Understanding the OPQ Personality Profile

Oct 6, 2024

Lecture Notes: Interpreting the OPQ Personality Profile

Introduction

  • Speaker: Glenn Nosworthy, Associate Professor, NUS Business School.
  • Focus: Interpreting the Personality Profile report from the Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ).
  • Two reports from OPQ:
    • Personality Profile: Offers scores on 32 dimensions of personality.
    • Development Action Planner: Available only in English, details will be covered in another video.

Structure of the Personality Profile Report

  • Measures 32 dimensions of personality and behavior preferences.
  • Respondents select behavioral statements that best describe them, tracking preference dimensions.
  • Consistency Score: Measures how consistently you responded to similar questions, crucial for decision-making contexts like hiring.
    • Aim for a score of at least 3 out of 10 for reliability.

Benchmarking Scores

  • Scores are not absolute but compared against a benchmark group (Indonesian General Population, 2013).
  • Standard 10 (Sten) Scale: Represents scores on a bell curve.
    • Scores of 5-6: Average.
    • Scores of 1-2 or 9-10: Extreme, indicating uniqueness.

Dimensions of Personality

Relationships with People

  • Persuasive: Interest in persuading others; not a measure of skill.
  • Controlling: Desire to lead; high scores suggest authoritarian leadership if low in Persuasive.
  • Outspoken: Willingness to express views and criticize openly.
  • Independent Minded: Preference for independent thinking and action.

Sociability

  • Outgoing: Social energy, talkativeness.
  • Affiliative: Preference for company and interaction.
  • Socially Confident: Comfort in unfamiliar social situations.

Empathy

  • Modest: Reluctance to share personal successes.
  • Democratic (Consultative): Willingness to include others in decision-making.
  • Caring: People-task balance; priority on people’s needs over tasks.

Thinking Style

  • Data Rational: Preference for decisions based on data analysis.
  • Evaluative: Critical evaluation of information.
  • Behavioral: Interest in understanding people's motivations and behaviors.
  • Conventional: Preference for traditional methods.
  • Conceptual: Preference for abstract thinking, useful in leadership.
  • Innovative: Interest in generating creative ideas.
  • Variety Seeking: Preference for change and variety.
  • Adaptable: Flexibility in behavior and communication.
  • Forward Thinking: Long-term planning and vision.
  • Detail Consciousness: Attention to detail and organization.
  • Conscientious: Priority on meeting deadlines and completing tasks.
  • Rule Following: Importance placed on following rules and procedures.

Feelings and Emotions

  • Relaxed vs. Worrying: General tension vs. specific situational anxiety.
  • Tough-Minded: Resilience against criticism.
  • Optimistic: Positive outlook and its impact on leadership.
  • Trusting: Level of trust in others.
  • Emotionally Controlled: Regulation of emotions.
  • Vigorous: Preference for fast-paced work environments.
  • Competitive: Desire to win against others.
  • Achieving: Setting personal high goals.
  • Decisive: Speed of decision-making; balanced by consulting others and analysis.

Conclusion

  • Understanding and interpreting your OPQ profile can help identify unique strengths and areas for development.
  • Additional videos will cover the Development Action Planner and preparation for coaching sessions.