Summary
The scenario portrays the manager, Juanita, who has difficulties with assessing her employee’s personality traits. Sandra’s personality fluctuates depending on the situation, which is why Juanita wants to find a strategy that would help her have a clear picture. There are specific tools the manager can use to achieve the task, and she can implement new methods of assessing Sandra’s behavior and personality.
The Manager’s Options
Managers need to have an understanding of how their employees behave and assess the tasks that are appropriate for them. Many managers find delegation a complicated objective, which is why they spend a long time observing and scrutinizing their employees’ personality traits (Hill et al., 2017). The given scenario portrays Juanita as an efficient manager who is determined to learn as much as possible about the people in her company. Juanita can pay attention to the character theories, which highlight the individual’s values, character, intent, and personality (Nelson & Quick, 2017). The work environment might also influence Sandra’s inconsistent behavior since it is detrimental to any employee (Diamantidis & Chatzoglou, 2019). This is why analyzing one’s personality and character, regardless of the possible dubious actions and inconsistent behavioral patterns, is helpful.
Another theory that could be an option for Juanita is the consequential one. Unlike the character theory, the consequential one takes into consideration the consequences of a particular behavior rather than the individual’s personality. This may allow Juanita to assess whether Sandra’s actions ultimately lead to benefits for the company or not. The consequential theory is based on examining the end result of the employee’s actions. While the action itself might seem controversial, the consequence may be advantageous.
Juanita’s options also include using the rule-based theory. This theory puts emphasis on the intent and the character of the act. While the consequential approach emphasizes the end result, the rule-based one highlights the initial objective. If Sandra’s actions are not necessarily productive but the initial goal is different, this is when the rule-based theory might be an option for Juanita in her employee assessment.
The Manager’s Actions
There are a couple of steps that Juanita must follow to come to a conclusion regarding Sandra’s personality. Businesses have to ensure that employees have a high satisfaction rate (Jamal Ali & Anwar, 2021). Learning about Sandra’s personality traits will allow the manager to assess what tasks are more suitable for her, so examining her behavior is crucial. The first thing that Juanita can do is give her employees a written questionnaire. Answering multiple questions will allow Sandra to express herself and reveal her true personality.
As mentioned before, the projective tests are also helpful since it allows for a more imaginative and subjective result. Juanita may also opt for more research-based tools rather than her intuition. One of them is the MBTI test, which helps assess whether the participant leans toward an introverted or extroverted personality (Nelson & Quick, 2017). Social perception is also an important aspect that influences the way Juanita views her employee. There is a possibility that an introverted individual does not receive as much praise as the extroverted one, which can be the case for Sandra.
Juanita should focus on the cause rather than the effect. She can do it by assessing behavioral measures, including looking at the situation and the reaction afterward. These things will allow the manager to understand her employee’s strong points, preferences, and responses. It is essential to examine personality theory and implement it in one’s organization because it will lead to better interpersonal relationships between colleagues.
References
Diamantidis, A. D., & Chatzoglou, P. (2019). Factors affecting employee performance: An empirical approach. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 68(1), 171–193.
Hill, L. A., Ibarra, H., Cialdini, R. B., & Goleman, D. (2017). HBR’s 10 Must Read for New Managers. Harvard Business Review Press.
Jamal Ali, B., & Anwar, G. (2021). An empirical study of employees’ motivation and its influence on job satisfaction. International Journal of Engineering, Business and Management, 5(2), 21–30.
Nelson, D. L., & Quick, J. C. ORGB 5: Organisational Behaviour. Cengage Learning, 2017.