeness, artistic, sensitivity, and intellectualism.
The Big Five Model
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI)
Isabel Myers and Katriene Briggs
has developed on Jung’s work
(MBTI)
A personality test that taps four
characteristics and classifies
people into 1 of 16 personality
types.
People have inborn behavioral
tendencies and preferences
2 million people uses the
instrument each year both in
education and companies
July 26, 1875 – June 6, 1961
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
2 Mental Processes
2 Mental Orientations
How people "Perceive" or
How people interact with
take in information.
the world and where do
How people form
they direct their energy
"Judgments" or make
How do people deal with
decisions.
the outer world
DIMENSIONS OF MBTI
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Write a description of what you see?
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
SENSING
INTUITION
Those who prefer Sensing
Those who prefer
Perception favor clear,
Intuition Perception are
tangible data and
drawn to information that
information that fits in
is more abstract,
well with their direct here-
conceptual, big-picture,
and-now experience.
and represents
imaginative possibilities
for the future.
How Do People Perceive
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
SENSING
INTUITION
Focus on details & specifics
Focus on the big picture &
Admire practical solutions
possibilities
Notice details & remember
Admire creative ideas
Notice anything new or
different
Are inventive - see what
could be
Think about future
implications
Trust their gut instinct
Prefer to learn new skills
facts
Are pragmatic - see what is
Live in the here-and-now
Trust actual experience
Like to use established skills
Like step-by-step instructions
How Do People Perceive
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Suppose you are a manager. You are to
make a critical decision. You have to
fire one of your employees. Which one
would you choose?
A new worker which is real hard
working and skillful
A old worker that is out of date
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
THINKING
FEELING
Those who prefer
Those whose preference
Thinking Judgment have
is for Feeling Judgment
a natural preference for
make their decisions in a
making decisions in an
somewhat global,
objective, logical, and
visceral, harmony and
analytical manner with an
value-oriented way,
emphasis on tasks and
paying particular
results to be
attention to the impact of
accomplished.
decisions and actions on
other people.
How Do People Judge
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
THINKING
FEELING
Make decisions objectively
Decide based on their values &
Appear cool and reserved
feelings
Are most convinced by rational
Appear warm and friendly
arguments
Are most convinced by how
Are honest and direct
they feel
Value honesty and fairness
Are diplomatic and tactful
Are motivated by achievement
Argue or debate issues for fun
Value harmony and
compassion
Are motivated by appreciation
Avoid arguments and conflicts
How Do People Judge
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
INTROVERSION
EXTRAVERSION
Those who prefer Introversion
Those who prefer Extraversion
draw their primary energy from
are drawn to the outside world
the inner world of information,
as their elemental source of
thoughts, ideas, and other
energy. Rarely, if ever, do
reflections. When circumstances
extraverted preference people
require an excessive amount of
feel their energy batteries are
attention spent in the "outside"
"drained" by excessive amounts
world, those preferring
of interaction with the outside
Introversion find the need to
world. They must engage the
retreat to a more private setting
things, people, places and
as if to recharge their drained
activities going on in the outside
batteries.
world for their life force.
Where do people prefer to focusadapted
there
from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
attention, get their energy?
INTROVERSION
EXTRAVERSION
Have quiet energy
Have high energy
Listen more than talk
Talk more than listen
Think quietly inside my head
Think out loud
Think, then act
Act, then think
Feel comfortable being alone
Like to be around people a lot
Prefer to work "behind-the-
Prefer a public role
scenes"
Can sometimes be easily
Have good powers of
distracted
concentration
Prefer to do lots of things at
Prefer to focus on one thing at a
once
time
Are outgoing & enthusiastic
Are self-contained and reserved
Where do people prefer to focus adapted
there
from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
attention, get their energy?
Assume you are going on a trip.
What would you be doing before
the trip?
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
JUDGING
PERCEIVING
Those who prefer Judging rely
Those who prefer Perceiving
upon either their T or F
rely upon either their S or N
preference to manage their outer
preference to run their outer life.
life. This typically leads to a
This typically results in an open,
style oriented towards closure,
adaptable, flexible style of
organization, planning, or in
relating to the things and people
some fashion managing the
found in the outside world. The
things and or people found in
drive is to experience the
the external environment.
outside world rather than order
it.
How do people deal with the outer
world?
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
JUDGING
PERCEIVING
Make most decisions pretty
May have difficulty making
easily
decisions
Are serious & conventional
Are playful & unconventional
Pay attention to time & are
Are less aware of time & run late
prompt
Prefer to start projects
Prefer to finish projects
Play first, work later
Work first, play later
Want to keep their options open
Want things decided
Question the need for many
See the need for most rules
rules
Like to make & stick with plans
Like to keep plans flexible
Find comfort in schedules
Want the freedom to be
spontaneous
How do people deal with the outer
world?
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
“Take Your Time
and Do It Right”
“On My Honor,
to Do My
Duty…”
“Catalyst for
Positive Change”
“Competence +
Independence =
Perfection”
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
“Doing the Best I “It’s the Thought
Can With What
That Counts”
I’ve Got”
ESTP
ESFP
“Let’s Get
Busy!”
“Still Waters Run
“Ingenious
Deep”
Problem Solvers”
ENFP
ENTP
“Don’t Worry, Be
Happy”
“Anything’s
Possible”
“Life’s
Entrepreneurs”
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
“Taking Care of
Business”
“What Can I Do
For You?”
“The Public
Relations
Specialist”
“Everything’s
Fine – I’m in
Charge”
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.

Locus of control

Machiavellianism

Self-esteem

Self-monitoring

Risk taking

Type A personality
Major Personality Attributes
Influencing OB
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Locus of Control
The degree to which people believe they
are masters of their own fate.
Internals
Individuals who believe that they
control what happens to them.
Externals
Individuals who believe that
what happens to them is
controlled by outside forces
such as luck or chance.
Locus of Control
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Machiavellianism (Mach)
Degree to which an individual is pragmatic,
maintains emotional distance, and believes
that ends can justify means.
Niccolò Machiavelli
(1469-1527)
Machiavellianism
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Self-Esteem (SE)
Individuals’ degree of liking
or disliking themselves.
Self-Monitoring
A personality trait that measures
an individuals ability to adjust
his or her behavior to external,
situational factors.
Self-Esteem and Self-Monitoring
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.

High Risk-taking Managers
◦ Make quicker decisions
◦ Use less information to make decisions
◦ Operate in smaller and more entrepreneurial organizations

Low Risk-taking Managers
◦ Are slower to make decisions
◦ Require more information before making decisions
◦ Exist in larger organizations with stable environments

Risk Propensity
◦ Aligning managers’ risk-taking propensity to job requirements
should be beneficial to organizations.
Risk-Taking
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Type A’s
1. are always moving, walking, and eating rapidly;
2. feel impatient with the rate at which most events take place;
3. strive to think or do two or more things at once;
4. cannot cope with leisure time;
5. are obsessed with numbers, measuring their success in
terms of how many or how much of everything they acquire.
Type B’s
1. never suffer from a sense of time urgency with its
accompanying impatience;
2. feel no need to display or discuss either their achievements
or accomplishments;
3. play for fun and relaxation, rather than to exhibit their
superiority at any cost;
4. can relax without guilt.
Type A-Type B
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Personality-Job Fit
Theory (Holland)
Identifies six personality
types and proposes that
the fit between personality
type and occupational
environment determines
satisfaction and turnover.
Personality Types
• Realistic
• Investigative
• Social
• Conventional
• Enterprising
• Artistic
Achieving Person-Job Fit
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
Relationships
among
Occupational
Personality
Types
Source: Reprinted by special permission of the publisher, Psychological
Assessment Resources, Inc., from Making Vocational Choices, copyright 1973,
1985, 1992 by Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. All rights reserved.
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.
adapted from Robbins, OB, 10th
ed.