1.2.8 "The Big Five"
Researchers have attempted to break personality into its smallest component parts. In doing so, they came up with what is known as "The Big Five." This term refers to the five components believed to make up personality. The researchers who have studied it believe that those lowest common denominators are:
Conscientiousness: This means what you think it does. Conscientiousness is a dimension found in people who always follow through with commitments, set goals, are reliable, do their best, and can be trusted.
Extroversion: This dimension is found in people who prefer being with others, working on teams, and interacting frequently with colleagues. They tend to have high energy levels when they are around other people. They may even become more energized in groups.
Neuroticism: This dimension is characteristic of people who are nervous, feel that they are being watched and evaluated constantly, and are continuously watching their backs. They tend to be more concerned with meeting their deadlines or making their numbers than they are about the people with whom they work.
Agreeableness: This dimension of personality is found in people who are very concerned about others. They consider the impact on people before they make decisions and they raise the important human aspects when changes occur (e.g. how will this change affect the people involved?).
Openness is characteristic of those who are interested in a broad range of things, including art and literature, are open to change in organizations, enjoy exploring new options, and enjoy creative work.
Recent research suggests that conscientiousness is a valid predictor of overall work performance, conscientiousness and extroversion are good predictors of management performance, extroversion is a good predictor of sales performance, and neurotic managers have more accidents and injuries in their departments. Much study is currently going on with these personality dimensions.
We have now reached the end of Lesson 1. By now, you should have a clearer understanding of organizational behavior and personality. You should also have completed your reading assignment as specified in your online syllabus. In the next lesson, we will discuss perception and attitudes.