PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Three meanings as per Oxford Dictionary

a)Characteristics and qualities of a person seen as a wholeb)Distinctive especially socially attractive qualitiesc) Famous person especially in the world of entertainment or sport

Personality

‘Personality’ as the sum total of certain dynamic, interactive , and inter-related set of physical, social , intellectual and ethical attributes and behaviors of a person in relation to his environment which contribute to his power , status and success in society.

Personality is a variable and not a constant . It refers to a set of efforts of an individual towards positively changing , improving, polishing or refining his internal and/or external personality features and attributes.

An individuals personality is amenable for significant development processes of conscious self-directed efforts and also outside help in the form of grooming , guidance and training.

Personality conscious individuals may focus on development of their external and/or internal features of personality.

Many individuals also try to develop their personality over a period of time in an evolutionary and incremental manner as they negotiate through their life and career.

They tend to feel the urge to modify or improve some of their personality features and qualities as they interact with or observe others and as they are exposed to the events , experiences and influences in their life.

Certain aspects of personality

1.Personality has two dimensions : outer and inner outer dimension consists of

a) Quality of physical hygiene and health b) The way one dresses c) walks and talks etc. inner dimension consists of a) one’s qualities b) skills c) values and attitudes which determine his competence, character and

interpersonal as well as social behaviour.

2.Personality attitudes are partly inborn or hereditary and partly learned from early upbringing ,subsequent life experiences and exposures ,conscious training and development ,(whether formal or informal) and soon.

3.One’s personality is to be viewed from a holistic perspective because of the attributes some attributes of a person may be contradictory to one another. Also a few conflicting forces may be in action within one’s personality ,diluting the positive attributes . Further some personality attributes of an individual tend to change over a period of time , for better or worse.

4.One’s personality is only one among a set of factors contributing to his success, status and power in life . Other factors like one’s educational attainments, overall leadership and managerial skills ,the combination of situational conditions in which a person works etc. have also an important role in his success or otherwise.

Elements of effective personality

No one can make you feel small without your consent --Eleanor Roosevel

Six components in any personality development effort underlined as follows:

1.Goal setting 2.Time management 3.Self-esteem

4.Empathy and Understanding 5.Building inter-personal bridges 6.Balance

Outer and Inner Dimensions of personality and its Development

Outer Personality a)Physical fitness b)Personal hygiene c)Appropriate dress d)Confident and correct posture e)A smiling and genial face f)Pleasant and rich voice

Inner Personality Personal qualities – Intelligence ,courage

, emotional stability and maturity , originality ,vigor and drive , purposefulness

Personal knowledge and skills – Communication, problem solving, analysis and interpretation, creative and innovative thinking , professional and interpersonal competence ,visualization of future situations

Beliefs and attitudes - Optimism, self confidence, trust ,helpful nature , open mindedness , scientific spirit

Values - Professional integrity and pride , respect for others discipline and self-restraint , sense of decency and dignity ,work ethic , sense of responsibility , independence and objectivity , social sensitivity

Personality development of an individual is thus a process of ‘growing up’ along several dimensions and sub-dimensions by utilizing the opportunities and challenges available in the immediate and larger environment . The path to development may be spread with a mix of roses and thorns. One has to enjoy one and endure the other which itself is a lesson in personality development.