Theories in Action: Behavioral Theories

A theory that I found relevant to my internship experience would be the Five-Factor Trait Theory. In my Theories and Models class with Dr. Forsyth last spring we learned about these five traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Each of these traits signifies that a person may be a qualified leader. In my observations of my supervisor, I initially thought that he would be an extrovert. However, when I was able to meet him in person at a team lunch, I would now say he is an introvert. This was very interesting to me because I was able to see the differences in people’s leadership approach in-person versus virtually.

In addition to being an introvert, observed that my supervisor is very passionate about his area of work. This high level of excitement coveys his level of openness to new ideas and learning about new topics and issues that his team can pursue. I would also note that my supervisor has high levels of conscientiousness. This is important to have in federal consulting because there can be long hours of tedious work that may present ethical issues. These moral issues are important to mention because finance and business do not always agree with what might be in the best interest for other peoples’ lives.
This theory is important to Guidehouse because I believe it sets the stage for how managers treat their team and how productive they are in completing deliverables. I noticed how my supervisor’s feedback impacted me because it inspired me to be better and work hard. It also reassured me that the time and energy I dedicated to the project this summer were helpful to others. This theory involves paying close attention to a leader’s behaviors. This was very difficult to do virtually, but it was interesting to see how people act differently when they are in-person versus online. The environment where people work directly impacts how they are a leader, and as I mentioned earlier this was the case with my supervisor. I noticed he is very comfortable leading our team through meetings online and has a significant talking role in these calls. However, when in person at lunch, I felt that he spent more time listening to others than speaking himself. The shift in this dynamic was interesting to notice because it directly relates to a lot of what I learned in my leadership classes. Another reason for this shift may be due to COVID. The pandemic changed the nature of the work environment and I noticed how this shaped my supervisor’s leadership style.