Points of Influence: A Guide to Using Personality Theory at Work

by Morley Segal

Groups, teams, and other new ways of working together have become commonplace in today's organizations. In spite of all of these changes, one element remains the same: the basic building block of all work activities is the individual employee. Points of Influence helps coach managers, team leaders, and trainers to gain a better understanding of employee motivation and how they can influence behavior, increase their own personal self-awareness, and expand their managerial skills.

Genres: Nonfiction

432 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 1996

Reviews

[Swapna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it as part of coursework and not something I would have normally picked as a read. All I can say after reading and re-reading it for 25 page paper on the book - I'm glad I read this!

It leaves you with a new yet interesting take on people observation skills and noticing subtle things about yourself and group as a whole. Not the usual management or self help style of book that drones on and on leaving you wonder about your book choices.

[JoAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provides valuable linkage between a number of leading personality theorists and human behavior in the workplace. Not only does this book show the linkage, but it presents suggestions for influencing behaviors of individuals based on specific personality dynamics in play. Most useful if one is willing to suspend the search for the one “right way” and consider a variety of road maps to find one’s ultimate destination.

[Istvan Zoltan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good overview of older (pre-1990, many of them pre-1950s) theories of personality and some tips on how they can be used in management, especially in HR. Psychologically much of it has been superseded, but it is still a decent place to start for seeing how psychology can be used from a management perspective or by a consultant.