A631.9.2.RB_HansardCarey

As demonstrated in the video, Steve Jobs was a very motivated individual with a clear vision. He knew what he wanted and through charismatic leadership, he was able to inspire others to leave Apple and work with him on his NeXT adventure. As for my ability to fit into an environment like that, my test results are mixed. Not everyone is able to fit into such a fast-paced and highly charged setting.

First, in the area of independence characteristics, my score was in the middle. I do not believe that I would leave to work for a start up company because I like stability, which is contrary to what the results showed. In general, my confidence level is high when I feel as though I am knowledgeable about my job role and responsibilities. In a start up environment, I would think that roles and responsibilities are not as clearly defined as they would be in an established company. Employees are more likely to be able to characterize their roles. The final attribute in this area shows that I have a strong desire for structure. Based on the video, Jobs appears to have vision but not a great amount of structure. I definitely like a certain amount of structure at work and even somewhat controlled chaos is not appealing to me.

Once again, my scores were in the middle for achievement attributes. What stood out to me in this section was my tendency toward conservative goal ambitiousness and a high level of motivation by challenges. The goals I normally set for myself are goals that I feel as though I can achieve. They do challenge me, but they are not so lofty that I feel as though I cannot attain them. In Jobs’s company, he has set a very hefty goal of launching his product in a little over a year. Although this is quite a challenge and I understand the need for deadlines, I do not feel as though I would be able to achieve that goal and do my best work. My philosophy is I would rather do it right that fast.

Risk is another area where my test results revealed a tendency to stay in the middle. In Jobs’s company, NeXT, there is great personal and professional risk involved. People left what I assume were stable, well-paying jobs to branch out with Jobs. Professionally, they are exploring new, unchartered territory which brings with it high risk. Even though the test results were not conclusive, I generally am not a huge risk-taker and am not sure that I would fit into this organization well.

Again, when it comes to innovating, problem solving, and being creative, my results put me in the middle of the road. In a new company, employees get to create their own culture and processes. The test showed I have an inclination for using rules and standards and am not a fan of creating new processes and being creative. In addition, Jobs was looking for people to be innovative and solve problems they were facing. The test indicates that I am more likely to identify problems rather than solve them and have an aversion to creating and inventing.  Because this business venture is in the highly volatile and rapidly changing world of technology, problem solving and inventing is an absolute necessity. Having someone on board who does not possess those qualities is more of a hindrance than a helping factor.

This venture is obviously one where individual recognition is not likely. According to the test, recognition is an area that was identified as important to me and with which I agree. The focus would be on the team effort rather than individual effort. In my eyes, both would be highly important but not necessarily provided in this environment.

Finally, the results showed that I do not define success financially and clearly, financial success is essential to this start up as they are already discussing how to cut costs just a few months in. 

If I were considering or being considered for a job at NeXT and only based my decision of employment on the results of the test, it would seem that I would be a fairly safe choice. Most of my results were in the middle of the spectrum, indicating that I am overall balanced and don’t fall on one extreme or the other. I think that I would enjoy being involved in something new and the challenges that come with it. However, after watching the video, personal instinct tells me that I would not enjoy working there. Although it would be exciting and challenging, the fast-paced nature, looming deadlines, and stress that accompany both of those do not appeal to me. I prefer to work at a more relaxed pace and reserve the right to change the deadline if necessary without severe repercussions. Therefore, I do not believe that I would fit into the culture at NeXT and, if given the choice, would choose not to work there. 

Nathan, J. (1989, Mar 17). Entrepreneurs. Nathan/Tyler Productions. Retrieved November 26, 2012, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loQhufxiorM&feature=related 

A631.8.4.RB_HansardCarey

I have taken the Myers Briggs test before during a retreat for work but, since it had been a couple of years, I took it again for this module. The results showed that my type is I (67%), S (12%), F (12%), J(11%). These results are similar to what I learned the first time I took it and accurate, in my opinion. As I was reading through information on my type, Heiss, (2007) says that ISFJ personalities, “tend to be harried and uncomfortable in supervisory roles” (para. 3). She goes on to discuss the “need to be needed” which definitely describes me (Heiss, 2007, para. 1).  ISFJ personality types are also purported to be genuine and good with people which is another accurate statement about my personality (Heiss, 2007).

When my department conducted this test, someone from HR who is certified to interpret the results of this test came to talk about the results with us. He asked us to stand in our groups from highest percent at one end to highest end of the opposing type at the other. For example, the person with the highest percentage for introversion was on one side and the person with the highest percentage of extroversion was on the other. What an interesting visual that was!! There was only one other person with a higher introversion score than me, so I was at that end of the spectrum. At the other end, the highest extroverted scores were Katy and the CEO. I heard many people commenting that they never knew that I was so introverted and that I always seemed so nice and friendly. The presenter went on to explain that a high percentage for introversion did not mean that one was antisocial but rather that that person derives energy in a different way. Introverts like to have quiet time to refresh at the end of the day. There does not have to be constant activity or large groups of people around for an introvert. This provided an aha moment for many especially the extroverts who are the social butterflies and want constant attention. We all saw each other in a new light after that.

There are many uses for personality typing in the business world. For instance, after our exercise, we were asked to put the acronym for our personality types outside our offices. Using the information we had been given, we were able to find out more about others and how to more effectively interact with them. I tend to be very self-aware, but not everyone is. This test could give a leader insight into what makes him/her tick and by doing so, understand how to more effectively behave and interact with others.  For example, one of the misconceptions about introverts is that because they are quiet they appear standoffish. If I walk into a group of people I do not know, I am not likely to seek out others to speak to. An extrovert might misinterpret that as rudeness or think that I do not want to talk to anyone and that is simply not the case. Most of the time, I am just observing what others are doing and saying and once I get to know you, I am very friendly and personable. Understanding these differences will help these personality types better deal with others.

I believe I am very self-aware. Part of my approach to dealing with the people that I work with is to build solid relationships with them. That does not mean that we agree on everything. But what it does mean is that when we don’t, I can have a friendly debate with the other person because I already have a good relationship with him/her. I use humor to try to get through difficult conversations and situations. I have a hard time understanding people who are only friendly when they want something from you and the moment something doesn’t go their way, they turn into someone else. One of the best resources we have available to us is other people.

Having said that, as the courses have gone by, we have read over and over again about traits that leaders possess and I have noticed that I am definitely the type of person that is more concerned with interpersonal relationships rather than strategy, budget, and deadlines. I understand that all of those things are still important but again, I have a hard time understanding people who only focus on those things. As a leader, knowing my personality type and what my strengths and weaknesses are will allow me to surround myself with different personality types with opposing strengths and weaknesses to balance out my traits. That balance makes for the strongest leaders.

Reference:

Heiss, M. (2007, August 20). Introverted sensing feeling judging. Retrieved from http://www.typelogic.com/isfj.html   

A631.7.4.RB_HansardCarey

Organization Development is not, in my opinion, a passing fad. According to Brown (2011), “OD is a planned strategy to bring about organizational change” (p. 5).  Organizations need to adapt and change according to the market and available technology. Therefore, as long as companies recognize that change is essential to their livelihood, OD will be necessary. Most of the time, those within an organization do not understand how to effect systematic change on their own and will require the help of an OD practitioner or training in OD techniques.

In general, I think that once top leaders understand the steps involved in OD, they see the benefit of aligning their systems, employees, and leaders, as well as receiving feedback on their processes. One of the key takeaways for me from these courses has been the fact that leaders need to be involved with any change effort from the ground up. “In attempting to manage today’s organizations, many executives find that their past failures to give enough attention to the changing environment are now creating problems for them” (Brown, 2011, p. 7).  I think with the right guidance from an OD practitioner, a leader’s past failures will serve as motivation to make the necessary organizational changes.

Communication is vital to the health of an organization and both communication and leadership involvement are necessary whether there is a change effort underway or not. Learning and understanding how systems interact with and affect each other are also useful skills for any leader. Identifying values for the organization and getting buy in from employees helps strengthen the company. In other words, the techniques and skills that leaders learn while going through the OD process can carry forward into the future and contribute to upcoming successes long after the OD practitioner has separated from the business.

Having said that, there will always be some organizations that are not ready for the OD process. Many of these companies’ leaders are probably the same people saying that OD is a fad. When preparing to begin an OD program, there are several issues to consider including whether the values of the company and practitioner are in sync, whether achievable goals can be established, and if the employees are willing to embrace the change movement (Brown, 2011).  Change is not a concept that most employees eagerly embrace even when they see the need. Change can be scary and the future is undoubtedly uncertain but motivated leadership and knowledgeable OD practitioners working together with employees can achieve success. There is not a one-size-fits all approach to OD. If the practitioner recognizes that a specific approach is not working, he/she needs to be flexible and adapt. He/she also needs to make sure that throughout the process, he/she is imparting the skills and knowledge to leaders in order for the organization to remain stable yet adaptable when necessary without the practitioner. By doing so, this will ease the practitioner’s transition out of the picture.

While I do not feel that Organization Development is a passing fad, every good idea has a period when it is the latest and greatest and another period where interest in it wanes. I can only hope that the central ideas of OD will continue to be used to create and sustain dynamic companies.

Reference:

Brown , D. (2011). An experiential approach to organizational development. (8th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.