Diversity is an issue that affects all organizations, no matter how big or how small. In this post, I want to explore how Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, handled the issue of diversity in his country by looking at Canada as an organization.

Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (or OCB) is defined in the textbook to be “discretionary behaviour that is not part of an employee’s formal job requirements, but that nevertheless promotes the effective functioning of the organization”. In the case of running a country, a citizen’s job requirement would be to abide by the laws of the land and to contribute to society while OCB can be compared to cultural norms in a country. Leaders of countries have the power to affect cultural influence through their actions and the legislation they introduce. In order to have citizens that provide more to their communities, it is important to promote diversity because several studies show that “satisfaction does influence OCB through perceptions of fairness”.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accepted diversity and has taken action even before becoming Prime Minister of Canada. Through deliberate action, Trudeau has appointed a gender-balanced cabinet. Not only was his cabinet gender-balanced, Trudeau’s closest advisers consisted of visible minorities, a former refugee, and aboriginals. When asked why it was important to him to have a gender-balanced cabinet, he simply replied “It’s 2015”. His statement highlights the importance he places on diversity and providing equal opportunity for all Canadians by appointing “a cabinet that looks like Canada” in our increasingly progressive era.

Trudeau’s diverse cabinet.

The satisfaction and tension between citizens today in countries around the world may be very well due to the actions of their leaders. A healthy and diverse organization is not cultivated simply with goodwill and tolerance, instead it requires intentional action to promote fair representation. It is important to have diversity and strive to provide equal opportunities for all in order to have a harmonious and effective organization.

Word Count: 321

References:

Ditchburn, J. (2015, November 06). ‘Because it’s 2015’: Trudeau forms Canada’s 1st gender-balanced cabinet. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-trudeau-liberal-government-cabinet-1.3304590

Puzic, S. (n.d.). Cabinet sworn in; Parliament will resume on Dec. 3. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/cabinet-sworn-in-parliament-will-resume-on-dec-3-1.2641761

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Robbins, S. P. (2007). Organizational behaviour: Concepts, Controversies, Applications (4th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

I first encountered the Myers Briggs Type Indicator when a friend from high school showed me an online quiz of it. Being a self-conscious teenager, I was intrigued to find out more about myself. So, after answering a series of questions, the test identified me as an ISTP. An ISTP personality type describes somebody who is introverted, sensing, thinking, and perceiving. The chart below explains how each trait corresponds to how an individual approaches different situations.

I learned that people with ISTP personalities are known to be hands-on innovators, free-spirits who are guided by a sense of practical realism, and have explosive bursts of passion and energy despite normally having a calm demeanor. At the time, I completely identified with my type. One of my passions was and still is cooking. I constantly looked at recipes and made little tweaks here and there to improve the dish. Another part of me that made me identify with my personality type was my explosive personality. I felt comfortable being a quiet, diligent student in the classroom but I also loved activities that allowed me to channel my high energy and passion. I channeled this explosive energy by engaging in physical activity. In my free time, I liked to play a wide-range of sports including basketball and volleyball.

Are personalities a good indicator of what kind of career a person should go into? Looking at my type, it would be a good decision to go into a profession like engineering due to my innovative nature and logical thinking. However, over time, I identified with another personality. I became more people-oriented and I found myself to enjoy the company of others more. I went from being an ISTP type to an ESTP type which influenced my decision to study commerce at Sauder. Perhaps this change is due to the one or more factors that affect personality that was explored in the textbook. It states that 3 factors that affect personality are heredity, environmental factors, and situational conditions. Because people are always exposed to different environments and experiences, it is very likely that personalities change as they gain more experiences and different perspectives of the world.

Through personal experience and knowledge gained from class, I have concluded that personality is not the greatest indicator of what profession one should go into. Although it is a factor, I believe looking at passion and work-ethic are the best indicators of whether an individual is a good fit for a certain career.

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Sources:

Tieger, P. D., & Barron-Tieger, B. (2007). Do what you are: discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of personality type. New York: Little, Brown and Co.

16 Personalities. (n.d.). ISTP Strengths and Weaknesses. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from https://www.16personalities.com/istp-strengths-and-weaknesses

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Robbins, S. P. (2007). Organizational behaviour: Concepts, Controversies, Applications (4th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.