Personality of Susan Kwan - Essay Example

Exercise 9.7 and 10.5 Generalization was the most serious mistake of Susan Kwan. All the workers were treated in the sameway and the outcomes, according to her, should have been the same. Nonetheless, people are very different in the way they perform and in the factors, which can serve as stimulus for better performance. In order to learn more about the personality of each employee and learn about the best ways to motivate each of them, Susan Kwan would need to offer her workers a special test. The textbook describes five types of personality dimensions and each of them has its own level of motivation. When the personality of each employee is studied, the degree of self-assurance of him or her will also be known. The interaction with worker also shows this level. Consistency theory by Korman states that self-confidence and presentation have a positive relationship: the more self-confident an employee is, the better results he shows. The level of self-assurance can be increased by means of special training that will help workers realize their potential. Moreover, positive experience also contributes to better self-esteem. During such training, a worker is offered an easy assignment, which is very easy to succeed in, and after the completion, his self-esteem will improve. The level of self-confidence also depends on the behavior of a supervisor; thus it is essential to provide supervisors with special training. The next essential thing Susan Kwan should pay attention to is intrinsic motivation. Employees are different in the way they can be intrinsically motivated. Some of the employees like the process of performing the task, while some employees are more oriented towards the successful result of a task. Some employees also can be motivated by the desire to avoid negative outcomes, because they are afraid to be fired. Different tests can be used to determine if employees are intrinsic or extrinsic. Finally, the desire to get better results, need in communication and authority should be studied to define how people differ in these needs. The job position of every employee should be determined considering these differences. It is necessary Susan Kwan should determine the workers’ level of satisfaction, which influences the quality of their performance. The goals that are set out should be well defined and understood, attainable within the set deadline, take into account the level of difficulty, the employees’ role and their level of preparation. Therefore, it is evident that a goal partly involves employees. Special attention should be paid to the kind of feedback that is given after the task is completed. The feedback should be stimulating, not frustrating because negative feedback can demotivate employees. It is prudent that feedback is given after every step so that the effects of any negative feedback are lessened. Every reward should be connected to a specific and certain task and should be lower or higher depending on how well the task is completed. All the employees should be rewarded, but those who perform better should have better rewards. These types of reward scheme will ultimate encourage competition and lead to the increase of the employees’ output in general. Exercise 10.5 Personal predisposition and job satisfaction are closely connected. Individual difference theory states that job satisfaction is connected to personal preferences. Another factor that also should be paid attention to is time as people have different preferences concerning deadlines. Time is an important factor that influences the individual difference theory positively. Other existing factors that play an important role in job satisfaction are the environmental and genetic factors. In essence, it is observed that personality variables are directly related to the level of job satisfaction. The various personalities variables available will mean that each individual will have different satisfaction. For instance, some people will be happy with minor occurrences while others will need more, just to get their attention. According to the text, there are four personality variables that were described and presented by Judge, Locke, and Darham. The description of the four personality variables was related to the level of satisfaction of the life and jobs of individuals. These variables are defined as emotional stability, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and internal locus control. In the case of Juan, he lacked emotional stability because was under constant stress. He had no friends near him to have some fun with and help him forget about the rigorous class schedules and the problems he faced at work. Moreover, the ever-busy restaurant meant he had little time for him to spare for himself. Juan felt dissatisfied, as he did not receive what he was promised by his manager. During the interview, he was told that every weekend he was entitled to a day off, which was not the case when he commenced working. Instead, he had to endure hard work with low payment. These conditions eventually affected his self-efficacy and internal locus of control due to the fact that he could not control the circumstances in his life. His low self-esteem may have been a direct result of a failed test and lowered grades. The awkward timing and the dicey situation at the job could have affected the personality variables. According to the textbook, a person who is satisfied with his job should be consistent not only in time but also with other parts of their lives. If Juan were satisfied with his studies and grades, he would be happier with his job and would be able to show good results. However, the absence of satisfaction in both fields meant that he was overwhelmed. Wanous et al. opined that failure to meet job expectations led to a reduced level of job satisfaction. Their analysis is evident in Juan’s case: He was to receive a day off during the weekend and work 20 hours or less per week. However, the expectations he was promised did not materialize, which led to Juan’s low job satisfaction. The equity theory suggests that the motivation and job satisfaction by any individual is directly related to the treatment they receive. For instance, because Juan worked for long hours without a break and no reward, he was bound to be less motivated and with low levels of job satisfaction. Juan faced low levels of job satisfaction at his current job. The best way get to where he was for him to quit his job. Read More