Personality Tests In the Workplace - An Essay

When I was in 7th grade a Myers Briggs expert came to my Jr High and talked about the Color personality test. At the assembly we all took the test and our Color personality was explained. I really don't remember what color I was then, because all I was in shock that this was a thing. I was hooked.

That day was another milestone in my I/O discovery path. Since then I have loved personality tests. Even the Which Disney Character are you ones. Not so much to find out that I am most like Captain Hook, but because of the live science behind the questions.

I love personality and aptitude tests even more as they apply to the work place. How they can be used to find the best fit in a new hire, match the best manager to a team, or help us communicate with others more effectively. Check out my more scholarly discussion of personality tests in the workplace.

Psychological Testing in the Workplace

Chris Richards     

      

There is no perfect organization. There are very well developed and thought out companies out therethat in theory should work and function perfectly. Work perfectly until you place imperfect people in place. The human resource in any company is what makes the organization thrive and move forward but it is also the factor that can, if unchecked, pull the company down to the ground.

These are certainly some tough times. Many organizations large of small are going out of business or at the very least they have to reduce the amount of human assets. Many people who have been employed for years are finding themselves without work. With the amount of individuals out of grows the amount of people looking for work also grows (Spector, 2008).

For an organization that has job openings there is typically more applicants then there are positions available. This makes the hiring process today more difficult. Many reciting departments have had to develop new policies and procedures for screening and hiring new employees (Spector, 2008). Many companies have published in their job analysis and job description that a college degree, usually a bachelor’s degree, is required just to be considered.

Once a company has established the preliminary criterion for any given position they must now find the right fit. The right fit between what the job requires and what kind of person to hire. Many standard practices can be put into use to help determine the right fit such as requiring resumes, applications, and interviews (Spector, 2008). However these methods may only show one side, one dimension of an applicant. With this in mind many organizations are incorporating psychological testing into their hiring practices.

The US Army is responsible for many of the victories at home and abroad. The Army also has influenced culture outside of their war fighting efforts. Right along the Jeep the US Army is responsible for bringing the use of psychological testing in assessing the best for a job placement (Spector, 2008). After World War I, large companies started to see the benefits of psychological testing for their organization, and there is the birth of hiring using testing.

There is not one size fits all when it comes to the right psychological testing. Each test has different outcomes and purposes and each organization may just not need one or the other. Within any given organization there may be a need for several different types of tests based off of the type of work and type of worker that is needs.

To find the best test for the right position and the right person an organization will find it beneficial to perform a KSAO analysis. KSAO stands for knowledge, skills, abilities, and other and can be used to narrow down what a company has and what they need. A job positions is going to require different KSAO’s. For instance a carpenter will need to be able to know the basics of woodwork and have the ability to learn about new methods and new tools. On the other hand a computer programmer will have a different set of skills and knowledge all together (Spector, 2008).

One method that employers can use to attract the right candidate with the right qualification and skills to provide a detailed job analysis of the job they wish to fill. A job analysis is usually the end result of a job positions KSOA (Spector, 2008). Not only will this help attract the right people but also a job analysis will provide an objective basis for hiring (United States Department of Labor, 1994).

As more Americans are loosing their jobs, more are looking. The job market and strategies to get those jobs are changing to accommodate the new demand. Some employers are receiving 100 applicants to ever single job opening. Now that job seekers are looking for any type of job, employers have to keep their hiring standards high to find the right candidate and that is where psychological testing comes into play.

Psychological tests are used to help determine if a job applicant has the right KSAO’s. Within many organizations there are many tests used to determine a persons KSAO’s ranging from ability, personality, and cognitive abilities (Spector, 2008. One of the most popular subject to test is a person’s personality. In combination with an interview where a person has the opportunity to show what experiences and education they have completed a personality test can help an employer know if they will fit the culture of the company.

One of the most common personality tests within a company is the Myers-  Briggs personality test. This test can be a very intense question based review often asking how a person perceive themselves and how they feel other’s perceive them (Oswald & Hough, 2008). A company can use the results of an applicants Myer-Briggs test to see if the personality will fit within a team or companies culture and direction.

Personality tests are often a difficult tell of how well a person will perform and how their personality will actually fit. This is due to an applicant’s ability to fake answers. The test taker may attempt to guess what the test is looking for and not answer truthfully in order to seem more appealing to an employer (Krohe, 2006).

Personality is just one of the aspects organizations look for. With many positions there is a need for a person with high level of intelligence. A level of intelligence is often determined by completing an Intelligence Quotient test, or IQ test.

Since its formal introduction to the world the IQ test has been a standard for testing a person’s intelligence. The test has been used in academia and on for professional pursuits. There has been however controversy surrounding the IQ tests almost since its inception. “IQ tests are not guided by a plausible theory of how the brain actually operates and do not accurately measure more contemporary ideas of what "intelligence" actually is” (Esters & Ittenback, 1997).

There have been many minority and underprivileged students and professionals that have tested lower than others and consequently have received less scholarships or placement and job positions (Esters & Ittenback, 1997). This brings to pass the questions does a cognitive intelligence, one represented by an IQ test denote a persons whole intelligence. Many think not.

Not every job out on the market is going to benefit by an applicant completing a personality or intelligence test. There are many occupations that require a more hands on approach. In positions that require a hands on skill set such as carpentry or auto mechanic the ability test could be used. An ability or knowledge test varies from type depending on the work environment and job positions (Spector, 2008). For instance an ability test for a carpenter position could consist of supplying the applicant with some raw materials and a design and then have then construct the object. In this way the hiring agent will have a clearer idea of the applicants skill set.

As mentioned before there is no perfect company, there are no perfect employee’s there is on the best fit. It is through taking advantage of the gambit of hiring tools and practices that organizations and employees can find each other.

References

Esters, I., & Ittenbach, R. (1997). Today's IQ tests: Are they really better than their historical predecessors?. School Psychology Review, 26(2), 211. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

Krohe Jr., J. (2006). Are Workplace Tests Worth Taking?. Across the Board, 43(4), 16. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

OSWALD, F., & HOUGH, L. (2008). Personality Testing and Industrial–Organizational Psychology: A Productive Exchange and Some Future Directions. Industrial & Organizational Psychology, 1(3), 323-332. doi:10.1111/j.1754-9434.2008.00057.x.

Spector, P. (2008). Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The Power of Quiet Voices- The Introverts Battle Cry

So about a year ago my grandpa died. And when anyone passes away there is a lot of talk and reminiscing about who they were. Its just how we do these things. My grandpa was an affluential architect so the first topic of remission was his amazing creativity in every aspect of his life. From the of course the buildings he designed to the go cart he and I then later other cousin built. 

The second comment about Grandpa was inevitably his profound silence. He was not a guy to jump in the limelight, he kept a lot of thoughts and feelings to himself, he did not volunteer a lot of life lessons like a TV grandpa did. He as a true introvert. And I loved him for it. 

In todays society there has been transition that introversion is a negative character trait. Its a social bias, we all have it introverts and extroverts alike Hastings, R. (2012).. After all extroverts are the go getters, the action people, the ones who are seen to make things happen. 

This bias has now turned into the popular team work and collaboration theories. Turning offices and classrooms into team driven organisms. Which at its foundation is an amazing platform for creativity and new ideas. However this type of environment does not respond well to everyone. And you know what, we should be ok with that (Cain, 2012).

This months Ted video is dedicated to my Grandpa and the other third to half of the population (Cain, 2012) that responds to social stimulus introvertedly. As Cain (2012) explained introversion is very different from shyness, which is a fear of social judgment. introversion is a reaction to social stimulation and is a personality trait. 





I absolutely love Cain's Three Calls to Action. They apply to all -verts alike.

1. Stop the maddens for constant group work
     There is a need more autonomy at work. There is still a huge need for working together and collaboration but teach employees that there is power in solitude.

2. Go to the wilderness, have personal revelations. Unplug (from everything) and get into our own heads

3. Whats in your suitcases. And are you sharing with the world what makes YOU you?

I also love that introverts are speaking out (as difficult as it is ) for other introverts. Giving others permission to be ok with staying silent, for craving quiet places, and dissolving the guilt of not being the one taking the helm and leading the battle cry.

The point is introverts are awesome and so vital to the way society and cultures are driven. Without the introvert there would be no Darwin, Steve Wozniak, Dr Seuss, or guys like my Grandpa. And even though he (or these other guys) didn't speak up all the time, when he did speak it was profound, its was moving, and often totally hilarious.



Reference
Hastings, R. (2012). Introverts: The Latest Diversity Frontier . Retrieved from            http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/diversity/articles/pages/introvertsthelatestdiversityfrontier.aspx
Cain, S. (2012, March 2). Ted Talks [Video file]. Retrieved from TED website:  http://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

Factors of Workplace Happiness - A Brainstorm Diagram

What do cookies, buildings, and orchestras have in common? They are all over used analogies. But they are used because they work. The fact is there is no perfect recipe for the perfect work place that is happy and healthy and functioning at full steam all the time. 

A happy workplace is not unlike every relationship out there. In order for it to be successful you have to really want it and then take the action to make it happen. Its a fight that must be fought from the top suits to the guy with the broom. 

The diagram below is just a brainstorm and does not touch on every work place and every situation that may exist at your job, but its a good start.

http://prezi.com/4xcyr7xqrfnu/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Book Recommendation

This months recommended book is The Arbinger Group Anatomy of Peace.  I have been an Arbinger fan for going on ten years. Their first book, Self Deception, had a huge influence on my choice of education and career path.

The Anatomy of Peace is a prequel of sorts to Self Deception and follows the very entertaining narrative style self help style writing. With the lessons and principles woven into many intertwining story lines. Very helpful for people like me who need help with big words.

The book focuses on the many different types of conflict in the world, from a play ground scuffle to a full out international war. Then they make the claim that each of these types of conflict ( and everything in between) can be solved and prevented with the same method. 

The examples and stories in the book are amazing and hit one any emotional and political levels. The solutions to avoiding conflict are so practical and doable. Very different from so many books like this. When reading there were seven times when I had to pause and realize that e book was speaking to me. So cool. Since reading it the first the first time I have come back several more times to refocus my mindset and come closer to a lasting peace. 

Workplace Satisfaction- An Essay

Satisfaction in the Workplace

Chris Richards

“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing- that’s why we recommend it daily.” Zig Ziglar

Clocks large and small depend on gears and cogs to keep the time accurately. In some clocks lubrication is needed to ensure that the gears are moving smoothy. In the world of business a companies lubrication can be compared to employee moral or motivation.

Employee motivation and job satisfaction for most companies are a high priority. According to Aamodt (2009) the cost of loosing then going through the recruiting, training, and assimilating new employees far exceeds the salary of the lost employee. Therefore there is a finical concern that employers have to keep their cog or employees satisfied in their jobs.

The following essay will discuss several major psychological factors that determine job satisfaction. It will also review how motivation plays a role within these psychological factors. The essay will then review what managers can implement to improve employee satisfaction and methods by which they might measure the variables of improved satisfaction and motivation.

            Self-esteem is a basic building block to who a person is. According to Aamodt (2009) it has been found that those who have high self-esteem or those who view themselves as valuable and worth are better motivated which then leads to higher performance. One psychological theory that focuses on self-esteem and motivation is the Consistency Theory. At the heart of the consistency theory is connection between self-esteem and performance but that the individual has the desire to perform well and at higher levels (Aadmot, 2009)

            Ones personality also plays a part in their motivation and subsequent job satisfaction. 

Personality can be seen in terms of Type A and Type B. According to Glazer and Beehr (2002) Type A behavior reacts to situations in an aggressive manner, they are fast paced and achievement oriented. Conversely Type B responds with a care free and easy going approach leisurely accomplishing tasks. According to Hanif and Sarwat (2011) those with Type A personalities by nature though they can be highly motivated often experience low job satisfaction. They also found that those with Type B personality have very high job satisfaction.

            Abraham Maslow has made his mark in the world of psychology for studying human motivation (Reeve, 2009). This theory states that a person has basic needs that need to be met before higher needs can be satisfied. For instance before an employee will need to feel safe in a work environment before they will be able to appreciate and enjoy working there (Reeve, 2009). A firm understanding the basic needs of a person and how they can apply in a work environments will help managers better plan and strategize an employee’s coaching.

The hierarchy involves five main steps from the bottom up they are biological and physical needs, a person must be sheltered, fed, and well rested before they can attempt to meet higher needs. The next step is safety needs, now that a person is fed and sheltered they can tend to security and feeling protected. The next three steps are moving past physical needs and into more emotional needs. Belongingness and Love mark the next step. To move forward, Maslow, has observed that a person needs to be loved or belong to social groups. Could be family, friends, or an organization. Now that a person belongs they can now meet their esteem needs, these needs include achievement, status, or reputation. Most people rarely fulfill the highest step in the Hierarchy, Self-actualization. When a person is self- actualized they know who they are, and is firm with their current state. They are able to see the world outside of themselves (Reeve, 2009).

            A basic understanding of these psychological variables and factors which lead to employee motivation and job satisfaction is a vital tool to any supervisor or manager. Once this basic understanding is in place there are steps that can be taken as a manager to help foster an environment where motivation and job satisfaction are high.

            Managers do not always have large amounts of finical resources to reward and motivate their employees so there are many other methods that can be used to keep job satisfaction high. One method suggested by Aamodt (2009) is to introduce a system of employee recognition. A system by which supervisors monitor employee performance and behavior and then at either official or informal proceedings give recognition for positive action.           

            As stated by Drucker (1990) employees often want to be included in large scale company plans, not necessarily the planning phases but at the least be made aware of changes before they take place. They like to feel like they are included, as Druker (1990) employees do not want too many surprises when it comes to their workplace. This need for a steady work place or at the least knowing what changes are coming could be a connection to Maslow’s step of feeling physically secure.

            Situations arise in companies, where despite best intentions, employees are assigned jobs or duties that are not suited to their skill sets. These situations can lead to frustrated employees and supervisors when an employee can not accomplish tasks assigned to them, this frustration then can lead to lack of job satisfaction and according to Aamodt (2009) sometimes turn over or termination.

            Aamodt suggests that managers be constantly on the lookout for employees who are not able to accomplish job tasks but are exhibiting positive behavior in an effort to constantly matching skills with the correct jobs. This may result, for example, in an employee leaving the sales team to mange the stocking team or for them the transfer to customer service. This type of transition would then save the company money in less turn over and keep moral and job satisfaction for all in the company.

            As discussed above there are many different methods that a supervisor can use to help motivate and promote job satisfaction. However not every method is going to work with every employee or team of employee. Just as there are many different methods to promote job satisfaction there are many different instruments to measure it. 

            There are two major methods that can be used to measure employee variables surrounding job satisfaction and motivation, surveys and inventories. According to Roberts and Savage (n.d) performing job surveys can indicate what is working and what is not working. Surveys can consist of questions about the current state of job satisfaction and its efficiency. Employees can also add their own suggestions for improving job satisfaction.

            A more quantitative measure would be using different scales and inventories. These inventories vary by profession and need of the employee and often include questions that are based off of job description or assigned job related tasks (Brown and Hardison, 2006).

            Motivation and job satisfaction are a vital operation to companies large and small. The process of creating a work environment that fosters motivation and job satisfaction should be a living process. One that changes with the tides of the workforce. The steps discussed within this essay are ones that will enable supervisors understand the foundations of motivation and then build programs to help their teams drive themselves to success.

References

Aamodt, M. G. (2009). Industrial/organizational psychology, an applied approach. (6 ed.).           Wadsworth Pub Co.

Brown, M. B., Hardison, A., & Bolen, L. M. (2006). A Comparison of Two Measures of School             Psychologists' Job Satisfaction. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 21(1/2), 47-58.

Drucker, P. (1990). Managing the non-profit organization. New York: Harper Business.

Glazer, S., and Beehr, T. A. (2002). Similarities and differences in human values between nurses   in four countries. International Joumal of Cross-Cultural Management, 2, 185-202.

Hanif, A., & Sarwat, S. (2011). Type A-B Personality And Locus Of Control: A Combined Factor          Determining Job Satisfaction. IBA Business Review, 6(2), 90-96

Reeve, J (2009). Understanding motivation and emotion (5^th ed). University of Iowa. John Wiley             & Sons, Inc

Roberts, K. H., & Savage, F. (n.d). Twenty Questions: Utilizing Job Satisfaction Measures.         California Management Review, 15(3), 82.

HR and Technology: To Infinity and Beyond

I love me some technology. Hours of my day are spend reading about it and drooling over it. So when it comes to combining two loves I get excited. The HR world is so much more than a gloomy room in the back of the office.

The HR world is moving up, all the way to the clouds, well cloud based at the least. Found this great article about the direction HR is taking technologically.


http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/What-does-2014-hold-for-HR-technology

No-one really argues about where HR technology is heading – unified, streamlined talent management suites, sharing datasets with other business functions, powered by predictive analytics and accessible everywhere.

The last few years have made this future clear – cloud-based talent management suites are now the gold standard in HR technology.  Suppliers who have not been traditionally cloud-based have muscled their way into the market. Oracle gobbled up Taleo. IBM took onKenexa. SAP acquired SuccessFactors. Workday, the poster child of the HR cloud era, has noticeably bulked up its offering.

Now that the battleground is set, it’s the nature of the battle that’s important. 2014 will see suppliers compete on two main grounds: complexity and simplicity. The behemoths of the internet – Google, Amazon – are incredibly complex, but they’ve proven that simple front-ends create scale. This lesson hasn’t been lost on HR  suppliers with keen appetites to grow their market share.

1. Predictive analytics will emerge as the year’s must-have technology

The biggest driver of greater complexity will be predictive analytics. One of the big points of confusion in 2013 was HR professionals talked about predictive analytics when they really meant reporting. (Reporting showcases historical trends in organisational behaviour, while predictive analytics asks pertinent questions of suitable datasets to forecast future outcomes.)

In a study by The Economist Intelligence Unit global executives ranked predictive analytics third on a list of the technologies they would prioritise over the next three years – after mobile and cloud-based services. As far back as 2012, Paul Hamerman, VP and principal analyst at Forrester Research, said that cloud had already become a pre-requisite for companies choosing HR solutions.

Jamie Lawrence, is editor of online HR publication HRZone. The site provides analysis and advice to help HR professionals perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently. Jamie was previously a small business journalist and a copywriter for an integrated digital agency

Uncertainty over the future business environment and the need for more powerful differentiation will no doubt drive demand for predictive analytics – their use in 2014 will be embryonic, but we’ll move into 2015 with more advanced capabilities in sight.

"Early forays by organisations and HR functions into predictive modelling have largely focused on predicting best hires given various candidate, job and employer factors, and also predicting retention risk which is fairly straightforward and logical in terms of analytics frameworks (e.g. tying to planned changes in compensation or benefits),” said veteran HR technology advisor Steve Goldberg, strategic advisor at SBG Consulting LLC.

“The next step in this evolution will perhaps be looking at things like 'if this employee was paired with that team or manager, they would be a star performer.' These type of predictive frameworks require more advanced skillsets in statistical analyses than what resides in most HR functions today, but this is truly about mining employee potential."

2. The methodology of predictive analytics will fall on the supplier’s shoulders

While HR directors are keen to get their hands on the power of predictive analytics, they are understandably wary. If we interpret data poorly, we make poor decisions.

Goldberg gave me the following example: losing more employees to direct competitors than they are losing to you may not be an issue if it’s mostly bottom-quartile performers that are leaving.

HOW CAN HR MANAGERS SELECT THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIER?

• Analyse existing HR processes and create a vision of where you want to be
• Talk with references about how easy they found it was for people to adopt post-implementation
• Focus program design on simple steps, shorter workflows and fewer options

There is a real risk that  poor data analysis could lead to catastrophic decisions. So HR departments must get data analytics right. But we won’t see them rushing to hire scientists. Predictive analytics is unproven. That budget can’t be justified.

According to Professor Stefan Strohmeier, an HR technology researcher from Saarland University, technology that can ‘hide’ the methodological and technical complexities of data analytics will be a driver for its successful, widespread adoption. Predictive analytics will be pushed by suppliers looking to gain competitive advantage in this emerging field.

3. A shared experience to implementation and development

At HR Tech Europe 2013,  a conference for HR and IT specialists, one of Workday’s senior executives, Amy Wilson, took to the stage with flagship clients HP and Diageo.

Catriona Mackie, global first point director of Diageo, said the global drinks manufacturer would be providing Workday with feedback on the implementation process to guide future software iterations. Because the Workday solution is cloud-based, Diageo will benefit from any improvements made. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.

The future of cloud-based HR technology development will be increasingly driven by this close working relationship between supplier and client. HR technology is sailing through unexplored territory and will continue to do so; ‘real-world’ experience is invaluable to the suppliers who must innovate to very short timescales.

But the nature of the relationship will define its success. Jason Averbook, Chief Business Innovation Officer at Appirio, which advises businesses on cloud computing,  highlighted three key qualities: expectation setting, communication and on-going transparency.

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“Remembering that both customers and  suppliers have responsibilities towards meeting and exceeding expectations will give both parties more confidence. This in turn will help create collaborative processes that will drive software development based on real-world needs,” he said.

4. The increasing importance of self-service

Self-service allows HR departments to reduce the administrative burden by transferring responsibility for data-collection tasks from HR staff to employees.

If we demand more from dashboard reporting and predictive analytics, we’ll need to put more data in to get samples that we can trust. This will increase the self-reporting burden on employees and portals will have to be designed to ensure they are easy to use.

The challenge for suppliers will be maximising the amount of data absorbed while minimising workflow steps and ensuring the user journey is as fluid as possible. Customisation must also be strong because companies will not want to invest in pushing employees through workflow steps that aren’t mission-critical.

Simplicity is crucial. Graham Salisbury, Head of HR at poverty relief organisation ActionAid, said: “User adoption in self-service often causes headaches due to simple things such as browser compatibility. We need to have confidence these types of issues won’t be a problem.”

For Salisbury, complex self-service also ramps up the implementation budget.

“Intensive training in a system that employees and managers need to use daily is not a good start,” he said. “If a system’s complex, and every one of your 5000 employees needs to use it every day, that’s a pretty tough place to be.”

5. Business integration will become a deal-breaker…

Executives are fully aware of the power of integrating data and functionality across disparate business functions. HR will continue to own the talent management implementation, but downward pressure will push them towards solutions that can most easily integrate with core technology, such as CRM systems.

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This problem will get more acute as predictive analytics ramps up the size of datasets and other functions want their slice of the analytics pie. This will increase the number of stakeholders who need targeted dashboards.

Too much information creates a mental gridlock where decisions become painful. Research from Bersin by Deloitte suggests that the more effective organisations provide single-purpose charts to managers – one for turnover, one for compensation comparison and so on.

Under the bonnet, greater analysis can be undertaken, but stakeholders just need to see the information that’s pertinent to them. This will be essential in driving the reflective, daily uptake that creates long-term value.

Jason Averbook said: “There are no more silos in business systems in today’s enterprise. The ability for the HR function to realise that their people processes and data truly create a hub of intelligence that needs to be consumed by other parts of the enterprise makes or breaks organisational success.

“Any HR system project today should be seen as a workplace initiative and tightly integrated into the overall enterprise experience for the workforce.”

6. ..but ROI against HR’s basic goals will remain the primary driver 

There are some sexy new developments in HR technology, but the biggest driver remains the same:  to help attract, reward, motivate and retain an effective group of employees.

Suppliers will need to remember that their solutions will live or die by the decisions of the HR department – it’s tempting to market talent management suites to the chief marketing officer or the finance diretor, hoping to entice them to convince HR, but HR will make the final decision. And delivering value throughout their own department remains their primary concern.

Steve Goldberg estimates a 20-30% variation in functionality among suppliers, but the differences most relevant to HR are ease-of-implementation and ease-of-use. Both of these drive core value in HR.

HR directors will talk to other companies who have been through the implementation process. If it’s laboured, drawn out, and does little to address HR’s core aims, that supplier won’t be making the shortlist.

Hack Your Life

How many times have you received an email from a coworker or friend letting everyone know in their address book that the email they just sent out about (insert body part) enlargement was not from them but they were hacked? Well I don't know about you but I get more emails like that from my friend than emails just to say hi.

So hacking is a regular part of our life. Emails, phones, credit cards, governments, and Facebook. All subject to hacking. By and large the term "hacking" has a negative 90s connotation to it. However as with most words as time progresses the definition changes and evolves.

This weeks Ted video addresses the term hack and what it can mean to our sense of education, creatively, and ultimately the way we view happiness. It comes from hacking our life, finding a new way of approaching the same situation.

Now with most Ted Talks that I post I don't want to drown them out with my own analysis and take aways. But I hope that we can address our problems, projects, and roles in life whether family or work life as a mindset and not a method.

A New Way To Fly

Antedates are fun right? I love them. And if you are still reading you must take a fancy to them every now and then too. So heres this weeks "Remember When" installment.

The year was 1992, the country was still getting over big hair and leg warmers so we could only move up from there. The place was Greenville South Carolina home to Stevens Aviation a little-known aviation sales and maintenance company. Since late 1990 they has been using the (very catchy) slogan Plane Smart in their adverting. They were very pleased with the slogan until they discovered the goliath Southwest airlines had started using the same slogan.

So stop and thing for a second. You are Kurt Herwald CEO of Stevens Aviation you have a few choices here. Legal action, you'd probably win you were using the slogan before the Big Guy after all. But what would the cost be? Thousands, if not hundred of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
What Herwald did was, and Im using technical terms here, was Awesome. He challenged then Southwest CEO Herb Kelleher to an arm wrestling contest, winner keeps the slogan. The Malice in Dallas was born.

An arena was scheduled and hundreds gathered to see the contest. Cheerleaders cheered, booers booed, and shows of goodwill were dripping for the stands. The winner of the best out of three contest was Herwald of the now over night sensation Stevens Aviation. Who, when things couldn't get any better, announced that both companies could use the much loved slogan. EVERYONE WINS.
There are several factors to this story that I love. The first was that Herwald was not quick to involve the law. He used some very creative out of the box thinking to not only solve his problem but create a sensation publicity opportunity, reinventing his company.

The Build Network Staff (2013) has also drawn attention to how the event created amazing unity within each company and between the two. " 'They were so proud of the company and so excited for the visibility that Malice in Dallas gave to their work,' Herwald says. For months and years after the event, the change to company culture was palpable. Employees felt more connected to one another and to their work" (Blitz, 2014)

Despite Southwests stock doubling and a reported 6 million in increased profit (Blitz, 2014) it was the lasting effect on the employees that would be the true winner of the contest. If I am allowed to speculate (its my blog I make the rules) I would guess that this one out of the box crazy idea created the company and the culture that would be able to help it survive out of the attacks of recessions and terrorists.

Check out 6 part Southwest YouTube of the Malice in Dallas
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD8C2A0EC0E1E4E69
References
Blitz, M. (2014). How Two Major Companies Used an Arm Wrestling Match Instead of Litigation to  Resolve a Dispute. Retrieved from http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/02/two-major-  companies-decided-use-arm-wrestling-match-instead-lawsuits-resolve-dispute/
The Build Network Staff . (2013). 3 Lasting Lessons from Malice in Dallas. Retrieved from      http://www.inc.com/3-l lasting-lessons-from-malice-in-dallas.html

Angry Birds for Happy Employees

Industry surveys are pointing that the vast majority of cell phone users are using smart phones these days. But you really don't need industry surveys to know that, just go outside or inside anything and you will see empirical evidence to back me up. 

Employers also know this fact and its something thats on their mind. For most employers a smart phone can be seen at its best a time waster, something else that needs to be dealt with. Within other industries a cell phone is viewed as a security issue, think credit card companies or over the phone sales where credit card numbers are thrown around. 

I know for me my phone isn't ever too far away (on average only 11.6 inches away) at any given time. I have been know to turn around and go back three miles when its forgotten. When Im falling asleep its one of the two faces I see before I close my eyes. I wouldn't say it ranks up there with my family, I mean if a masked gunman told me "hand over the iPhone or your kid gets it" I wouldn't hesitate (too long) before tossing my phone over to him. 

Still these gadgets are an important part of who we are today. They are woven into the fabric of our social interactions (for good or bad) and they are most likely not going anywhere, bedsides everywhere with us. So are they all that terrible in the workplace, most of that answer might depend on who you ask, but maybe not.

Kendra Clark (2014) a writer for SIOP seems to feel that the use of smart phones in the work place can aid to and improve an employees sense of well being. Go figure! Results from a very cool study found that when an employee was able to take mirco breaks"Such as texting a friend. a perceived well-being at the end of the work day.The results also show that on days when employees used smartphones more for social media use, they reported higher well-being at the end of the workday than when using their phones for entertainment or personal reasons" (Clark, 2014). 

Most employers are all about a happier work force. When the working stiff is happy tasks are done and everyone is gelling. But at what cost? To play devils advocate Clark looked into that too. Research pointed to employees only spending an average of 20-25 combined minuets a day using a smart phone (Clark, 2014). Thats hardly enough to really damage workplace production. And is comparable to the smoking break a smoking employee might need.

As with EVERYTHING there needs to be limits before that inch turns to a mile. But there is a lot to be said about compromise and who knows this can open up to some wicked office wide Angry Bird competitions. 





Clark, K. (2014). Let Them Tweet!. Retrieved from http://www.siop.org/article_view.aspx?article=1222#.UwUVakJdVI1

Culture and Fundamental Attribution Error- An Essay

Culture and Fundamental Attribution Error

Chris Richards

“Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in.”

Alan Alda

            A large part of human nature is attempting to gain control of the world around us. Sometimes this control is physical other times it is an emotional control. Human being seek to make sense of the situations around them. This control and this sense is the cornerstone of philosophy, science, and everyday life.

            In social situations human nature still attempts to make sense of people and their behavior. Discussed in the following essay will be truths and errors regarding the discovery of the cause of peoples behavior(Attribution Theory, 2011).

            Within social psychology there are many theories that attempt to explain human behavior within a social setting. One theory is the Attribution Theory. The attribution theory states that when a person makes an error they are more likely to attribute it to an outside factor. For instance if a person does not get a job, they may say “The interviewer asked dumb questions”. Distancing themselves from blame.

            The second half of the Attribution Theory is when a person is observed. When another has erred the error is often attributed to inward fault. For example, if a person is late it might be said that they are lazy and irresponsible. This assumption would be based on internal attributions as opposed to even considering any external factors like a sick child or traffic accident as the cause for the tardiness (Attribution Theory, 2011).

            When a person tries to explain or understand another’s behavior in a social setting by focusing on the abilities, personality traits, or skills and any situational or external factors are ignored, a fundamental attribution error has occurred.

            Fundamental attribution errors can occur in every walk of life and in nearly every situation, from in the home to in the work place. However an interesting phenomenon (Langdridge & Butt, 2004) regarding the fundamental attribution error is that it occurs more often in certain cultures. In cultures that are more individualistic, which are typically Western cultures such as The United States, Great Britain, and Australia (Hofstede’s cultural factors, 2011).

            Individualistic cultures value free thinking, autonomy, and individually. They are conditioned to prefer dispositional factors rather than situational factors when socializing. Due to the nature of individualistic cultures, they are more likely to commit fundamental attribution errors (Finkelstein, 2011)

            On the other hand, cultures that tend to be more collectivistic in nature, such as Asian cultures, will be less likely to commit the fundamental attribution error. Collectivistic cultures tend to see the individual as the whole group where in Western individualistic cultures tend to see the person as part of the group if not a separate entity (Bouncken & Lotter, 2008)

            Since collectivistic cultures see themselves as part of the group and equals with others in a group or situation they would be less likely to attribute errors in others as internal or dispositional factors.

            A firm understanding of this principle would be invaluable to those who may travel to cultures that are different from their own. Many business dealings would depend on an understanding of who a client may perceive a social satiation.

            It is not enough to understand human nature from the one perspective. In today’s every growing and expanding marketplace, the world is becoming a very small place. As the world gets smaller mankind will only strengthen its attempt to gain control and make sense of it.

References

Attribution Theory. (2011). Retrieved from

http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/attribution_theory.htm

Bouncken, R. B., & Lotter, F. (2008). Intergrated Learning patterns: A comarison of          Individualism and collectivism cultures. Journal Of The Academy Of Business &            Economics, 8(2), 1-11.

Finkelstein M. (2011), Correlation of Individualism and collectivism: Predicting volunteer             activty. Social Behavior & Personality. Social Behavior & Personality: An International             Journal, 39(5), 597-606.

Langdridge, D., & Butt, T. (2004). The fundamental attribution error: A phenomenological            critique. British Journal Of Social Psychology, 43(3), 357-369.

Hofstede's cultural factors. (2011). Retrieved from

            changingminds.org/explanations/culture/hofstede_culture.htm.