Managing Individual Behavior

Impact of my Personality on my Career

Every individual is unique, and each person has different personality traits, attitudes, and values that they bring to the organization they work. Virtually, as explained by Bauer, Erdogan, and Short (n,d), personality involves the relatively stable feelings, behavioral patterns, and feelings of an individual. People have both stable and changing personalities that determine the way they behave and perform in the workplace. Further elaborated, an individual’s career success and job satisfaction are often determined by their childhood personality. On the other hand, perception is viewed as a process by which individuals detect and interpret environmental stimuli. The ability of an individual to go beyond the information present within their environment, pay selective attention to some elements in the environment, and ignore some that other people may not.  Consequently, the way an individual behaves at their workplace is determined by the way they feel about their job and employment setting. In this case, work attitudes refer to the opinions, feelings, and beliefs about the aspects of the work environment. Making sense about job performance and the major predictors, Bauer et al., note that several components such as cognitive, individual’s perception, work attitudes, and personality traits are the most powerful influencers over job performance. Consistent with the determinants of job performance, we review my personality as noted in the “Jung Typology Personality Test” and discuss ways in which it affects my career and effectiveness as a professional.

A brief review of my personality based on Jung Typology test reveals that I am an “ISTJ.” My personality type can be described as follows. I project a keenness of right and wrong, especially in my responsibilities. I am devoted to my duty and punctuality is a keyword. As with most introverted thinkers, I sometimes display an aura of being aloof and cold. I must admit that displaying emotional warmth is a difficult task for me. I prefer to deal with just facts, observe, and expect other to display the highest level of efficiency when handling anything at the workplace. Inconsistencies by others often frustrate me, and I believe in the art of not mincing words. One of my greatest undoings is strictness to time-honored traditions or established bureaucracies.

Based on the Jung Typology test, I am a perfectionist at the workplace, with a seemingly endless capacity for effectiveness. Anyone considered to be slacking will lose my respect, and I will not think twice about telling them the truth; a factor that has enhanced effectiveness in my department. I am free from the constraints of emotion and base my decisions on logic and facts.  I also have a gift of extreme determination, which is evident in the officiating of my responsibilities as a military officer overseeing electricians and power production personnel. As mentioned above, one of my greatest weaknesses is strict adherence to long-standing traditions, which makes it hard for me to adjust and accept change.

Virtually, job satisfaction refers to the overall feeling, positive attitudes, or emotional disposition that people gain from aspects of their work. Perceptions of organizational justice, interpersonal relationships, stress at the workplace, and work attitudes are some of the major influencers outlined by Bauer et al. Similarly, according to Redmond (2015), several variables contribute to an individual’s job satisfaction. For instance, job characteristics are an element of a job that generates ideal conditions for motivation, satisfaction, and improved performance. Internal disposition, where people are genetically positive about their work irrespective of its nature also contributes to job satisfaction. As further elaborated in Locke’s goal setting theory (2015), clear goals and appropriate feedback also have the potential to motivate employees. Nonetheless, as Redmond notes, it is difficult to establish the antecedents of job satisfaction. Consistently, one of the elements that have impacted my job performance is my personality. Being an ISTJ, with a seemingly endless capacity for effectiveness has enabled me to always strive towards improving my job performance. The fact that I am attached to truth based on fact and not mere assumptions is also one of the greatest elements that largely contributed to my improved job performance and satisfaction. Additionally, as outlined I my extreme determination helps me to keep on trying something and not to give up no matter how hard the task might be. 

As an ISTJ, I can perform effectively and successfully manager regarding pushing people to be as effective as I am, be innovative when faced with problems, and focus on specific tasks to ensure they are effectively handled. The test has helped me understand that I have a disposition of being aloof and cold, which might not go well with my role as a leader. In this regard, I should try to improve my human skills including the way I interact and communicate with others. Consequently, as a military officer attached to following time-honored traditions, I should consider being more accommodative to change as the world is dynamic. Nonetheless, one of the things I hope to maintain is relying on truth based on facts and always being straightforward with people, especially when they make mistakes.

References

Bauer, T., Erdogan, B., Short, J., and Carpenter, M. (n.d). MGT501 Principles of Management, Ch. 3:  Personality, Attitudes, and Work Behaviors. Flatworld.  Retrieved from http://scholar.flatworldknowledge.com/books/29741/fwk-127512-ch02/read

Locke’s goal-setting theory: Setting meaningful, challenging goals. (2015). MindTools: Essential Skills for an Excellent Career. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_87.htm 

Redmond, B.F. & Bower, C.P. (2015). Job satisfaction. In Work Attitudes and Job Motivation. Retrieved from https://wikispaces.psu.edu/display/PSYCH484/11.+Job+Satisfaction