conscientious (hardworking, persistent, respon- •
sible, careful, organized)
neurotic (anxiety, hostility, depression, self- •
consciousness, vulnerability, impulsiveness)
According to the data:
Being an extravert and conscientious were •
associated with career success. Surprisingly,
conscientiousness was the trait most correlated
with success!
Agreeableness turned out to helpful in careers •
requiring regular team work or customer service
but a negative in others! Yes, you can be too
agreeable.
Being open to experience was not found to strongly •
correlate to overall career success but may be help-
ful in certain careers requiring innovation
And neurotic behavior works against success (no •
surprise there).
These results explain a great deal. I can quickly
think of many people with strong extraversion traits. I
can also think of people who are highly conscientious.
It is much more challenging to think of people who are strong on
both counts. I realize that many of you are thinking, “My boss
got promoted without (both/either) of those characteristics!”
Nevertheless, I suggest
that you will increase
your own odds of suc-
cess by adopting the
behaviors associated
with extraversion and
conscientiousness.
You might argue that
character traits are hard-wired and therefore re-sistant to change. I agree
that traits are well entrenched by the time people normally enter
the workforce; however, behaviors can be changed. Therefore,
adopting the behaviors associated with conscientious or extra-
verted people is a worthwhile investment.
One final note: The cited academic study covered a period of 60
years. It is unclear if today’s business environment would yield ex-
actly the same results. I suspect that adaptability to change would
be an additional significant factor in the current workplace.
Career Progression vs. Years in Career
Progression
Years
Most Desirable
Least Desirable
Requires More Information
“You will increase your own odds of success by adopting
the behaviors associated with
extraversion and conscien-
tiousness. ”
“You are much more likely to ‘sell’ your idea if you take
the time to understand the
situation and need of your
intended ‘buyer.’ ”
Building bridges
Another interesting research study explored the importance
of building relationships within an organization. 3 Conclusions
included:
Building a mentoring relationship with someone higher in your •
chain of command increases your probability of promotion.
Building working relationships with people in other depart- •
ments is imperative. These people can be your key to getting
things done when you need the cooperation of other groups
to achieve results.
A note of caution: Building relationships is one thing. Schmooz-ing is another. Make sure that your efforts are sincere. Otherwise,
the result could be a negative perception from the very people you
need to maximize your career.
Selling yourself and your ideas
I was some years into my career before I understood that we
are all in sales. Even if you are not paid commission for selling,
“buyer” and present
the solution in a way
that she grasps.
On a behavioral
level, the good people
at the Communication
Excellence Institute,
Drs. Jan and Neal
Palmer, provide 10
Communication Tips for Becoming More Persuasive in a verbal
exchange. Here are a few:
To make genuine • eye contact, notice the color of the other
person’s eyes.
Observe the other person’s • speech and gestural tempo and
get in step with it.
Before you disagree with someone, first • affirm and validate
something positive in the other person’s point of view.
Keep your • head straight. Tilting your head makes you look
unsure.
Raising your hand
To stand out, you have to stand up. I regularly hear high achiev-ers talk of taking on special projects, volunteering for short-term
extra responsibility, or making something happen without being
