Developing Management Skills

Chapter 1:
Developing Self-Awareness

Prepared by Dr. Nadeem Ahmed Bashir

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Learning Objectives
Understand your sensitive line
Increase awareness of personal values
and moral maturity level
Understand your cognitive style
Discover your orientation toward
change
Understand your emotional
intelligence and core self-evaluation

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Keys to Self- Awareness

Know Thyself (Yourself)

He that would govern others must first

master himself
Messinger

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Hierarchy of Personal Life- Management

Skills

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The Enigma of Self Awareness

Erich Fromm(1939) was one of the first
behavioral scientists to observe the close
connection between ones self-concept and
ones feelings about others: Hatred others.
Self-awareness and self-acceptance are
prerequisites (requirement) for psychological
health, personal growth, and ability to know
and accept others. (Carl Roger, 1961)
Rogers suggested that the basic human need
is for self-regard, which he found to be more
powerful in his clinical cases than
physiological needs.

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The Enigma of Self-Awareness

There is little question that the knowledge we
possess about ourselves, which makes up our selfconcept, is central to improving our management
skills.
However, we cannot improve ourselves or develop
new capabilities unless and until we know what
level of capability we currently possess.
Considerable empirical evidence exists that
individuals who are more self-aware are more
health, perform better in managerial and
leadership roles, and more productive at work
(Boyatzis,1982; Cervone,1997; Spencer &Spencer, 1993).

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The Enigma of Self-Awareness

Seeking self knowledge seems to be
an enigma ( puzzle ).
It is a prerequisite for personal
growth.
However, we avoid seeking
information about ourselves because
it may make us feel inferior ( substandard,
low grade ) .

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The Sensitive Line

The point at which individuals become
defensive when encountering information
about themselves that is inconsistent with their
self-concept.
Most people regularly experience information about
themselves that doesnt quite fit or that is marginally
inconsistent.
For example, a friend might say, You look tired today.
Are you feeling okay?
If you are feeling fine, the information is inconsistent
self-awareness.

with your

But because the difference is relatively minor, it would not be likely to

offend (upset) you or evoke (suggest) a strong defensive reaction.

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Crossing the Sensitive Line

Our sensitive line is less likely to be
crossed
When information is verifiable,
predictable and controllable.
When we self-disclose.

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Appreciating Individual Differences

Differences
We observe
differences

Distinctions
We create distinctions

Appreciating
differences helps
eliminate social
barriers

Making distinctions
creates social barriers

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Five Areas of Self Awareness

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Emotional Intelligence
Difficult to measure and define.
Considered to be an important
measure of managerial success.

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Components of Emotional Intelligence

The ability to diagnose and recognize
your own emotions.
The ability to control your own
emotions.
The ability to recognize and diagnose
the emotions of others.
The ability to respond appropriately
to emotional cues.
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Values
Foundation for attitudes and personal preferences
Basis for important life decisions
Help to define morality and our conceptions of what
is good.
The trouble with values, unfortunately, is that they
are taken for granted, and people are often unaware
of them. Unless a persons values are challenged, the
values being held remain largely undetected. People
especially are not aware that they hold some values
as being more important than others. This
unawareness leads to actions that are sometimes
contrary(dissimilar) to values.
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Trompenaars Cultural Value Dimensions

Universalism vs. Particularism

Individualism vs. Collectivism
Affective vs. Neutral
Specific vs. Diffuse
Achievement vs. Ascription
Past and Present vs. Future
Internal vs. External
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A First Value Dimension

Universalism, in which other peoples
behavior is governed by universal
standards and rules.
For example, do not lie, do not cheat,
do not run a red light, even if no one
is coming the other way.
(e.g., the USA, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland
emphasize the value of Universalism)

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Particularism in which the

relationship with an individual
governs behavior.
For example, is a other person a
friend, a family friend, a relative?
(e.g., Korea, China, Indonesia, and Singapore hold
the value of particularism)

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A Second Value Dimension

Individualism an emphasis on the self,
on independence, and on uniqueness.
For example, hold the contributions of
individuals to be the most valued.
Individual responsibility dominates much
more in Western cultures then in Eastern
Cultures.
(e.g., USA, Nigeria, Denmark, and Austria hold the
value of individualism)

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Collectivism an emphasis on the

group, the combined unit, and on
joining with others.
For example, hold the team contributions
(e.g., Mexico, Indonesia, Japan, and Philippines
hold the value of collectivism)

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A Third Value Dimension

Affective (Emotional) Cultures with high
affective values tend to show
emotions openly and to deal in
emotional ways with problems.
For example, Loud laughter, anger, and
intense passion may all be displayed in the
course of a business negotiation.
(e.g., Iran, Spain, France, and Switzerland hold the
value of affective)
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Neutral (Unbiased) Cultures with neutral

values are more rational in their
approach to problem solving.
For example, Instrumental, goal directed
behaviors rather than emotions dominate
interactions.
(e.g., Korea, Ethiopia, China, and Japan hold the
value of neutral)

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A Fourth Value Dimension

Specific Cultures with specific values
separate work relationships from
family relationship.
For example, hard to get to know because
they keep a boundary between their
personal lives and their work lives.
(e.g., Holland, Sweden, Denmark, and UK hold the
value of Specific)

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Diffuse (Spread)Integrated work and

home relationships.
For example, too forward and too
superficial because they seem to share
personal information freely.
(e.g., China, Nigeria, Singapore, and Kore hold the
value of Diffuse)

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A Fifth Value Dimension

Achievement People tend to acquire
high status based on their personal
accomplishments in some cultures.
For example, What you can do?
(e.g., USA, Norway, Canada, and Austria hold the
value of Achievement)

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Ascription ( Acknowledgement) in other

Cultures status and prestige are based
more on ascribed characteristics.
For example, age, gender, family heritage,
or ethnic background. Who you know?
(e.g., Egypt, Indonesia, Korea, and Czech Republic
hold the value of Ascription)

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A Sixth Value Dimension

How people interpret and manage
time.
Past and Present Past is tightly
connected to future.
For example, What you have achieved in
the past matters more in some cultures
than where you are headed in the future.
(e.g., France, Japan, and UK hold the value of Past
and Present)

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Future Cultures place more value on

the future than the past.
For example, Future matters more than
past.
(e.g., USA, and Holland hold the value of Future)

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A Seventh Value Dimension

Internal Individual control is valued.
For example, What happen to me is my
own doing.
(e.g., USA, Canada, Austria and UK hold the value
of internal)

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External Control comes from outside

forces.
For example, Sometimes I feel that I do not
have enough control over the directions my
life is taking.
(e.g., Czech Republic, Japan, Egypt and China hold
the value of external)

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Personal Values
Instrumental Values: (means oriented)
desirable standards of conduct for
attaining an end.
Two Types
Morality Violating moral values causes feelings
of guilt.
e.g., behaving wrongly
Competence Violating competence values brings
about feelings of shame.
e.g., behaving incapably

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Personal Values
Terminal Values: (ends oriented)
Desirable ends or goals for the individual.
Terminal values are either personal
e.g., peace of mind
and are Social
e.g., world peace

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Terminal Values
Rokeach has found that an increase in the
priority of one personal values tends to
increase the priority of other personal values
and decrease the priority of social value.
Conversely, an increase in the priority of one
social value tends to increase the priority of
other social values and decrease the value of
personal values
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Values that Managers Desire

Sense of
Accomplishment
Self-Respect
A Comfortable Life
Independence

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Values that Managers Desire

The instrumental value managers held highest for
themselves, in fact, was ambition; their highest
held terminal value was sense of accomplishment.
In other words, personal values (rather than social
values) and those oriented towards achievement
predominate among managers.
In the population in general, one study found that
openness to experience that is, a combination of
a positive emphasis on broadmindedness,
imagination, freedom, and self direction coupled
with a negative emphasis on recognition, obedience,
and conformity was the dominating value held by
most people.
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Value Maturity
The level of moral development
displayed by individuals.

Individuals differ in their level of values

development, according to Kohlberg & Ryncarz, so
different sets of instrumental values are held by
individuals at different stages of development.
People progress from one level of maturity to
another, and as they do, their value priorities
change.

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Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development

Best known model on value maturity. It focuses on the
kind of reasoning used to reach a decision about an
issue that has value or moral connections

A. Pre-conventional
(Self Centered)
B. Conventional
(Conformity)
C. Post-conventional
(Principled)
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A. Pre-conventional Level (Self Centered)

The First level of maturity, includes the first two stages
of values development.
1. Punishment and Obedience
Right is determined by avoiding punishment and not breaking an authoritys
rules

2. Individual Instrumental Purpose and Exchange

Right is meeting ones own immediate interests, and what is fair or equal for
others

Moral reasoning and instrumental values are based on

personal needs or wants and on the consequences of
an act. In other words, moral value resides in external
factors, and consequences, not persons or
relationships.
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B. Conventional Level (Conformity)

The Second level, or conformity level, includes the

stages 3 and 4.
3. Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships, and
Conformity (Suitability)

Right is being concerned about others feelings and maintaining trust by

keeping expectations and commitments. The Golden Rule is relevant.

4. Social System and Conscience Maintenance

Right is doing ones duty to society and upholding the social order.

Moral reasoning is based on conforming to and

upholding the conventions and expectations of
society. In other words, moral value resides in duty,
maintaining social contracts, keeping
commitments.
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C. Post-conventional Level (Principled)

The Third level of maturity, includes the stages 5 and 6.
5. Prior Rights and Social Contract or Utility
Right is upholding the rights, values, and contracts of others in society; moral
behavior is freely chosen.

6. Universal Ethical Principles

Right is guided by internal, universal ethical principles. When laws violate
principles, the laws are ignored.

Moral value resides in commitment to freely selected standards, rights, and

duties.
In short, self-centred individuals view rules and laws as outside themselves,
but they obey because, by doing so, they may obtain rewards, or avoid
punishment. Conformist individuals view rules and laws as outside
themselves, but they obey because they have learned and accepted those
rules and laws, and they seek the respect of others. Principled individuals
examine the rules and laws and develop a set of internal principles that they
believe are morally right.
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Recent Examples of Unethical Decision

Making
Enron
Ford Motor
Company
Firestone

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Ethical Decision Making And Values

Most managers feel they are under
pressure to compromise standards to
meet company goals*
Conflict between maximizing
economic and social performance
* Study by American Management Association.

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Standards for Making Ethical Decision

Front Page Test

Golden Rule Test
Dignity and Liberty Test
Equal Treatment Test
Personal Gain Test
Congruence Test
Procedural Justice Test
Cost-Benefit Test
Good Nights Sleep Test

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Cognitive Style
An individuals inclination (temperament), to
perceive, interpret, and respond to
information in a certain way

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Dimensions of Cognitive Style

Knowing Style: emphasize facts, details,
data; focus on logic
Planning Style: emphasize structure,
preparation, planning; focus on rules and
procedures overwhelming (to resist or overcome)
Creating Style: emphasize experimentation,
non-rational thinking, creativity; focus on
brainstorming and spontaneity

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Attitudes Toward Change

Graduates of management schools
today will face an environment unlike
any person has ever experienced before

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Change Orientation
Tolerance of Ambiguity: The extent to
which individuals are comfortable
coping with unclear situations.

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Change Orientation (contd)

Locus of Control: The attitude people
develop regarding the extent to which
they control their own destines.

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Locus of Control
Internal Locus of Control:
I was the cause of the success or
failure.
External Locus of Control: Something
else caused the success or failure.

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Internal Locus of Control

Associated with
Managerial success (at least in North
America)
Less alienation from work
environment
More satisfaction at work
Less stress
More position mobility
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External Locus of Control

Most commonly found in managers
from Eastern cultures
Tend to use coercive power more than
internal leaders
Perform poorly in stressful situations

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Personality
Personality: The relatively enduring
traits that makes an individual unique.

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Determinants of Personality
Some of our personality may be
attributed to biology and genetics
However, people can make changes to
their personality if they are
determined

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Personality Traits
The Big Five Dimensions of
Personality
1. Extraversion
2. Agreeableness ( acceptable )
3. Conscientiousness ( more caring )
4. Neuroticism ( Abnormally)
5. Openness

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Core Self-Evaluations
Core evaluations subconsciously
influence peoples appraisal of
themselves, the world, and others.

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Core Self-Evaluation
Four Components
1. Self-Esteem
2. Generalized Self-Efficacy
3. Neuroticism
4. Locus of Control

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The Effects of
Core Self-Evaluations

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Self-Awareness and Managerial

Implications

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Behavioral Guidelines
Identify your sensitive line
Use the dimensions of national culture
to understand differences between your
values and those of other cultures
Identify a set of principles on which you
will base your behavior
Seek ways to expand your cognitive
style, tolerance for ambiguity and locus
of control
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Behavioral Guidelines
Enhance your emotional intelligence by
monitoring your responses to others
Develop your core self-evaluation by
capitalizing on strengths and
accomplishments
Engage in honest self-disclosure
Keep a journal for self-analysis

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