One objective of organizational behavior is to determine the best fit between a person and a job. For example, Sally, who prefers to work alone, may not enjoy working in a team environment. Sam, who is quiet and afraid to speak to large groups, may not be the best person to sell your product or present a sales pitch to a group of investors. This does not mean that Sally and Sam do not possess the necessary knowledge, abilities, and skills to perform these tasks. It just means that they may not have the necessary personality traits that motivate them to perform these tasks. Your job as manager, whether you choose to accept it or not, is to motivate the individual to perform these tasks. While there are multiple methods that can be used to motivate an individual to perform a task, your job will be a lot easier if you answer three questions prior to assigning a person to complete a task. The three managerial questions are: Can the person do the task? This question addresses the issue of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Is this the kind of person who is inclined to do the task? This question addresses the issue of personality. Does the setting encourage or discourage the person to do the task? This question examines situation factors that could prevent or assist the individual in doing the task. This exercise examines the second question. In answering this question, you will need to assess the individual’s personality. Personality refers to a relatively stable pattern of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that are unique to the individual. The most widely used method of assessing personality is an objective test. Objective tests are questionnaires and/or inventories that ask the individual to choose the statement that best describes him/her. These tests are then scored and interpreted. The interpretation will describe the individual’s personality and in some cases, suggest what tasks they would be inclined to perform. The website keirsey.com provides background information on the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II personality test. The test distinguishes between individuals based on one of four personality types: Artisan, Guardian, Idealist, and Rational. The first step in this exercise is to register and then to take the test titled “The Keirsey Temperament Sorter II”. Upon completion of the test, you will receive your Keirsey Temperament Sorter. Consider the following questions after you complete this test. Read about your temperament. Surmise what you think your “variant” temperament is (don’t pay to find out). Do you think that your temperament is a good description of you? Why or why not? In Discussion Forum 2, share your views on the following questions. Reply to at least two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar. Do you believe that a personality test such as the Keirsey Temperament Sorter is an accurate indicator of personality? Why? Return to the three managerial questions and explain why and how a worker with your personality type (or another personality type if you do not wish to share your own results) would be motivated to perform. What kinds of tasks would this worker be more inclined to perform?
