DPST Module 1 - Maximising Your Personality.pdf

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Personal and Professional  
Development Program 
DPST Workshop Series 
 
 
 
 
Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff 
Ahmad Fuad Abdul Rahim 
Nor Azwany Yaacob 
 
Module 1:  
Maximising Your Personality 
1 
 
Contents 
 
INTRODUCTION 
3 
THE ‘DISCOVERING POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE 
TRANSFORMATION’ (DPST) WORKSHOP SERIES 
5 
OBJECTIVES OF THE MODULE 
7 
THE DEFINITION OF PERSONALITY 
8 
THE DEFINITION OF TRAITS 
8 
THE DEFINITION OF PERSONALITY TRAITS 
8 
NATURE VS. NURTURE 
9 
Neuroticism 
11 
Openness 
12 
Extroversion 
13 
Agreeableness 
14 
Conscientiousness 
15 
TAKE HOME MESSAGES 
16 
SESSION OUTLINE 
17 
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First Publication: July 2010 
© Dr Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff 
 
© All rights reserved. No part of this 
publication may be reproduced stored in 
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any 
form or by any means, electronic, 
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or 
otherwise, without prior permission of 
author/s or publisher. 
 
ISBN: 978-967-5547-11-9 
 
Edited by 
Dr Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff 
Dr Ahmad Fuad Abdul Rahim 
Dr Nor Azwany Yaacob 
School of Medical Sciences, 
USM, Kubang Kerian,  
16150 Kota Bharu 
Kelantan, Malaysia 
 
Published by: 
 
KKMED Publications 
Medical Education Department, 
School of Medical Sciences, 
USM, Kubang Kerian,  
16150 Kota Bharu 
Kelantan, Malaysia 
 
 
Published in Malaysia 
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Personal and Professional Development Program 
School of Medical Sciences 
Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus 
Introduction 
 
The School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Universiti Sains 
Malaysia practices an 
integrated, problem-based and 
community-oriented medical curriculum. This five year 
programme is divided into three phases. Phase I (year 1) is 
the fundamental year focusing on organ-based systems, 
Phase II (year 2 and 3) continues the system-based approach 
and introduces the basics of clinical clerkship. Phase III (year 
4 and 5) is the clinical phase whereby the students are 
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rotated through all the clinical disciplines. The school adopts 
the SPICES approach in the implementation of its curriculum, 
i.e. Student oriented, Problem based, Integrated, Community 
oriented, Electives and Self learning and Systematic. 
Ethical issues, communication and soft skills were realized as 
important elements in the curriculum since the inception of 
the school. Relevant inputs were imparted to students at 
various places in the time table. This practice was improved 
and consolidated from time to time. In the mid-nineties a 
‘Student Motivation Unit’ was established to assist students 
who needed counseling and was soon followed by a more 
formal Student Development Unit. In 1996 this unit was 
combined with another parallel component of the school's 
curriculum, 
the Bioethics and Communication Skills 
Programme and was renamed as the Student Personal and 
Professional Development Programme (PPDP). In line with 
the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education directive to all 
institutions of higher learning to emphasize soft skills in all 
university curriculums, SMS once again renamed the PPDP to 
Student Soft Skills and Development Programme (Program 
Pembangunan Insaniah Pelajar - PPIP) 
in 2007. This 
programme 
facilitates 
and 
coordinates 
soft-skills 
development activities in the curriculum to foster the 
development of good personal attitude and professional 
behavior 
in 
the undergraduate. 
It also helps 
the 
undergraduates to adapt to challenges in the learning 
process. 
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The ‘Discovering Potential for Sustainable 
Transformation’ (DPST) workshop series 
 
The Discovering Potential for Sustainable Transformation 
(DPST) workshop series was introduced and developed to 
enhance and promote positive personal qualities, soft skills 
and professional development among undergraduate 
medical students. The programme is run through a series of 
five one-day workshops. The topics of workshops are: 
 Maximizing Personality. 
 Leading to Lead. 
 
Interfacing Strategies. 
 Taming Your Enemy. 
 Response to Change. 
The importance of promoting and nurturing positive personal 
qualities, soft skills and professional development among 
future medical doctors are becoming more apparent within 
healthcare. Research evidence showed that they have effects 
on the quality of care provided. This programme might affect 
personal qualities, soft skills and professional development in 
different ways, including the effect that they might have on 
the wellbeing of themselves and their staff which, in turn, are 
related to the quality of care provided. Healthy and 
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competent healthcare providers affect the quality of 
healthcare system and indirectly reflect the quality of 
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate medical 
programme. Therefore it reflects the APEX status and puts 
the USM undergraduate medical programme in the eyes of 
the world. It is noteworthy that a sustainable transformation 
of undergraduate medical students’ potential is a must. 
The Discovering Potential for Sustainable Transformation 
(DPST) was introduced because of three simple reasons: 
1) To increase awareness of the impact and importance of 
positive personal qualities, soft skills and professionalism 
to students as well as future medical doctors. 
2) To encourage the development of positive personal 
qualities, 
soft 
skills 
and professionalism among 
undergraduate medical students as future medical 
doctors. 
3) To help USM undergraduate medical students to develop 
their own self-improvement strategies to improve and 
maximize their potential therefore they will be a better 
and more competence either as medical doctors or as 
persons. 
 
Last but not least, we really hope that the DPST programme 
will be a precursor towards sustainable transformation of 
future medical doctors’ positive personal qualities, soft skills 
and professional development. 
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Module 1  
Maximising Personality – Nurturing Our 
Nature 
Objectives of the module 
By the end of the workshop 
participants will be able to: 
 
State the definition of personality 
and personality traits. 
 Discuss the role of ‘Nature’ and 
‘Nurture’ in the development of 
one’s personality 
 
List the important applications of 
knowing one’s own personality 
 
Identify their individual personality 
cluster using the USMaP inventory. 
 
List the characteristics of each 
cluster: 
o Neuroticism (I) 
o Openness (II) 
o 
Extroversion (III) 
o Agreeableness (IV) 
o Conscientiousness (V) 
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The Definition of Personality 
“The sum total of our mental, emotional, social and physical characteristics 
that distinguishes  us from others, the core of which are those traits that 
remain stable for the life, and that make us the unique person we are” 
(Sherperd, 2007) 
The Definition of Traits 
Traits are any stable and relatively consistent characteristics of our 
feelings, thoughts and behaviour.  
The Definition of Personality Traits 
Long-term predispositions or tendencies to behave in ways that satisfy our 
basic and innate or natural self. 
Traits tend to be strongly influenced by our inherited endowment, perhaps 
as high as 80%. While culture, up-bringing and nurture can stimulate or 
reward such behaviour, the root causes are more genetics. This is why they 
tend to endure for life and become a visible predictor or pattern of 
behaviour. They are often noticed as a consistent or repetitive pattern of 
behaviour. They are thus a good indicator for the type of job or work that 
motivates and satisfies each of us differently, based on the degree of their 
intensity (strength).  
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Nature vs. Nurture  
A trait (more nature) that is exhibited by behaviour (trait manifestation), 
first require a stimulus or trigger from the external environment (more 
nurture). A trait can equally exert influences on our behaviour. Traits like 
intelligence, calmness, flexibility, and openness can strongly influence our 
behaviour.  
For example, external stressors can produce a brain chemical called 
Cortisol, but this still requires genes to switch it on, to release it into our 
brain. If we are genetically built to be calm and with high tolerance to 
stress, less Cortisol will be released and we are less prone to stress. 
Significance of Knowing Self-Personality  
Having an insight into personality traits that are strong, can help us choose 
a more rewarding career, vocation or profession, as well as a deeper 
understanding of why we are the way we are, and why we get along better 
with some people and less so with others. 
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The USM Personality Inventory (USMaP-i) 
This workshop uses the USMaP-i. The USMaP manual can be downloaded 
from http://www.medic.usm.my/dme/images/stories/staff/KKMED/2010/manual%20usmap-i.pdf  
Participants will be requested to fill in the inventory according to the scale 
and instruction provided. Participants are encouraged to answer all 
statements honestly. 
Facilitators will guide participants on how to calculate each cluster score 
via the formula provided. 
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Characteristics of each cluster 
Neuroticism 
Low score indicates: 
- Show emotional stability, maturity, and a strong 
self-image. 
- Tend to be very positive, optimistic and secure. 
- Display a calm, happy and unworried tendency 
with strong self-confidence. 
- Have a high tolerance for ambiguity. 
- Manage stress well. 
- Good at motivating and leading a team especially 
in a role that is challenging, or facing crisis and 
emergency 
Typical Jobs (for low score): 
 
Leading a surgical team. 
 Dealing with crisis or where stress and 
ambiguity exists. 
 Management consultant 
 
Career counselor. 
 
Psychiatrist. 
 Director. 
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Openness 
Show openness to experience, new ideas, creativity and innovation. 
Naturally curious, imaginative and like to experiment. 
Sensitive, open to art, culture, and to diversity of people or behaviour. 
Can be venturesome and risk-taking, liking novelty and variety. 
Inclined to be more intellectual in seeking answers or solving mental 
problems.  
Pursue scientific and academic inquiry. 
Think more conceptually, strategically and holistically. 
Open to alternative or radical thoughts and be less religious. 
May be labeled as sometimes deviant or a bit rebellious but this is because 
they find thinking or doing things different, as both challenging and 
satisfying. 
Typical Jobs: 
 
Psychologist 
 
Visionary and forward looking leadership. 
 
Artistic and Creative. 
 
Leading teams 
 
Understanding risky projects. 
 
Organizer development. 
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Extroversion 
Represent a more extroverted 
personality. 
Need an external or social stimulus 
and are more outgoing, 
emotionally expressive and 
gregarious. 
More assertive, frank, forthright, 
and like to influence others or be 
the center of attention. 
Like to interact with people and 
social groups. 
Tend to speak first and then think 
as they express themselves. 
Like to hear their own thoughts out 
loud while speaking. 
Quite spontaneous and responsive 
to others, but sensitive to 
environment. 
More physically energetic and like 
to move or use their body a lot. 
Typical Jobs: 
 Work that requires self-expression. 
 
Leaders who need to be spokesperson. 
 Motivational or inspirational speakers and trainers. 
 
Teacher 
 
Tour guide 
 
Sales jobs 
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Agreeableness 
Representative of people who are agreeable and cooperative. 
Tend to be good natured, warm, empathetic and caring. 
More trusting, kind, compassionate and sensitive to others’ needs, often 
described as humble and modest. 
Labelled as courteous, polite and considerate. 
Naturally high need for affiliation and close to people. 
Tend to be more altruistic and humanistic. 
Like to help others, especially those less fortunate than themselves. 
As leaders they are more ‘soft’ and participative in style. 
More caring, compassionate or nurturing leader, suited to counseling and 
conflict resolution but others may take advantage of their good nature. 
Typical Jobs: 
 Work that need high level of teamwork. 
 
Teaching/ counseling/ mentoring 
 
Training and human resources 
 Nurturing and Caring leaders 
 Work in areas of humanistic or voluntary industry 
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Conscientiousness 
Show a very high conscientious and hard working personality. 
Tend towards productivity and industriousness. 
More task oriented, dependable, reliable, organized, persistent and 
responsible.  
Often labeled as serious, disciplined and decisive. 
Tend to manage time well and generally punctual. 
Take on too much work and sometimes, find it hard to say ‘no’.  
Labelled as ‘workaholic’ but in a positive way, as they like to be busy and 
productive. 
Tend to have naturally high mental energy and others may find it tiring to 
keep up with their relentless pursuit of activity. 
Prefer an organized, systematic, orderly, neat and tidy work environment. 
Typical Jobs: 
 
Jobs that require focus and serious concentration. 
 Work where patience and persistence needed. 
 Working with money i.e. banking, finance. 
 Good with jobs requiring organization, systems and detail. 
 
Task oriented leadership with higher level of responsibility and 
accountability, and decisiveness. 
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Take Home Messages 
Personality traits are stable and consistent throughout life. 
Personality traits influence how we feel, think and behave. 
Cultural programming will also influence how we feel, think and behave 
Genes produce traits. Traits influence our natural behaviour. Culture can 
further nurture it. 
 
“If we love with what we are doing and fully utilize our natural talents, we 
will be more highly motivated to achieve goals that realistically suit us, and 
become successful.” 
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Session Outline 
Following is a suggested session outline. The facilitator is free to modify 
the outline as is relevant. 
Objectives 
Activity 
Size of 
Group 
Materials Time 
Information Delivery 1 
Introduction of session 
Ice-breaking 
Highlight relevance of knowing 
own personality – to maximize 
strengths and potential, to 
improve weaknesses 
Explanation of objectives of 
session 
Lecture 
Find similarities e.g. 
importance of knowing 
capabilities of your 
handphone, computer, etc 
Whole 
group 
Computer 
LCD OR 
white 
board 
5 
mins 
Group activity 1: Information consolidation 
To involve participants in 
thinking about relevance of 
knowing own personality 
Give group 2 minutes to 
think about features of 
own personality and how 
to maximize it. 
Then, explain to neighbour 
or to the group 
Pairs or 
whole 
group 
None 
5 
mins 
Information delivery 2 
To introduce to participants: 
 The definition of 
o 
Personality 
o 
Personality traits. 
 The role of ‘Nature’ and 
‘Nurture’ in the 
development of one’s 
personality 
 The important applications of 
knowing one’s own 
personality 
Lecture 
Whole 
group 
PPT file 
named 
‘Maxi- 
mising 
Persona- 
lity’* 
15 
mins 
Group activity 2.1: Information consolidation 
To involve participants in using 
and applying concepts explained 
previously 
Open to questions OR 
short debate about 
‘Nature vs. Nurture in the 
Development of 
Personality’ 
Whole 
group 
None 
15 
mins 
Group activity 2.2: Practical Session  
To administer USMaP-i to 
participants to enable them to 
identify their own personality 
cluster 
Distribute USMaP-i 
Questionnaire* 
Whole 
group 
USMaP-i 
20 
mins 
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Information delivery 3 
To inform participants regarding 
the characteristics of each 
cluster: 
 Neuroticism (I) 
 Openness (II) 
 Extroversion (III) 
 Agreeableness (IV) 
 Conscientiousness (V) 
Lecture 
Whole 
group 
PPT 
presenta-
tion 
30 
mins 
Group activity 3: Information consolidation 
To involve participants in 
reflection and application of the 
information given previously 
Break participants into 4 
groups 
Discuss how to apply 
information given to 
medical study and practice 
After 10 minutes, each 
group presents for 5 
minutes 
Sub 
groups 
Mahjong 
paper 
Marker 
pens 
30  
Evaluation and debriefing 
To make sure that participants 
know why they have been asked 
to do the things required of them 
Discussion 
Check responses against 
list 
Whole 
class 
PPT file: 
objectives 
5 
mins 
To review what has been learnt 
Discussion 
Individuals asked to 
contribute 
Whole 
class 
PPT file: 
key points 
5 
mins 
To obtain feedback from 
participants regarding the 
session 
Fill in feedback form* 
Each 
person 
Feedback 
form 
10 
mins 
Total time 2 hrs and 20 mins 
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References 
1. Sherperd P (2007). Personality Matter: The Whole 
Brain Approach, Why We Learn, Think and Behave. 
Malaysia: Brain Works Media. 
2. Yusoff MSB, Rahim AFA & Esa AR (2010). The Manual 
of USM Personality Inventory (USMaP-i). Malaysia: 
KKMED Publications. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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