Personality Term Paper

Personality in the Work Environment

Douglas B. Silber

Saint Leo University

Abstract

This paper explores the human personality and how an individual’s personality reflects upon and affects their work environment. We will define personality, discuss how a person’s personality is derived and explore the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. Theories of personality and personality traits including the Big Five Model of personality, Machiavellianism (Mach), self-monitoring, the Type-A and Type-B personalities, the proactive personality, and the personality-job fit theory will be reviewed. Finally, how our individual personality fits into these theories and traits and how we can use the knowledge of our personality traits in our job search or at our current organization will be discussed.

Keywords: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Machiavellianism (Mach)

Personality in the Work Environment

Numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between personality attributes and behavior in the work environment. Although some of these studies may show some contradiction in their results in terms of personality influences in the business environment, growing in agreement is a general consensus that an individual’s personality may be a great predictor of success on the job. To understand how our personality could affect our work life, we need to understand the type of personality that we have and the traits associated with that personality type. Currently, the most well known method for personality assessment is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test (MBTI). After answering about one hundred questions, the MBTI classifies an individual into one of sixteen personality types. To try and better understand our own personality type, we will explore some of the better known theories and traits of personality. The Big Five Model of personality states that there are five basic dimensions underlying personality including Extraversion, Agreeableness,...