Ricky June 24, 2013 MA Pol Sci Assignment 3A:

N.

Dulay

1. Of the Big 5 personality traits, which do you think should school managers first look for in a teacher applicant? Justify your answer.

I think the school managers should first look for negative emotionality or emotional stability in a teacher applicant. Emotionally stable people
are relaxed, poised, slow to show anger, handle crisis well, and resilient. This is what most teachers need, especially that we deal with different students with different personalities. Most teachers would complain about students with attitudes in the classroom such as sarcastic way of answering questions or students who would simply get the attention of the teacher just to intimidate him/her. Based on this situation, teachers need to control their emotions in order not to offend the students. A teacher with emotional stability is relaxed in such situations and can think rationally, meaning he/she is not irritated at all. Students are likely influenced by such behavior and the teacher earns their respect. Teachers with emotional stability are likewise able to handle pressure, stress and tension. Based on experience, teaching is a very stressful job especially when your efforts are not reciprocated by your students. But if you have emotional stability, your instinct would tell you that you need to effort more to teach them values. Institutions need these kind of teachers.

2. Of the other personality traits identified in this lesson, which do you think would most likely result in high levels of productive performance in a work unit. Justify your answer. I think risk propensity would most likely result in high levels of productive performance in a work unit. Most common pitfall for people in a work place is that they are afraid to take their chances. Because of this, they fail to progress. Its devastating though, if only they tried. Theres nothing to lose for trying. A person who is willing to take risks is also a person who would most likely to make wise decisions because he is sure to stand by his own decisions. A person who takes risks is similarly a person with initiative which is one quality that a work unit should have. One will never know the danger of an act unless he tries it. Likewise one will never know what benefits the company unless he makes initiative to try something new. Its in trying that makes a productive performance in a work unit. It is in taking risks that a company would most likely progress.

3. Think back on any difficult interpersonal interaction with a colleague or group mate you have had. What was the personality trait that made the interaction difficult? What was the effect of this trait on the performance of the unit or group? I have a colleague before in the call center industry who is highly authoritarian. However demanding our supervisors and managers are, she would readily follow. She doesnt question or challenge the system and sometimes regarded as sipsip. Of course as expected, she was promoted to the position of a supervisor while us who are older in the industry remained a customer service representative simply because we complain when we feel an order is objectionable because our supervisors have the tendency to abuse their authorities. Sometimes, when we question the system, they take it personal against us and we usually suffer consequences that are really not our fault. Anyways, this colleagues instant promotion resulted to immature relationship with her agents. Its because she was hated by her agents, and she doesnt really know how to deal with such situations. The point is, she wasnt really prepared for the position. We even questioned her promotion not being based on merit. The result, some of her agents resigned, some violated the rules and some remained stubborn and doesnt follow orders anymore.