Holland CodesVocational Psychology

• Psychologist

• Holland Codes - Six major personality types

Dr. John L. Holland

• 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

Holland Codes

Use in Modern Organisations

Williamson et al, 2008

• Identify & screen potential candidates

• Stream workers into productive units

• Enhance staffing rates, ie retention & utilization

• Improve organisational cohesion

Holland Personality Types

Realistic Practicality, Physical, Tool oriented, Physically Driven

InvestigativeAnalytical, Intellectual, Scientific, Explorative

ArtisticCreative, Original, Independent, Chaotic/Random

SocialCooperative, Supporting, Nurturing, Helpful, Healing

Enterprising Competitive, Assertive, Leading, Persuading

Conventional Detail orientated, Organised, Clericals

Holland Code Relationship

The hexagon

Arranges personality types personality types rationally

Shows correlation between each personality type and

relationship with others

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)

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

Holland Personality TestingIndividual response to self-awareness questionnaire

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

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

Satisfaction Drivers

Activities, roles or tasks which give personal satisfaction

Eg. Performing

Painting

Driving

Tinkering

Example Incentives - Describing Your Motivators

Efficient Energetic Curious

Outgoing Persuasive Sociable

Undestanding Creative Precise

Mechanical Practical Self Reliant

Assertive Insightful Direct

Observant Responsible Inuitive

Example Competencies - Describing Your Competencies

Team PlayerEvent

Coordinator Trainers

Artist Scientist Outdoorsman

Leader Scout Mathematician

Thinker Loves Detail Project Manager

Debater Electrician Cooperative

Computer Literate Handyman Propagandist

Example Motivators - Satisfaction Drivers

MechanicsProject

Management Meetings

Performance Monitoring

Team Sports People Management

Using Computers Making Decisions Book Keeping

Working Independently Team Projects Paper Work

Marketing Ideas Photography Scientific Experimentation

Working Outside Office Work Manual Labor

Individual Personality Matrix(Team member: Armand de Sandu)

Artisitic Investigative Realistic SocialEnterprising Coventional

Team Personality Matrix(Comparing all team members)

Artisitic Investigative Realistic SocialEnterprising Coventional

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

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

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

Holland - Final Thoughts

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

Thank you for your time

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