Personality
Personality as a topic is useful in predicting “How individuals are likely to behave”,
assuming that the environment / situational factors are not exerting a significant influence on
behavioural choices.
Personality dimensions are typically examined using the Trait theories of Personality -
traits are enduring characteristics of an individual pertaining to the ways in which
they think, feel and tend to act across situations and over time.
One of the most robust Personality Models is the Big Five Model of Personality. Test
scores of these traits do a good job of predicting how people behave in a variety of real-
life situations and remain relatively stable for an individual over time.
The Big Five Model is also important in highlighting individual differences in how
people tend to think, feel, and behave. Different individuals have different personality
types (think of your personality type in the MBTI test. MBTI, though is less robust than
Big Five Personality Test in terms of its results)
Dimensions of the Big Five Model
a. Social Dimension – Extraversion: The extraversion dimension captures our relational
approach toward the social world. Extroverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and
sociable whereas introverts tend to be more thoughtful, reserved, timid, and quiet. In the
middle of this spectrum are Ambiverts, who tend to be comfortable in social situations as
well as solitude, adjusting their behavior based on the context.
b. Emotional Dimension: Neuroticism / Emotional Instability – People who are neurotic are
less likely to cope up well with stress. They show a propensity to experience negative
emotions such as guilt, insecurity and anxiety. People who are non – neurotic tend to be
more emotionally stable. Some studies have shown that this personality dimension (alone)
can be malleable to change with experience.
c. Interpersonal Dimension: Agreeableness - The agreeableness dimension refers to an
individual’s propensity to defer to others. Agreeable people are cooperative, empathetic
and trusting and usually shy away from conflicts. In contrast, people who score low on
agreeableness may come across as cold and antagonistic.
d. Cognitive Dimension: Openness to New Experience – The openness to experience
dimension reflects an individual's willingness to embrace new ideas, challenges, and
perspectives. It's characterized by curiosity, creativity, and a preference for variety and
novelty. Those at the low end of the category tend to be conventional and prefer stability
and routines over new experiences.
e. Work Dimension: Conscientiousness – This dimension refers to the tendency to be
organized, responsible, and hardworking. It encompasses traits like diligence, reliability,
and attention to detail, often leading to goal-directed behaviors and a strong work ethic.
Individuals low in conscientiousness tend to plan less systematically and may be more
impulsive and spontaneous, in contrast to being structured and meticulous.
Some Other Personality Traits (Not Part of Big Five)
Some other personality traits that are interesting to explore include “Internal Locus of
Control” and “Self-Monitoring”.
(Internal Locus of Control and Self-Monitoring are considered narrower aspects of
personality, whereas the Big Five traits are broad dimensions that cover a wide range of
related behaviours, thoughts, and emotional patterns – hence they are not part of the Big
Five)
(i) Internal Locus of Control - An internal locus of control is a personality trait
wherein individuals high on this dimension believe they have control over the events and
outcomes in their lives, attribute success or failure to their own actions and abilities rather
than external factors. This belief shapes how they approach challenges, learn from mistakes,
and handle stress. In contrast, an external locus of control is the belief that one's life is
controlled by outside forces like luck, fate, or other people.
While internal locus of control is widely seen as a desirable trait, people high on this
dimension would have difficulty adjusting their behaviours according to the external
demands, or based on feedback from others that do not align with their worldviews. Such
people might appear rigid and inflexible (could end up being their blind spots) as was the
case of the founder we discussed in the class.
(ii) Self-monitoring is a personality trait that describes how much individuals adjust their
behavior to fit different social situations and the impressions they want to make on
others. High self-monitors are very aware of social cues and adjust their behavior
accordingly, often acting like "social chameleons". Low self-monitors, on the other hand,
tend to be more consistent in their behavior across situations and prioritize authenticity.
In the case of the founder not wanting to give pitches to the VCs because “she is not a
salesman”, the person is low on self-monitoring – not adept at reading social cues and
refusing to adjust behaviours to align with diverse stakeholder expectations. Some level of
self-monitoring behaviours would help the founder in this case – else, she comes across as
too rigid and stubborn.
While models like the Big Five help us understand stable traits that shape individual
behavior, they don't fully capture how we come to understand ourselves in relation to
others. Personality traits exist internally, but our self-concept and how others perceive us can
differ. Johari Window model highlights how aspects of our personality are either known or
unknown to ourselves and to others – the four quadrants below represent (i) Open (aspects
about an individual that she and those around her are aware of), (ii) Façade (aspects of an
individual that she is aware of but others aren’t), (iii) Blind Spots (aspects of an individual
that she is unaware of but others can clearly see them) and (iv) Unknown (aspects of self that
both the individual and others are unaware of)
Johari Window Model
The Four Quadrants:
1. 1. Open Area:
This quadrant represents information about the focal individual that both she and the others
around her are aware about. It includes the person’s behaviours, feelings, motivations, and
skills that are openly shared and visible. Having a large open quadrant means that an
individual is seen as trustworthy and promotes open communication with others.
2. 2. Blind Spot:
This quadrant contains information (behaviours, feelings, motivation, skills etc.) that other
people know about the focal individual, but they themselves are not aware of. Feedback from
others can help reduce the size of blind spot and increase self-awareness.
3. Hidden/Facade:
This quadrant represents information that the focal individual knows about themselves, but
choose not to share with others. Sharing this information can help build trust and improve
relationships. The individual, consciously or otherwise, is not projecting aspects of their true
selves to others.
3. 4. Unknown:
This quadrant contains information that is unknown to both parties. This could include
unconscious motives, potential, or hidden talents.
