This article examines the research study "The surge and street to redemption of Carleton S. ('Carly') Fiorina, during her work as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with Hewlett-Packard (Horsepower) (Robbins et al. 2008). Well-known for her charisma, visible and aggressiveness running a business, Carly's previous employers at Lucent Solutions paid tribute her imaginative control style, her passion, and her ability to introduce and lead change. (Robbins et al. ). The value of individual personality tests as an indication for business success will be reviewed. This essay also talks about Carly's personality, and exactly how it could have impacted on her ability to perform her job. It will be argued that personality testing has limited value as an signal of business success. Other factors considered include gender, organisational culture and charismatic leaders.
Burton et al. (2009), explains personality as the long lasting blueprint for a person's motivation and behaviour expressed in various circumstance, like the individual's thoughts and emotions. Regarding to Burton et al. , personality can transform however, adult personality show significant reliability over time. Carly personality was well known and was regarded as a great asset at the time of her job at Horsepower. Carly was portrayed as charismatic, visionary, and unconventional and since having the fix necessary to embark on the work (Robins et al. 2008). Carly did not may actually place a higher value on traditional goals, but instead she was considering business improvement. Carly was referred to has to be able to analyse business problems and to come up with what she considered to be best business alternatives (Robins et al. ).
Hoffman (2001) in his book "Ace the organization Personality Test" talks about the "screening boom" which has occurred in employment situations. Hoffman claims that although some personality change is possible in adulthood, chances are that any change would be an modification of personality, rather than major change. Hoffman outlines that we might change our attitudes, behavioural tendencies, and goals in life, however, not our primary personality. There is absolutely no evidence that there is an alteration in Carly's personality, somewhat it appears to acquire been consistent throughout her occupation with Horsepower. Carly was popular for her high business profile, prior to her joining HP. She got proven her business credentials at Lucent Technology, where she was recognised for her ability to use change and for her far-sighted command (Robbins et al. 2008). Carly was noted for being a change agent, visionary head and as being high in energy. These areas of Carly's personality, for which she was primarily utilized, were key requirements had a need to ensure the business improvement at HP.
Robbins et al. , (2008) identifies the need for organisations to change if the organisation is to survive and adapt. This requires a big change in the organisational culture, which Robbins et al. , represents as the behaviour, experiences, values and values of, and within an organisation. It is the collection of beliefs and norms that are distributed by individuals and groups within an organisation and that manage just how they connect to each other and with others outside the organisation. Within a Business Week article entitled "HP's Carly Fiorina: The Employer" (1999), Carly's was reported as figuring out the necessity for an urgent innovative approach to be introduced at HB. Carly was reported to be a forward thinker, quoted as saying ''we have to make certain it represents the next century rather than the last one''. The article highlights the organisational culture set up "the HP Way" at the time of Carly's occupation as CEO, and discusses the necessity to change the culture which acquired crept in over recent years.
Schein (2004) recognises that there can be difficulties with succession, especially when "conservatives" are substituted with 'radicals" in the hierarchy associated with an organisation. Schein recognizes the necessity to identify and promote the organisational culture, even though much culture is hard to discover and interpret, as it is often entrenched in day-to-day practices. It would appear that this may have been the case with Carly's endeavors to change the organisational culture and practices at Horsepower. Carly clearly got great expectations regarding what she organized to achieve at Horsepower (Business Week, 1999). Carly exhibited an internal locus of control (Wood et al, 2010), a opinion in her capacity to control her own destiny. Carly was intrinsically motivated, that is, she was stimulated to preform by her internal drive somewhat that for exterior rewards (Burton et al. 2009). Carly's presumed that she could get good at the difficulties and make a difference at HP. That is shown in her ability to initiate the purchase of Compaq, despite opposition from Walter Hewlett. There is absolutely no evidence to claim that Carly's personality do change, to be 'too big', rather the fit between Carly and HP may have contributed to the problem. Brown (1995) suggests that to accomplish successful change programs on a huge scale, requires effective, assertive leaders, and that the successful management of organisational culture requires the backing of those in the most senior positions. Brown also shows that the organisational culture can be the origin of problems which contain the organisation again from growth and development. There can be an expectation of predictable romantic relationships between a person's personality and their predisposition to act in a certain way (Wood et al. 2010).
Gender concerns were explored to determine if a dual standard or gender bias was noticeable. It was decided in cases like this that Carly's visit as CEO at HP was seen as confirmation that gender was no more an issue available world (Cotter et al. 2001). According to the Federal Glass Roof Commission payment (1995), (as cited in Cotter et al. ), the wine glass ceiling refers to obstructions which exist to prevent the development of women and minorities to attain higher levels within the office. Robbins et al. (2008) identifies that women may make better leaders than men. But the differences aren't great, dissimilarities include women can make better listeners, superior mentors, are better goal setters, produce high quality work, and foster better communication. While gender bias and the wine glass ceiling may can be found in the business world, there is not evidence in this case to claim that Carly's was the victim of a two times standard. She had an intense and forthright business approach from the outset. Robbins et al. , remarks that as a CEO, when things are going well the CEO will get the credit and compliment, however when things aren't heading well the blame falls on the CEO no matter factors beyond your control or responsibility.
Carly was described as charismatic. Cambridge Dictionary (2011) identifies charisma as "a particular power which many people have naturally making them able to influence other people and get their attention and admiration". Weber (as cited in Robins et al. 2008) explains chiasmatic leadership as one of the better models of power and effect. Robert House (as cited in Robins et al. ) details the 'charismatic management theory' as leaders with eyesight and who are willing to take personal risks to perform their vision, they may be responsive to subrogates requirements also to environmental demands, plus they illustrate behaviours that are away to the normal. However, some charismatic market leaders can become overly enthusiastic and a 'dark side' is uncovered. In these cases the needs of the organisation are not completely symbolized (Robbins et al. ). The margin separating personal interests and those of the company can become blurred. Robins et al. , describes the worst circumstance circumstance being when 'ego-driven' charismatic innovator put their own hobbies prior to the company, or when they use the organisational resources because of their own personal gain or gain (Robbins et al. ). It really is clear that Carly became impressed with herself and her importance, positioning her portrait next to those of the Horsepower founders and failing woefully to heed the warning issued by HB board members to change her style (Robbins et al. ).
Prior to joining HP, Carly undertook a 900 question personality test. Personality tests can be used to anticipate performance at work (Hoffman 2000). It had been recognised that Carly got charismatic qualities like the vigour, enthusiasm, forward thinking eyesight, drive and aggressiveness, all considered essential for the positioning of CEO (Robbins et al. 2008). One universally applied personality dimension is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which includes a 100 question checks that looks for to categorise participants into four categories: a) extroverted or introverted; b) sensing or intuitive; C) thinking or sense; and d) judging or perceiving (Robbins et al. ). The results of the questionnaire are categorised into 16 personality types. If this test had been applied regarding Carly, her personality type would most likely be INT. Characteristics of INT might include being organised, determined, having a feeling of purpose, motivation and drive, forward thinkers, analytical, decisive, and reasonable and since having an innate sense for business (Robbins et al. ). The MBTI results, do not however, correlate with actual job performance (Robbins et al. ).
A personality assessment model, which as the benefit of research, is the Five Factor Style of Personality, also known as the 'big five' (Robbins et al. 2008). Making use of this model, personality can be reduced to five broad categories of personality qualities. "Traits will be the emotional, cognitive and behavioural tendencies that constitute root personality measurements" (Burton et al. 2009, p. 433). The five personality qualities of the top five model are: 1) Extraversion. This characteristic includes characteristics such to be socially adapt, talkative, assertive and as having an abundance of psychological fluency.
2) Agreeableness. This comprises of personality attributes such as being reliable, selflessness, kindness, and passion. 3) Conscientiousness. Common characteristics within this dimension add a high way of measuring impulse control, goal aimed behaviours and are high in thoughtfulness. People who rate high in conscientiousness have propensity to be both organised and attentive of details.
4) Emotional stability. People with positive emotional steadiness have a predisposition to handle stress, are generally calm, self- self-assured and secure.
5) Openness to experience. Within this characteristic characteristic are creativeness and insight, and people with a broad diversity of hobbies, would be found (Robbins et al. 2008). Hoffman (2001) claims the five factor model dominates the area of personalty testing and suggests that the most possible scales analyzed are extraversion and conscientiousness.
There are three ways of measuring personality, self applied report, observer-rating surveys and projective options (Robbins et al. 2008). According to Robbins, et al. , personal report questionnaires will be the most widespread method of calculating personality. A related to facet of the self record survey method is that it's possible to alter the results to create an improved results (Robbins, et al. ). Burton et al. (2009) outline various problems with personality testing including that they can be subjective, and a person's results may change in respond to the person's emotional point out and other situational variables. Burton et al. , also see that it is possible to deliberately alter the results, which personality testing does not correlate to persistence across all situations. These finding suggest that personality evaluation has little real value in predicting specific business success.
This essay analyzed the worthiness of individual personality exams as a jobs indication for business success. Knowing an individual's personality characteristics provides valuable information into how that each may act, or interact in business circumstances. Limits of personality trials include that the personality assessment can be subjective, a person's results may change in reaction to the person's mental point out and other situational parameters. It is possible to deliberately modify the test results, and personality evaluation will not correlate to reliability across all situations. Ahead of joining Horsepower, Carly undertook a 900 question personality test. It had been accepted that Carly got charismatic qualities like the vigour, enthusiasm, onward thinking vision, drive and aggressiveness, all considered essential for the position of CEO. There is evidence to claim that there might have been issues with the organisational culture. There is however no evidence to suggest that Carly's was the victim of a double standard, or of gender bias. Carly was considered a charismatic innovator and unfortunately in some instances charismatic command can lose perception of the greatest pursuits of the company, then the responsibilities and obligations become mixed up or blurred. This was the situation with Carly during her occupation with HP. Personality screening was carried out prior to Carly's job which provided a 'snap shot' at that time. Personality alone does not provide a long term prediction. It really is concluded that specific personality testing has limited value as an indication of business success.
