Self Analysis and Personality Diagnostic Tests free essay sample

Self-awareness can be gained through exercising several personality tests, which the results found to be reasonably accurate, and may assist by giving people illustrations about their self. This essay will talk about self-awareness through comparing and contrasting the personality tests, such as The Big Five Locator, Emotional Intelligence Test, Human Dynamics Profiler, and Personal Style Inventory which is based on Myers-Briggs Test. Diagnostic Tools Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is another type of personality test, developed by Briggs Myers and Mary H. McCaulley (1998), based on four pairs of dimensions such as Introversion (I) and Extroversion (E), Thinking (T) and Feeling (F), Sensing (S) and Intuition (N), Perceiving (P) and Judging (J). Higgs (2001) claimed that of these eight elements, four can be considered as the dominant factors, which are Sensing, Intuitive, Thinking, and Feeling are considered as the dominant factors, which means these are the preference factors of people when they perceive and judge. While the other four elements reflects how people behave and their attitude toward inner and outer world (Myers and McCaulley, 1998, as cited in Higgs, 2001). These functions are put together to determine how people act on a course of action and how people perceive a situation (Higgs, 2001), which will benefit individuals by identifying their predominant behaviours. According to this diagnostic, I achieved a balance in the strengths for introversion and extroversion (IE), thinking and feeling (TF) and perceiving and judging (PJ) dimensions, while a relatively high score of sensing and intuition (SI). However after further opinions from close friends, I finally determined myself to be relatively INFP (introversion, intuition, feeling, perceiving). Based on the reality, I agreed that I am more of an introvert who works, act and make decisions independently, but also often misunderstood by others. Evidence suggested that introversion could help to become a more effective leader, since they tend to excel by working alone (Fell. 2008). Intuitor and perceiver also are parts of my personality, in which according to the model, I tend to solve and respond to problems in a short matter of time by jumping into conclusions, often leaving out certain details, indecisive and easily distract from tasks. As a feeler, it means that I easily sense other people feelings and aware of the situation’s atmosphere, which is important to maintain the harmony in social relationship. The Big Five Locator According to De Raad, Perugini (2002, p. 2), the use of Big Five model is to serve as a standard medium of communication through collecting semantic materials for the purpose of describing individual differences. It required us to fill in the Big Five questionnaires to measures personality based on several elements such as emotional stability, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience. Individual who scores high in extraversion is related to sociability, assertiveness, social dominance, and ambitious (Bozionelos, 2004). People who score high in agreeableness means that people is trusting, humble, and more to a team player (De Janasz, Wood, Gottschalk, Dowd, and Schneider, 2007, p. 23). Conscientiousness is the drive to accomplish something, therefore people who have high score in conscientiousness are usually more organised and dependable (De Raad, Perugini (2002, p. 8). Meanwhile, a person who scores high in emotional stability can be described as reactive while also worrying. Lastly, an individual who has high score in openness usually are curious, liberal, and has broad interests. In the Big Five Model, I had high score at Emotional Stability, which means that I have a weak emotional stability, whose characteristics such as excitable, reactive but also worrying and easily stressed (De Janasz, Wood, Gottschalk, Dowd, and Schneider, 2007, p. 23). Meanwhile in Agreeableness, I had low score, which means I am a challenger, who tend to be questioning, cautious and inflexible. This result actually challenges my Personal Style Inventory (MBTI) result which show I am a perceiver who tend to be more flexible. In the reality, according to my observation, as well as close friends’ I tend to be perceiver as I am relatively flexible to changes, for example is during organising an event, rather than easily get stressed when there is sudden changes at the last minute, I still managed to think clearly and executing Plan B based on current situations, for the event to go well. As for extroversion, I scored relatively high, which also in contrast to what I scored in MBTI (low), however after reviewing both test results, it seems that I am better described as an ambivert (introvert and extrovert). As for Openness to experience, I scored moderate (preserver and explorer) which means there is a balance of limiting own self to discover new things and sticking to what have known at the same time (Dougherty et al. , 2008). Lastly, for conscientiousness, I score relatively low which means I tend to act spontaneously inconsistently, which is similar with MBTI result for being intuitor as I tend to be inattentive to details. Human Dynamics Profiler Human dynamics is a tool whereas unlike other tools, it required no testing. It involves the process of identifying and analysing the initial distinctions in how people behave, process information, learn, communicate and solve problems by exploring interaction between three universal principles such as (Seagal and Horne, 2002). There are five rhythms (Mental, Emotional Objective, Emotional Subjective, Physical Emotional and Physical Mental) in communicating process, which are based on those three mentioned universal components of personality (Seagal and Horne, 1994). Mental people usually have a gift for long-range perspective and leadership quality in which they are able to guide the team to achieve the organisation goals. Emotional Objective people are illustrated as extrovert, in which people in this category express their ideas in great intensity. Meanwhile, Physical Emotional people are best described as people who concern most about feelings, whether of their own, or of the others. Physical Mental people are described as the ones who work from reality to abstract (Seagal and Horne, 1994). They can also be explained as imaginative and creative. After in depth reading and analysing, I fell under one of the five personality dynamics, which are Mentally Centered Personality Dynamic. The trait described me as someone who tends to make a logical planning to achieve long term goals, keep silent in a group if someone else has expressed the roughly same idea. I also often process information internally, which is similar to my MBTI result for being introvert, as I work better off alone. In communicating in a group, mentally centered person tends to evaluate objectively and maintain group clarity and harmony. Most of the time, I tend to hold my own values consistently and find it difficult to display emotional feelings. Therefore, since clarity and precision is important, I prefer to have a written form of communication, which enables to collect necessary information. Emotional Intelligence The term intelligence refers to the ability of a person to understand and use symbols to reason abstract (Ciarrochi, Forgas, Mayer, 2001). In today world, many experts argue that EI has emerged to be more important than traditional measures of intelligence such as IQ (Johnson and Indvik, 1999). This may be due to the emergence of personality studies, as a result of modern management system, which proves that managers and employees emotions also play big parts in achieving organisation goals. For example, more dynamic workplace nowadays required employees to have greater ability to control their emotions to think and act sharply under pressure and changing environment. High emotional intelligence individuals are usually optimistic and initiative; hence they will see changes as opportunities and challenges, rather than worry about the risks and difficulties (Vakola, Tsaousis, and Nikolau, 2004). This shows the relationship between traits and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, there seems to be a relationship between emotional intelligence and the study of personality, such as Myers-Briggs type indicator. Study by Dulewicz and Higgs (1999) as cited in Higgs (2001) explained that there is positive relationship between the MBTI Feeling and Thinking, with the Emotional Intelligence element of self-awareness. Also negative relationship between MBTI Introversion, and influence. Introvert person tends to have less influence, since it is pretty much defined by the vocalness of a person. Self-improving The results of the tests are pretty much similar one to another and somehow interrelated. While I found that Big Five Model and Human Dynamics Profiler were quite accurate, Myers-Briggs type indicator was the closest in describing me. In order to be effective in management system, personality is very important as it relates to an individual emotional intelligence. To achieve that, there are some improvements I have to make. Introversion are described as something that has negative relationship with motivation and influence (Dulewicz and Higgs ,1999 as cited in Higgs, 2001), meanwhile motivation and influence are major components in which management needs to achieve goals (motivation) and to work with employees, driving them to achieve that goals (influence in managers). Human Dynamics Profiler described me as Mentally Centered who tend to evaluate everything objectively and I find it important to maintain the clarity of communication, harmonious relationship in teamwork and create a long term plan, which reflect my leadership qualities. Leadership qualities are very essential, as it has emerged as something that must be possessed not only by managers, but also the organisation as a whole. In order to be better, I must learn to be an effective problem solver by evaluating things from several points of view, be more open mind to any possibilities, dare to innovate and think outside the box (Seagal and Horne, 1997). Myers-Briggs type indicator described that I am as someone who easily sense and value other people feelings. This trait made me aware that there is potential inside of me to be a good team player. However, according to MBTI and Big Five Model, I tend to be introvert, which could be found as disadvantage, because if I do not change and be more extroverts, I would have less charisma and influence over others, which are certainly obstacles for me to become a leader. Additionally, the Big Five also shows that I tend to be cautious and questioning. This can become strength, in a sense of I will not trust people easily and I tend to ask many questions until I understand, rather than keep silent and get lost on track. However, it can also become a weakness, because there will be points where I have to learn on trusting people and work together with them in order to achieve mutual goal and better result. Therefore, it would be better if I try to be more understanding of people opinions in becoming effective in management system, as organisation consist of a group of people working together in achieving goals. Moreover, Johnson and Indvik (1999) asserts that trust is proved to be linked to organisational success, such as profitability. Self-improving is very important as it helps to minimise weaknesses while maximise strengths. If it is done correctly, it will help me in increasing my emotional intelligence level. Additionally, Martinez (1997) as cited in Johnson and Indvik (1999) argued that IQ is no longer the determinant of someone success. In fact, Martinez (1997) argued that an individual’s success is eighty percent determined by his emotional intelligence, his attitudes towards works. Conclusion In conclusion, this essay have discussed the four personality traits (Big Five, MBTI, Human Dynamics Profiler, and Emotional Intelligence), me as the tool to explain the personality tests, as well as gave some self-improving strategies. It is clear that in today’s management, personality plays big part in determining success within an organisation so it is important for us to be able to address our personalities’ strengths and weaknesses. Exercising some personality tests might be an effective way in assessing our strengths and weaknesses. The most important thing is how people ‘capitalise’ their strengths as opposed to ‘sink’ in their weaknesses that could only hinder their mental development individually and socially. Some people may found that their weaknesses are actually more than they aware, once they have done the tests. Some may reject that newly invented weakness, however the only person who will success is an individual who is honest to their self and prepared to improve himself. We must remember that being an expert in one thing is way better than averaging in more things, therefore improvements must always be made. Reference List Ciarrochi, J. ,Forgas, J. P. ,Mayer, J. D. (2001). Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life. Lillington, NC: Edwards Brothers.