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Good Example:
Week 4. 22 Oct Individual differences and diversity in organisations
The session today discussed individual differences, and how
these differences contribute to increasing diversity in
organisations. The lecturer made two main points: 1) the
behaviour of an individual is a function of his/ her individual
characteristics and his/her environment therefore when
explaining this behaviour we should not over-focus only on
individuals characteristics; 2) diversity is rapidly increasing
in many organisations, therefore they have to develop
strategies how to deal with it.
I was particularly interested to learn if how reliable and
valid are personality tests in predicting peoples actual
behaviour in workplace. My experience suggests that
personality tests alone might not be reliable predictors of
ones job performance. For example, according to
personality tests I am more introvert than extrovert. Despite
that I have been a successful sales person dealing with
numerous people on daily basis. My job is related to selling
very complex equipment, therefore customers are more
interested in what I am saying about the properties of the
equipment than whether I look very approachable and am
outgoing. If I had been tested before I got my sales job I
would have never got it, because I am an introverted
person. I suppose, this might be different I would be trying
to sell cosmetics when standing in a shopping centre. So,
from this experience I agree with the thesis articulated in
the lecture that we have to remember that environment not
only individual characteristics affect peoples behaviour and
therefore should not overly rely on test results when
selecting employees.
Later in the day I was thinking that testing actually can be
seen as a form of discrimination. If we agree with the
nomothetic approach to personality, then personality
characteristics are very stable. So it means, by testing
prospective employees we are actually discriminating them
judging them by the characteristics they largely cannot
change.
(Comment: This entry provides a fuller reflective account; the main
theses examined in the lecture are accurately mentioned. The
author is able to reflect at a deeper level by explaining which
sections of the literature or discussions impacted profoundly upon
their thoughts. The author also has demonstrated an independent
thinking by suggesting an original idea (testing as discrimination)
which was not discussed in the lecture. The personal experience is
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clear and in context. This reflection would be better rounded if the
author would have also included his thoughts on diversity in
organisations).