RUNNING HEAD: PERSONALITY APPLIED TO THE ORGANIZATION 1
Personality Applied to the Organization Assignment
Amanda Federovich-Hogan
School of Business, Liberty University
BMAL 500 - B07: Organizational Behavior
Dr. Bates
September 25, 2022
PERSONALITY APPLIED TO THE ORGANIZATION 2
Abstract
This paper explores the findings of seven self-assessments through the McGraw-Hill Connect
online platform in the context of organizational behavior. Analysis of the in-depth personality
tests revealed traits that were consistent with my Myers-Briggs 4-letter personality preference of
(ENTJ) Extravert, Intuitive, Thinker, and Judger. The personality traits and type were evaluated
in the context of an individual, group, and organization level. Strengths of the personality traits
and type are discussed and exploration of how weaknesses are transformed into strengths
through the Holy Spirit.
Keywords: Personality, Leadership, Organizational application
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Step One
I successfully completed seven different self-assessments through the McGraw-Hill
Connect online platform. Each of the assessments were geared towards selective components of
one’s personality as it related to an organization. The analysis of these self-assessment will be
discussed in detail as it relates to my personality, working with others, as well as in the context of
my organization.
Part I: Personality Insights
According to Kinicki (2021), “Personality is the combination of relatively stable
physical, behavioral, and mental characteristics that gives individuals their unique identities” (p.
87). One’s personality is a fusion of their genetics and environment. While one’s personality is
relatively stable over time, traumatic events can shift one’s thoughts and behaviors. It is
imperative to have a deep understanding of one’s own personality so as to be aware of both
strengths and weaknesses.
Big Five with Myers-Briggs
Two commonly utilized tools to determine one’s personality is the Big Five and the
Myers-Briggs. The Big Five evaluates personality by measuring five dimensions (extraversion,
agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience). The results of the
Big Five are given in the context of a spectrum (Kinicki, 2021). The Myers-Briggs evaluates four
dimensions (Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/iNtuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving)
to determine one’s personality type (16 different personality types) (Kroeger et al., 2002). While
both of these tools provide useful information, the Big Five focuses on personality traits while
the Myers-Briggs identifies a personality type.
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I completed a self-assessment entitled “What is my Big Five Personality Profile” through
the McGraw-Hill Connect (n.d.) online platform. I scored high in extraversion (8/10),
agreeableness (8/10), and openness to experience (9/10). I scored moderate in emotional stability
(6/10). These results were consistent with my preconceived notion of each of these traits as I
think of myself as outgoing, easy to get along with, goal-oriented, and broadminded.
Additionally, the results from my Big Five self-assessment were also consistent with those from
my Myers-Briggs 4-letter personality preference of ENTJ (Extravert, Intuitive, Thinker, and
Judger).
These aspects of my personality have enabled me to successfully cultivate the nurse
practitioner led Care-COordination and eMpowerment of PAtients in System-to-System
(COMPASS) Transitions Program at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. My role includes the
coordination of care of veterans between multiple providers in different care settings (hospital
and skilled nursing home). Due to this level of communication and oversight, I am able to reduce
rehospitalization and emergency room visits within thirty days of discharge and medication
discrepancies. I report my metrics to senior leadership quarterly; the metrics are compared to
veterans who are not enrolled in the COMPASS program as well as to the national metrics.
Attitude and Core Values
“Attitudes represent our feelings or opinions about people, places, and objects and range
from positive to negative” (Kinicki, 2021, p. 48). One’s attitude is influenced by their
experiences, knowledge base, and social media. Values are shaped by one’s moral attributes and
are rooted in childhood experiences/upbringing. Values provide a foundation that influences
one’s thought process and behavior (Kinicki, 2021).
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My core values are Achievement, Self-Direction, Universalism, and Benevolence. The
results of my personality traits and four-letter personality type (ENTJ) are in alignment with
these core values. According to Kroeger et al. (2002), “For the ENTJ all of life is learning, so one
is forever a student” (p. 395). I place great value in both academic and professional success.
Despite having achieved a doctoral degree in nursing, I sought out the opportunity to obtain a
master’s degree in business so as to improve my marketability. The master’s degree in business
will also allow me to advocate for funding and resources that will increase the likelihood of
success of my quality improvement programs at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
Ultimately, I want to use my education and position as a lead nurse practitioner to help
veterans improve the quality of their lives. As a Christian, who has accepted Jesus Christ as my
savior and Lord, I believe that everyone can be saved. According to Romans 10:9-10, “If you
declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the
dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (New International Version, 1978/2011).
Motivation Insights
The Acquired Needs Theory proposes that an individual is motived by achievement,
affiliation, and power. In order to gain a deeper understanding of what motives me, I completed a
self-assessment entitled “Assessing Your Acquired Needs” through the McGraw-Hill Connect
(n.d.) online platform. I scored high in need for achievement (22/25), moderate for need for
affiliation (17/25), and high in need for power (23/25). I found the results to be an accurate
portrayal of my needs, my career goals, and my desire to lead.
I am goal oriented and typically hold myself to a higher standard than my superiors do.
Because of this, I am often tasked with challenging projects that require attention to detail and
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frequent monitoring. While I am able to build relationships with my colleagues, I am not overly
concerned with their perception of me. This is in part due to being driven by internal factors
more so than being externally motivated. Additionally, I am drawn to leadership positions as I
feel comfortable and confident taking charge and guiding the direction of the group. These
motivational factors are in alignment with my position as the lead nurse practitioner for the
geriatrics division of the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System as I am responsible for overseeing
fifteen nurse practitioners in both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings.
Decision Making/Problem Solving Insights
Possessing soft skills, such as decision-making and problem solving, can provide a
competitive edge to candidates. These skills are not necessarily intuitive and must be developed
over time. Individuals with the ENTJ personality type, such as myself, “prefer to be very logical,
detached, analytical, and driven by objective values” in regard to their decision-making process
(Kroeger et al., 2002, p. 37). These characteristics are consistent with my big five personality
profile as I scored high for the dimension of conscientiousness (10/10). I take an analytical
approach to problem solving and will think through each possible scenario. Once I have come to
a decision, I hold firm and will not waiver. I am very detail oriented, persistent, and goal oriented
in both my personal and professional life. I believe it is these characteristics that have allowed
me to gain recognition and thus opened the door to professional opportunities such as presenting
at a national conference, being a co-author for a peer reviewed scholarly article, and being
invited to sit on a national certification examination development committee.
Part II: Working with Others
My results from the seven different self-assessments through the McGraw-Hill Connect
online platform validated my preconceived notions of my various personality traits. The
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assessments provided a thorough explanation as to why certain scores were achieved. Having a
deeper understanding of these traits will allow me to better utilize my strengths and compensate
for my weaknesses. The application of this information will be discussed as it related to my
behavior and interactions with others within the workplace setting.
Communication Competency and Listening Style
Upon reflection of my communication competency and listening style, I found that I am a
good communicator and a fair listener. I believe that my communication style is the product of
being apart of a large family. If you do not speak up, then you are not heard. This style of
communication has served me well in the workplace as I feel comfortable and confident about
sharing my thoughts, opinions, and ideas during meetings. This is consistent with the ENTJ’s
communication style as “They share their directions and opinions quite freely and easily,
assuming that anyone who disagrees does so fully and ready to engage in meaningful, albeit
somewhat confrontative and direct, dialogue” (Kroeger et al., 2002, p. 393). While being
confrontative is not my intention, I do appreciate a healthy discussion where I am able to
advocate for my patients or lobby for additional resources.
In assessing my listening style, I found myself to be an involved listener. “Involved
listeners devote some, but not all, of their attention and energy to listening” (Kinicki, 2021, p.
346). This is because I am trying to process what others are saying as quickly as possible so that
I can reply with my opinion. This approach has allowed me to remain engaged in a conversation;
however, I may miss some content or context due to my attempts to be the speaker. While I
would not classify listening as a weakness, it is an area of opportunity that would benefit from
adoption of new skills.
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Leadership Readiness and Team Insights
According to the “Assessing Your Task and Relationship Oriented Leader Behavior”
through the McGraw-Hill Connect (n.d.) online platform, I may exhibit high initiating structure
(27/30) and high consideration (27/30) leader behavior. Qualities of an initiating structure leader
include identifying team member roles, organizing activities, and being task oriented while
qualities of a consideration leader behavior are people-oriented, attempting to establish mutual
trust, and focusing on the wellbeing of the members of the group. “Most leadership experts think
the best leaders are high on both initiating structure and consideration dimensions” (McGraw-
Hill Connect, n.d.). The results of these self-assessments are consistent with my personality type
(ENTJ) as it is known as life’s natural leaders (Kroeger et al., 2002).
Additionally, I scored a 28/35 on the “How Strong is my Motivation to Manage”
(McGraw-Hill Connect, n.d.). This indicates a high motivation to manage. Often, people use
leadership and management interchangeably. However, I believe that these two entities are in
fact separate. One can possess qualities of a leader without being in a formal management
position. Presently, I am the lead nurse practitioner for the geriatrics division of the VA
Pittsburgh Healthcare System. This is a leadership position that works closely with management
in the hiring, onboarding, and cultivating of full practice authority nurse practitioners within the
geriatrics division. Unfortunately, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System does not have
management positions for nurse practitioners at this time. Thus, the role as lead brings me the
closest to my desire to be a manager.
Conflict Tendencies/Style
I fully appreciate a moderate level of conflict as it provides a platform for open
discussion. I find that I thrive in this setting as I am able to openly and honestly share my
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perspective and suggestions. While I am open to alternative approaches, I do become frustrated
when my input is dismissed and another option (that I feel is counterproductive) is selected.
Alternatively, if there is too little conflict then business will continue as usual, and group will
remain stagnant. If there is a high level of conflict, the conflict can become dysfunctional and
threaten the organization’s interests through absenteeism, turnover, unionization, and litigation
(Kinicki, 2021). Ultimately, a certain level of conflict is healthy and will facilitate refinement of
any given group.
Part III: Life in Organizations
My experience has been that each organization is its own ecosystem. A catastrophic issue
for one organization may have little to no impact on another. It is important to have a deep
understanding of one’s own personality traits and how that relates to working in groups. This
knowledge can then be translated into the organizational level.
Organizational Politics
When I hear the word politics, I typically cringe. This is in part because politicking
typically involves manipulation and mistruths. And yet, organizational politics are an inherent
part of any workplace. Like so many other components of organizational culture, politics can be
used to gain an advantage in the marketplace or can detrimental. Ultimately, it depends on the
intent of the individual. Ideally one should embrace the approach of Ephesians 4:29; “Do not let
any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others
up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (New International Version,
1978/2011).
According to the “Measuring Perceived Interpersonal Treatment” through the McGraw-
Hill Connect (n.d.) online platform, I have a neutral view of the fairness of my organization. I
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often say that working for the federal government is like serving a different beast. There are
numerous perks; however, there is a significant amount of red tape that often accompanies it. The
VA Healthcare System in Pittsburgh goes to great lengths to ensure that employees are treated
fairly. This is achieved through annual mandatory training for all employees, conduction of an
annual employee survey, as well as having a strong union presence. My organization has access
to a vast number of resources so being able to politic for them is a skill that I continue to work
on. However, my organization struggles because the union often protects individuals who in a
community healthcare system would have been reprimanded due to poor work performance and
absenteeism. The process for obtaining resources is quite lengthy and time consuming so many
will not even try to obtain additional resources.
Organizational Needs-Employee Satisfaction, Job Fit, Core Skills
It can be quite challenging to balance the needs of the organization with maintaining
employee satisfaction. In a perfect world, both of these items would be able to coexist in a
symbiotic relationship where both entities flourished. Unfortunately, this is not typically the case
as the needs of the organization and the employee may be in conflict.
If one is to be successful in their job, their core skills should meet the requirements of the
position. As a nurse practitioner its not enough to simply have a degree and a professional
license, one must have clinical competence and be knowledgeable of their scope of practice. At
the VA Healthcare System in Pittsburgh, all nurse practitioners are granted full practice authority.
However, in the state of Pennsylvania, nurse practitioners must have a collaborative physician in
order to legally practice. Thus, as a nurse practitioner at the VA, I must feel confident with my
full practice authority scope if I am to be successful.
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Additionally, if one is to be truly satisfied in their job, they should share the
organization’s mission. The mission of the Veterans Health Administration is “To fulfill President
Lincoln's promise “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his
orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans” (U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs, 2021). This philosophy is consistent with Proverbs 3:27, “Do not
withhold good from those whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it” (New International
Version, 1978/2011). I fully support this mission and have taken steps beyond simply fulfilling
my job description, such as championing several quality improvement initiatives, to ensure the
success of the VA in achieving it.
Organizational Change and Climate
At the VA Healthcare System, change typically happens slowly over time. The running
joke at the VA is that it takes an act of Congress to get anything changed which is true in some
instances. Employees of the VA have become accustomed to this pace for change and
experienced culture shock during the Coronavirus 19 pandemic when things changed very
quickly. Having worked for a startup company previously, I had experience with rapid
organizational change and was able to acclimate rather quickly to the new pace. As the pandemic
dissipates, the pace has begun to slow somewhat. I am hopeful that under the current leadership
that change will continue to occur at a steady pace.
According to the “Assessing an Organizations Diversity Climate” through the McGraw-
Hill Connect (n.d.) online platform, my organization has a moderate diversity climate (40/60).
This is in part due to the implementation of diversity training programs and activities.
Additionally, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System employs people from various racial, ethnic,
and religious backgrounds. Unfortunately, the organization can be viewed as going too far to
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establish diversity by catering to minorities. This is in part due to having more minorities in
management positions than Caucasians. While the organization will never be able to please
everyone, they need to ensure that all employees feel that they can be their authentic selves at
work and have an equal opportunity for advancement.
Step Two
In this section, I will apply the personality insights gained from the prior section to my
current workplace behavior and interactions with my colleagues. I will provide examples from
my current place of employment within the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System as their lead nurse
practitioner for the geriatrics division. I will also determine ways in which to be a better
employee and coworker based on this newfound knowledge.
In general, what have you learned from these personality tests about organizational
behavior that will help you be a better employee, coworker, and /or manager?
Prior to this assignment, I hadn’t placed much thought into how one’s personality
impacted their ability to be successful in their role as an employee, coworker, or manager. The
personality tests were truly eye opening as they provided me with the opportunity to not only
explore my own preferences but to also identify the preferences of my coworkers. According to
Malakyan et al. (2020), “understanding of self and the self’s interdependency with others
through dynamic and permissible relations is instrumental to workplace wellbeing”. By having
knowledge of my coworkers’ preferences, I can draw on their strengths and take steps to negate
their weaknesses in order to improve communication and productivity.
Presently, the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System does not include personality
questionnaires as part of the onboarding process. I would recommend to my manager that our
department request a personality assessment be included in the orientation process. Additionally,
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I would recommend that all of the providers within the geriatric division complete personality
assessments. The findings of the assessments could then be shared with the group. This would
allow each individual provider to speak to their results and outline their preferences (whether in
alignment or if they differ from the assessment results). In doing so, this would improve each
provider’s self-awareness, improve communication and collaboration amongst the group, as well
as inform our manager of everyone’s preferences. This approach would result in an ideal work
situation. According to Pletzer et al. (2019), “An ideal work situation is one that offers cues for
trait expression and one where trait-expressive behavior is positively valued by others” (p. 380).
While completion of the personality assessment can not be required, I believe it would positively
influence the geriatric division’s moral and cohesiveness.
In particular, what have you learned about yourself from this personality test that will help
you be a better employee, coworker, and/or manager? Provide specific examples.
I found the self-assessments through the McGraw-Hill Connect online platform and the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator reinforced many of my preconceived notions regarding my
personality preferences. This assignment granted me the opportunity to gain a deeper
understanding as to why I have certain preferences or respond in a specific way. Additionally, I
found it interesting that while our personality type is concrete our preferences can change over
time.
According to Kroeger et al. (2002), women with the ENTJ personality type are often
viewed as pushy and overbearing. I view this as a both a blessing and a curse. I am often selected
to champion initiatives because of my ability to enact change. However, my persistence could be
perceived as being pushy. Recently, I was asked to champion a formal preventative ethics
project. The intent of this project was to develop a clinical pathway for the integration of State
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Authorized Portable Orders (SAPO) for veterans at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
University Drive (UD) and the Community Living Center (CLC) campuses. I piloted the project
on one unit at the CLC before conducting a waterfall rollout to the remaining five units. The
education and clinical pathway were then adapted to meet the needs of the UD campus.
Presently, both campuses have fully integrated SAPO completion into their current practice. In
order for this initiative to be successful, I had to provide the education and training as well as
monitor implementation. I attended daily huddles and sent weekly metrics to each unit. While
my superiors were pleased with the results, those directly impacted by the change in practice
likely viewed my presence and constant reminders as overbearing and annoying. Now armed
with the knowledge gained about my personality type, I would have changed my approach for
the implementation process. Rather than my intense presence, I would have identified a
champion from each unit to assist with the integration so that the change would be supported by
a peer on the unit. I would have also held a meeting with the manager of each unit to review
metrics rather than send them to the entire staff. The manager could then choose to disseminate
the information as they saw fit. By altering my approach, I would be a better employee by
completing the assigned task in a more time efficient manner. This would allow my talents to be
utilized for additional projects. This would also allow for me to be a better coworker by allowing
each unit to adapt the change without feeling like I was forcing them to. It would also grant me
the ability to potentially mentoring others who are interested in leadership opportunities.
Step Three
In this section, I will identify various weakness that are associated with my personality
traits (per the McGraw Hill Connect online platform) and personality type (per the Myers-Briggs
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Type Indicator). I will then complete a faith integration outlining how the Holy Spirit has worked
to transform my weaknesses into strengths. Application to my workplace will also be discussed.
Explain how the Holy Spirt has worked in your life to transform your weaknesses into
strengths.
The ENTJ personality type is assertive, outspoken, strives to gain knowledge, seeks
mastery within their field, and is methodical in their approach. While these characteristics are
viewed as strengths in some settings, they may be deemed weaknesses in others. This is
consistent with the sediments of Kroeger et al. (2002); “Your strength maximized becomes a
liability” (p.46). This is in part due to the perception that the ENTJ’s behavior is dominant and
verbally aggressive.
The Holy Spirit has helped me to realize that I do not need to be domineering or
aggressive in order to get things accomplished. I am able to reduce my level of intensity and be
present in the moment rather than fixated on completion of the task. The Holy Spirit has helped
me to focus on my intentions rather than my short comings. In doing so, I realized that I am a
work in progress and that it is a blessing to be able to refine oneself. This is consistent with
Romans 12:2; “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will” (New International Version, 1978/2011). Ultimately, the presence of
God and Holy Spirit in my life have given me the desire to be a better person/Christian through
my words and actions.
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Reference
Kinicki, A. (2021). Organizational behavior: A practical, problem-solving approach plus
Connect. McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 9781264250790.
Kroeger, O., Thuesen, J. M., & Rutledge, H. (2002). Type talk at work: How the 16 personality
types determine your success on the job (Revised and Updated ed.). New York, NY: Dell
Publishing. ISBN: 9780440509288.
Malakyan, P.G., Schlak, T., & Wang, W. (2020). Diverse Personalities, Egos, Roles, and
Relations: Toward Workplace Wellbeing. The Palgrave Handbook of Workplace Well-
Being. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02470-3_14-1
McGraw-Hill Connect. (n.d). Project 2 Assessment. Retrieved from:
https://newconnect.mheducation.com/
New International Version Bible. (2011). The NIV Bible. http://www.thenivbible.com (Original
work published 1978).
Pletzer, J. L., Bentvelzen, M., Oostrom, J. K., & de Vries, R. E. (2019). A meta-analysis of the
relations between personality and workplace deviance: Big five versus
HEXACO. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 112, 369-
383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.04.004
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2021). About VA: Mission, Vision, Core Values, and
Goals. Retrieved from https://www.va.gov/about_va/mission.asp
