1. Personality &
Transformational Leadership
CHRISSY DELLA CORTE
HRE 7723
NOVEMBER 15, 2011

2. What is personality?
2
 Personality is 'the sum total of all the biological
innate dispositions, impulses, tendencies, appetites
& instincts of the individual and the acquired
dispositions and tendencies’ (Prince, 1924).
 The more or less stable and enduring organization of
a person's character, temperament, intellect, and
physique determines his unique adjustment to the
environment (Eysenk, 1947, p.21).

3. Theory of Personality
3
 Personality is mostly biological but can be influenced by environment
 Biological view validated by:
 The same three personality orientations are found universally
regardless of social and cultural factors
 These traits show stability within individuals over long periods of
time in the face of differing experiences
 Evidence supported by twin studies
 Based on three dimensions (Types or Superfactors):
 Extraversion / Introversion
 Neuroticism / Stability
 Psychoticism / Superego

4. Personality of Leaders
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 Outgoing
 Extraverted
 Sociable
 Confident
 High self esteem
 Positive
 Optimistic
 Emotionally balanced
 Innovators
 Risk-takers

5. Personality, cont.
5
 Personality is just one of the (highly) complex variables that need to be
correlated among many others in order to do a "deep evaluation" of
ourselves.
 How we behave depends on the situation. Our situation at any given
moment must always be taken into consideration, as well as the many
dimensions of self, or individual.
 So, we have both the individual structure (the personality, self-
needs, abilities, satisfaction, goals, etc.) and those of the organization
(boss, colleagues, reward system, tasks, their personalities, etc.).
 People with similar styles problem-solve well together.
 Personality distinguishes humans from other species, and oneself from
other humans.

6. What is temperament?
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 Temperament is about individual differences.
 Temperament is composed of the traits, with which a
person is born, which are genetic in nature.
 It differs from personality, which is a combination of
person’s temperament and life experiences.
 Temperament is "the stable individual differences in
quality and intensity of emotional reaction" and is
present at birth (Berk, 1998).

7. Temperament, cont.
7
 McCall (1984) defined temperament as ―biologically based individual
differences in reactions to the world‖.
 He also described further that these reactions are relatively stable over time
and it is not personality but is one of the bases of later personality traits.
 Personality characteristics are based on traits and behaviors which are
normally acquired after infancy.
 Some of the personality characteristics are not influenced by the biological
factors.
 Temperament traits are not completely inherited.
 The key aspects of people’s personalities are habits, goals, and self-
perceptions which are not considered as temperament traits.

8. What is a learning style?
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 Learning Style: A consistent way an individual
responds to, and uses stimuli in the context of
learning. (Claxton & Ralston, 1978).
 Cognitive Style: The consistent individual differences
found in ways of organizing and processing
information and experience. (Messick, 1984).

9. Types of Learning Styles
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 MBTI – Jung (1960)
 GEFT – Witkin etc. (1973)
 KAI– Kirton (1976)
 Multiple Intelligences – Gardner (1983)
 LSI – Kolb (1984)
 VAK – Fleming (2001)

10. Why study learning styles?
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 People learn better when info is presented in their
own learning style.
 For every study that finds this to be true, there is
another study finding it false.

11. Experiential Learning
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12. Concrete Experience
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Starting Point—What are
Examples
we doing?
 Must incorporate the  Making products or
here and now models
 Gets you ready to learn  Solving problems or
(gives motivation) analyzing case studies
 In a sense, a controlled  Negotiating or
failure… bargaining
 Must anticipate things  Guided imagery
go wrong  Role playing

13. Reflection
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What happened? Examples
 Three Steps  Journaling
 Return to the experience  Videotaping and
 Promote positive feelings reviewing
and remove obstructing
feelings  Group discussion
 Re-evaluate the  Private discussion
experience
 Art (singing, painting)

14. Reflection Questions
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1. WHAT DID YOU DO?
2. WHY DID YOU DO IT?
3. HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
4. WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
5. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE?

15. Abstract Conceptualization
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So, what do I conclude?
 Teacher applies conceptual knowledge
 Connects book learning to real-life learning
 Or Theory to Practice
 What can be concluded?
 What have I learned about this experience, about
myself, about my team?

16. Active Experimentation
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Now what do I do?
 Application of new knowledge (requires a plan)
 A chance to do better
 Reach level of expertise desired by teacher
 Provides another opportunity for a concrete
experience
 Again, needs pre-teaching

17. Experiential Learning
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18. Kolb’s Learning Styles
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 Diverging: Having many points of view concerning
concrete situations with an approach of observe rather
than to take action.
 Assimilating: Being able to take a wide range of
information and put it into concise logical form.
 Converging: Being able to find practical uses for ideas
and theories.
 Accommodating: Having the ability to learn from hands-
on experiences.

19. Kirton’s Adaption Innovation Theory
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 In problem-solving…
 ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATIVE!!!
 Some people are more adaptive.
 Some people are more innovative.
 Both adaptors and innovators are needed to solve
complex problems.

20. Adaptors & Innovators--Originality
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Adaptors Innovators
 Produce few ideas  Produce many ideas
 Expect high rate of  Tolerate high failure
success rate
 Viewed as dull &  Viewed as illogical &
boring random

21. Adaptors & Innovators--Efficiency
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Adaptors Innovators
 Precise with detail  Sees the larger picture
 Welcomes change as an  Welcomes change as a
improver mould breaker
 Makes things better  Makes things different
 Viewed as narrow  Viewed as inefficient
minded

22. Adaptors & Innovators—Rules/Structures
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Adaptors Innovators
 Solve problems using  Solves problems by
rules altering rules
 Rarely challenges the  Always challenges rules
rules  Radical
 Prudent with authority  Viewed as reckless or
 Viewed as over- rude
cautious

23. Coping Behavior
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 Your preferred problem-solving style is determined
early in life and does not change.
 We learn to cope in situations that do not match our
preferred style.
 Coping behavior is psychologically expensive.

24. A-I in groups & teams
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 Diversity of thought
 Cognitive Gap
 A gap of 20 points is significant and causes problem-solving
difficulty if not addressed
 Bridgers
 A person who has a score between extreme scores
 A person who is willing and able to act as a bridger

25. A-I in groups & teams
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Homogenous Groups Heterogeneous Groups
 Everyone thinks the  Think differently
same  Can have conflict
 Comfortable  Can solve a broad
 Friendly range of problems
 Can solve a narrow
range of problems

26. Final Points on A-I Theory
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Your Preferred Creative
Everyone is Creative!
Style
 All make decisions and  Probably genetically
solve problems; in the determined (a component of
personality)
brain, this is creative
activity
 Cannot choose or change
your style
 Your creative style or
preference is based on  Can be measured at an
how your brain functions early age
 Creative style is NOT the  Remains stable with
same as level age, experience

27. Which style is better?
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• Neither style is inherently better at solving problems &
making decisions; there is no ―right‖ or ―wrong‖ score.
• In specific situations, different degrees of adaptation
and/or innovation may be seen as more appropriate.
• We have a tendency to feel comfortable with and value
our own style.
• Differences or gaps do exist
• Between people
• Between groups or teams
• Between people/teams and the requirements of the task

28. Any Questions?
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CREATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE
HTTP://TALENTDEVELOP.COM/SELFTEST.HTML
KEIRSEY TEMPERAMENT SORTER (KTS-II)
HTTP://WWW.KEIRSEY.COM/SORTER/INSTRUMENTS2.ASPX?PARTID=0
VAK
VISUAL, AUDITORY, AND KINESTHETIC LEARNING STYLE
HTTP://SOS.NET/~DONCLARK/HRD/STYLES/VAKT.HTML
KOLB LEARNING STYLE INVENTORY (LSI)
HTTP://LEARNINGFROMEXPERIENCE.COM/TOOLS/KOLB-LEARNING-STYLE-
INVENTORY-LSI/
HTTP://WWW.BUSINESSBALLS.COM/KOLBLEARNINGSTYLES.HTM