Other Personality Traits that Influence OB

Authoritarianism: These are the people who love to control other people at work.
They are of string belief that there should be difference in status and power of people
working in organization.
Authoritarians tend to have high value on their attitude and are highly oriented towards
compliance of rules and regulations.
They naturally prefer firm and planned work environments which are managed by clear
rules and regulations.
Authoritarian people categorize the world with the simplicity and rigidity of a 5-
year-old child. Things are good or bad and anyone who adopts the same perspectives,
values and opinions is on the right track. However, anyone who with a difference of
opinion is a potential enemy.

My things are the best.

It doesn’t matter what you’re good at, what you studied or what you like.
Because authoritarian people will always try to be one step ahead of you.

If you have a long list of qualifications, they’ll tell you that you lack life experience,
which the authoritarian person has in abundance, of course. If you are skillful and
competent in your work, they will try to hamper you by ensuring that the tasks you are
given are not those that best match your abilities, because

authoritarian people can’t stand for anyone else to be successful. Except for
them, of course.

 An authoritarian leader is aggressive, lacks empathy, cares only about their own
needs and also has a very low tolerance for frustration. They’re incapable of
seeing the needs of others. A negative view of people in general - i.e. the belief that
people would all lie, cheat or steal if given the opportunity

Locus of Control: Locus of control means to an individual’s faith that things are either
within one’s control (Internal Locus of Control) or are beyond one’s control. Some people
think that they are the controller of their own fate. Other people observe themselves as Jack
of destiny; believe that whatever happening to them in their lives is because of their luck.
People who like to control their own selves are internals and others having faith in destiny
are called externals. Internals are more active and takes their decisions by own and are
open to the other people while externals are opposite to them.
Internal Locus of Control

 Are more likely to take responsibility for their actions

  Tend to be less influenced by the opinions of other people
 Often do better at tasks when they are allowed to work at their own pace
 Tend to work hard to achieve the things they want
 Feel confident in the face of challenges
 Tend to be physically healthier
 Report being happier and more independent
 Often achieve greater success in the workplace
External Locus of Control

 Blame outside forces for their circumstances

 Often credit luck or chance for any successes
 Don't believe that they can change their situation through their own efforts
 Frequently feel hopeless or powerless in the face of difficult situations
 Are more prone to experiencing learned helplessness

Machiavellianism:
The term Machiavellianism is taken from the name of Niccolo Machiavelli who gave
research on manipulation of power by people. The people who manipulate the
power and take advantage of it are called Mach. The people with high
Machiavellianism are more successful and they like to work when there are max
number of rules. They usually take advantage of others for own self.
Machiavellianism in psychology refers to a personality trait that sees a person so
focused on their own interests they will manipulate, deceive, and exploit others to
achieve their goals.

SIGNS OF MACHIAVELLIANISM Someone with the trait of Machiavellianism will

tend to have many of the following tendencies:
 only focused on their own ambition and interests
 prioritise money and power over relationships
 come across as charming and confident
 exploit and manipulate others to get ahead
 lie and deceive when required
 use flattery often
 lacking in principles and values
 capable of causing others harm to achieve their means
 low levels of empathy
 often avoid commitment and emotional attachments
 can be very patient
 due to calculating nature rarely reveal their true intentions
 can be good at reading social situations and others
 lack of warmth in social interactions
  not always aware of the consequences of their actions
 might struggle to identify their own emotions.

Self Esteem: It is the extent up to which people either like or dislike themselves. Self-
Esteem is directly related to the expectations of success and on-the-job satisfaction.
Individuals with high self-esteem think that they have what it takes to succeed. So, they
take more challenges while selecting a job.
On the other hand, individuals with low self-esteem are more susceptible to external
distractions. So, they are more likely to seek the approval of others and to adapt the beliefs
and behaviors of those they respect.
Self-esteem is your subjective sense of overall personal worth or value. Similar to self-
respect, it describes your level of confidence in your abilities and attributes.

Having healthy self-esteem can influence your motivation, your mental well-being, and
your overall quality of life. However, having self-esteem that is either too high or too low
can be problematic. Better understanding what your unique level of self-esteem is can help
you strike a balance that is just right for you.

Key elements of self-esteem include:

 Self-confidence
 Feelings of security
 Identity
 Sense of belonging
 Feeling of competence

Risk Taking: Risk-taking behavior refers to the tendency to engage in activities that have
the potential to be harmful or dangerous. This can include misusing alcohol, binge drinking,
taking illicit substances, driving under the influence, or engaging in unprotected sex.

When people take risks, they engage in behaviors that could lead to negative consequences
such as physical injury, social rejection, legal troubles, or financial losses. Behaviors that
are more likely to lead to such outcomes are considered riskier than behaviors that are less
likely to lead to such outcomes. Regardless of the degree of risk involved, however,
behaviors of any type can lead to both positive and negative consequences.

People who take risks think about consequences in one of two ways. The first way involves
an awareness that a behavior such as gambling could lead to both positive and negative
consequences (e.g., their winnings could increase further or they could lose all of their
money), but people engage in the behavior anyway because they assume that the positive
consequences are more likely than the negative consequences.
Self-Monitoring
Self-monitoring is a personality trait that involves the ability to monitor and regulate self-
presentations, emotions, and behaviors in response to social environments and situations.

It involves being aware of your behavior and the impact it has on your environment. It also
refers to your ability to modify your behaviors in response to environmental, situational, or
social variables.

People who are high in self-monitoring are more likely to change their behavior in order to
adapt or conform to the situation. Those who are low in self-monitoring tend to behave in
accordance with their own internal needs and feelings.

Some signs of self-monitoring include:

 Saying things at social gatherings to garner attention or approval from others

 Putting on a show to entertain others
 Finding it easy to imitate the behaviors of others
 Looking at other people in social situations to figure out what to do
 Seeing advice from other people about what to think, say, wear, or do
 Changing opinions to win the favor of others
 Adopting different behaviors depending on the people or situation

Narcissism: is a personality disorder in which people have an inflated opinion of

themselves. They also have an intense need for the admiration and attention of others.

People with NPD are usually described as:

 arrogant
 self-centered
 demanding

They often have high self-esteem and may believe they’re special or superior to others.
However, they seem to need excessive praise and admiration and may react poorly to
perceived criticism.

Narcissists also tend to exaggerate their talents and accomplishments while downplaying
those of others. They’re usually preoccupied with power, success, and beauty. They might
even engage in impulsive behaviors, such as gambling or certain sexual behaviors.
People with NPD may be unhappy and disappointed when they don’t receive the praise or
special favors they believe they deserve. Others may see them as snobbish and conceited
and may not enjoy being around them.