Is personality an empty black box when you drive off to work in the morning? Are you able to “separate” the stresses of family, parenting, elder care and health issues from the daily work grind? Does your mood and emotional attitude actually affect how well you drive around communication roadblocks to get to your goal destination? You can bet your laptop battery on it when you’re feeling unplugged from a positive attitude and plugged up from stress! SO what “work types” correspond to the “personality types” that come out when people meet at work or go out socially?
IS PERSONALITY STRESS RELATED TO JOB PERFORMANCE…ARE WE ABLE TO LEAVE OUR PROBLEMS AT HOME?
It may not be easy to plug yourself into a positive communication style–but it sure is worth your time and trouble to be curious about what makes people “tick” and why some people get “ticked off” so easily. The standard personality disorders you read about in my article “You’ve got some serious issues” are excerpted with permission from Table 6.3 in Chapter 6 (The Psychology of Managerial Incompetence) in Dr. Robert Hogan’s eye-opening new book “Personality and the Fate of Organizations.” Dr. Hogan is the rare breed of organizational psychologist who brings the academic alive in the real world of commerce to help organizations “fit” the right person to the right job so work can get done without excuse-making or belly-aching.
WHICH WORKER TYPE…LEADER TYPE…OR FAMILY MEMBER TYPE ARE YOU?
How well do you communicate when things aren’t going well? The acid test: Your communication style, namely, whether you are an Empathizer-type communicator or an Instigator-type communicator, serves as the “filter” through which you pour your personality and understand why you do what you don’t want to and succeed to do what you want to accomplish. Now, here are the same “11 personality styles” in Dr. Hogan’s system related to “work types and job performance” so you can “see” how they relate to the real world you live and work in.
1. EXCITABLE. Persons with high scores on this dimension expect to be disappointed in relationships; they anticipate being rejected, ignored, criticized, cheated, or treated unfairly.
2. ARGUMENTATIVE. Persons with high scores on this dimension expect to be wronged, betrayed, set up, cheated, or deceived in some way.
3. CAUTIOUS. Persons with high scores on this dimension fear being criticized, shamed, blamed, humiliated, or somehow disgraced.
4. RESERVED. Persons with high scores on this dimension seem self-absorbed, self-focused, indifferent to the feelings or opinions of others–especially their staff or close family members–introverted, misanthropic, imperceptive, and lacking in social insight.
5. LEISURELY. Persons with high scores on this dimension march to the sound of their own drum. They are confident about their skills and abilities, cynical about the talents and intentions of others–especially superiors–and they insist on working at their own pace.
6. ARROGANT. Persons with high scores on this dimension expect to be liked, admired, respected, attended to, praised, complimented, and indulged. They exude a sense of entitlement, excessive self-esteem, and an expectation of success that often leads to real success. But when their needs and expectations are frustrated, they explode with narcissistic rage.
7. MISCHIEVOUS. Persons with high scores on this dimension expect that others will like them and find them charming; consequently, they expect to be able to extract favors, promises, money, and other resources from other people with relative ease.
8. COLORFUL. Persons with high scores on this dimension believe that others will find them interesting, engaging, and worth paying attention to. They are good at calling attention to themselves–they know how to make dramatic entrances and exits, they carry themselves with flair, and self-consciously pay attention to their clothes and to the way others react to them.
9. IMAGINATIVE. Persons with high scores on this dimension think about the world in unusual and often quite interesting ways, and they enjoy entertaining others with their unusual perceptions and insights.
10. DILIGENT. Persons with high scores on this dimension are concerned with doing a good job, being a good citizen, and pleasing authority. They are hard working, careful, planful, meticulous, and have very high standards of performance for themselves and other people.
11. DUTIFUL. Persons with high scores on this dimension are deeply concerned about being accepted, being liked, and getting along, especially with authority figures. they are alert for signs of disapproval, and equally alert for opportunities to ingratiate themselves, be of service, and demonstrate their fealty and loyalty to the organization.
THE IMMATURE PERSONALITY
Dr. Hogan has spent much of his extensive and illustrious career understanding the emotional and attitudinal factors that “derail” managers and executives who have been voted most likely to succeed. Personality theory offers a solid foundation regarding “why people do what they do including crack under stress or pursue self-defeating actions.” It was always my favorite subject in school…and remains so to this day.
IF YOU DON’T OWN A PROBLEM…YOU CAN’T SOLVE A PROBLEM
Do you have issues? Well probably, to a slight extent. But people who really have issues aren’t just being “disagreeable” or “moody” or “having a down day”…serious personality problems don’t change without some VERY serious professional psychological intervention and focused help. Tragically, people who have the “biggest issues” are the “biggest denyers and liars” and “wrong-headed mules” about who really has the real issue or is a thorn in the side of a family or organization. “It’s never-ever my fault because I’m always in the right!” is the fight song of the immature personality. Thus, years of therapy may be required since: “If you don’t own a problem, you can’t solve a problem!”
HOW TO BE THE LEADER OF YOUR OWN LIFE USING PERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION TOOLS
You know my ‘change battle-cry’ by now: “Be the leader of your own life!” Are you the leader of your own life? Remember the key results of a New Insights Communication poll: Good leaders go to great strides to improve the skills in little ways every day to net huge results and positive payoffs. You are choosing to do the same today! Aren’t you?
ABOUT DR. ROBERT HOGAN
Dr. Robert Hogan is founder and president of Hogan Assessment Systems, a company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that uses Hogan’s personality assessment tests to help organizations select employees and develop leaders. Dr. Hogan’s newest book is called “Personality and the Fate of Organizations,” which links personality characteristics to people’s behavior, including their successes and failures in the workplace. The book was published in June 2006 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, and should interest anyone who is curious about people, careers and organizational politics. Hogan says: “My goal is to increase the reader’s ability to understand other people: how they are alike, how they are different, and why they do what they do.” The book can be ordered through the publisher’s Web site, www.erlbaum.com. Information about the Hogan Personality Inventory for pre-employment screening purposes is at www.hoganassessments.com. And the Director of Communication for Hogan Assessment Systems is Rolf Olsen at rolsen@hoganassessments.com or by calling #800.756.0632 or #918.749.0632.
ABOUT DR. DENNIS O’GRADY
Dr. Dennis O’Grady is founder and president of New Insights Communication, a company in Dayton, Ohio, that uses O’Grady’s communication systems to help organizations achieve change, improve personal effectiveness and develop responsive leadership and problem-solving tools. Dr. O’Grady’s newest book is called “Talk to Me: Communication Moves to Get Along with Anyone,” which links emotional and attitude preferences and performance obstacles and solutions to communicator type. “Talk to Me” can be ordered through the Web site, www.drogrady.com or by calling 1.937.428.0724.