The two traits that affect an individual’s view of themselves are self-concept and self-esteem. Even though the two terms are used interchangeably from time to time, there is a difference in definition. Self-concept is how an individual views who they are on basis of their habits, skills and temperament. In other words, it is the aptitude to reflect on one’s own traits, skills and Behavior. On the other hand, self-esteem is an attitude or view that an individual has about him or herself. It also points to factors that we recognize and value in ourselves and can be either negative or positive.
Self-Concept at Work
Self-concept is the ability to reflect on one’s own traits, skills and Behavior. Traits, competencies and values are the three factors that are part of the self-concept theory. Traits are specific patterns of Behavior that exist within an individual. These traits lead to the idea that other people will view an individual based on these repetitive trait Behaviors.
So for example, Maya’s Behavior as a child was viewed by her father as lazy, which impacted her self-concept of exactly who she was as a person. In reality, her patterns of Behavior consisted of Maya not partaking in any activities because she was afraid of her father’s criticism. As she got older, she realized that she wasn’t lazy, just scared of her dad.
The second aspect of self-concept is competencies. This is where an individual grows to recognize what skills, abilities and knowledge they have in an organizational environment. Once these skills are recognized, the individual will create a self-concept about where they are good at work. For example, Maya knows she excels in math and analytical abilities, so she feels she is an excellent problem solver.
The last part of self-concept is involved with an individual’s values, which are ideas and beliefs about their Behavior. An individual’s values can be ascertained by their actions and verbal expressions. For example, Maya spends large amounts of overtime at work and she views herself as a hard worker.
Self-Esteem at Work
Self-esteem is influenced by individuals’ attitudes about themselves, which in turn can be moulded via managerial or co-worker feedback. For example, as an adult, Maya has very high self-esteem. She believes that she is a valuable, intelligent, smart businessperson who can deal with organizational situation. She developed this positive self-esteem through years of working hard, which resulted in success. She also has been awarded for her work and positive feedback from her superiors. An employee who has high self-esteem (positive) has the following organizational traits
- Confidence in work abilities
- Self acceptance
- Not affected by other individual’s views
- Optimistic
An employee who has low self esteem (negative) tends to have the following Organizational traits
- Does not have confidence in work ability
- Is not happy with who they are mentally, emotionally, physically
- Overly concerned with what other people think
Companies have to have a clear understanding of employee personality traits in order to motivate, challenge and train them to be productive. The traits of self-concept and self-esteem are critical as it is how individuals view themselves, which directly translates to how they behave in an organization. The positive side of these traits makes a wonderful, powerful, successful employee. Companies have to have a clear understanding of employee personality traits in order to motivate, challenge and train them to be productive. Personality traits affect individual employee Behavior and overall success at work.
