Big 5 Traits Page | 1
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Big 5 Trait Personality
The results of my Big 5 Trait Personality test were interesting, but not surprising. This is because all questions were answered as transparently and honestly as possible. I could have predicted the outcome, but I am older and already have lived through experiences that have helped me sear down the person that I am today.
Category: Open-Mindness
According to the test, an 84 percentile would place me as a “high scorer.” As such, the descriptors used to define me in the Open-Mindness category are: a) creative, b) curious, c) complex and, d) original. In organizational effectiveness, according to Amabile and Kaire (2018) , creativity is key. Individuals who have the ability to create innovative things will more likely do it once they are motivated. Imagine a company where everyone wants to create new things. It would be a wonderful place to work. Curiosity is the natural desire to learn about everything. This is definitely a plus quality to have in any organization, because it shows that I may be a dynamic and pliable person to work with, as opposed to static and inflexible. Any supervisor would find that as a desirable trait. Lastly, it says that I am original. That is also a good trait for an organization because it shows that I can operate on my own without unnecessary influence or direction. If my supervisor needs me to initiate, I will be likely to do so without a problem.
Conscientiousness:
For this second category the test says that I am organized and that I can be trusted, that is, relied upon. These days it is very hard to find hard enough workers who are willing to remain in the same company for a long time, or who wish to have the same supervisor. As such, according to Heskett (2015), some people view their jobs as a “hostage situation” rather than an enjoyable to spend most of the time of their day. It could be that they do not like what they are doing, or that they are doing it for the wrong reasons. As for me, I am aware of what I am capable of, and I would never do anything against my will. Therefore, the time I put in an organization should be beneficial for both my boss and me. I need to love what I do, or at least love the circumstances in which I am doing what I am doing. These are the best reasons to stay reliable and stable enough to be trusted with responsibilities. Nobody who feels disloyal or angry at a company will ever perform to their utmost, and much less remain in there for long. I try to be the best employee that I can be by doing something that satisfies me, and displaying my satisfaction in my performance.
Extraversion
According to OCEAN, I am neither reserved nor social. My level of extraversion is even, which means that I am capable of maintaining a balance between sharing and not sharing information. In a world where people use social media to overshare everything, I think this is a very desirable quality. I actually expand this “talent” to my social media as well. You will not see me posting information about my mental state, marriage, family, finances, and especially about my workplace. Hopefully there will be a time that people will be able to look back and see the mockery they made of themselves by over-posting information that is best to be preserved privately. In an organization, a lot is shared during the long working hours that would be best appreciated if left in the workplace. It is sad, in my opinion, to come home to discuss work and vice-versa. If we keep healthy lives in and out of our daily spaces, there is no need to blend one with the other. Extraversion is a good thing for those who like to talk, but I still believe in the power of privacy and leaving home life alone. On the other hand, introversion can be a burden too because people who will not share may give the impression that either they have nothing to say, or else that they have a lot to say that they should not. Balance is everything.
Agreeableness
In the test, I scored an 86 percentile in “agreeableness.” It says that I am courteous and supportive, and also that I am good natured. All of these are personality skills that are highly-desired in an organizational setting, especially when dealing with customer service and areas with high exposure to others. Judging from the times where I have been mistreated as a customer, patient, student, or client, I can definitely attest to the fact that these qualities are not inherent to some people, nor do they come with the job. They have to be taught in order to become ingrained in the person. As for me, I grew up in a household where respect was not just taught, but highly enforced and put to practice each and every time. We were not a family of entitled people who, like others, felt like the world owed us anything. We worked for what we had and learned humbleness and pride together. There is great importance in teaching manners from a young age (Myers, 2018.) Part of it is that, as you grown older, those manners become second nature. Any leader or employer who hires you will appreciate that you do not share your frustrations or pains with the rest of the world. In fact, they may learn a thing or two about kindness and politeness in case they have never learned those things themselves.
Negative Emotionally
My last result is that I tend to be a relaxed person. I cannot say I was always like this, because there were tumultuous times when I was a nervous and negative wreck. Perhaps it is that, once you become older you get to experience a few “scares” that put things into perspective. This said, no work environment is OK with the opposite of being relaxed. Someone who is negative emotionally will likely bring everyone else down with their own issues. According to Abraham (2016) there is such a thing as “emotional intelligence” in the workplace. This means the ability to control the process of taking in and letting out emotions. This said, that type of self-control has to be learned in order to be acquired. Emotional age is not always proportional to chronological age. This is why we cannot assume that the oldest person in the office is the most stable. Abraham (2016) explains that emotional intelligence, like any type of intelligence, depends entirely on the character of the person and the ability of understanding consequences and self-control. In the workplace, people with the capacity for emotional intelligence are appreciated because they will balance out any negative atmosphere caused by the inabilities of those who cannot control themselves. Also, leaders will be much more likely to trust and work with someone like me rather than someone whose emotional control is questionable.
References
Abraham, R. (2016). Emotional Intelligence in Organizations: A Conceptualization. Genetic,
Social, and General Psychology 125(2), p. 209-224
Amabile T., Kaire M. (2018) Creativity and the Role of the LeaderHarvard Business Review
Retrieved from
Heskett, J. (2015) Why Are Fewer and Fewer U.S. Employees Satisfied With Their Jobs?
Working Knowledge.Harvard Business School retrieved from:
jobs
Myers, P. (2018) The Importance of Teaching Manners to Kids. Child Development Institute
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