Individual's Values Affects Their Ability to Undertake a Constructive - Essay Example

Introduction Self evaluation is an important part of everyone’s life, because it is through the same that one is able to gauge themselves in terms of strengths, weaknesses, beliefs and mistaken beliefs (Bono 2003). In other words, a core self evaluation helps one to understand themselves better and it also helps others have a more clear picture of the individual. A good core self evaluation, according to Bono and Judge (2003), should be comprised of three major qualities: self evaluative, fundamental and wide in scope. An individual’s values may affect their ability to undertake a constructive and objective self evaluation. First and foremost, a core self evaluation should be self evaluative. This means that a good core evaluation should not be merely an account of the individual in relation to the surroundings, but should dig deep into the person and bring out the person one is. Secondly, a good core evaluation should be fundamental, meaning that it should not be superficial but should be deep seated. The third quality of a good core self evaluation is width of scope. This means that the self evaluation should be of a great reach and should cover to the greatest extent the individual’s mannerisms and uniqueness (Bono 2003). According to psychologists, core self evaluation is directly correlated to the individual’s way of seeing things and behaving (Bono 2003). How a person relates to their surrounding, to various situations and to other people in the context of an organization is termed as organizational behavior. Organizational behavior is also directly influenced by core self evaluation. It has both negative and positive influences on organizational behavior, but positive effects carry the greater percentage of the two (Duncan 2001). Research studies indicate that most of the times, a good, wide and fundamental core self evaluation causes a great motivation to members of an organization and this, therefore, leads to an improvement in performance of the members (Gilliland et al. 2007). According to Duncan, J. W. (), a small group’s description is “a collection of interacting individuals who have common goals, similar values, and a structure of relationships.” Therefore, it is evident from this definition that it is of utmost importance to have a good core self evaluation in order to find a common ground on which the members of the group base their actions (Gilliland et al. 2007). An individual’s performance in the work place and their esteem, according to research findings, is directly affected by core self examination. A core self examination is regarded as an assessment of an individual which gives the individual a sense of worth (Duncan 2001). Research done in the past indicates that an employee of any organization who gets high scores in a core self evaluation possesses some uniqueness in their work. These people exhibit great performance at work because they are happy with their work and they are more inspired to work and they therefore end up earning more than others because they are more likely to hold greater positions at work (Gilliland et al. 2007). Every person has specific values which govern the way they behave and relate with others in the society. Values are the do’s and don’ts that also help the individual to prioritize their actions when they find themselves at crossroads (Pattison 2004). Values are not only limited to individuals, but groups, organizations, cultures and societies uphold values of their own too. Organizational values are those which act as the river bank that guides the organization’s behavior in a certain direction and regulates the limits to which the organization goes about its businesses (Pattison 2004). Many people have difficulty in differentiating between values, morals and ethics. These three fall under the discipline of philosophy and behavioral psychology, and they are closely interrelated hence the reason why many people use them interchangeably (Duncan 2001). Morals have a broader meaning and they are extensive over larger groups and societies as compared to values. According to the Oxford University Press Dictionary, morals are defined as “standards or principles of good behavior, especially in matters of sexual relationships” (Oxford University Press 2010). Ethics are mainly adopted by smaller groups and sectors, for example you will hear of “professional ethics.” Ethics are used in a more formal context as compared to values and morals. Morals and values are interchangeably used comfortably, but the words moral and ethical cannot be interchangeably used. If you think that a doctor is doing what is not right, you can tell him that you find him unethical, but it would be rather upsetting if you told him that he is immoral. This is because morals are mainly related to sexual behaviors (Pattison 2004). Many, or almost all, individuals and organizations have values that act as their guidelines, but not all individuals and organizations actually are influenced by these values. Organizations should ensure that these values determine the direction in which the organization goes (Staw 2006). There are various ways to ensure that this happens. This is done by ensuring continuity of these values by making sure that any new member of the organization is made aware of these values and they are joined up. These values are also put into writing or into any other form in which the members will constantly have access to and then the values are constantly revisited and repeated. Members of the organization are also allowed to adjust and modify these values, and these modifications are agreed upon unanimously. Any breach of these values is addressed with immediate effect so as to prevent the development of a culture that is contrary to the original values of that organization (Staw 2006). Personal values not only govern the way they behave and relate with others in the society but they also directly affect how one thinks and reasons. In order to get a clear understanding of why certain people behave in a specific way in any setting (especially that of an organization) then it is of utmost importance to know their values and individuality (Pattison 2004). Otherwise it would be almost impossible to be in tune with the organizational behavioral traits in the organization, and it therefore would be hard to conduct an effective core self evaluation (Staw 2006). The outcome of a core self evaluation depends on how much the individual like or have an aversion to themselves (Pattison 2004). Low scores on a core self evaluation is correlated with the individual disliking themselves and having a poor image of themselves, while high scores on a core self evaluation are closely correlated to an individual who is confident about themselves and who are comfortable with who they are. The parameter by which individuals or groups measure their worth and their merit is what is referred to as values. This means that there is a close correlation between values and core self evaluation (Staw 2006). For example, lets look at a person whose moral values do not include caring for people and carrying other people’s burdens. If this person was to take a core self evaluation, he or she would state that “every person is responsible for what happens to them and everyone should work their own way out of whatever situation without bothering others.” Ideological values, for example religious values, also greatly influence core self evaluation. For example, an individual who is a Christian may have a value related to time management and self control according to the Christian doctrine that “…there is time for everything under the sun…..” Such a person, in core self evaluation, will find that they are self motivated, self disciplined, can work under minimum supervision and can be a good manager of time. Conclusion Values are not static, but they are dynamic with ages and cultures (Pattison 2004). Some cultures are related with dishonesty, and therefore an individual who is deep rooted into such a culture may give wrong and exaggerated remarks about themselves during core self evaluation, hence altering the accuracy thereof (Bono 2003). Also, depending on one’s values (personal or cultural), the individual may either give timid remarks of themselves while others may give extreme overstatements of themselves. A person who is timid about themselves may actually make the best manager while the puffed up one may not have even the slightest leadership qualities in them. Therefore, it is evident that core self-evaluation and values are related. References: Bono, J. E. and Judge, T. A. 2003. Core Self-Evaluations: A Review of the Trait and its Role in Job Satisfaction and Job Performance European Journal of Personality. Vol. 17, no. S5–S18, pp. 45-60 Duncan, J. W. 2001. Organizational Behavior. New York: HR Folks International. Gilliland, S. et al. 2007. Managing social and ethical issues in organizations. New York: IAP Publishers. Oxford University Press 2010. Definition of moral noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved on 14th July 2010 from http://www.oxfordadvancedlearnersdictionary.com/dictionary/moral_2#moral_2. Pattison, S. 2004. Values in professional practice: lessons for health, social care, and other professionals. Oxon: Radcliffe Publishing. Staw, B. M. 2006. Research in Organizational Behavior: An Annual Series of Analytical Essays and Critical Reviews. Oxford: Elsevier. Read More