ED 211: Special Topics 1 Module

Mental Hygiene, Personality Development, and Social Etiquette

Unit 4. Personality Development 6 hours (Weeks 9-10)

At the end of the unit the students would be able to:

 Discuss the meaning and nature of personality.

 Differentiate the different types of personality.

 Assess one’s personality type.

 Identify and discuss ways on how to enhance one’s personality.

10 Ways to Improve Your Personality

By: Z. Hereford

Contrary to what you may think, you can improve your personality!
We now know that not only can we improve the personality, but we can also develop it
in ways we previously did not understand, or believe possible!

Until quite recently it was believed that personality is permanent. In 1890 William
James, the famous Harvard psychologist, wrote in his influential work The Principles of
Psychology, that personality was "set in plaster" by early adulthood.

This view prevailed for over a century; however, the idea that personality is more fluid
has gained ground over time. We are now at the point where we realize that we have
influence and control over which traits and characteristics we want to develop or refine.

What is Personality?
The personality is the typical pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaviors that make a
person unique.

When we say that someone has a "good personality" we mean that they are likable,
interesting and pleasant to be with.

Everyone wants to be attractive to others. To that end, having a good personality is

vital - probably even more so than good looks.
In fact, approximately 85 percent of your success and happiness will be a result of how
well you interact with others. Ultimately, it is your personality that determines whether
people are attracted to, or shy away from you.

While we can only enhance our looks to a certain extent, we can improve our
personality as much as we want. We can develop or integrate into our personalities any
trait we deem fitting and agreeable.

Here are 10 great ways to improve your personality:

Be a better listener. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was considered one of the most
charming women in the world because she cultivated the skill of being an exceptional
listener. She was known for the way she would look a person in the eyes, hang on their
every word, and make them feel important. There is nothing more appealing than
having someone listen to you intently making you feel like you're the only person in the
world.

Read more and expand your interests. The more you read and cultivate new
interests, the more interesting you are to others. When you meet new people it allows
you to share what you know and to exchange your views with them.

Be a good conversationalist. This relates to how much you read and know. Once
you have much to contribute, learn how to talk about it with others. No one can read
about or know everything, so it's refreshing to learn from others those things we don't
have the time to about read ourselves. If you happen to be shy, join a group like
Toastmasters that encourages you to talk about what you know.
Enjoy the article: The Art of Conversation
Have an Opinion. There is nothing more tiresome than trying to talk to someone who
has no opinion on anything. A conversation has nowhere to go if you have nothing to
expound on. If, however, you have an uncommon point of view or differing opinion,
you are more interesting and stimulating to be with socially (unless you're a know-it-all,
of course). A unique outlook expands everyone's perspective.

Meet New People. Make the effort to meet new people especially those unlike you. It
not only exposes you to different cultures and alternative ways of doing things, it
broadens your horizons.

Be yourself. The next most tiresome thing after having no opinions is trying to be
something you're not. Molding yourself to fit in, or be accepted, usually backfires. Since
each of us is unique, expressing that uniqueness is what makes us interesting.
Attempting to be a carbon copy of someone else not only falls flat, but it also reveals a
lack of authenticity.

Have a positive outlook and attitude. Who wants to be around people who are
negative, complain a lot, or have nothing good to say? In fact, most of us run when we
see them coming. Instead, be the kind of upbeat person who lights up a room with
your energy when you enter it. Do it by looking for the best in people and things. Smile
warmly, spread good cheer, and enliven others with your presence.
See: How to Think Positively

Be fun and see the humorous side of life. Everyone enjoys the company of
someone who makes them laugh or smile, so look for the humorous, quirky side in a
situation - there always is one. Comic relief is a much welcome and needed diversion at
times. When you can add fun and lightheartedness to an otherwise dull or gloomy
setting, others will naturally be attracted to you, not to mention grateful.

Be supportive of others. Being supportive is probably the most endearing quality you
can integrate into your personality. Just as you welcome it, be the support for others
when they need it. We all love a cheerleader in our corner; someone who is
encouraging, believes in us and helps pick us up when we're down.
Have Integrity and treat people with respect. Being honest and true to your word
will bring you the admiration, respect and gratitude of others. Nothing improves a
person's personality more than integrity and respect - respect for others, as well as
respect for yourself.

We humans have the power and ability to shape our personalities however we wish.
When we develop ourselves to be all that we can be, we contribute to our own, as well
as the happiness of others.

On a related note, having a pleasant, engaging personality is significantly related to

Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ). Those of us possessing high EI invariably have great
personalities.

Reference: http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/

improveyourpersonality.html
16 Personality Types

Complete overview of the 16 Personality Types. Free in-depth and practical information
on the 16 personality types, including careers, relationships, and core values. Enjoy and
share with your friends!

What’s your personality type? Take our free personality test ->

1. The Inspector – ISTJ Personality

The ISTJ can be considered an intimidating personality type to approach,

especially without a prior relationship. ISTJs appear serious, formal, and
proper. This personality type places great importance on tradition and old-
school values. Patience, hard work, honor and social and cultural responsibility
are all cherished by the ISTJ. They are reserved, calm, quiet, and upright.
These traits result from the combination of Introversion, Sensing, Thinking,
and Judging. The result is a personality type that is often misunderstood.

2. The Counselor – INFJ Personality

INFJs are visionaries and idealists. This personality type oozes creative
imagination and brilliant ideas from every pore. They have a different,
frequently profound, way of looking at the world that is not always
understood. INFJs favor substance and depth in the way they think. This
personality type will never accept anything at surface level or refuse to
countenance a better way to approach problems. Others may perceive the
INFJ as odd or amusing due to this variable outlook on life.

3. The Mastermind – INTJ Personality

INTJs are true introverts. This personality type tends to be quiet, reserved and
comfortable in their own company. INTJs are usually self-sufficient and prefer to work
alone than in a group. Socializing significantly drains the energy of this personality type,
causing them to need to recharge. Do not weight down an INTJ with small talk! They
are more interested in big ideas and theories. When observing the world, INTJs
regularly question why things happen the way they do. Uncertainty is the enemy of the
INTJ. They excel at developing plans and strategies for every eventuality.

4. The Giver – ENFJ Personality

ENFJs are eternal people-pleasers. They are extroverted, idealistic,

charismatic, outspoken, highly principled and ethical. This set of traits
ensures that an ENFJ can usually connect with others of varying
backgrounds and personalities. ENFJs rely more on intuition and feelings,
living more in their imagination than the real world. This can be
troublesome, for the individual themselves and those around them. Rather
than living in the, “now” and what is currently happening, ENFJs tend to
concentrate on the abstract and what could possibly unfold in the future.

5. The Craftsman – ISTP Personality

ISTPs are mysterious and oft-misunderstood people. This personality type

is typically defined by rationality and logic but is also capable of
spontaneity and enthusiasm. The personality traits of the ISTP are
tougher to recognize than those of other types. Even people who know
the ISTP well cannot always anticipate their reactions. Deep down, ISTPs
are spontaneous, unpredictable individuals, but they sometimes hide
those traits from the outside world, favoring an approach of logic and
culpability.
 6. The Provider – ESFJ Personality

ESFJs are the stereotypical extroverts. This personality type is effortlessly

social, born of a need to interact with others. This desire to make others
happy usually results in popularity for the ESFJ. The ESFJ often tends to be
the cheerleader or sports hero in high school and college. Later in life, they
continue to revel in the spotlight. ESFJs are primarily focused on organizing
social events for their families, friends and communities. ESFJ is a common
personality type and one that is liked by many people.

7. The Idealist – INFP Personality

INFPs, like most introverts, are quiet and reserved. This personality type
prefers not to talk about themselves, especially upon first meeting a new
person. They prefer spending time alone in quiet places. This provides the
opportunity for the INFP to make sense of the world around them. INFPs
love analyzing signs and symbols, often considering them to be metaphors
that have deeper meanings related to life. This personality type can become
lost in their imagination and daydreams. This occasionally leads to the INFP
drowning in the depth of their thoughts, fantasies, and ideas.

8. The Performer – ESFP Personality

ESFPs have an Extroverted, Observant, Feeling and Perceiving
personality, and are commonly seen as Entertainers. Born to provide
amusement and distraction to others and to hog the limelight, ESFPs
love to hold court in a group. ESFPs are thoughtful explorers who enjoy
learning – and sharing what they learn with others. ESFPs live for
company, and typically have strong interpersonal skills. They are lively
and fun, and will never decline the opportunity to be the center of
attention. Despite this court jester-like demeanor however, ESFPs are
warm, generous, and friendly. They are also typically sympathetic and
concerned for the well-being of others.

9. The Champion – ENFP Personality

ENFPs have an Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling and Perceiving personality.

This personality type is highly individualistic. Champions are not followers,
and care little for the status quo. Instead, they strive toward creating their
own methods, looks, actions, habits, and ideas. ENFPs do not welcome
cookie cutter people into their circle and loathe being forced to live inside a
box. They do enjoy company though – assuming it is the “right” company –
enjoying strong intuition when it comes to themselves and others. ENFPs
operate from their feelings most of the time. This is no bad thing, as they are highly
perceptive and thoughtful.

10.The Doer – ESTP Personality

ESTPs have an Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceptive personality.

ESTPs live for social interaction, drawing power from feelings and emotions.
This does not mean that ESTPs are flippant. They enjoy logical processes and
reasoning, provided this does not stand in the way of freedom in thought and
deed. Theory and abstracts will not retain the attention or interest of an ESTP
for long. This personality type prefers to leap before they look, fixing mistakes as they
go. This is preferable to sitting idle or preparing contingency plans.

11.The Supervisor – ESTJ Personality

ESTJs place a great deal of emphasis on traditional values. These include

organization, honesty, dedication and dignity. This personality type believe
firmly in doing what they believe is right and socially acceptable. Though
the paths towards “good” and “right” are difficult to define, an ESTJ will act
as the leader of the pack and extol personal views. They are the epitome of
good citizenry. People often look to ESTJs for guidance and counsel, and
this personality type will always be happy to provide such assistance.

12.The Commander – ENTJ Personality

An ENTJ’s primary concern is focus is managing external circumstances

with logic and discipline. Once this has been achieved, intuition and
reasoning take effect. ENTJs are the most natural leaders among the 16
personality types. This personality type will always relish the opportunity to
take charge. ENTJs live in a world of possibilities, often viewing challenges
and obstacles great opportunities to push themselves. They have a natural
gift for leadership and never shirk from making decisions. Options and
ideas will be quickly yet carefully reviewed. ENTJs are “take charge” people
who do not like to sit still and allow life to happen around them.

13. The Thinker – INTP Personality

INTPs are highly regarded for brilliant theories and unrelenting logic. This makes sense,
as this personality type is arguably the most logical of all. INTPs love patterns, have a
keen eye for picking up on discrepancies, and possess the ability to read people. This
makes it inadvisable to lie to an INTP. People of this personality type lack interest in
practical, day-to-day activities and maintenance. When an INTP finds an environment
that provides the opportunity to stretch their creative muscles, there is no limit to the
time and energy expended. A sensible and unbiased solution becomes likely.

14.The Nurturer – ISFJ Personality

ISFJs are philanthropists. This personality type is always ready to give back,
and any generosity received will be returned threefold. The people and
things an ISFJ believes in will be upheld, and supported with enthusiasm
and unselfishness. This makes this among the most warm and kind-hearted
personality types. Harmony and cooperation are important to the ISFJ, and
this type is likely to be sensitive to the feelings of others. The ISFJ is valued
for their consideration and awareness, and often bring out the best in
others.

15.The Visionary – ENTP Personality

The ENTP personality is among the rarest in the world, which is

understandable. Although they are extroverts, ENTPs reject small talk – and
may not thrive in social situations. This is especially true is the ENTP is
surrounded by vastly different personality types. ENTPs are intelligent and
knowledgeable, and as a result they need to be constantly mentally
stimulated. This personality types relishes the opportunity to discuss
theories and facts in extensive detail, needing little encouragement to set
the world to rights. ENTPs are logical, rational and objective in their
approach to information and arguments. They expect the same from a debating
partner.

16.The Composer – ISFP Personality

ISFPs are introverts but may not always seem this way. Even if an ISFP
has difficulties connecting to other people initially, they eventually grow
warm, approachable, and friendly. ISFPs are fun to be around and very
spontaneous. This makes them the perfect friend to tag along with an
activity, planned or unplanned. ISFPs look to live life to the fullest and
embrace the present. This ensures they are always keen to encounter a
new experience or make a discovery. ISFPs find wisdom in
understanding, so they find more value in meeting new people than other
introverted personality types.

Reference: https://www.personalityperfect.com/16-personality-types/

My Personal Self-Assessment: BY STEPHEN WARLEY

1. What do you really know about yourself?
 2. What do you think you should know about yourself?
3. What makes you tick?

The most important subject none of us have ever been taught is how to learn about
ourselves.
Here is a full self-assessment inventory of everything I believe we need to know about
ourselves to live and work on our terms.
We are never given a process, method, framework or strategy for learning about
ourselves. We learn about ourselves purely through trial and error. It seems very
inefficient, but then again no one has ever been you before in human history.
Learning about yourself takes a lot of time, but it’s well worth the investment. The more
you know about yourself, the better decisions you’ll make about the lifestyle you’ve
always wanted to live.
Self-knowledge will enable you to use your energy more efficiently by aligning your
habits with your purpose. The more you know about yourself, the more confidence
you’ll have in your decisions.
Self-employment has forced me to learn a lot about myself. After all, I have no one else
to answer to but myself. The more I’ve learned about myself, the more I’ve been able
to enhance my personal productivity and to be able to do everything I wanted to do in
life. It has made me more energetic and much less anxious.
The most effective way for learning about yourself is through self-experimentation and
self-assessment. I’ve conducted loads of different lifestyle experiments since I was laid
off 16 years ago. They have taught me a lot about myself.
Here’s what I’ve learned from my personal self-assessment.

My Purpose, My “Why”
I like to think of the purpose of my life as a combination of my values, motivations and
why I’ve chosen to the work I have chosen to do.
Understanding my purpose gives both direction and meaning to my life. It grounds me
in my values when I have a very important decision to make and keeps me focused on
my core beliefs.
What’s my “Why?”
I want to help people find more meaningful work.
I believe everyone has a great untold story inside of them that deserves to be told. I
want to give people permission to themselves to create that untold story by designing
their lifestyle around the work they’ve always wanted to do.
My Values
In no particular order, my values are:
choose time and experiences over money and material possessions
keep things as simple as possible
challenge the status quo and “make it happen”
family first
be frugal, not cheap
work from anywhere
be genuine
Learn how to discover your values.
My Motivations
My core motivation is to help people design their lifestyle around more meaningful
work.
My natural motivations included supporting my family, meeting new people, having new
experiences, travel, being outside and learning something new.
Any combination of these motivations will get me to take action and sustain my
momentum.
My Energy Needs
My “peak performance period” is in the morning and I need time to restore to increase
my personal productivity.
My Daily Routine
I’m a classic morning person. I start my day with a half hour of stretching and
meditation.
I get my best work done between 7am and 12pm. After lunch I focus on less intensive
work tasks like answering email, paying bills, website maintenance, etc.
After that I go to the gym and then take my dog for an hour-long walk. When we get
back I start dinner or help my wife. We spend our evenings relaxing by watching TV or
reading. I’m usually in bed by 9:30pm.
My Work Needs
I’m a highly motivated worker, so I generally prefer working on my own.
I do value doses of collaboration throughout the week to challenge my thinking and
perspectives. I don’t value endless meetings.
I’m a highly focused worker, but do everything possible to reduce potential distractions.
I will work at home, in my co-working space and even enjoy working in the lobby of the
Boston Hostel just to be around the energy of fellow travelers.
What Restores Me
I need at least 8 hours of sleep every night, sometimes as much as 10 hours (especially
during the winter). There’s no cutting corners with my sleep. I’m not as energetic or as
focused without my proper rest.
I need to chill out after 8pm at night.
Exercise helps me burn off anxious energy.
Meditation helps put on the breaks of my frantic thoughts as I wake up each day.
Going for a walk outside each day also fuels my energy.
I need at least 4 weeks of vacation each year. My ideal vacation involves being
completely disconnected from all digital devices.
My Natural Preferences and Tendencies
There is much we can change about ourselves, but our natural preferences and
tendencies makes us who are are as unique individuals.
My Learning Style
I love reading. When I learn a new concept for the first time, I generally prefer picking
up a book about it. Then I try practicing the concepts or skills on my own.
When I get stuck, that’s when I reach out to an expert with a specific question. Finally,
I develop a routine for mastering the skills.
I definitely learn better by “doing”.
My Strengths and Abilities
About a year ago I took Gallup StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment here’s what I learned
about my top 5 natural strengths.
Learner
“People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn
and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the
outcome, excites them.”
Strategic
“People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to
proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and
issues.”
Responsibility
“People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological
ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as
honesty and loyalty.”
Intellection
“People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their
intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.”
Relator
“People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with
others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.”
My Personality
To learn about my personality type I took a assessment similar to Myers Briggs.
I am a classic ENTJ: an extrovert, intuitive, thinking, judging.
Myers-Briggs describes the characteristics of my personality type as,
“Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact. Decisive, quickly move to implement decisions.
Organize projects and people to get things done, focus on getting results in the most
efficient way possible. Take care of routine details. Have a clear set of logical standards,
systematically follow them and want others to also. Forceful in implementing their
plans.”
My Emotional Intelligence
I would describe my emotional Intelligence as a strong ability to focus while I’m
working, but a tendency to be more lax with my self-control the more fatigued I am.
When I work with others I have a tendency to be a “people pleaser,” but when I get
excited about something, I tend to talk over people.
My ability to delay gratification is also very strong. A friend of mine once asked me if
woke up super early on Christmas morning to open presents. I told him I didn’t and in
fact, my parents usually had to wake up my sister and I.
My Source of Confidence
I draw my confidence from three primary sources: 1) my council of life advisors and 2)
practice tons when no one is watching and 3) quick wins
My council of life advisors includes my wife, parents, sister, close friends and trusted
colleagues. I rely on them all for different reasons.
When I’m feeling stuck or down I generally know exactly which person to call to get me
going again. Talking out my problems with others energizes me and significantly
reduces my anxiety.
My mom loves telling everyone the first time someone saw me walk. My aunt was
babysitting me at her house. She had an enormous living room. To her astonishment I
walked straight across it without any help.
My mom missed me first public steps, but she knew I had been secretly practicing how
to walk in my crib. She caught me a couple of times.
Even today, I like practicing a new skill or concept over and over in private until I feel
ready to go public with it. Being thorough makes me feel confident.
I also strengthen my self-confidence by giving myself the opportunity to make small,
consistent actions on a day basis. These are achievable goals or quick wins propel me
forward and generate momentum toward my goal.
Everything Holding Me Back
We all have stuff holding us back from what we really want to become. Sometimes we
are aware of it, sometimes not. Here are my issues.
My Fears
I still fear not having enough money to pay my bills. I have more than enough, but it’s
deeply embedded in me. While I’ve worked a ton to minimize this fear, it still crops up
from time to time.
I also fear disappointing other people. Sometimes I don’t feel like whatever I have been
asked to do is enough. I get anxious just thinking about it. I want so badly to make
everyone happy. I tend to overwork to compensate for this fear.
Finally, I like to think I have a “healthy” fear of heights. I’ll walk along the edge of a
cliff, but it’s without much enjoyment.
My Unhealthly Desires
I have always had a desire to be financially independent (see fear of paying bills
above). It has provided both a source of healthy and unhealthy motivation.
I have achieved most of my personal financial goals, but this desire also led me to build
a business in the past purely for the money. It was a soul sucking experience and a
mistake I know I won’t be repeating with Life Skills That Matters.
My Cravings
As I’ve become older, I’ve been more honest about my cravings.
I consider them activities I seek out for comfort, but have the tendency to over do it
and end up losing my self-control.
My cravings include consuming chips, chocolate and alcohol. To deal with my cravings,
I need to abstain from them. The comfort they offer in the short-term, end up making
me feel lousy in the long term.
My Expectations
Whether this is fair or not, I have high expectations for anyone who works with me. I
am a very hard worker and expect the same from my colleagues. I like plenty of free
time in my life, but when I work I want to be productive about it.
I also tend to be very efficient with my time. I am almost never late and don’t like it
when others aren’t punctual or don’t contact me if they are running late. I want to be
respectful of other people’s time and I expect the same in return.
When I make a commitment, I follow through on it. I enjoy knowing people can count
on me. I have high expectations for myself and don’t want to let people down (see fear
of disappointing others above).
How You Can Start Learning About Yourself
I didn’t share all this to blab on and on about myself. I did it to show you how well I
want you to be able to know yourself one day. This is a self-inventory.
If you want to work for yourself, you have to know yourself first. You’ll choose work
and a method of working that makes sense for you.
Here is a full list of everything I believe you need to learn about yourself for your own
personal self-assessment.
The most effective method for learning about yourself is by starting a practice of self-
awareness. The most effective self-awareness habit I’ve learned is writing a daily
journal.
Reference:https://lifeskillsthatmatter.com/personal-self-assessment/
How to Improve Your Personality
Your personality includes your individual differences from other people in how you think,
feel, and behave.

1
Read something every day. Another component of improving your personality is
expanding your knowledge. Keep up with the current news by reading a few articles on
your phone or open a novel and read a chapter or two. This will help stimulate your
mind and give you things to discuss with others.
2
Develop opinions on important issues. From your readings, begin to form your own
opinions about the current events of today. You might find that others will be debating
the issue around you soon, so you’ll want to have something to contribute. Make sure
you articulate your points with grace and logic.
You might say something like, “Though I can understand the arguments against
affirmative action, I do believe this country has done some terrible things to setback
minorities and that we have some responsibility to correct that.”
3
Be a good listener. When others are speaking, listen to understand them. Don’t wait
until they’re finished so you can respond, but truly focus in on what they’re saying. Try
to repeat back what they’ve said to you every few minutes so you can show that you
hear them.
You might say something like, “So, Jan it seems like you’re frustrated that your boss
decided to promote the new guy instead of you. I can see how that would be really
upsetting.”
4
Put your phone down. To make deeper connections with others and improve your
personality, unplug from time to time. You'll be much more well received if you're
engaged with those around you as opposed to scrolling down your timeline or liking
pics.
1
Meet new people. Making new connections can help teach you more about others and
build your social skills. Seek friendships with those different from your current friends so
you can become a more well-rounded person.
You might join a club at your school to meet new folks, go to a church, or find a group
tailored to your interests, like a book club.
2
Practice a fun hobby. The most fun and enjoyable people aren’t the ones cooped up at
home watching Netflix all day! They’re out and about doing fun and productive things.
Find something that you enjoy that can help connect you to others while also peaking
your interest.
For instance, you might try horseback riding, swimming, or joining a fitness class.
Make sure to try out new hobbies as well. This will test the limits of your comfort zone
and help you to grow.
3
Do something just for you daily. The people with the best personalities are usually
those who are the happiest. Make yourself happy by spending some time each day,
even if it’s just fifteen minutes, doing something fun for you.
You might choose to play basketball, get some ice cream, watch a movie, or go to
dinner with a friend.
When you’re feeling crabby throughout your day, improve your mood by watching a
funny video or searching for funny memes.
4
Maintain a healthy diet. Improve your personality and your mood by eating healthy
foods. Fruit in particular has been proven to help increase motivation so munch on
some apples, oranges and bananas today!
5
Meditate daily. Sometimes, life can be a mess and it can make your mind even messier.
Without proper focus, you might find that you’re rude to others, absent-minded, or just
plain grouchy. Take some time each day to clear your mind and improve your mental
health by meditating.
If you’ve never meditated before, try using an app on your phone like Headspace,
Calm, or Insight Timer.
6
Reflect on what you’re grateful for each day. Each day, either in the morning or before
you go to bed, take some time to think about one thing you’re grateful for. This will
help you become a more positive person and ensure you don’t take anything for
granted.[10]
You might choose to write these down or simply meditate or pray about them. Get into
the habit of writing down 3 things that you are grateful for every day. You may even
want to set a reminder on your phone so that you remember to do this.
7
Spend time with family and friends. The best folks to improve your personality with and
for are those closest to you. Spend time each week connecting with them. Visit your
mom and bring her flowers, or bring over soup to your friend who is sick. They will
appreciate your thoughtfulness and will return the favor to you. Now go forth and show
everyone how awesome you are!
1
Greet everyone with a smile. The first and most simple step you can take to improve
your personality is to give everyone a warm greeting. People will perceive you as
friendly and kind if you smile when you see them. Flash your pearly whites and shake
their hands or hug them.
2
Mind your manners. Politeness conveys respect and thoughtfulness to others. Use the
appropriate titles, such as Dr., when greeting someone. Show special respect to elders,
always referring to them as Mr. or Mrs./Ms.
Have good table manners too. Sit up straight, keep your elbows off the table, and don’t
smack or slurp.
3
Ask open-ended questions. When you meet someone, don’t go on and on about
yourself; get to know them instead! Ask them questions about themselves that require
more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.
 You might say something like, “So, I hear you’re a big music buff. Who are some of your
favorite artists?”
 If you have trouble making conversation with others, join a group like Toastmasters.
They're designed to help build your confidence in networking and public speaking.
4
Keep your promises. Those who have good personalities are often very reliable and
trustworthy people. If you tell someone you’ll do something, don’t make excuses! Just
follow through so they know they can depend on you.
For instance, if you have a meeting set for 10 AM, arrive a few minutes early. This will
show that you are respectful of others time. If you tell your mom you’ll take her to
dinner for her birthday, do it! Get her a card, too!
5
Offer a helping hand to those in need. Always look for little opportunities to help others.
See someone struggling to get a book off a high shelf? Step in if you can. Or perhaps
you’re on a bus and a woman with a cane enters. Offer her your seat! Personality is
created in part by all of the kindness you show for others, so get started today!
6
Continue doing these things even if they don’t come naturally. Keep in mind that it
takes time for changes to become habits, or to even become comfortable with new
behaviors. If you find it hard to adapt any of these new behaviors, then focus on faking
it until they become more comfortable for you.
For example, if you are uncomfortable with smiling, then smiling regularly should start
to relieve some of that discomfort and it will eventually become easier for you.
1
Set goals for yourself. People with great personalities are motivated to becoming the
best version of themselves. Set goals for yourself, both personally and professionally, so
you can reach your full potential.
For instance, you might set a short term goal of working out three times this week.
Your long term goal could be getting a promotion at work within a year.
Make sure that the goals you set for yourself will push you beyond your comfort zone in
some way. Otherwise, you will not grow from them.
2
Make an action plan. In order to achieve your goals, you’ll need a plan. Write down
what you want to do and each step required to achieve it. Celebrate at each step as
you make it through!
For instance, if you want to get a promotion, you might make it your goal to nail the
presentation you have coming up. You might also set a goal of arriving to work early
each day, taking on additional tasks, and completing a training to advance your skills.
3
Learn a new skill. Trying something new can help teach you perseverance and improve
your work ethic, both of which are important to personality. Identify something you
want to learn or improve upon and start at it soon.
You might choose something like cooking or learning a new language.

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 Reference: https://www.decal.ga.gov/documents/attachments/5minutepersonalitytest.pdf

Meaning of Personality:
The term ‘personality’ has been derived from the Latin term ‘persona’ OF which means
to ‘speak through’. The Latin word denotes the masks worn by ancient Greece and
Rome. Therefore a very common meaning of the term personality is the role which the
person (actor) displays to the public. Personality is a very frequently used word but still
there is no consensus about its meaning. There is a great deal of controversy about the
meaning of the word personality.
According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organisation within the
individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustment to his
environment.”

According to Floyd L. Ruch, “Personality includes external appearance and behaviour,

inner awareness of self as a permanent organizing force and the particular pattern or
organisation of measurable traits, both inner and outer.”

According to Fred Luthans, “Personality means how a person affects others and how he
understands and views himself as well as the pattern of inner and outer measurable
traits and the person-situation interaction.”

According to Salvatore Maddi, “Personality is a stable set of characteristics and

tendencies that determine those commonalities and differences in the psychological
behaviour (thoughts, feelings and actions) of people that have continuity in time and
that may not be easily understood as the sole result of the social and biological
pressures of the moment.”
In Psychology, personality is interpreted in different ways by different theorists. For
example Carl Rogers views personality in terms of self, an organised, permanent,
subjectively perceived entity which is at the heart of all our experiences. Freud
describes the structure of personality as composed of three elements the id, ego and
super ego. In addition the social learning aspects of personality are also emphasized by
some theorists.

Taking all the aspects together, personality represents the sum total of several
attributes which manifest themselves in an individual, the ability of the individual to
organize and integrate all the qualities so as to give meaning to life, and the uniqueness
of the situation which influences behaviour of an individual.

Nature Characteristics of Personality:

Bonner provides six propositions to classify the nature of personality within the context
of change and development:
(i) Human behaviour is composed of acts.
(ii) Personality visualized as a whole actualizes itself in a particular environment.
(iii) It is distinguished by self consistency.
(iv) It forms a time-integrating structure.
(v) It is a goal directed behaviour and
(vi) It is a process of becoming.

From the above, it becomes very clear that personality is a very diverse psychological
concept.

Determinants of Personality:
Now that we have understood the meaning of personality, the next question is what
determinants go into the development of personality? Was the individual born with that
personality or was it developed afterwards as a result of his interaction with his
environment? Generally the consensus is that heredity and environment jointly affect
the individual’s personality development.
The factors affecting personality development are illustrated as follows:

The impact of these factors is explained in detail as follows:

(A) Heredity:
The concept that heredity is a determinant of personality is embedded in our minds. In
our day to day life, so many times we use the term “Like father like son” as “Like
mother like daughter.” When we use these terms we generally refer to the traits like
physique, eye colour, hair colour, height, temperament, energy level, intelligence,
reflexes etc. However, the importance of heredity varies from one personality trait to
another. For example, heredity is generally more important in determining a person’s
temperament than his values and ideals.
According to S.P. Robbins, the heredity approach argues that the ultimate explanation
of an individual’s personality is the molecular structure of the genes, located in the
chromosomes. Three different streams of research lend some credibility to the
argument that heredity plays an important part in determining an individual’s
personality. The first looks at the genetic underpinnings of human behaviour and
temperament among young children. The second addresses the study of twins who
were separated at birth and the third examines the consistency in job satisfaction over
time and across situations.

(B) Environment:
If all personality traits are determined by heredity, they would be fixed at birth and
would not be changed throughout the life. But this is not so. The personality traits are
not completely dictated by heredity, environment also plays a very important role in the
development of personality of a person.

Environment comprises of culture, family, social and situational factors:

1. Culture:
According to Hoebel, “Culture is the sum total of learned behaviour traits which are
manifested and shared by the members of the society.”
“It is a unique system of perceptions, beliefs, values, norms, patterns of behaviour and
a code of conduct that influences the behaviour of individuals in a given society.”
Culture establishes norms, attitudes and values that are passed along from generation
to generation and create consistencies over time. Every culture expects and trains its
members to behave in the ways that are acceptable to the group. Persons belonging to
different cultural groups generally have different attitudes towards independence,
aggression, competition, cooperation, artistic talent etc.

While growing, the child learns to behave in ways expected by the culture of the family
in which he was born. Most cultures expect different roles from males than from
females. Similarly, every culture has its own sub cultures with different views about
such qualities as moral values, style of dress, etc.

Although culture has significant influence on personality development, a

linear relationship cannot be established between culture and personality
due to the following reasons:

(i) Individuals within the same culture can differ in their behaviour and personality
formats because of the existence of several sub systems within the same culture.

(ii) The workers are not influenced by the same culture as managers are. Moreover,
skilled workers have different behaviour patterns than unskilled workers.

Management must recognize and understand these differences while dealing with the
people in the organisation.

2. Family:
One of the very important determinants of the personality of a person is his immediate
family. Families influence the behaviour of a person especially in the early stages.
The nature of such influence will depend upon the following factors:
(i) Socio-Economic level of the family
(ii) Family size
(iii) Birth order
(iv) Race
(v) Religion
(vi) Parent’s educational level
(vii) Geographic location.

To elaborate, a person brought up in a rich and prestigious family has a different

personality as compared to the people who belong to a poor family. The family size will
also affect the behaviour of a child. The personality of a single child is different from
the personality of a person who is brought up in a family of more than two siblings.

Similarly, the personality of a person brought up in a nuclear family will be different

from that of a person brought up in a joint family. Studies have also shown that first
born children are more responsible, rational, independent, ambitious and more sensitive
to social acceptance. Empirical evidence also suggests that the home and family
environment, created by the mother and the father as well as their own behaviour is
highly influential on personality development of the child. Every child tries to identify
himself with some person whom he feels ideal in the family. Generally a child in the
family tries to behave like his father or mother.

This process can be examined from three different perspectives:

(i) Firstly, identification can be viewed as the similarity of behaviour (including feelings
and attitudes) between child and model.
(ii) Secondly, identification can be looked upon as the child’s motives or desires to be
like the model.
(iii) Lastly, identification can be viewed as the process through which the child actually
takes on the attributes of the model.
This identification process is fundamental to the understanding of personality
development.

3. Social:
Socialization is a process by which an infant acquires from the enormously wide range
of behavioural potentialities that are open to him at birth, those behaviour patterns that
are customary and acceptable to the family and social groups. Initially socialization
starts with the contact of the infant with the mother when he grows up.
Contacts with the other members of the family and social groups influence his
socialization process. These social groups include school mates, friends, then friends or
colleagues at work place, groups to which an individual belongs. Because “A man is
known by the company he keeps,” all these social groups influence the behaviour of the
individuals.

A lot of evidence has been accumulated which suggests that socialization may be one of
the best explanations of why employees behave the way they do in today’s
organisations. There are some norms and laws of every society in which the individual
exists. Much of the behaviour arises out of the respect for these norms and laws. Thus,
we can say that social life has a considerable impact on the individual’s behaviour.

4. Situational:
Apart from the above factors, situational factors also play a very important role in
determining the personality of a person. Migram’s research study indicates very
powerful role the situation may play in human personality. On the basis of his research
study he states that “A situation exerts an important press on the individual. It
exercises constraints and may provide push. In certain circumstances, it is not so much
the kind of person a man is, as the kind of situation in which he is placed that
determines his actions.”
That is why it is often said that life is a collection of experiences. Every individual goes
through different type of experiences and events in his life. Some of the events and
experiences can serve as important determinants of his personality.
A trauma suffered by a person in the childhood can sometime change the structure of
his own personality. In addition to this, certain incidents or situations reveal a specific
aspect of the personality of a person that was so far hidden. For example, a very weak
and coward person may spontaneously perform heroic action in saving some one’s life
without regard to his own safety.
The role of psychiatrists in personality shaping and changing is wide known. From the
preceding discussion of the determinants of personality, it is clear that personality is a
complex concept that reflects many influences both from within and outside the
individual.
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