RMIT MBA self awareness in management & leadership, Dr. John L. Holland

1. Holland Codes
Vocational Psychology

2. Dr. John L. Holland
• Psychologist
• Holland Codes - Six major personality types

3. Holland Codes
• Represent major psychological groupings
(core desires & needs)
• Can be combination of attributes from
multiple layers
• Similar to Maslow’s hierachy
• Each personality requires forms of
stimulation to achieve satisfaction or
productivity

4. Use in Modern Organisations
• Identify & screen potential candidates
• Stream workers into productive units
• Enhance staffing rates, ie retention &
utilization
• Improve organisational cohesion
Williamson et al, 2008

5. Holland Personality Types
Realistic Practicality, Physical, Tool oriented, Physically Driven
Analytical, Intellectual, Scientific, Explorative
Investigative
Creative, Original, Independent, Chaotic/Random
Artistic
Cooperative, Supporting, Nurturing, Helpful, Healing
Social
Competitive, Assertive, Leading, Persuading
Enterprising
Conventional Detail orientated, Organised, Clericals

6. Holland Code Relationship
The hexagon
Arranges personality types personality types rationally
Shows correlation between each personality type and
relationship with others

7. Holland Code Relationship -
key points to remember
Diametrically opposed personality types do
not work well together within teams
Same or close personality types share key
drivers (Nordvik, 1996)
Aligned personality types result in greater
success (cohesive group dynamics)

8. Holland Personality Testing
Individual response to self-awareness questionnaire
Questionnaire on three areas:
- Motivations/Incentives
- Capabilities/Competencies
- Satisfaction Drivers
Motivators, Capabilities and Drivers may be
repeatedly identified to gain a holisitic view of
subject’s personality. Holland, 1996

9. Motivations
Form the basis for individual to execute work or to be productive
- Creative incentives associated with artistic personality
- Financial incentives associated with enterprising personality
Nordvik, 1996

10. Capabilities/Competencies
Task based questions are used to identify
subject’s core skills & attributes
During development an individual will have aligned their
core skills into a matrix that will be similar to the
capabilities related to a particular personality group

11. Satisfaction Drivers
Activities, roles or tasks which give personal satisfaction
Eg. Performing
Painting
Driving
Tinkering

12. Example Incentives - Describing Your Motivators
Efficient Energetic Curious
Outgoing Persuasive Sociable
Undestanding Creative Precise
Mechanical Practical Self Reliant
Assertive Insightful Direct
Observant Responsible Inuitive

13. Example Competencies - Describing Your Competencies
Event
Team Player Trainers
Coordinator
Artist Scientist Outdoorsman
Leader Scout Mathematician
Thinker Loves Detail Project Manager
Debater Electrician Cooperative
Computer Literate Handyman Propagandist

14. Example Motivators - Satisfaction Drivers
Project
Mechanics Meetings
Management
Performance
Team Sports People Management
Monitoring
Using Computers Making Decisions Book Keeping
Working
Team Projects Paper Work
Independently
Scientific
Marketing Ideas Photography
Experimentation
Working Outside Office Work Manual Labor

15. Individual Personality Matrix
(Team member: Armand de Sandu)
Artisitic Investigative Realistic Social
Enterprising Coventional

16. Team Personality Matrix
(Comparing all team members)
Artisitic Investigative Realistic Social
Enterprising Coventional

17. Team Matrix Results
Interesting Results - level of diversity
- Enterprising is major personality type (50%)
Team Dynamics - following competencies
- Highly organised
- Highly motivated
- Task Oriented Approach
- Results & Reporting Driven

18. Team Matrix - Further Analysis
Competencies are directly consistent with
Holland Enterprising Personality type
No opposed personality types, accounting for
positive dynamic and improved team harmony
Personality types are related to each other, thus
reducing conflict and improving team unity

19. Holland - Final Thoughts
The test is susceptible to self-bias, hesitation to
answer truthfully or answers not related to true
motivations Holland, 1996
Respondents may prefer answers conducive to
corporate culture that they have observed
Team results may be influenced by self-awareness
level of subjects

20. Holland - Final Thoughts
Testing in a controlled manner is a powerful tool
for organisations to monitor team formation and
assist in aligning traits with work groups Kaplan 2008
Organisation personality cultures are important.
Individuals placed in opposing culture, work,
imbalance loss of productivity, increased attrition
and reduced morale will result Chen, Tsui 2006

21. Thank you for your time

22. References:
• Holland, John. L. (1996). Dictionary of Holland Occupational Codes. Psychological
Assessment Resources Inc, ISBN 978-0911907261
• Williamson J.M, Pemberton A.E, Lounsbury J.W, (2008), "Personality Traits of individuals
in different specialities of librarianship", Journal of Management Decision,Vol 64,
Issue 2, pp 273-286
• Greer T, Pride W, (1973), "The Personality Culture Relationship and its effect on
interpersonal transactions", European Journal of Marketing,Vol 7, Issue 1, pp 28-39
• Chen, X.P, Tsui A.s, (2006), "An organizational perspective on multi-level cultural
integration: human resource management practices in cross-cultural contexts",
Research in Multi Level Issues,Vol 5, pp 81-96
• Nordvik H, (1996), "Relationships between Holland's vocational typology, Schein's
career anchors and Myers-Briggs' types", Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology,Vol 69, Issue 3, pp 263-276
• Kaplan D.M, (2008), "Political choices: the role of political skill in occupational choice",
Career Development International,Vol 12, Issue 1, pp 46-55