birth order

Birth Order and Personality in the Workplace

Ben Dattner, Ph.D.Ben Dattner, Ph.D.

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Birth Order and Personality

•• Evolutionary TheoryEvolutionary Theory

•• First Born ChildrenFirst Born Children

•• Second Born ChildrenSecond Born Children

•• Middle ChildrenMiddle Children

•• Only ChildrenOnly Children

•• TwinsTwins

•• Special CircumstancesSpecial Circumstances

•• Conclusion Conclusion

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Evolutionary Theory Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory

•• First born childrenFirst born children

•• Second born childrenSecond born children

•• Middle childrenMiddle children

•• Only childrenOnly children

•• TwinsTwins

•• Special circumstancesSpecial circumstances

•• ConclusionConclusionKinds of competition in evolutionKinds of competition in evolution: :

•• Between speciesBetween species

•• Within species, within genders Within species, within genders •• For status, power, resources, and matesFor status, power, resources, and mates

•• Within species, between genders Within species, between genders •• For less relative investment in offspringFor less relative investment in offspring

•• Within species, between parents and their childrenWithin species, between parents and their children•• For resources For resources

•• Within species, between siblings Within species, between siblings •• For power and resourcesFor power and resources

(Source: (Source: ““Born to RebelBorn to Rebel”” by Frank Sulloway, 1996)by Frank Sulloway, 1996)

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Evolutionary Theory Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory





•• TwinsTwins


•• ConclusionConclusion

•• Siblings compete for emotional, physical and intellectual Siblings compete for emotional, physical and intellectual resources from parents resources from parents

•• Depending on sibling position, different niches are available, Depending on sibling position, different niches are available, leading to different patterns of adaptation and different leading to different patterns of adaptation and different personalitiespersonalities

•• Childhood adaptation to a niche in the family is an important Childhood adaptation to a niche in the family is an important determinant of adult personality and therefore, is an important determinant of adult personality and therefore, is an important predictor of thought and behavior in the workplacepredictor of thought and behavior in the workplace

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First Born Children •• DefinitionDefinition

First born childrenFirst born children




•• TwinsTwins



Birth order theory and research indicate that there is a greater probability that:

First born children will support the status quo as represented bFirst born children will support the status quo as represented by their y their parents and relative to later born siblings, and tend to be moreparents and relative to later born siblings, and tend to be more::

•• Extroverted and confident Extroverted and confident

•• Assertive, authoritarian, dominant, inflexibleAssertive, authoritarian, dominant, inflexible

•• Conformist, politically conservative Conformist, politically conservative

•• TaskTask--oriented, conscientious and disciplined oriented, conscientious and disciplined

•• Concerned about and fearful of losing position and rankConcerned about and fearful of losing position and rank

•• Defensive about errors and mistakesDefensive about errors and mistakes

Famous First Born

Steve BallmerSteve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft:, CEO of Microsoft:

•• Ballmer is the hardBallmer is the hard--driving operational manager who driving operational manager who has implemented much of Bill Gateshas implemented much of Bill Gates’’ vision vision

• Described variously as ebullient, focused, funny, Described variously as ebullient, focused, funny, passionate, sincere, and dynamicpassionate, sincere, and dynamic

•• Damaged his vocal chords by cheering too loudly at Damaged his vocal chords by cheering too loudly at a Microsoft sales meetinga Microsoft sales meeting

•• SteveSteve’’s sister, a social worker in the Seattle area, is s sister, a social worker in the Seattle area, is two years younger two years younger

•• DefinitionDefinition





•• TwinsTwins



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Famous First Born

Andrea Jung, Andrea Jung, CEO of AvonCEO of Avon::

•• "I was raised in a traditional, humble Asian "I was raised in a traditional, humble Asian environment. There was focus on achievement and environment. There was focus on achievement and education" education"

•• "Power is the privilege to influence," Jung says. "It's "Power is the privilege to influence," Jung says. "It's an unbelievable responsibility to influence decisions, an unbelievable responsibility to influence decisions, shareholder value, and most important to me, people's shareholder value, and most important to me, people's careers and livelihoodscareers and livelihoods””

•• Her brother, three years younger, runs a San Her brother, three years younger, runs a San Francisco software development companyFrancisco software development company






•• TwinsTwins



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Second Born Children •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory


Second born childrenSecond born children



•• TwinsTwins



Second born children do not have the option of occupying the firSecond born children do not have the option of occupying the first st bornborn’’s niche and relative to first born siblings, tend to be more:s niche and relative to first born siblings, tend to be more:

•• Open to new experiences, rebellious, unconventionalOpen to new experiences, rebellious, unconventional

•• Creative, flexible, more likely to embrace change and innovationCreative, flexible, more likely to embrace change and innovation

•• More empathic and relationship focusedMore empathic and relationship focused

•• Concerned about fairness and justice, champions of those Concerned about fairness and justice, champions of those with less with less power, more liberal politically power, more liberal politically

•• Less academically inclined, but better at using social intelligeLess academically inclined, but better at using social intelligence nce and humor and humor

•• More interested in travel and diverse cultures, often more succeMore interested in travel and diverse cultures, often more successful ssful at international assignments at international assignments

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Famous Second Born

Louis V. Gerstner, JrLouis V. Gerstner, Jr., Former CEO of IBM ., Former CEO of IBM

•• GerstnerGerstner’’s older brother was a highs older brother was a high--level business level business manager at IBM when he joined the companymanager at IBM when he joined the company

•• From the very beginning of his tenure at IBM, Gerstner From the very beginning of his tenure at IBM, Gerstner made sure that everything he did communicated the made sure that everything he did communicated the need to change the way the organization did businessneed to change the way the organization did business

•• Gerstner transformed IBM, emphasizing a clear focus Gerstner transformed IBM, emphasizing a clear focus on customers and heavily investing in services and on customers and heavily investing in services and softwaresoftware

•• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory


> Second born children> Second born children



•• TwinsTwins



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Famous Second Born

Ronald Lauder, Ronald Lauder, CEO of RSL Investments CEO of RSL Investments

•• Lauder has successfully invested his familyLauder has successfully invested his family’’s fortune s fortune in a wide variety of emerging businesses and marketsin a wide variety of emerging businesses and markets

•• He was the US ambassador to Austria under Reagan He was the US ambassador to Austria under Reagan and unsuccessfully ran for mayor of New York City in and unsuccessfully ran for mayor of New York City in 1989, spending $400 for each vote he received1989, spending $400 for each vote he received

•• Ronald is the younger brother of Leonard Lauder, Ronald is the younger brother of Leonard Lauder, Chairman of The Chairman of The EstEstééee Lauder CompaniesLauder Companies






•• TwinsTwins



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Famous Second Born •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory





•• TwinsTwins



George Soros, George Soros, CEO of Soros Fund ManagementCEO of Soros Fund Management

•• Born in Budapest, Hungary, graduated from the Born in Budapest, Hungary, graduated from the London School of Economics, where his grades were London School of Economics, where his grades were not good enough to get into graduate school not good enough to get into graduate school

•• Describes himself as a Describes himself as a ““failed philosopherfailed philosopher”” and has and has developed an investing philosophy he calls developed an investing philosophy he calls ““reflexivityreflexivity””

•• Gives away hundreds of millions of dollars each year Gives away hundreds of millions of dollars each year through the Open Society Institute which encourages through the Open Society Institute which encourages democracy democracy

•• Considers his older brother Paul, an engineer, Considers his older brother Paul, an engineer, ““the the real brains in the familyreal brains in the family””

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Middle Children •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory



Middle childrenMiddle children


•• TwinsTwins



Middle children cannot employ the strategies used by either firsMiddle children cannot employ the strategies used by either first born t born or youngest siblings and relative to other siblings, tend to be or youngest siblings and relative to other siblings, tend to be more:more:

•• Diplomatic and politically skilled Diplomatic and politically skilled

•• Good at negotiation, peacemaking, and compromiseGood at negotiation, peacemaking, and compromise

•• Relatively closer to friends than to familyRelatively closer to friends than to family

Because of differentiation between adjacent siblings, nonBecause of differentiation between adjacent siblings, non--adjacent adjacent siblings tend to be more similar to one another ( e.g.: 3siblings tend to be more similar to one another ( e.g.: 3rdrd is like 1is like 1stst, 4, 4thth is is like 2like 2ndnd, etc.), etc.)

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Kenneth I. ChenaultKenneth I. Chenault, CEO of , CEO of American ExpressAmerican Express ::

•• Balances an unrelenting achievement drive with Balances an unrelenting achievement drive with friendliness and an open door policyfriendliness and an open door policy

•• ClassmatesClassmates often chose Chenault to represent them often chose Chenault to represent them in negotiations with school administrators because of in negotiations with school administrators because of his diplomatic skillshis diplomatic skills

•• Ken is the second born of three brothers and one Ken is the second born of three brothers and one sistersister




> Middle children> Middle children


•• TwinsTwins



Famous Middle Born

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Michael Dell, Michael Dell, CEO of DellCEO of Dell

•• Looks for employees who Looks for employees who ““expect change to be the expect change to be the normnorm”” and who do not "accept the status quo as good and who do not "accept the status quo as good enoughenough””

•• Describes himself as Describes himself as ““allergic to hierarchyallergic to hierarchy””

•• He is the middle of three brothers, the youngest of He is the middle of three brothers, the youngest of whom is a successful venture capitalistwhom is a successful venture capitalist

Famous Middle Born•• DefinitionDefinition





•• TwinsTwins



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Carleton "Carleton "CarlyCarly" " FiorinaFiorina, , formerformer CEO of Hewlett CEO of Hewlett PackardPackard

•• FiorinaFiorina leveraged her diplomatic skills to build leveraged her diplomatic skills to build coalitions and consensus, for example, in the highly coalitions and consensus, for example, in the highly contentious merger between HP and Compaq contentious merger between HP and Compaq

•• Her leadership mantra: Her leadership mantra: ““It is not the strongest nor It is not the strongest nor the smartest of the species who survive, but those the smartest of the species who survive, but those who are most adaptable to change" who are most adaptable to change"

•• Has one older sister and one younger brother Has one older sister and one younger brother






•• TwinsTwins



Famous Middle Born

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Only Children •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory




Only childrenOnly children

•• TwinsTwins



Only children are often similar to first born children, and tendOnly children are often similar to first born children, and tend to be: to be:

•• Motivated to conform to parental expectationsMotivated to conform to parental expectations

•• Achievement oriented and good studentsAchievement oriented and good students

•• More inclined to do work themselves rather than to delegateMore inclined to do work themselves rather than to delegate

Age gaps between siblings of more than 6 years lead each siblingAge gaps between siblings of more than 6 years lead each sibling to to have only child attributes have only child attributes

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Jack WelchJack Welch, Former CEO of , Former CEO of General ElectricGeneral Electric::

•• Welch was able to make the tough decisions necessary Welch was able to make the tough decisions necessary to build GE into a successful, to build GE into a successful, ““boundarylessboundaryless”” innovatorinnovator

•• A highly disciplined worker, Welch has said A highly disciplined worker, Welch has said ““despite not despite not being the smartest, I did have the focus to get the work being the smartest, I did have the focus to get the work donedone””

•• ““Many of my basic management beliefs: competing hard Many of my basic management beliefs: competing hard to win, facing reality, setting stretch goals, and relentlessly to win, facing reality, setting stretch goals, and relentlessly following up, can be traced to my motherfollowing up, can be traced to my mother””





>> Only childrenOnly children

•• TwinsTwins



Famous Only Child

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Twins •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory




•• Only children Only children

TwinsTwins



Because they are the same age (and, in the case of identical twiBecause they are the same age (and, in the case of identical twins, ns, share the exact same genes), twins tend to:share the exact same genes), twins tend to:

•• Have Have closer relations with one another than other siblingscloser relations with one another than other siblings

•• Have less conflict with one another than other siblingsHave less conflict with one another than other siblings

•• Be different in terms of personalities and interests, but moreBe different in terms of personalities and interests, but moresimilar to one another than other siblingssimilar to one another than other siblings

Twins raised apart are even more similar than twins raised togetTwins raised apart are even more similar than twins raised together her because they donbecause they don’’t need to differentiate from one another t need to differentiate from one another

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Famous Twin •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory





TwinsTwins



Jamie Jamie DimonDimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase:, CEO of JP Morgan Chase:

•• DimonDimon achieved enormous success as a protachieved enormous success as a protééggéé of of Sandy Weill and was instrumental in helping Weill Sandy Weill and was instrumental in helping Weill build Citigroup build Citigroup

•• DimonDimon is known as a brilliant strategic thinker, but is known as a brilliant strategic thinker, but had difficulty sharing power and credit with peers. He had difficulty sharing power and credit with peers. He left Citigroup after coming into conflict with Weillleft Citigroup after coming into conflict with Weill’’s s daughterdaughter

•• DimonDimon and his twin brother have one older brother and his twin brother have one older brother

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Special Circumstances

Other variables, such as:Other variables, such as:

•• GenderGender

•• CultureCulture

•• Socioeconomic factorsSocioeconomic factors

•• Family size Family size

•• Attributes of parentsAttributes of parents

•• Divorce, additional marriages, and halfDivorce, additional marriages, and half-- or stepor step-- siblingssiblings

……may lead to deviations from the general patterns of birth order may lead to deviations from the general patterns of birth order and and personality characteristics in the workplace. Therefore, the imppersonality characteristics in the workplace. Therefore, the impact of birth act of birth order on personality is not a failorder on personality is not a fail--safe predictor and should not be used in safe predictor and should not be used in human resource decisions. Also, since birth order involves familhuman resource decisions. Also, since birth order involves family background y background and can be related to socioeconomic status, ethnic group membersand can be related to socioeconomic status, ethnic group membership, or hip, or religious affiliation, companies should be very cautious about ireligious affiliation, companies should be very cautious about inquiring about nquiring about the sibling structures of job candidates if they decide to do sothe sibling structures of job candidates if they decide to do so at all.






•• TwinsTwins

Special circumstancesSpecial circumstances


at all.

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Special Circumstances (Continued)•• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory





•• TwinsTwins

Special circumstancesSpecial circumstances


As an example of an exception to the usual birth order pattern, As an example of an exception to the usual birth order pattern, second second born children can take on first born attributes if:born children can take on first born attributes if:

•• There is a high degree of conflict between the There is a high degree of conflict between the first born and parentsfirst born and parents

•• Or if the first born is:Or if the first born is:

•• DisabledDisabled

•• ShyShy

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Conclusion •• Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory





•• TwinsTwins


ConclusionConclusion

Since birth order can have such a significant influence Since birth order can have such a significant influence on personality, it can also help illuminate thinking and on personality, it can also help illuminate thinking and behavior in the workplace. However, because there are behavior in the workplace. However, because there are so many other variables that influence personality, and so many other variables that influence personality, and because birth order is part of onebecause birth order is part of one’’s family background s family background and can be related to religion and ethnicity, birth order and can be related to religion and ethnicity, birth order should not be used as a criterion in selection or should not be used as a criterion in selection or promotions. Birth order is more valuable for inspiring promotions. Birth order is more valuable for inspiring questions about personality and style than for providing questions about personality and style than for providing answers. answers.

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Ben Dattner, Ph.D. Ben Dattner, Ph.D. [email protected]

www.dattnerconsulting.comwww.dattnerconsulting.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.dattnerconsulting.com/

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