Results on the Relevance to EMBA Program - Essay Example

Summation of Personal Assessments: Discussion of PCDP 16 PF Results Highlighting Relevance to EMBA Program YOU YOUR ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION Al-Reshidi 1 Your Name Your Academic Organization Your Course Identification Your Instructor Summation of Personal Assessments: Discussion of PCDP / 16 PF Results Highlighting Relevance to EMBA Program Executive Summary This report is designed to analyze the results of the personal assessments known as the Personal Career Development Profile and the 16 PF tests which measure an individuals personality characteristics. Throughout the course of analysis, this researcher discovered that the accuracy of the testing is substantially valid as the majority of the results fit with personal assessments of my own personality as it relates to the executive business environment. This project will illustrate which areas of personality characteristics are strong and which attributes that could be considered somewhat weak and in need of development. As a future executive leader, I found the results of these assessments to be both enlightening and offered as proverbial food for thought on how this researcher can best reach his goal of professional success. Al-Reshidi 2 Defining PCDP / 16 PF Assessments The concept of psychometric testing is a field of study which measures skills, personality traits, and abilities of an individual in order to determine the theoretical behaviors that a test subject reveals in areas of career and personal lifestyle. Based on the results of this psychometric data, the Personal Career Development Profile (PCDP) offers insights into how an individual copes with stressful situations, interacts with others during career and personal situations, and sets a potential career direction in which a person may excel. The PCDP results consist of a narrative, again based on the results of personality testing mechanisms, which offer insight toward a trend of behaviors that a person might exhibit; so as to offer personal understanding of where an individuals strengths and weaknesses lie in terms of career and professional development. In similar respect, the 16 PF testing instrument is designed to assess a set of personality characteristics within the individual being tested in an attempt to pinpoint the degree to which a person exhibits a pattern of behaviors – such as relaxed versus tense or concrete thinker versus abstract/conceptual thinker. The 16 PF offers a scale of 1 (being lowest) to 10 (being highest) to measure the degree in which a person might lean when determining potential career direction; or to offer insight into areas that the individual might need to improve upon. For instance, the test subjects goal may be to secure an executive-level position within a major corporation. This goal, undoubtedly, Al-Reshidi 3 will require substantial leadership skills in terms of maintaining an authoritarian personality. The results of the 16 PF study measures, as one example, the degree to which a person currently exhibits strong leadership and, based on results, the person may wish to reexamine his career path or work to strengthen his leadership abilities. Neither the PCDP or the 16 PF results are designed to concretely prove a persons abilities, but only to indicate the trends to which the individual exhibits certain personality characteristics involving different situations both personal and professional. The results are used to aid an individual in planning for the future and to gain understanding of their current personality traits. SECTION 1: 16 PF Results and Analysis Global Factor Patterns: Extraverted – Score 7.8 – Indicating a personality that leans more toward that of outgoing, animated, and exhibits a willingness to participate socially. In terms of executive leadership, extraversion is a vital tool for building a positive organizational culture and for building relationships with both peers and subordinates. Though a score of 10 would indicate a stronger extraverted personality, I believe that I can offer that a 7.8 indicates that I have the skills necessary to attain an effective leadership position. The interpretive manual describes an extraverted personality also as a thick-skinned individual, which is a necessary attitude for senior executive Al-Reshidi 4 leadership, especially when external demands for business performance are high. The manual also indicates that this personality is less non-disclosing and less self-reliant, and I will offer that my 7.8 score offers me just the right balance between self-reliance and the ability to work within groups. Low Anxiety – Score 4.2 – Low anxiety individuals are described as trusting, self-assured, and somewhat relaxed and patient. Though my score falls closer to an average level, I believe that this score indicates a more balanced approach to anxiety in which I can respond with the appropriate tactics in the correct situation. As an executive leader, there are situations in which the individual must view information from a skeptical viewpoint and other events that require a more trustworthy posture. A 4.2 score, falling toward average, indicates the ability to respond to a variety of situations using the suitable anxiety response. For instance, being driven to excel as an anxiety response can ensure a stable decision-making process whereas other situations may call for a more placid attitude. I believe that striking the balance between anxiety and an unworried attitude dictates an effective manager who can adapt to a fluctuating business environment. Tough-Minded – Score 7.1 – Having scored on the higher end of this scale, I believe that this reflects a somewhat less-receptive individual who is more self-assured in terms of how he perceives the value of his opinions. Though this score does not indicate a completely rigid mentality, it has made me Al-Reshidi 5 consider that the demands on an executive leader often require him to be more receptive to the input of colleagues (and sometimes subordinates), so this score had made me consider that I need to examine my current levels of empathy towards receipt of suggestions during problem-solving activities. An effective leader requires an attentive attitude toward colleagues, therefore scoring on the higher end of tough-mindedness has allowed me to consider balancing self-assuredness with objectivity. Independent – Score 7.4 – Independent persons are usually dominating and assertive. Few could argue that executive management requires an authoritative personality, however, it might be said that modern managers require a more cooperative attitude. Though I do not necessarily think independent personalities can be considered a weakness in leadership, adopting a more team-minded attitude might strike the necessary balance between accommodating and independence. Self-Controlled – Score 5.3 – With an almost average score, I was concerned about these results as I had always considered myself as an individual with a great deal of restraint when it comes to acting on impulse. I might argue that a senior leader should be able to maintain his composure, especially when setting the example for subordinates. However, after careful examination of the interpretive manual, I discovered that having a balanced score between unrestrained and self-controlled personality means being able to respond to Al-Reshidi 6 rapid, spontaneous decision-making while also being rule-conscious and adhering to established corporate policies. In terms of my projected career and the learnings offered by the EMBA program, I believe that an average score is an inherent strength for an executive who must think on his feet and follow his instinct while still establishing a self-controlled persona. Primary Factors Profile: Without elaborating on every primary style, there are a few key factors that support my position on effective executive leadership. Dominant, Assertive – Score 8 – From my standpoint, an executive leader must maintain an assertive posture in a variety of business situations, especially when establishing a rules system for subordinate control. This ties in with global factor patterns of independence and self-control. This score of 8 indicates and supports an individual who is equipped to take the initiative when it comes to maintaining executive authority and, in my opinion, is one of the primary attributes needed for successful leadership. I am quite comfortable with these results as I have not often considered myself as a passive observer, but more as an individual who can assume a controlling role. This is often the case in my personal life as well as professional. Socially bold – Score 8 – Being a socially bold individual also ties in to support an independent mentality. A more reserved, timid executive is likely Al-Reshidi 7 to support decision-making that takes a less risky outcome. Todays business world, referencing the EMBA teachings, is full of diverse situations with often require a manager to respond with a bold, innovative attitude. As an executive leader, it will be my responsibility to interact with various shareholders and stakeholders to build partnerships and relationships. A more timid mentality could not sustain these relationships as effectively as a more socially bold leader. I believe that this is another key attribute to successful leadership and I feel justified by the results in terms of how I perceive my personality. Affiliative – Score 2 – There is somewhat of a discrepancy in these results, as the interpretive manual suggests that low Q2 scores are inversely related to Extraversion. Dismissing this for a moment, I wanted to point out that striking that proverbial balance between group affiliation and that of self-reliance is important for executive leaders to maintain. My extraversion level was quite high as was my tendency to lean toward affiliation. I believe that this score justifies that I have the flexibility to value consultation while still maintaining a self-confidence of how I choose to formulate my decisions. In terms of my projected career, I believe this to be a significant strength as a leader as teamwork methodology is promoted as effective, contemporary approaches to executive leadership; much the same as making authoritarian decisions without colleague consultation can lead to business success. Al-Reshidi 8 Traditional – Score 4 – The Q1 score which indicates a tendency to believe in more traditional values, in my opinion, can be somewhat of a weakness for a modern business leader. With todays concepts of innovation and radical thinking leading to business success, perhaps this is an aspect of my personality that I must reexamine. Though in personal life there is a certain comfort that comes from a familiar and predictable environment, in business leadership that type of mentality is being phased out by unconventional wisdom. I am grateful that my score leans more toward average showing a balance between the two concepts, but in order to grow as an executive who is capable of abstract business methods, this is an area that I must develop to increase a willingness to adopt change. Broad Patterns: Elected Leadership – Score 8.8 – The interpretive manual suggests that this type of leader would best fit into traditional business systems. My previous score indicating high traditional values only serves to reinforce this character attribute regarding elected leadership. These individuals are considered assertive and dominant, which suggests that I may fit well into a more conventional organization with a strict hierarchy of command. However, this is dependent upon whether I can find the right symmetry between aggressive leadership and that of a group-minded innovator. I wanted to point out this high score on elected leadership as perhaps a more traditional organization would be best-suited for my executive personality. It is something to consider. Al-Reshidi 9 Leadership / Subordinate Role Patterns: The best description of this set of scores would be for an organization to potentially use the data to find a fit between the test respondent and the culture of the business. I was surprised by one particular result: Permissive tendency. Permissive – Score 4.3 – As described by the interpretive manual, permissive leaders generally feel concern about pleasing others and sometimes take a lesser role in the administrative process by complying to subordinate suggestions. I was troubled by these results as I have viewed my leadership, historically, to be more of a controlling and dominating style. When thinking about how my leadership personality would be reflected in the executive role of administration, I realized that permissive behaviors, when over-utilized, could potentially affect respect levels of subordinate and leader relationships. Too illustrate, a "yes-sayer" who frequently acts on his subordinate demands will likely find resistance amongst staff members when the executive makes a contrary decision to that of his subordinates. I have decided to make a commitment to examining my permissive tendencies (or potential for) so that I can assume the role of a senior-level administrator without losing control of my genuine authority. Controlling – Score 7.6 – When thinking of subordinate/leader interactions, I was not at all surprised by these results as I do, in fact, appreciate a clearly- Al-Reshidi 10 defined system of authority and responsibility. Perhaps this is part of my traditional values. This reverts back to my somewhat conventional values and my belief that subordinates who conform and support authoritarian leaderships policies will build solid working relationships between manager and subordinate, thus driving a sense of loyalty in the firm. With this in mind, having scored higher on Controlling indicates that my personality maintains a close fit with a traditional organization. Whether this is a weakness which needs improvement would likely depend on the type of business to which I would seek a career within. However, thus far, the data continues to support the idea that my subordinate or leadership role would correspond fittingly with a more rigidly-controlled and well-defined organizational culture. Career Activity and Field Interest Scores: This set of data characterizes the specific types of occupations to which I have a tendency to consider interest in respect to others personalities who have actually expressed an interest toward. Organizing Interest – Score 8.8 – Office practices and supervision are indicated as the logical grouping of careers that fit within this interest. As many of my results have prompted, I am not entirely surprised as supervisory positions are largely suited for individuals with my personality characteristics; including assertiveness and extraversion. Teachings have indicated that political systems are often a reality within modern business and an individual Al-Reshidi 11 who is equipped with socially-minded personalities as well as skills to take a leadership role, such as myself, are best suited for supervisory positions. Venturing Interest – Score 7.9 – Further adding validity to my assertive nature is a high end score toward athletics or military/law enforcement. Both of these careers fit within a structured command system of power and authority, which the score of 7.9 seems to further support the validity of the 16 PF test. Creating Interest – Score 4.2 – Arts, music, and writing all fit within this scheme and it is my opinion that these require an individual who thinks with an abstract mentality. My test results have moved my tendencies toward tough-mindedness which does not center around the utilization of heavy emotions in business. These careers really are not suited for my current personality, however, I might be forced to look at this as somewhat of a weakness as imagination and abstract-thinking can serve to generate more innovation during decision-making in business. Growing an appreciation for increased empathy and less-concrete thinking would only serve to aid me, as an executive, to build pioneering concepts and achieve recognition for success in leadership. Further scoring in the career interest field profile point toward several career options that fit with my characteristics. They include: Marketing Director, Financial Planner, CEO/President, Hospital Administrator, and Retail Store Al-Reshidi 12 Manager; to name a few. I felt it was necessary to point this out as it all serves to illustrate that my genuine desire is that of leadership and having an assertive personality fits well with these occupational options. Under Creating Interests and Helping Interests, I scored the lowest totals as these require philosophical ideals (such as Religious Leader) and abstractions (such as Psychologist). I am quite comfortable with most of the overall results as my goals toward executive leadership (and the EMBA program) generally fit well with my career ambitions. Section 2: PCDP Results After receiving the narrative summary of the Personal Career and Development Profile, I allowed a well-acquainted colleague of mine to openly critique the analysis in order to offer suggestions as to whether these summations adequately described my personality and behavioral tendencies. My colleague and I have spent a great deal of time together in recent months and he is especially aware of the methods that I use to solve personal problems, handle stressful situations, and how I communicate on an interpersonal level. He is well-versed in my career and education ambitions, my intimate and personal relationships, and how I and my friends function during social interactions. With all of this in mind, my colleague will be referred to as my "confirmer" who offered significant commentaries regarding my PCDP results. Al-Reshidi 13 Problem-Solving Resources: The narrative suggests that I "work comfortably with problems and situations that require thinking and reasoning at a practical level…(and) reacts matter-of-factly to most problems and situations". As had been described in my personal analysis of the 16 PF results, in my own assessment, this fits monumentally to how I approach problem-solving. I have already mentioned that I should work to develop a stronger empathy toward others and this narrative supports that position by describing me as being so largely focused on issues while overlooking my impact on others involved in the problem-solving objectives. Taking a practical approach to problems, to me, is a large portion of the traditional attitude which states that most problems have a logical method of solving. My confirmer supported this narrative with almost 100% agreement and he pointed out several scenarios where other individuals in my life had tried to get me to view a particular situation from a different perspective and I failed to listen to their point of view. This situation involved a relative who had been exhibiting poor decision-making and I was trying to get to the cause of this behavior. In retrospect, my peers were completely correct in their assessment, but I had remained focused on the logical aspect believing that "surely, nobody could act out in this way" and thus ignored the conclusion of my acquaintances. In thinking about my confirmers assessment, not only had I negatively impacted those who were trying to help me solve a problem, but I Al-Reshidi 14 had missed a less-obvious reasoning behind the situation. Had I listened, it would have been resolved much sooner. I felt that it was important to address my confirmers acknowledgement of how truly accurate this statement is, as developing empathy for others and listening objectively to different viewpoints will only serve to increase my competency in becoming a well-rounded leader. I would like to deny the overall accuracy of this particular PCDP reporting, but it is quite true to my personality and I am satisfied with the results. Patterns for Coping with Stressful Conditions: The PCDP narrative, in this aspect, describes me as a well-adjusted individual with little outward signs of worry. Further, it illustrates me as a person wanting balance and harmony. I had to stifle some laughter on this statement, as I noticed that many of my discussions in previous sections have been about balancing roles for leadership from one extreme to another. I am definitely geared toward a more balanced lifestyle and, yes, I generally do not fret over stressful situations as I believe that there is almost always a simplistic cure for the dilemma. I have already confirmed in the previous portions of this project that I am non-reactive in terms of emotional make-up and I firmly believe that a person who strives for balance is a stable individual. Al-Reshidi 15 My confirmer, yet again, agreed with the assessment and he openly said that he, himself, wished that he could handle situations using the methods that I undertake. In fact, he stated, "You never seem worried about anything and you are always very positive about EVERYTHING!" Regarding this narrative, there is one aspect that I do not necessarily agree with and that is the PCDPs implication that I do not embrace changes to myself. After an honest review of myself, I believe that I am flexible enough to accept that I will not achieve a level of self-perfection and that I must be adaptive to my environment and my social acquaintances. As a future business leader, I offer that complacency (as it describes me in the narrative) might spell disaster for a business which desperately needs internal changes to processes or policies. This scenario would be a very stressful situation and I believe that I am adaptive enough to handle the task of promoting change management. My confirmer stated the same. Interpersonal Interaction Styles: Describing me as a person who is generally at ease with others and forward when communicating socially is quite accurate as well. As a person who scored high on extraversion, I believe that my social dealings are generally positive. My confirmer agreed with the assessment, adding emphasis to one particular statement that characterized me as sometimes overbearing. My colleague said that I do, in fact, come across as overly demanding sometimes Al-Reshidi 16 and he made me consider that I should try less to influence others and focus more on the relationship-aspect. I believe that this is a minor weakness and it falls back into the category of building empathy for others. Organizational Role and Work-Setting Preferences: The PCDP results highlight me as someone who prefers a leadership role and wanting to have a voice in decision-making. I certainly cannot argue with these results as they are significantly accurate. I tend to believe that structured rules are important, but oftentimes that they should apply to other subordinates and not to me. The narrative says that I prefer flexibility in my job role and I cannot agree more, so yes, I would definitely push for advancement to decision-maker if the opportunity was not presented by leadership. My confirmer had a contrasting view of my assessment, as he stated that often I thrive best in chaotic situations and not relaxed environments. Of course, my colleague has little experience with me in professional or academic environments, so I somewhat dismissed his assessment. Personal Career Lifestyle Effectiveness Considerations: This concluding section describes me as being greatly satisfied with leadership positions and in my organizational skills. It further shows me as having too much of a positive outlook that I overlook preparedness for tackling problems. I definitely agree with the first assessment, but not that I Al-Reshidi 17 am too positive-minded in the respect described by the PCDP. I believe that maintaining a positive attitude about most situations allows a person to remain focused on the issue, believing it will eventually get resolved. My confirmer also agreed, stating that I was one of the most prepared individuals that he knew and that I always seemed to have a back-up plan just in case of any potential failure. I believe that being prepared for contingencies is an attribute for success in business and in personal life, so therefore my confirmer and I have taken a somewhat opposite stand than that of the PCDP. Section 3: Relating PCDP / 16 PF to Small Group Management Exercises The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument asks a series of questions in order to uncover the test subjects tendency to react in situations that entail conflict. Specifically, it offers insight into whether a person leans toward a competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, or accommodating behavior during outlined theoretical situations. After taking the examination, I discovered that I scored in the higher percentile of avoiding – which indicates that I tend to postpone or delay responsive behaviors to tense or anxious situations. In terms of the other personality factors, I tended to score more in an average range, indicating that I have a somewhat balanced attitude in the other attributes. I thought it was very relevant to the 16 PF test results as the results of this assessment listed Al-Reshidi 18 me as an individual with a low propensity for anxiety reactions and equipped with a tough-minded attitude. For instance, question #9 of the Thomas-Kilmann inventory states I feel that differences are not always worth worrying about; a statement to which I strongly agree. A person with a low level of anxiety reactions would, in my opinion, typically react to differences with a stable attitude. In the other areas where I exhibited a more balanced approach, it serves to support the PCDP results which also indicate that I strive for a balance in virtually all situations and work experiences. The Myers-Briggs assessment is founded on the work of psychologist Carl Jung and is used to interpret communication styles. The test measures the degree to which a person is an intuitor, thinker, feeler, or senser; each of which measures the degree of abstract perceptions all the way through concrete-style of assessing life and methods of communication. On this test, my highest score, by far, was with a 15 point total leaning toward senser. A senser is described as an individual who focuses on practicality and utilization of established skills while using hard facts to analyze situations. I scored quite high, as well, as a thinker mentality with a point total of 14. A thinker deals with careful analysis of facts and hard data to approach problem-solving. The results of this test are tremendously relevant to both the 16 PF and the PCDP inventories as both have indicated that I am a less-abstract thinker and that I believe that there is always a simple, concrete method to both Al-Reshidi 19 communication and in problem-solving. I was not tremendously surprised by the results of the Myers-Briggs test as they supported the idea from the 16 PF test that I am a more conservative traditionalist who enjoys conventional approaches to problem-solving and does not act out on impulse and instinct; rather I follow a set of intense thought and hard facts to make proper decisions. A slightly more complex test from the Small Group Management exercises is the Locus of Control Scale which measures the degree to which an individual perceives their own ability, versus external forces, to control aspects of their lives. The assessment states that low-income groups or socially disadvantaged people may score highest on this test as they perceive a series of externally-motivated roadblocks to success that hinder their own efforts at achievement and control. On this test, I scored quite low with a 14 that falls into the average range. The average range suggests that I have a somewhat balanced view of the realities of personal success as I might view attempts to get ahead in the workplace as being blocked by external forces, but at the same time believe that my own destiny in matters of love are completely within my scope of control. I thought it necessary to mention that term balanced once again as I think the reality of life is that, regardless of your own abilities and strengths, there will always be obstacles that are externally-motivated that hinder Al-Reshidi 20 productive living. A solid example of this is that an executive leader who is planning a strategy for an organization may have the skills and competency to lead the business, but the strategy attempt fails because of market forces or a decline in consumer demand for the product being produced. I am quite comfortable with falling into a more balanced section on the Locus of Control Scale as it indicates, in support of the PCDP and 16 PF, that I am a person who values the facts of any given situation and maintains the personality attributes to respond in a variety of ways (balanced approach) to gain control of the workplace or improve upon my own personality weaknesses. In terms of control, I recognize that a person cannot always win the proverbial game and that there will always be those that attempt to block your successes. I believe this is a part of life, therefore an average score shows a very realistic attitude about how people and situations interact and how control is affected by these mechanisms. Though all three assessments that I just described are somewhat of a condensed version of tools used to measure attributes of a persons personality, I do find them in complete support of the PCDP and 16 PF test results. I am, reluctant to say, that all of these tests have proven their reliability in my assessment and they have all given me food for thought in assessing my strengths and weaknesses as a future business leader. Al-Reshidi 21 Conclusion: One of the main goals of the EMBA program is to highlight available relevant concepts for future business leaders to achieve success in a professional environment. As has been illustrated through the course of this project, I believe that most of my inherent personality characteristics are substantially suited for the role of executive. Though I have pointed out several weaknesses in need of development, the PCDP and 16 PF test results have managed to confirm that I have made a correct decision by exploring a leadership role in business. It is assessments such as these that offer a very unbiased and objective insight into areas of personality where most individuals do not have this opportunity. I have discovered, through the EMBA program and the results of this test, that a sound, effective leader should be able to balance his personality to enhance relationships, organizational success, and maintain the image of a marketable leader through even judgment and appropriate emotional responses. I believe that I fit this criteria and I learned valuable personal insights through analyzing these results. Read More