1. The Meaning of Personality:

    The term ‘personality’ is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which means a mask. According to K. Young, “Personality is a …. patterned body of habits, traits, attitudes and ideas of an individual, as these are organized externally into roles and statuses, and as they relate internally to motivation, goals, and various aspects of selfhood.” G. W. Allport defined it as “a person’s pattern of habits, attitudes, and traits which determine his adjustment to his environment.”

      According to Robert E. Park and Earnest W. Burgess, personality is “the sum and organization of those traits which determine the role of the individual in the group.” Herbert A. Bloch defined it as “the characteristic organization of the individual’s habits, attitudes, values, emotional characteristics……. which imparts consistency to the behaviour of the individual.” According to Arnold W. Green, “personality is the sum of a person’s values (the objects of his striving, such as ideas, prestige, power and sex) plus his non- physical traits (his habitual ways of acting and reacting).” According to Linton, personality embraces the total “organized aggregate of psychological processes and status pertaining to the individual.”

      Personality, as we understand it, says MacIver, “is all that an individual is and has experienced so far as this “all” can be comprehended as unity.” According to Lundberg and others, “The term personality refers to the habits, attitudes, and other social traits that are characteristic of a given individual’s behaviour.” By personality Ogburn means “the integration of the socio psychological behaviour of the human being, represented by habits of action and feeling, attitudes and opinions.” Davis regards personality “a psychic phenomenon which is neither organic nor social but an emergent from a combination of the two.”

        According to Anderson and Parker, “Personality is the totality of habits, attitudes, and traits that result from socialization and characterizes us in our relationships with others.” According to N.L. Munn, “Personality may be defined as the most characteristic integration of an individual’s structure modes of behaviour, interests, attitudes, capacities, abilities and aptitudes.” According to Morton Prince, “Personality is the sum total of all the biological innate dispositions, impulses tendencies and instincts of the individual, and the acquired disposition and tendencies acquired by experience.” According to Young, “Personality is the totality of behaviour of an individual with a given tendency system interacting with a sequence of situations.”

Personality Traits – Meaning and Different Types of Traits

       An individual’s behavior towards others, attitude, characteristics, mindset make his personality. Personality development is defined as a process of enhancing one’s personality. Personality development sessions guide an individual as to how he/she can develop his/her personality.

Personality Traits

Broadly there are five parameters which describe an individual’s personality. These five dimensions are also called as “Big Five” Factors, and the model is referred to as Five Factor Model also abbreviated as FFM.

The Five Factor Model was initially proposed by Costa & McCrae in the year 1992 and often describes the relation between an individual’s personality and various behaviours.

Following are five personality traits of an individual:

1. Openness to experience

Individuals with openness to experience are generally very active, have a tremendous inclination towards creativity and aesthetics and listen to their heart i.e. follow their inner feelings. Such individuals are generally open to new learnings, skill sets and experiences. People who score high on openness are quite broadminded and modern in their outlook as compared to individuals who score low on the same parameter. Such individuals are conservative, reluctant to changes and have a traditional approach in life.

2. Conscientiousness

As the name suggests, individuals with a Conscientiousness personality trait listen to their conscience and act accordingly. Such individuals are extremely cautious and self disciplined. They never perform any task in haste but think twice before acting. People with this personality trait are generally methodical and tend to become perfectionists in the long run. People who score high on conscientiousness are proactive, goal oriented and self disciplined. They strive hard to accomplish goals and objectives within the stipulated time frame. Individuals who score less are little laid back and are not much goal oriented.

3. Extraversion and Introversion

Carl Jung popularized both the terms – “Extraversion” and “Introversion”.

1. Extraversion: Extraversion refers to a state where individuals show more concern towards what is happening outside. Such individuals love interacting with people around and are generally talkative. They do not like spending time alone but love being the centre of attraction of parties and social gatherings. Such individuals love going out, partying, meeting people and often get bored when they are all by themselves. They admire the company of others and hate staying alone.

3. Introversion: Introversion, on the other hand refers to a state when an individual is concerned only with his own life and nothing else. Such individuals do not bother about others and are seldom interested in what is happening around. They prefer staying back at home rather than going out and spending time with friends. Such individuals speak less and enjoy their own company. You would never find them in meetings, clubs, parties or social get-togethers. They generally do not have many friends and tend to rely on few trusted ones.
4. Agreeableness

Agreeableness is a personality trait which teaches individuals to be adjusting in almost all situations. Such individuals do not crib and face changes with a smile. They accommodate themselves to all situations and are friendly and kind hearted. People who score high on agreeableness are ready to help others and flash their trillion dollar smile whenever a problem arises. Individuals who score low on agreeableness on the other hand find difficulties in adjusting with others and are little unfriendly.

5. Neuroticism

Neuroticism is a trait where individuals are prone to negative thoughts such as anxiety, anger, envy, guilt and so on. Such individuals are often in a state of depression and do not how to enjoy life. They always look at the negative sides of life and find extremely difficult to cope up with stress.

Personality and Personality Development – Concept and Process

 

 

 

Every individual has his own characteristic way of behaving, responding to emotions, perceiving things and looking at the world. No two individuals are similar.

You might like going out for parties but your friend might prefer staying back at home reading his/her favourite book. It is really not necessary that if you like partying around, your friend will also like the same. Here comes the role of personality.

What an individual sees in his childhood days and most importantly his/her growing days form his personality. How an individual is raised plays an important role in shaping his/her personality.

           Personality is nothing but the aggregate accumulation of memories and incidents in an individual’s entire life span. Environmental factors, family background, financial conditions, genetic factors, situations and circumstances also contribute to an individual’s personality.

         In a layman’s language, how we behave in our day to day lives reflects our personality. How an individual behaves depends on his family background, upbringing, social status and so on. An individual with a troubled childhood would not open up easily. He/she would always hesitate to open his heart in front of others. Some kind of fear would always be there within him. An individual who never had any major problems in life would be an extrovert and would never have issues interacting and socializing with others. You really can’t blame an individual for not being an extrovert. It is essential to check his/her background or past life. It is quite possible that as a child, he was not allowed to go out of his home, play and freak out with friends. These individuals start believing that their home is their only world and they are not safe outside. Such a mindset soon becomes their personality.

Personality also influences what we think, our beliefs, values and expectations. What we think about others depends on our personality.

        In a layman’s language personality is defined as the personal qualities and characteristics of an individual. Personality is how we interact with others. Personality is a sum of characteristics of an individual which makes him different from the others. It is our personality which makes us unique and helps us stand apart from the crowd.

Determinants of Personality

Following are the factors which help in shaping one’s personality:

1. Heredity – Heredity refers to factors that are determined once an individual is born. An individual’s physique, attractiveness, body type, complexion, body weight depend on his/her parents biological makeup.
2. Environment – The environment to which an individual is subjected to during his growing years plays an important role in determining his/her personality. The varied cultures in which we are brought up and our family backgrounds have a crucial role in shaping our personalities.
3. Situation – An individual’s personality also changes with current circumstances and situations. An individual would behave in a different way when he has enough savings with him and his behavior would automatically change when he is bankrupt.

An individual’s appearance, character, intelligence, attractiveness, efficiency, style determine his/her personality.

What is Personality Development ?

Personality development is defined as a process of developing and enhancing one’s personality. Personality development helps an individual to gain confidence and high self esteem.

Personality development also is said to have a positive impact on one’s communication skills and the way he sees the world. Individuals tend to develop a positive attitude as a result of personality development.

Let us go through the importance of personality development.

      Personality development grooms an individual and helps him make a mark of his/her own. Individuals need to have a style of their own for others to follow them. Do not blindly copy others. You need to set an example for people around. Personality development not only makes you look good and presentable but also helps you face the world with a smile.

      Personality development goes a long way in reducing stress and conflicts. It encourages individuals to look at the brighter sides of life. Face even the worst situations with a smile. Trust me, flashing your trillion dollar smile will not only melt half of your problems but also evaporate your stress and worries. There is no point cribbing over minor issues and problems.

          Personality development helps you develop a positive attitude in life. An individual with a negative attitude finds a problem in every situation. Rather than cribbing and criticizing people around, analyze the whole situation and try to find an appropriate solution for the same. Remember, if there is a problem, there has to be a solution as well. Never lose your cool. It would make the situation worse.

        It is essential for individuals to behave well with people around. Being polite with others will not only make you popular among other people but also earn you respect and pride. You can’t demand respect by being rude with people around. Personality development plays an important role in developing not only your outer but also inner self. Human being is a social animal. One needs people around. An individual needs to have that magnetic power which attracts people towards him. You need to have that charisma of yours. Personality development helps you gain recognition and acceptance from the society as well as people around.

Personality development plays an essential role not only in an individual’s professional but also personal lives. It makes an individual disciplined, punctual and an asset for his/her organization. An in-disciplined individual finds it difficult to survive in the long run. Personality development teaches you to respect not only your Boss and fellow workers but also family members, friends, neighbours, relatives and so on. Never make fun of anyone at the workplace. Avoid criticizing and making fun of your fellow workers.

           One should never carry his/her attitude or personal grudges to work. Office is not a place where you can be rude to others just because you had a fight with your friend last night. Personality development sessions help you differentiate between your personal as well as professional life. It is really essential to keep a balance between both the lives to lead a peaceful and stress free life.

       Personality development helps an individual to inculcate positive qualities like punctuality, flexible attitude, willingness to learn, friendly nature, eagerness to help others and so on. Never hesitate to share information with others. Always reach office on time. Some people have a tendency to work till late. Late sittings not only increase your stress levels but also spoil your personal life. Sitting till late at the office indicates that an individual is extremely poor in time management skills.

        Personality development helps you develop an impressive personality and makes you stand apart from the rest. Personality development also plays an essential role in improving one’s communication skills. Individuals ought to master the art of expressing their thoughts and feelings in the most desired way. Personality development makes you a confident individual who is appreciated and respected wherever he goes.

Personality Development Tips

Let us go through some tips for enhancing one’s personality:

• Smile a lot- Nothing works better than a big smile when it comes to interacting with people around. Do not forget to flash your trillion dollar smile quite often. Believe me, it works! As they say “a smile is a curve that sets everything straight”. A smiling face wins even the toughest soul. Wear your smile while interacting with others. Smile not only helps in enhancing an individual’s personality but also winning other’s heart.
• Think positive- It is really essential to think positive. Remember there is light at the end of every dark tunnel. Do not always think negative as it not only acts as a demotivating factor but also makes an individual dull and frustrated. Don’t get upset over minor things. Be a little flexible and always look at the broader perspectives of life.
• Dress Sensibly- Dressing sensibly and smartly go a long way in honing one’s personality. One needs to dress according to the occasion. How would a female look if she wears a sari to a discotheque? Obviously ridiculous! No matter how expensive your sari is, you can’t wear it to a night club or a pub where everyone is dressed in smart casuals. Price has nothing to do with smart dressing. An individual who is well dressed is respected and liked by all. No one would take you seriously if you do not wear suitable clothes fitting with occasions. Do take care of the fit of the dress as well. An individual should wear clothes as per his/her body type, height, physique and so on. Someone who is bulky would not look very impressive in body hugging clothes. It is not necessary that something which looks good on your friend would also look good on you. Wear the right make up. You do not have to apply loud make up to look good and attractive. Even minimal make up, if applied sensibly can really make you stand apart from the rest.
• Be soft-spoken- Do not always find faults in others. Fighting and quarrelling lead to no solution. Be polite with others. Be very careful of what you speak. Avoid being rude and short tempered.
• Leave your ego behind- An individual needs to hide his ego everywhere he goes. Be it office or workplace you need to leave your ego behind if you wish to win appreciation from others. An individual who is good from within is loved by all.
• Avoid Backbiting- Backstabbing and criticizing people are negative traits which work against an individual’s personality. Learn to appreciate others. If someone has done some extraordinary task, do not forget to give a pat on his/her back. Believe me; the other person will speak high of you even when you are not around. Do not spread unnecessary rumours about someone. An individual should not try to interfere too much in someone’s personal life. Dishonesty, cheating, lies tarnish your image and people start avoiding you in the long run. If your friend is seeing someone, you have absolutely no rights to make his/her affair national news.
• Help others- Do not always think of harming others. Share whatever you know. Remember no one can steal your knowledge. Always help others.
• Confidence- Confidence is the key to a positive personality. Exude confidence and positive aura wherever you go.
• A Patient listener- Be a patient listener. Never interrupt when others are speaking. Try to imbibe good qualities of others.

 

 

Personality Types – Different Types of Personality

 

Let us go through the following personality types:

1. The Duty Fulfiller – Such individuals take their roles and responsibilities seriously and perform whatever tasks are assigned to them. Duty fulfillers are serious individuals and believe in honesty and a peaceful living. They never do anything which is not good for themselves, their job, families or for the society. Such individuals are actually good and responsible citizens who abide by the legal system and can’t even dream of breaking the law. People with such a personality type are extremely hard working and often find it difficult to say NO to others, eventually becoming overburdened at the end of the day. Such individuals adopt an organized approach towards work and are extremely loyal and faithful. They also show a strong inclination towards creativity and aesthetics.
2. The Mechanic – As the name suggests such individuals are inclined towards machinery like aeroplane, motorcycling, cars, races and so on. They are interested to know why and how certain things function. Theories do not interest them. You would not be able to convince them unless and until they see the practical application themselves. Such individuals are extremely adventurous and have a strong power of logical reasoning.
3. The Nurturer – Nurturers are individuals with a large heart. For them, the happiness of others is more important than their own interests. Such individuals actually live for others. They do not look at the darker sides of life and believe in extracting the best out of people around. They have a positive approach in life and want to believe only the best of people.
4. The Artist – Artists have an eye for natural beauty and creativity. Rather than worrying about future, they believe in living for the moment. Such individuals are extremely cool headed and do not get into unnecessary fights and troubles. They do not blindly copy others and aspire to create a style of their own.
5. The Protector – You would find such a personality type in very few people, making it a very rare personality type. Protectors are systematic individuals who want the best system to get things done. They often think irrationally. They are pessimists who find a problem in every situation. Such individuals do not trust others and only believe in themselves.
6. The Idealist – Such people have strong set of values and ethics. They find happiness in helping others. They consider themselves lucky if they get an opportunity to help others.
7. The Scientist – Such individuals believe in careful and strategic planning. They are good observers who believe in constantly gathering information and upgrade their existing knowledge. Scientists are extremely intelligent people who have a very sharp analytical mind.
8. The Doer – Individuals with such a personality type are the ones who believe in quick actions and immediate results. They enjoy taking risks in life and fulfill tasks assigned to them in the shortest span possible.
9. The Guardian – Such individuals are perfectionists who ensure that everything everywhere is going on smoothly. They are mature individuals who have a clear set of standards.
10. The Performer – Performers strive hard to grab attention of others and love being the centre of attention. They are fun loving individuals who enjoy fun and excitement in life.
11. The Inspirer – Inspirers are talented individuals and often act as a role model for others. They have great people skills.
12. The Giver – Individuals with “The Giver” personality type enjoy the company of others and do not prefer staying alone.
13. The Executive – Such individuals are born to lead and make very good leaders. They love taking charge and are good decision makers.

Personality Development at Workplace

    Personality development plays a crucial role in enhancing one’s personality. It helps an individual to develop a positive attitude and look at the brighter sides of life.

     Personality development plays an imperative role at workplace as it decides the way an individual interacts with his fellow workers and responds to various situations. How an individual behaves at the workplace depends on his/her personality. Personality development helps in polishing and grooming individuals and makes them better and efficient resources for the organization. Personality development also reduces stress levels and teaches an individual to face even the worst situations with a smile. Personality reflects how one conducts himself/herself in the professional environment. Never carry your personal problems to work. Personality development helps an individual to keep his personal life separate from his professional life.

     Differences in opinions and views often lead to conflicts and arguments among employees. Employees with different attitudes and mindsets find it extremely difficult to adjust with each other and work in unison. Personality development sessions motivate an individual to think positively and eventually reduce stress at the workplace. Individuals as a result of personality development tend to behave in a mature way; making the organization a much better place to work. Personality development is essential to bring a change in an individual’s attitude, thinking, behavior and mindsets. It also strengthens the relationship among co workers.

Personality development classes at the workplace extract the best out of individuals and encourage them to deliver their level best. Stress sometimes makes us forget ourselves. Individuals after a tiring day at work sometimes even forget to smile. Personality development classes bring that smile back to an individual’s life. It encourages one to put his/her best foot forward and strive hard to perform beyond expectations. Remember your organization is paying you for your hardwork.You really need to prove yourself and perform well if you wish to climb the success ladder quickly. Personality development encourages an individual to use his skills and abilities to the maximum. An individual with a pleasing personality is liked and respected by all.

       Marketing and sales professionals need to have an impressive personality to make a mark of their own. You really need to look presentable and smart at the workplace. No one would take you seriously if you are shabbily dressed. Avoid being a makeup box at work. Dress smartly at work. Do not wear tight fitting /body hugging and gaudy clothes to office. Make sure your clothes are clean and properly ironed.

    It pays to exude confidence and positive attitude at workplace. Never clutter your mind with negative thoughts. You will feel frustrated and eventually loose interest in work. Accept challenges with a smile.

        Never ever underestimate anyone. Backstabbing, criticizing, dishonesty are negative traits which make you an unwanted member in the organization. Be very honest and transparent with your seniors and fellow workers.

You really need to respect others to expect the same in return. Personality development, in simpler words makes you a good human being.

       Personality development teaches you to stay calm and composed even at stressful situations. Never over react. Avoid finding faults in others. Learn to be a little flexible and broad minded. Personality development differentiates you from others who come to office, fight with fellow workers, are often under stress and find work monotonous.

Communication Skills and Personality Development

    Personality refers to an individual’s characteristics, style, behavior, mindset, attitude, his own unique way of perceiving things and seeing the world. Genetic factors, family backgrounds, varied cultures, environment, current situations play an imperative role in shaping one’s personality. The way you behave with others reflects your personality. An individual with a pleasing personality is appreciated and respected by all.

     Effective Communication skills play a crucial role in honing one’s personality. Communication helps individuals to express themselves in the most convincing way. Your thoughts, feelings and knowledge should be passed on in the most desirable manner and effective communication skills help you in the same.

A person should speak really well to make a mark of his/her own. Remember, no one would take you seriously if you do not master the art of expressing yourself clearly and in the most convincing manner.

      Not all people are blessed with excellent communication skills; they acquire the same with time and practice. People with great communication skills tend to have a better and impressive personality than those who have problems in communicating as interacting with others is not a challenge for them. Individuals with effective communication skills can easily converse with other people around be it their fellow workers, peers, family and so on.

Effective communication skills strengthen the bond among individuals. It is also said to improve the interpersonal relationships with other people.

Take care of your body language. Correct body language exudes confidence which further hones an individual’s personality. Do not fiddle with things around while speaking.

Be very particular about the pronunciation of words. If you are not very sure of how to pronounce a particular word, avoid the same in your speech. Pronouncing words wrongly creates a bad impression on others.

It is important to be a good and patient listener for effective communication skills. Observe whether the other person is listening to you or not. Allow the other person to speak as well in case of queries or confusions.

Role of Personality Development in Reducing Stress and Conflicts

The process of enhancing one’s personality refers to personality development. An impressive personality helps an individual to make a mark of his/her own and also stand apart from the crowd.

Personality development plays an essential role in reducing stress and conflicts not only at the workplace but also at homes and our personal lives. Personality development teaches an individual to smile even at the times of crisis or unwanted circumstances.

      Flashing your trillion dollar smile not only makes you look good but also makes you popular among other people. A negative statement, if delivered with a smile does not hurt much. Individuals who spend maximum part of the day striving hard to accomplish goals and objectives of organization sometimes even forget to smile. No organization pays you for free. Every manager expects his team members to deliver their level best.

Individuals who have to work really hard to earn their bread and butter are often under stress. They seldom enjoy their lives and eventually lose interest in whatever they do. People respond to stress differently. Personality development sessions help individuals deal with stress in a mature way. Never adopt a negative attitude in life. Trust me, it will lead you nowhere. There is absolutely no point crying over spilt milk. Remember “after every dark night comes a bright morning.”

         Never crib over petty issues, rather learn to fight tough times with courage and a smile. Negative people always have a negative answer for every question. Try to look at the brighter sides of life. Personality development trainings help you see life from a broader perspective. A positive attitude goes a long way in reducing stress and making the world a better place to live. Personality development prepares an individual for even the worst situations and helps him deal with adverse situations sensibly. Every problem has a solution. You just need to be patient enough to find an appropriate solution to the problem. Never lose your cool as it will land you in deeper troubles later on.

Role of Personality Development in Success of an Organization

Personality development plays a crucial role in success of an organization. Employees are truly the lifeline of an organization. It is rightly said that the success and failure of an organization depend on its employees. It is essential for employees to develop a sense of loyalty and attachment towards their organization. Employees ought to learn to face challenges and adverse situations with a smile. One needs to deal with problems and obstacles at the workplace in a sensible and mature way. Never panic as it would not only aggravate the problems but also demotivate other employees as well. Be a role model for others. As a manager, your job is to take your team along and smile through tough times. Management must organize personality development sessions from time to time to prepare employees for unforeseen circumstances.

Personality development sessions go a long way in grooming individuals for them to deliver their level best and eventually contribute towards the success of an organization.

Employees need to have a positive attitude in life. Remember there is no age for learning. An individual needs to upgrade his/her existing skills and knowledge with time to survive fierce competition. An individual with a negative attitude cribs in almost every situation and finds it difficult to cope with the changing times.

Personality development enhances one’s personality and makes an individual a mature professional who can contribute effectively towards the success of an organization. Personality development helps in extracting the best out of employees, yielding higher profits for the organization.