The Pfeiffer Book of Successful Communication Skill-Building Tools

Chapter 35. The Behavior Description

John E. Oliver

The concept of individual differences can be one of the most interesting and stimulating topics in the study of human resource management. Sometimes, however, people who are studying this concept do not receive an in-depth understanding of personality traits or they are not impressed with the importance of personality differences in personnel-placement decisions, communication, motivation, and other efforts to create effective organizations. Using a personality inventory is one way to raise their interest and involvement, which in turn lead to greater understanding.

Because many personality inventories are expensive and take a great deal of time to administer, score, and interpret, a short, quickly scored, and easily explained instrument (the Behavior Description) was designed as a focus for discussing individual personality traits and related subjects.

Development of the Instrument

The theory of Marston (1928), which is similar to that of Emery and Ackoff (1972) in dealing with the response of a person to environmental stimuli, was used to create this instrument. The resulting four behavioral traits may be viewed in combination to illustrate various kinds of behaviors that may affect job performance and communication. Marston labeled the traits dominance, inducement, submissiveness, and compliance. Some other authors have relabeled the traits to make them more acceptable in modern times in teaching managers, personnel professionals, ...