Episode 167 - Agreeableness, Work Investment and Teamwork

<h2 data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p class="">This week we explore how agreeableness as a personality trait has a positive impact on work investment and teamwork.</p> <p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true"> </p> <h2><strong>Transcript</strong></h2> <p class="">Welcome to episode 167 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we explore how agreeableness as a personality trait has a positive impact on work investment and teamwork.</p> <p class="">Since the 1950s, and particularly from the 1980’s, personality research has focused primarily on the big 5 personality traits - Openness-to-Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. Taken together these 5 traits account for the majority of differences in personality between individuals while also having predictive ability across a range of positive and negative outcomes in workplace settings. They provide our best understanding of personality across a range of settings and individuals.</p> <p class="">A recent study focused on the agreeableness trait. As a personality trait this describes people who are cooperative, polite, friendly and kind. Agreeableness is associated with an interest in others and in building positive relationships. The study by Wilmot and Ones is of the most comprehensive analyses of agreeableness undertaken, bringing together 1.9 million participants across more than 3,900 research studies.</p> <p class="">Their research highlighted a broad range of positive outcomes associated with agreeableness in a workplace context. </p> <p class="">The benefits for individuals and teams included:</p> <ul data-rte-list="default"> <li> <p class="">Focus on growth and concern for others</p> </li> <li> <p class="">Contentment with current circumstance</p> </li> <li> <p class="">Investment in building and maintaining relationships with others</p> </li> <li> <p class="">Team working including cooperating with others and working towards shared goals