PERSONAL QUALITIES & CAREER Dr. Stephen Brady Director, Mental Health Counseling & Behavioral Medicine (MHCBM) Boston University School of Medicine (

INTRODUCTIONS AND QUESTIONS What personality characteristics are associated with career success ? Which of these characteristics do you possess? High and Low?

Warmth Reasoning Emotional Stability Dominance Liveliness Rule-Consciousness Social Boldness Sensitivity Vigilance Abstractedness Private Apprehension Openness to change Self-Reliance Perfectionism Tension THE SIXTEEN PERSONALITY FACTOR QUESTIONNAIRE (16PF)

PERSONALITY FACTORS AND CAREER Global Factors which Impact Career  Extraversion/Introversion  High Anxiety/Low Anxiety  Tough-Mindedness/Receptive  Independence/Dependence  Self-Control/Impulsiveness How would you describe yourself or peers on some of these dimensions?

INTERPRETING YOUR RESULTS OF THE 16PF What high and low scores mean for the Global Factors Example: Results of the Instructor and a Basic Scientist Implications for Career Small Group Breakout

CASE EXAMPLE Self Described “Basic Science Nerd” Throughout graduate school referred to as “Brilliant if quirky” and “Mr. Future Nobel Prize Winner” High on Introversion, Anxiety and Self Control Low on Independence and tough mindedness Just wants to be “left alone to do interesting experiments” Tends to get lost in details and procrastinates unless deadlines Failed as an academic but surprisingly thrives in industry Why might this be the case? It may be just as important to be aware of your challenges as well as strengths in order to be successful

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND CAREER Being aware of emotions Identifying your own emotions Identifying Others emotions Managing your own emotions Managing others emotions Using emotions to problem solve Expressing emotions adaptively What is easy and hard for you? (SB and RJL)

CHARACTERISTICS WHICH PROMOTE CAREER SUCCESS Cognitive complexity Cognitive flexibility Social intelligence Emotional intelligence Adaptability Openness Tolerance for ambiguity We would add Self-Reflection (Zacarro, 2007)

CAREER ACTIVITY: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY How did you become who you are? What does your family and others want you to do? How familiar are family/others with your career? Who has been the most influential person in your life regarding career? Trace the development of your likes and interests relevant to career. What are your most troublesome problems related to your career interests? What is your prediction regarding your career? Make a Plan A and Plan B

A MODEL OF LEADER ATTRIBUTES AND LEADER PERFORMANCE Cognitive Abilities Personality Motives Values Distal Attributes Special Appraisal Skills Problem Solving Skills Expertise/ Tacit Knowledge Proximal Attributes Career Processes

7 HABITS- COVEY Be Proactive Begin with the End in Mind Put First Things First Think Win-Win Seek First to Understand and Then Be Understood Synergize Sharpen the Saw