Corporate World Recently Has Evolved

¶ … corporate world recently has evolved to become a very competitive one. Organizations now believe the significance of their workforce and therefore strive to employ the best possible workforce in order to beat their business rivals. The 'best' workforce today does not only mean a good degree holder -- it means the person as a whole. The eligibility for being a leader, today, had gone much beyond scoring high Grade Point Averages. Similarly, employees today aspire not only to get jobs with good monetary benefits, but ones that offer prospects for progression and leadership. In order to get to such a position, it is important that one carries out a thorough personality evaluation for himself and assess his standing in comparison to other potential candidates.

Over a period of time psychologists have developed various human behavior theories that classify individual personalities according to various personality traits that they may possess. So far psychologists have standardized sixteen personality traits and any individual may possess a combination of them. One's capacity and capability to do something, and to set targets and achieve them is greatly dependant on the kind of personality one possesses. It is these traits that decide whether or not one has it what takes to be a leader.

The most popular and widely used personality indicator around the world is the Myers Briggs personality traits. Myers Briggs gave sixteen personality traits that a human being in general might possess (Hare & Hare, 1996). These 16 traits are formed out of a combination of eight basic personality types which include introvert / extrovert, sensing / intuition, thinking / feeling and judging / perceiving.

Through this paper I aim to evaluate my own personality profile. The paper aims at evaluating assessing my personality traits and evaluates the degree to which I am capable to lead others.

General SWOT Analysis

It is common for organization to use the SWOT analysis in order to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for their businesses in the long-term. In a similar manner, a SWOT analysis for self-assessment can be carried out to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of one's personality and to assess what opportunities one might have or what threats one might face in the long-term based on one's respective strengths and weaknesses. The general SWOT analysis for my personality is discussed under the following sections.

Strengths

I am academically sound with a high Grade Point Average. I have maintained a consistent academic record from my primary years of studies up to the higher education.

I have work experience in diverse disciplines of business management including marketing, human resource management and finance. This has given me an understanding of how various functional departments of an organization work together to contribute to the organization's overall success.

I am a good listener who is tolerant towards how other people express their opinions. This helps me to work efficiently in team.

I am a well organized person who loves to multi-task and take challenges and responsibilities. This helps me to keep up with rigorous schedules.

I am a perfectionist who always strives for the best outcomes.

Weaknesses

I do not mingle with new people easily and only get frank with close acquaintances.

I take too much stress about small things.

In some cases I get unnecessarily judgmental about others, though I reconsider my opinion once I realize that I am being judgmental.

I have a tendency to over expect the outcomes of an event at times.

I find it difficult to express my feelings and emotions on a personal level.

Opportunities

The fact that I am a good listener will help me to work in a team-based environment as a healthy team member.

My ability multi-tasking and keeping up with rigorous schedules will help me to meet deadlines without compromising on quality.

My diverse knowledge and experience of working in various functional departments will help me to take better decisions by taking in view the dynamics of various functional departments in an organization.

Threats

Too much thinking and stress may lead to depression and/or frustration and might impact work productivity.

Too much multi-tasking may trigger stress.

I am sensitive to criticism at times which can result in ignoring other's suggestions.

Impulsive decision making can at time lead to wrong decisions.

The habit for always looking for lot of information may result in availability of irrelevant decisions which can result in double mindedness.

Personality Profile

According to the Myers Briggs test, I fall in the INTJ type personality profile (Out of Service, 2009). As a person, I love taking control of the things and prefer not to be controlled or directed. I like to work autonomously and like people putting their trust in my work. I am a perfectionist and I believe in best quality outputs. For this reason I personally get involved with every team member when I am working as a team head (Levine, 1999).

I am an ambitious person and I prefer autonomy. I like working in an environment where I have to face little interference in my work. I am responsible but I do not like too much accountability. I am not very social and I find it very difficult to get along with new people and make good friends. Although I am very friendly as a person, I cannot get frank, open up, and express or communicate my inner feelings and innovations very easily. On the contrary, I am very tolerant towards how other people express their opinions, which makes me a good listener. I plan a lot, however, I do not have the tendency to make contingency plans for emergencies. Under such circumstances, I usually take spontaneous decisions. I am usually an impulsive decision maker who tends to ignore details. On the other hand, when I am not working I think a lot about various things in minute details,

I am a very creative and imaginative person. I can easily visualize things in real scenarios. I have a flare for art and literature. I am a good multi-tasker who never likes to be free. For this reason, I always tend to find work for myself. I am a self-motivated person who likes to be appreciated for his achievements. My tendency to think a lot at times results in me getting double minded about what decisions to follow and what to forgo. Making choices is sometimes very difficult for me.

On the emotional side, I am very emotional and sensitive person who tends to take things too seriously. I am sensitive to criticism but I am always open to suggestions from others which are put forward in an objective manner. I take the final decision what I think is best but I do consider the suggestions put forward by others during the decision making process. This sometimes results in stress and depression, and in turn affects my productivity. It becomes difficult for me to work when I am thinking too much and at times too much thinking makes my mind paranoid. It is not very easy for me to relax. I am a person of a curious nature who likes finding about mysterious and unknown things.

Leadership Potential Profile

I aspire to be a leader. However, my idea of leadership is a bit different. I do not want to rule anyone's life. Instead, as a leader I believe in ruling people's hearts. I would want people to look up to me not as their ruler, director, or a supervisor, but as their role model, who aims to bring a change in the society. In short, my idea of leadership is to bring a positive change in every life that I touch, instead of merely ruling a life.

I believe a leader should be charismatic, yet simple. When he empowers his followers or people under him, gives them a sense of importance, and takes them into confidence before taking any decisions, they automatically give him the right to decide for them. Moreover, in my leadership ideology, a clear sense of direction and ethical values is more important than the sense of autocracy. Apart from that a leader should also believe in "doing things first." People will willingly follow his directions when they will see their leader doing the same as he asks them to do. Followers or subordinates should never feel that they are just being bossed around.

Applying my leadership ideology on myself, I have always taken my own decisions. I have always believed in what I did, but at the same time, I always welcome suggestions from others, and I respect those suggestions. However, when it comes to the final decision it is solely my own. I always believe in what I do and in case my decisions backfire, I do not waste time in regretting or blaming others for my failures. Instead, I firmly believe in owning and learning from mistakes. When I am in family, I try my best to fulfil all my responsibilities both as a son, and as a brother. When I am leading a team, I never take all the credit of the success and I make sure that every member of my team has played an equally important role in achieving our goal. Similarly, when my team experiences a failure I take personal responsibility for that (Mind Tools, 2011).

As a member of the society, I am passionate about serving the society and being a valuable asset to it. I try to serve the community in every way, be it physically, intellectually, and financially. When I have to take up certain decisions, I critically analyse all the pros, cons, best case, and worst-case scenarios and then take up my decision. Again, I never let myself be caught in what is called "analysis-paralysis." This is because I believe that although a leader should not make impulsive decisions, however, he should always be prepared for making spontaneous decisions. Furthermore, he should always have his "Plan-Bs" ready to deal with any critical situations. This is one of my weak points as far as leadership is concerned. I am generally good with my spontaneous decisions but at times I miscalculate the degree to which spontaneity is needed and as a result I end up taking an impulsive decision. However, the better side is that my decisions have a margin of flexibility enough to adapt to any new changes. I lack strong contingency plans and as a result I am forced to take spontaneous or impulsive decisions in case of emergency (Test Cafe, 2009).

Strengths

As a leader I allow every member to give his or her suggestions as a part of team discussion.

Aspiring to be a leader allows me to understand the difficulties of my team members.

Weaknesses

Sometimes I rule out fruitful advices from others thinking that I am the team leader.

I often get rude if my team do not take up their responsibilities seriously.

Opportunities

Input from every team member will allow me to take a decision that is acceptable to all.

Sympathizing and understanding the problems of my team mates will allow me to work with them keeping in view their working requirements.

Threats

Getting rude at times when responsibilities are not fulfilled by team members might harm my reputation as a leader.

Considering to implementing my decision as a leader, I might not take into account some good suggestions from my team mates.

Motive Profile

I am a person who likes to be independent in like and I have a strong sense of achievement. I like to my achievements to be talked about and appreciated by other people (Test Cafe, 2011). Like most people, monetary benefits do motivate me. Having said that, I need something much beyond conventional monetary motivation. The kind of environment that I work in plays a great role in motivating me. I like to work in a peaceful, hassle free environment where I do not have to face interference in my work. I am responsible and self accountable, though I do not like too much accountability. I like the fact that my superiors place their trust in my wok style and output.

I am ambitious and I prefer working under situations and organizations, which provide a high margin of progression and promotion. I like to keep myself with changing methods of business practices therefore, organizations that offer training and skill development opportunities also motivate me.

I am a person that respects rules and regulations. However, when rules are too strict and inflexible to the extent that it hinders my innovation, it becomes more demotivating. I like to be a part of organizations that are disciplined and have strong systems and procedures in place and which are more decentralized when it comes to decision making and delegation of authority. As a person, I like to be a part of situations that is filled with challenges and competition. I strongly believe that competition leads to efficiency. A work environment, where competition is tough provides me with an inclination to work harder. My ability to observe, think and analyze things in detail makes me a good strategist.

I am a person who believes in give and take of mutual respect. Although I am not very social as a person, it is demotivating for me to be in a situation which puts me in alienation and/or isolation. I like to be a part of an organization where people show respect to me and my opinions.

Strengths

Being able to work in a free environment, I am able to keep myself updated.

As I am motivated through financial rewards, I am able to benefit the organization in terms of its revenue keeping in mind the return I get.

Weaknesses

As I do not like too much accountability, this attitude leads to financial loss.

As I love to work in a free environment, it becomes difficult to communicate with people that are rigid in nature.

Opportunities

As I am able work in a free environment, this allows me to keep myself updated along with the current business scenario.

Threats

The fact that I am self-motivated, might result in making my employers invest little in giving me motivation benefits as they won't feel the need to further motivate me.

Moral / Personal Values Profile

I am a person who has very strong personal and moral values. I consider it essential to keep in line with ethical and moral standards of the society. On parallel lines I have my own personal principles and values which might conflict with the rest of the social norms. In that case my I stand by my own values and principles. That makes me a trout fish kind of a person for whom it is not a big deal to go against the society (My Personality, 2011).

I like to adhere to fair and honest business practices where organizations take care of employee, customers and the society as a whole. I believe that for any organization to be successful people must come first be it employees or customers. It must be the responsibility of the organization to see it that employees have maximum level of job satisfaction. Similarly, they should also be socially responsible.

I am a person for whom pride and honor matters. I adhere to principles that make me a stand as a prestigious person in the society and builds up my social status. I am consistent with my opinions, however at the same time I am liberal enough to respect other people's opinions' as well. I am a person of self-respect and high self-esteem and I am sensitive to any actions that might question or damage my self-esteem in any way.

Strength

Strict adherence to values earn me respect and honour in social circle.

Weakness

Preferring personal principles over social norms at times results in weak social relations.

Opportunities

Keeping in line with principles would mean that I am consistent throughout my work when following rules and regulations.

Threats

Too strict adherence to values and principles might result in inflexible decisions.

Political Behavior Profile

As a person I have always been politically liberal (OK Cupid, 2011). I am not too rigid with my idea. I am a good communicator of my ideology and I have an ability to be diplomatic and politically correct when required. I am good at making situations and outcomes turn in my favor through dialogues. My political ideology is based on bringing positive changes in the society as a whole rather than being focused on pursuing personal interests.

I do not believe in following others. I like to keep power to myself. I am democratic as a leader who respects suggestions and opinion of other people. While I am always open to suggestions, I am not fond of others giving me directions about what should I do. I am also open to objective criticism, but I become sensitive to it when I feel that a certain type of criticism is damaging my self-esteem and/or sense of achievement. I am good at making comprehensive rules and regulations and my communication ability and motivating leadership capabilities makes it easy for me to implement those rules. I am a person of high conscientiousness that results in my positive political behavior.

Strengths

Effective communication of honest political ideology helps gaining a lot of support.

Weakness

Sensitivity to criticism might result in ignoring valuable suggestion.

Opportunity

The fact that my personal character is in line with my political ideology, makes it easier to implement my rules and regulations.

Threats

When political ideology is against social norms, it might result in losing support.

Normative Leadership Profile

As a leader, I am high on normative leadership who encourages participation from other team members. In some cases, where I know I can trust a sub-ordinate's expertise, I may also delegate the decision making power. Although I encourage participation from other subordinates, I am a bit reluctant when it comes to delegation of authority as far as decision making is concerned. This is because I believe ion quality of decisions and I am a person who likes to play a safe game. I make sure that I am always personally involved and supervise my subordinates.