When we look at the factors that make a person suitable for a position we are considering filling, most of us try to get some kind of perspective on the kind of person we are considering. Part of the discussions in interviews will usually revolve around getting a feel for the person’s personality.
In fact, if we do not have a good perspective on the kind of person a candidate is, we often feel uncomfortable making a final decision. Usually we get this perspective through the interview process but sometimes a personality test may be used to supply this kind of information.
Personality is an incredibly complex thing and we can safely say that no two people are exactly alike. However, many people are alike in a number of ways. Makers of personality tests use this as a basis to try and establish how we fit into a set of categories that they have developed.
A number of common personality tests are used internationally and most of them are also present in South Africa. These include the 16PF or 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire, the Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), and the Organisational Profile Questionnaire (OPQ). Although each has been accused of having some cultural bias, they generally work well with the 16PF being the most adapted to the country. These tests have all identified a number of dimensions of personality that they set out to measure by seeing what our views are on various issues.
For example, the 16PF covers dimensions such as whether a person is assertive, warm, conscientious, venturesome, self-sufficient, controlled or emotionally stable. One of the MBTI dimensions contrasts whether someone is extrovert or introverted in their thinking. It is not just individual dimensions that are important, but how they relate together. For example, we will feel differently about a person who is assertive but emotionally controlled and is likely to get his own way in arguments, as opposed to an assertive person who tends to be easily affected by feelings and has the potential to easily become embroiled in conflict with all its negative consequences.
Management requirements
We can profile specific personality requirements that are common to a particular position or even style of management. We are all familiar with the typical contrast between the salesman and the accountant and what might happen if we put an accountant in a sales position and vice versa. There is some truth in these differences, but we need to recognise that there are a whole variety of people working as accountants. Similarly, not all sales people are the same. It is also important to note that one cannot fail a personality test - we all have our own personalities. Rather, it is a case of how well you fit the demands of the position or job profile.
The right personality for a manager will depend on occupational demands, authority structures, the culture of the company, and what kind of style is needed to drive the management focus. In a position where we need a tightly controlled, precise and detail-orientated person we would probably choose a manager with a personality to match. Similarly, if our company was embarking on an expansion drive and we were looking to provide an energetic, bold, experimenting and enthusiastic direction, we would look to a person to provide those kinds of qualities.
At times, companies in different life stages will bring in different CEOs to manage a company going through a particular stage - some examples being consolidation, rationalisation, renewal, and a move from a technical quality focus to a client marketing perspective. In other situations, companies will allocate specific people to certain clients in order to manage the dynamics with the clients more effectively.
We typically value a manager who is warm, socially skilled and insightful about people. These are great characteristics to have in most organisations, but the nicest person in the world may not be the best person for the job. Other personality characteristics may make the person more likely to fail, or the absence of certain characteristics may mean the person is going to find it very difficult to deliver results. The presence of a tough-minded and strong-willed individual may be appropriate for one situation, while a shrewd and insightful but more cautious approach may be best for another. The ability to work within a team environment may be critical in some areas, while independence and self sufficiency may be critical for other occupations.
Conclusion
People are generally highly adaptable and we can change our styles to suit a variety of different scenarios. However, moving outside our natural comfort zones can cause stress and anxiety and although we may be able to change, we may not want to. In fact the refusal to change may even reflect a specific type of personality orientation.
Having a clear idea of what kind of manager and management style is required in the job can help guide a more effective placement decision. Nobody's perfect, however, and we are usually going to have to work out how people with their own unique qualities are going to impact on the job. Assessing people's personalities also is not foolproof and we are likely to be surprised from time to time by the actions and statements of people we think we know well.
Dr Craig Donald is an industrial psychologist and specialist in human factors in security and CCTV. He is the co-developer of the Surveillance and Monitoring Assessment Exercise (SAMAE) for the selection and placement of CCTV operators and presenter of the CCTV Surveillance Skills training course. He can be contacted on telephone: (011) 787 7811, fax: (011) 886 6815, or e-mail: [email protected]
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