What did this exercise reveal about you to yourself?
The description of the four types of personal orientation to others, named as competitors, individualists, cooperators, and equalizers is another way to understand our unique preferences and how we respond to others (Greenberg, 2013). This exercise indicated an individualist disposition with cooperators coming in second. Since the overall concern or motivation for an individualist is the outcomes related to self, the question now is regarding job motivation. How does this relate to the current job choice since this exercise ended in a self-revelation unbeknownst to me? Regardless of ones personal orientation, effective communication has key elements, which is accountability, professional, brief and sincere (Marques, 2010).
Prior to this assignment, if asked about job choice motivation it appeared that it was to help others; therefore the self-assessment gives a total different view. Persons high in individualism cooperate only under some conditions when there is a benefit to self.
Were you surprised at what you learned, or was it something you already knew?
After reading the chapter it surprised me arriving at the higher score of individualist due to the overall emphasis and concern for others depicted by working in a non-profit whose main objective is helping those who cannot help themselves.
Cooperative is not a word that would be used to describe my personality but could be in certain situations. On the other hand, self-views related to conflict, is of acceptance, since it seems to come and go, being an inevitable part of life whether in the business world or at home. Growing up there was a lot of conflicts from having a house with nine passionate Italian children. Someone was always arguing and disagreeing which seems natural to me. When looking at the opposite of cooperative, uncooperative could be used. These two polar opposites cause conflict. Therefore,