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The Manager as a PersonThe Manager as a Person

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Personality TraitsPersonality Traits

Personality Traits: Characteristics that influence how people think, feel and behave on and off the job.Include tendencies to be enthusiastic, demanding, easy-

going, nervous, etc.Each trait can be viewed on a continuum, from low to

high. There is no “wrong” trait, but rather managers have a

complex mix of traits.

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The Big Five Traits:The Big Five Traits:

Low HighExtroversion

Low HighNegative Affectivity

Low HighAgreeableness

Low HighConscientiousness

Low HighOpenness to Experience

I

II

III

IV

V

Figure 11.1

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The Big Five The Big Five Extroversion: people are positive and feel good about

themselves and the world. Managers high on this trait are sociable, friendly.

Negative Affectivity: people experience negative moods, are critical, and distressed. Managers are often critical and feel angry with others

and themselves. Agreeableness: people like to get along with others.

Managers are likable, and care about others. Conscientiousness: people tend to be careful,

persevering. Openness to Experience: people are original, with

broad interests.

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Traits and ManagersTraits and Managers Successful managers vary widely on the “Big Five”.

It is important to understand these traits since it helps explain a manager’s approach to planning, leading, organizing, etc. Managers should also be aware of their own style and try

to tone down problem areas. Internal Locus of Control: People believe they are

responsible for their fate. See their actions are important to achieving goals.

External Locus of Control: People believe outside forces are responsible for their fate.

Their actions make little difference in achieving outcomes.

Managers need an Internal Locus of Control!

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Other TraitsOther Traits Self-Esteem: Captures the degree to which people

feel good about themselves and abilities.High self-esteem causes people to feel they are

competent, and capable.Low self-esteem people have poor opinions of

themselves and abilities. Need for Achievement: extent to which people have

a desire to perform challenging tasks and meet personal standards.

Need for Affiliation: the extent to which people want to build interpersonal relationships and being liked.

Need for Power: indexes the desire to control or influence others.

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ValuesValues Values: describe what managers try to achieve through

work and how to behave.These are personal convictions about life-long goals

(terminal values) and modes of conduct (instrumental values).

A person’s value system reflects how important their values are as a guiding principle in life.

Terminal values important to managers include: Sense of Accomplishment, equality, self-respect.

Instrumental values include: hard-working, broadminded, capable.

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Terminal and Instrumental ValuesTerminal and Instrumental Values

TERMINAL VALUES

Prosperous lifeExciting life

Sense of AccomplishmentA world at peace

SalvationSelf-respect

PleasureWisdom

True friendshipEquality

TERMINAL VALUES

Prosperous lifeExciting life

Sense of AccomplishmentA world at peace

SalvationSelf-respect

PleasureWisdom

True friendshipEquality

INSTRUMENTAL VALUES

AmbitiousBroadminded

CapableCheerful

CleanHelpfulHonest

ObedientLoving

Responsible

INSTRUMENTAL VALUES

AmbitiousBroadminded

CapableCheerful

CleanHelpfulHonest

ObedientLoving

Responsible

Figure 11.3

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AttitudesAttitudes Attitudes: collection of feelings about something.

Job Satisfaction: feelings about a worker’s job. Satisfaction tends to rise as manager moves up in the

organization. Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: actions not required

of managers but which help advance the firm. Managers with high satisfaction perform these “extra mile” tasks.

Organizational Commitment: beliefs held by people toward the organization as a whole.

Committed managers are loyal and proud of the firm. Commitment can differ around the world.

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MoodsMoods Moods: encompass how a manager feels while

managing.Positive moods provide excitement, elation and

enthusiasm.Negative moods lead to fear, stress, nervousness.

Moods can depend on a person's basic outlook as well as on current situations.

Managers need to realize how they feel affects how they treat others and how others respond to them.Workers prefer to make suggestions to mangers who are

in “a good mood”.

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PerceptionsPerceptions Perception is the process through which people select,

organize and interpret input.Manager’s decisions are based on their perception.

Managers need to ensure perceptions are accurate.Managers are all different and so are their perceptions of

a situation. Perceptions depend on satisfaction, moods, and so forth.

A manager’s past experience can influence their outlook on a new project.Good managers try not to prejudge new ideas based on

the past.

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Career DevelopmentCareer Development Career: sum total of the work-related experiences

through a person’s life.Linear career: person moves through a sequence of

jobs of higher levels. Can build different experience in different positions.

Steady State career: worker chooses to keep the same kind of job over much of a career. Become highly skilled in a given area.

Spiral Career: worker holds fundamentally different jobs that still build on each other. Worker gains wide experience yet skills continue to build.

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Career StagesCareer Stages

PreparationPreparationfor Workfor Work

PreparationPreparationfor Workfor Work

OrganizationOrganizationEntryEntry

OrganizationOrganizationEntryEntry

Early Mid-Early Mid-careercareer

Early Mid-Early Mid-careercareer

Mid-Mid-careercareer

Mid-Mid-careercareer

LateLateCareerCareer

LateLateCareerCareer

Figure 11.7

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Career Stages:Career Stages: Preparation for Work: decide on kind of career,

determine qualifications needed. Organizational entry: find a “first” job.

Managers usually start in a functional area first. Early career: establishes person in the firm and begins

achievement. Worker learns firm’s values and duties. Also begins to achieve noteworthy results in the job. Worker tries to stand out as a good performer.

Mentors (experienced manager who shows you the ropes) are valuable during this stage.

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Stages, cont.Stages, cont.

Mid-career: usually have been in workforce 20-35 years. Usually provides major accomplishments.

Career plateaus can occur as chances for further promotion dwindle. Plateau managers can still enjoy a fruitful career.

Late career: continues as long as the manager works and is active.Many managers choose to stay active well past normal

retirement.

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Career ManagementCareer Management Managers need to consider both personal career

management as well as the careers of other workers in the firm.Ethical practice: managers need to ensure worker

promotions are based on outcomes, not friendships. This means all workers are treated equally.

Accommodation of other demands: Workers have many things in their lives besides work. Managers need to consider these issues as well. The dual career couple is the norm. Workers have family commitments.

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StressStress Results when people face important opportunity or

threats they are uncertain can be handled. Managers almost always face stress.

Physiological issues: stress can result in sleep problems, headaches, and other issues. Long-term levels of stress can result in heart attack, and

high blood pressure. Different people experience stress differently.

Psychological issues: stress can result in bad moods, anger, nervousness. Can result in lower work output and frustration.

Behavioral issues: stress can actually enhance job performance as well as impair it.

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Stress & PerformanceStress & PerformanceFigure 11.8

High

Low

Lev

el o

fP

erfo

rman

ce

Low HighPositive Stress Negative Stress

Level of Stress

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Sources of StressSources of Stress

Role Conflict: results from conflict between managerial roles.Conflict can result when managers want to present a

problem with the firm but still want to present firm in best possible light.

Role Overload: managers have too many duties and activities.

Most managers have several roles but they can become over-powering.

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Coping with stressCoping with stress

Problem-focused: actions taken to directly deal with stress.

Emotion-focused: actions taken to deal with stressful feelings.

Time Management: allows people to accomplish more with less wasted time.

Mentoring: mentor shows how to deal with stress.Exercise: can reduce stressful feelings.Meditation: puts current cares aside.Social support: can come from family or other workers.