Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland

ENCE665 - Management of Project Teams

Prof Jocelyn S. Davis
Denis Silva & Yash Raj Jain

TEACH-ATHON ON CORE SELF-EVALUATION

Concept Definition and Key Elements

Core self-evaluation is one of the most critical areas of self-awareness and is defined as the
ability to identify key characteristics of self or one’s core personality.

Core personality has five dimensions: neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness,

agreeableness, and openness.

The five dimensions can also be broken into four components: self-esteem, self-efficacy,
neuroticism, and locus of control.

Why does Core Self-evaluation matter to Project Managers?

Every individual has a unique personality that consists of his or her predominant traits and
thoughts and can be represented by scores in the four components.

A portion of one’s personality is attributed to genetics, however most of it comes from lessons
learned and individual experiences through life, which suggests that it can be changed over time.

Scores in these four components are directly correlated with an individual’s motivation,
problem-solving ability, creativity, satisfaction, and job performance. It is reflected in one’s
notion of values, self-worth, behavior, aspirations, and desires.

What are the consequences of strength or weakness in this element of Core Self-evaluation
to Project Managers?

A good understanding of Core Self-evaluation dimensions and components allows Project

Managers to identify individual preferences and characteristics, and both predict and drive
behavioral performance and job satisfaction throughout project planning, execution and closure.

Project Managers are also more equipped to coach employees and help them improve their
interpersonal skills, which is an indicator of long-term success and achievements.

What are the recommended action steps to enhance this concept/self-assessment results
within Project Management practice?

Project managers should develop and help others develop an internal locus of control by helping
self and others change their perspective on what’s happening in their life and act upon things
they have control.

Project managers should reduce and help other reduce neuroticism by helping them implement
tools to manage stress and improve their resilience in challenging situations.
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland
ENCE665 - Management of Project Teams
Prof Jocelyn S. Davis
Denis Silva & Yash Raj Jain

Project managers should improve and help others improve self-efficacy by focusing on people’s
unique strengths and capabilities and promoting positive behavior reinforcement.

Project managers should improve and help others improve self-esteem by helping self and others
understand the value of their work, celebrating small accomplishments, and promoting an
environment that fosters confidence, resilience, and respect.

Here is one application example or story from real-life from our group members

“In 2014, I received a job offer from my employer that required my family to relocate from
Canada to Texas. I was assigned to be the lead of a high visibility project that had very
challenging goals and tight deadlines. Despite the excitement about the project and move, I
started to feel very unhappy. I started asking why I was feeling that way and did not find good
answers. A good friend from work (and experienced project manager) noticed something wasn’t
right and started asking me questions. He was very skilled at asking “what” instead of “why”
and I soon realized that I wasn’t fully aware of all my motives to accept that job offer in the first
place. My son suffered with depression throughout middle school and two of the identified
causes were the distance from relatives and colder weather conditions. His whole situation was
triggering those bad feelings despite the fact we were dealing with it as a family and things were
“under control”. By asking what instead of why, I was able to shift my perception of the
situation (locus of control) and realize that moving to Texas would tackle both issues: we would
live in a much nicer region weather wise and be one flight distance from family in Brazil, which
made me feel more in control. My son took a semester in high school in Brazil before reuniting
with us in Texas later in 2015. The time away helped me transition to the new role and get settled
in the new place. He was able to find his way out of depression and continues to be a vibrant kid
to date.” Denis Silva
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland
ENCE665 - Management of Project Teams
Prof Jocelyn S. Davis
Denis Silva & Yash Raj Jain

References
Eurich, T. (2018, January 4). What self-awareness really is (and how to cultivate it). Retrieved
September 21, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-self-awareness-really-is-and-
how-to-cultivate-it