This document discusses personality in organizational behavior. It defines personality as relatively stable patterns of behavior and internal states that explain individual tendencies. Personality has both internal elements like thoughts and genetics, and external observable behaviors. It is shaped by both heredity and environment. Understanding personality can help predict behaviors and manage diversity in organizations. Several major personality attributes are discussed like locus of control, Machiavellianism, risk-taking, and types A and B. Determinants of personality include heredity, environment, and situational factors. Personality theories can contribute to understanding individuals in the workplace.

1. SUBJECT- ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
BBA-II
UNIT-II

2.  The overall profile or combination of characteristics that capture
the unique nature of a person as that person reacts and interacts
with others.
 Combines a set of physical and mental characteristics that
reflect how a person looks, thinks, acts, and feels.
Predictable relationships are expected between people’s
personalities and their behaviors.

3.  Personality refers to the set of traits & behaviors that
characterize an individual.
 It refers to the relatively stable pattern of behavior &
consistent internal state & explains an individual’s
behavioral tendencies.
 Personality has both internal (thoughts, values & genetic
characteristics that is inferred from observable behaviors)
& external (observable behaviors) elements.
 Personality of an individual is relatively stable in nature.
 Personality is both inherited as well as it can be shaped
by the environment.

4.  Law of Behavior: “People are different”
 To ensure high performing employees in an
organization.
 To manage workforce diversity.
 Summarizing person’s behaviors & attitudes in
relation to a wide range of events.
 Personality consists of characteristics or traits that
describe how people are likely to behave in a given
situation.

5.  Personality is useful in predicting & understanding
the general feelings, thoughts and behaviors of
individuals at the workplace.
 Contribution of various personality theories.

6. Determinants of
Personality
Heredity Environment
Situational
Nature: It advocates that
Part of personality finds its
Origins in biology (heredity)
Nature: It advocates that
Part of personality finds its
Origins in biology (heredity)

7.  Heredity sets the limits on the development of personality
characteristics.
 Environment determines development within these limits.
 About a 50-50 heredity-environment split.
 Cultural values and norms play a substantial role in the
development of personality.
 Social factors include family life, religion, and many kinds of
formal and informal groups.
 Situational factors reflect the opportunities or constraints
imposed by the operational context.

8. Major Personality Attributes Influencing OB
Personality Traits
Authoritative
Locus of
Control
Machiavellianism
Introverts/
Extroverts
Self Esteem
Risk taking
Self-Monitoring
Type A & B
Achievement orientation

9. 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.

10. Degree to which an individual is pragmatic, maintains
emotional distance, and believes that ends justify
means.
“If it works, use it” is consistent with a high-Mach
perspective.
Conditions Favoring High Machs
• Direct interaction
• Minimal rules and regulations
• Distracting emotions

11.  People with a high-Machiavellian personality:
-- Approach situations logically and thoughtfully.
-- Are capable of lying to achieve personal goals.
-- Are rarely swayed by loyalty, friendships, past
promises, or others’ opinions.
-- Are skilled at influencing others.
-- Try to exploit loosely structured situations.
-- Perform in a perfunctory or detached manner in
highly structured situations.

12.  People with a low-Machiavellian personality:
-- Accept direction imposed by others in loosely
structured situations.
-- Work hard to do well in highly structured
situations.
-- Are strongly guided by ethical considerations.
-- Are unlikely to lie or cheat.

13. 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.

14.  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

15. Personality Types

16. 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.

17. Proactive Personality
Identifies opportunities,
shows initiative, takes
action, and perseveres
until meaningful change
occurs.
Creates positive change
in the environment,
regardless or even in
spite of constraints or
obstacles.

18. Personality Types
• Realistic
• Investigative
• Social
• Conventional
• Enterprising
• Artistic
Personality-Job Fit
Theory (Holland)
Identifies six personality
types and proposes that
the fit between personality
type and occupational
environment determines
satisfaction and turnover.
Person-Organization Fit

19. Book- Organization Behavior (Stephen Robbins)
www.slideshare.net/mariamnadir1/foundation-of-individual-
behaviour
business.fullerton.edu/management/slpurkiss/MGMT%20340/OB
02.doc
college.cengage.com/business/moorhead/organizational/6e/.../ch
04.html
www.slideshare.net/RahulJha6/foundations-of-individual-beh