Personality Tests

I've never taken these personality tests, although I remember taking some kind of career aptitude test in high school. I really enjoy taking tests and surveys so I happily clicked away on these quizzes.

On the Myers-Briggs test I am a ISFJ. I was not too surprised as these results seem to fit me to a tee. However, while I know I'm practical and orderly, I hadn't thought about the fact that I am very experiential in the way I gather and process information. If I can't do it myself I don't understand things and if I haven't had the specific experience I can't relate to descriptions of it. I generally think I don't like something until I try it out. Realizing this is important because it helps me understand my reluctance to volunteer for things or try new approaches to various problems.

Being cognizant of my need to experience may help me overcome some of the difficulties associated with being a type 6 (loyalist or skeptic) on the Enneagram test. This test was particularly illuminating because it explained what I always felt was negative about my personality - overly critical, demanding, avid rule-follower, perfectionist. These are things that actually help me in my job but are not so great when it comes to interpersonal relationships. I liked the section on the website that listed "ways to get along with me" because it addressed some of the pitfalls I have in getting along with people. Knowing that I need people to be direct and clear with me, for example, may make it easier for me to ask for direction and clarity.

I made my husband take the Enneagram test also and both of us were surprised at how it nailed our parenting techniques and deficiencies. Knowing how the other person was inclined to parent really helped us to be able to get on the same page and understand our frustrations.

I also took a left brain/right brain test just because I'd always heard about it but never done it. I am 75% left brain oriented which means I take things very literal and am no-nonsense and to the point. At the same time, not surprisingly, I can be narrow-minded and have trouble grasping abstract concepts. This explains why I had so many problems applying theory in my history work, but why my research was clear and organized. Wish I would have figured that out sooner!

In a general sense, I do see how these tests can help you understand people better. But at the same time, just listening to and honestly trying to get to know someone can bring about the same results and is probably more rewarding - it just takes longer and you have to care.

The fact that I liked taking the tests and demanded that other people try it and like it just reinforces the fact that I'm a sensor and judger, that I like affirmation, that I enjoy structure and that I don't understand people who don't like following rules.

Conflict Resolution

In a job I worked at long ago, I had constant conflict with the people who sat around me. We were on a web customer service team, which meant that as a group we were responsible for email correspondence with customers and dealt mostly with questions coming from our website. I was responsible for prioritizing the emails and we all were responsible for clearing out the inbox every day. There were, however, no other job delineations. The conflict that erupted every day was over why no one would try to solve the hard and complicated problems that customers presented. It was always left to me. To make matters worse the were several little "cliques" involved and people always chose sides and defended the interests of their members. Moreover, because I had worked with the department manager in another capacity and because my supervisor was unreliable, I always reported the numbers at the end of the day. I thus felt personally responsible when the inbox was not cleared each day.

The department manager and lead supervisor could have cared less about this conflict and thus it was never resolved. (The reasons were varied and included a "hostile takeover" and, not surprisingly, some legal issues). I ended up quitting.

Looking back, if I was the supervisor I would have attempted to solve this conflict in several ways.

• First, I would have listened to the initial complaint and tried to observe the problem by checking to see who was actually completing the work each day and what kinds of emails each group member was dealing with.
• Secondly, I would have assigned each group member an email category to deal with on a rotating basis. That way no one person was dealing with the same email problem every single day.
• Third, I would have addressed the clique issue. This type of behavior is unhealthy in a work setting even if it is sometimes unavoidable. A more passive action would be to rearrange desk assignments to break up the cliques. This however would involve questions and blame would be placed on the person would initiated the complaint, making the problem worse. A better solution would be to talk to each member of the group individually to make sure they knew exactly what was expected of them in their position. They would also be made to understand that it is not their responsibility to choose a task or to help someone else get a task assignment. They should also be aware that verbal and written warnings would be given for this type of behavior in the future.
• Fourth, I would be more involved throughout the day to check on the progress and to report the numbers to the manager at the end of the day. It would also be a good idea to make it clear to the person initiating the complaint that I would take care of it and that they should continue to focus on their job, not on policing other people.
• Last, I would consider ways to modify the job to allow more creative input that would make the job more enjoyable. Raising morale and team building would be necessary for a positive outcome.
  

Elevator Speech

Speech:

I think there a direct relationship between academic librarians and publishers that is often overlooked in the publishing world. This might be the fault of librarians who often have little direct communication with individual publishers, but publishers also have a tendency to overlook the fact that academic librarians are making the purchasing decisions - not necessarily the scholars who are writing and reading the material. I know, for example, that our company spends a lot of time talking to school librarians and modifying our products based on their feedback. But when it comes to our more scholarly products, we seem to be spending more time at history conferences than we do at library conferences and few people on the editorial team have direct library experience, while many have had successful academic careers.  I think that having someone, like myself, with an MLS on your editorial team would be beneficial to the company in several ways. First I've worked in collection development and understand the considerations librarians must take into account when selecting materials. Secondly, I've worked with the students and faculty who use our material and have an understanding both of how they access it and how the library chooses to present it. I'd like to talk with you more about my ideas when you have some time. 

Process:

At first I started talking about the classes I've taken and why they would help me in publishing. Then I realized I needed to "set the scene" a bit to explain why my library experience should get me this promotion. When stating my opinions I realized I was being quite aggressive and I thought for this situation it might be better to "hedge" at least at the beginning - especially because I was accusing them of neglecting the people who buy their products (even if it was a just accusation). At the end I couldn't decide if I really should stop and say that I could continue the discussion when they had more time, but in the end I thought it was more courteous. 

Women's Center Earthquake Disaster Plan

Training
Because the Women's Center is located near a fault line, earthquake preparedness is an important aspect of job training. Employees will be taken through information about earthquake safety at www.earthquakecountry.info and made aware of any new or relevant government materials as they are issued.

Responsibility

Everyone is responsible for their own safety and for the well-being of those around them. 

If not present, the director should be notified immediately and will be responsible for decision-making. If the director is not present and cannot be contacted, senior staff members are responsible for decision-making and are expected to follow the plan.

Location of plan
A physical copy of this plan shall be kept in the front office filing cabinet and at the director's home. An electronic copy will be kept on the center's Google docs account [user name:    password:     ]

Phone numbers
For medical emergencies or fire call 911 immediately.

Local police:

Public utilities:

Office lessor:

FEMA:

Staff:

[the list of emergency contact phone numbers of staff members can be found in the first drawer of the front office filing cabinet]

Emergency kit
The kit shall be kept in the supply cabinet and should contain the following:

• first aid supplies
  
• masks
  
• blanket
  
• flashlight
  
• water

Location of fire extinguishers
Near bathroom.

Map of building
See attached.

During the earthquake

• Practice Drop. Cover. Hold.
  
• Do not leave the building until aftershocks have subsided.
  
• Do not stand in doorways.
  
• Staff members should direct the public do follow these steps if anyone is present at time of earthquake.

After the earthquake

• Check on everyone and administer first aid as needed
  
• Put out any fires
  
• Use mask or article of clothing to protect against dust inhalation
  
• Shut off power
  
• Shut off gas
  
• Check radio for any public announcements
  
• Exit if building is safe and proceed to meeting location.
  
• Only make phone calls if absolutely necessary
• Do not take anything out of the building, with the exception of keys, cell phones and other personal items or computer hard drives if it is safe to retrieve them.

Meeting location
Regroup at the park on Main and 1st Street for further instructions or planning before going home. At this time and location decisions can be made about who to contact. Remember to limit calls as much as possible during the first few hours after the disaster to keep the lines free for emergency calls.

Assess damage

• Depending on severity of earthquake and damage, only reenter the building when it has been determined safe by authorities.
  
• Photographs should be taken of any damage before clean up.
  
• Lessor should be notified and inspection scheduled if there is any structural damage.
  

Media

Only the director is authorized to speak to the media regarding the disaster and any damage.

Madisonville Public Library

I started by making a list with three columns: urgent, later today, later this week/delegate. As I was going through the in-box I would put the task in an appropriate column. After checking to see which tasks would overlap or correspond to one another, I ordered the list as follows.

1. Quickly ask Sheila if she can go to hairdresser another day since today will be really busy and I'll probably need her to answer the phone etc.

2. Deal with Perfecto Periodicals issue. This needs to be addressed immediately since it appears to be a problem that has gone unaddressed for some time and the company may now take legal action against the library.

I would first contact Technical Services (since Brenda Knight is out for the week) and see if anyone knows the back story - if we are continuing with Perfecto Periodicals (they seem to service most of our journal subscriptions) or if the service has been cancelled.

I would also make a note for Brenda to look into this upon her return to see if her department received the weekly correspondence and why the issue wasn't addressed at an earlier stage. It seems that this account may have been overlooked due to the staffing issues Brenda mentioned in her email and the fact that she feels her own work is suffering. At this point I would reply to her email and schedule a meeting for when she returns.

If money is owed to Perfecto, I would ask for a check to be sent immediately and would write a personal letter of apology to Mr. Harding.

3. Next I would deal with Leon since there are several issues involving his job.

First, I would schedule a meeting with him, today if possible, because it appears he is looking for another job. If that is true I would try to address any reasons he has for leaving and if they cannot be resolved talk to him about what he wants in the letter of reference. I think this needs attention before any of others because if he is leaving shortly I would need to start working on getting his position filled.

Secondly, since we are already meeting, I would apologize to him for approving vacation that has not accrued and inform him that he can only take 1 week instead of 2. After the meeting I would call Sandra Snow at personnel to have the request form changed.

Third, we would briefly discuss solutions to the problem of elementary school books being returned at our library.

Last, I would tell him to get both flowers and a small card for Jean and have Sheila make the arrangements. 

4. Returning the mayor's urgent phone call from last week would be next. This is relatively high on the list because obviously there is something important that the city's library needs to know.

5. Next would be to respond to Jerry and set up a meeting. I would treat this as relatively urgent because on one hand it would be beneficial to keep a good relationship with him and make him feel that I am responsive to his needs, and on the other hand if his performance was what was keeping him from a promotion it may well be time for him to move on in which case I would need some time for planning and arranging for his position to be filled.

6. At this point I would schedule an appointment with Marie Cooke to discuss the Citizens for Public Decency's allegations, come up with possible solutions, and prepare for their visit on Friday. It would be a good idea to schedule this meeting early in the week but not necessary to meet today.

At our meeting I would also check in with her about how things went when she was out sick last week, particularly whether the science fair projects got set up.

7. Next I would look into the letter from P. Mason regarding Julia Browne's donation to the Deweyville Public Library. If he meant that the collection was for the Madisonville Library I would schedule department meeting for later in the week (or maybe next week) to talk about how and if we could accept the donation. I would probably need to include the the library's legal office in any discussions. Pending the outcome of those discussions I would reply to Mason in a timely manner, but at this point it would just be a scheduling task.

8. The Martin Manufacturing meeting could be handled tomorrow. I would have Sheila check if the conference room was available and if so give John a quick call to put Jack Martin in touch with Sheila.

9. Since the student specifically asked about a job in reference or circulation I'll pass on L. C. Card's request to Leon and James to reply to.

10. Responding to 2nd National Bank could be done later in the week even though the letter is a few weeks old because it does not directly relate to how the library operates. Still it does involve an employee so I wouldn't leave it until last. I think I would need to speak with Jan about the letter of reference and inform her that in my position I would not co-sign or guarantee the loan. 

11. Last, and perhaps later in the week, I would pass on Mr. Granite's kind note to the reference librarian (via James) who helped him. I would also make an effort to write Mr. Granite a short, appreciative note.

Termination Preparation

1. Documentation

• have written evidence of performance issues or instances of misconduct
  
• have copies of evaluations, oral and written warnings
  
• have documented coaching efforts
  
• list steps taken to address performance or behavior and the result

2. Second opinion

• consult with another manager or peer to verify your decision to terminate
  
• check motives for firing and explore alternatives
  
• review company policy regarding termination, employment status, employee's rights

3. Legal issues

• review employment laws and consider any legal ramifications
  
• consider whether the firing could be construed as discrimination
  
• get legal counsel on dismissal document if necessary

4. Schedule termination meeting

• determine when termination meeting will take place
  
• schedule another manager to attend
• make arrangements to remove employee's computer access
  
• determine how employee's personal effects will be dealt with (will employee remove them or will someone else?)
  
• have final check made ready

5. Content of termination meeting

• be prepared to honestly inform employee of the reason for termination, remember to only refer to job-related issues not personal issues.
  
• remember to stay calm, formal and impartial
  
• be prepared to answer any questions regarding severance, insurance, vacation accruals etc. 
  
• document terms of dismissal and prepare copy for employee to sign if needed
  
• come to an agreement with employee regarding how references will be handled

6. Schedule meeting to inform staff

• determine whether to talk to people individually or as a group
  
• decide what information is absolutely necessary and what should remain confidential

7. Prepare to inform people outside of the company of the situation

• inform the employee's project contacts if needed
  
• arrange forwarding of email and voicemail

8. Reallocate job duties and responsibilities if needed

Interviews

I spent the last several weeks interviewing potential nannies for my child so I thought I'd discuss that experience as part of this assignment.

I prepared a list of fairly generic questions gleaned from various parenting books and websites. Some of the questions included if the person had ever been in an emergency situation and what they did, what their philosophy of discipline was, what they would do if the baby wouldn't stop crying etc. I specifically tried to gather open ended questions that would allow the candidate to talk about themselves because, in this situation, I felt like getting to know the candidate as a person and feeling comfortable with their personality was more actually important than hearing about their nanny experiences. However, I found that even though the question was open ended there was usually a right or wrong answer (I think very few nannies would say their philosophy of discipline is spanking or that they would shake the baby if it was crying.) So the questions I asked were answered very quickly, were rather formulaic and didn't actually help me figure out if the person was a good fit for me or my baby. The women that I interviewed were also very young (1st or 2nd year college students) and seemed reluctant to tell me about themselves, so even the polite conversation felt strained.

After a few of these interviews I realized that it was better to start out asking them questions about their major and what they wanted to do when they graduated before I asked them any questions related to childcare. The person I hired also asked me quite a few questions which made it easier to have a conversation that was interspersed with baby-related questions rather than directed by the baby questions.

For the second part of the assignment, I asked my husband to interview me using some of the questions he often uses in the fitness industry. Those questions often have to do with assessing personality traits - particularly your ability to motivate someone or be a team player. These questions are really hard for me and even though I knew they were coming, I still found it difficult to come up with good (and true!) examples on the spot. It seemed like there were a lot of pauses while I tried to rack my brain without getting nervous. However, since I knew he would ask scenario based questions (What would you do in this situation? or Have you ever been in a situation when...) I felt more comfortable pausing and thinking about my answer rather than making a joke or trying to fill the dead air with comments like, "That's a really good question, hmmmm, what would I do."

One thing that I learned through this process was that it is better when the interviewee is proactive and not reactive in the interview. By this I mean that the interviewee does not just sit and wait for questions but treats the interview like a conversation. This helps the interviewer to ask better questions as well as allowing the interviewee some agency in directing the interview toward the things that they want to reveal about themselves.