Dimensions of personality

Personality is an individual's unique and distinct pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. In management, understanding these dimensions of personality is key in developing effective strategies for recruiting, selecting, and developing employees. Personality dimensions also provide insight into how people interact, on both a professional and personal level. For example, understanding that someone is extroverted can help managers understand how to best motivate and engage them. Personality dimensions are also useful in understanding how people respond to stress, which helps managers create a positive work environment.

Example of dimensions of personality

• Extroversion: Extroversion is a personality trait characterized by a preference for social interaction, being outgoing, and engaging in activities with other people. People who are highly extroverted tend to enjoy social activities, such as attending parties, spending time with friends and family, and engaging in conversations with strangers. They are often seen as the life of the party and may be the people who initiate conversations or suggest new activities.
• Neuroticism: Neuroticism is a personality trait characterized by a tendency towards worrying and negative emotions, such as anger, fear, and sadness. People who are highly neurotic tend to be more easily stressed and prone to rumination. They may also struggle with self-esteem and have difficulty managing their emotions.
• Openness to Experience: Openness to Experience is a personality trait characterized by a preference for novelty, creativity, and intellectual curiosity. People who are open to experience enjoy exploring new ideas and experiences, and they often have a wide range of interests and hobbies. They may also be more tolerant of different views and opinions and be more willing to take risks.
• Agreeableness: Agreeableness is a personality trait characterized by a tendency to be cooperative, understanding, and compassionate. People who are highly agreeable tend to be good at negotiating, compromising, and working with others. They may also be more empathetic and understanding of other people's feelings and perspectives.
• Conscientiousness: Conscientiousness is a personality trait characterized by a tendency to be organized, reliable, and hardworking. People who are highly conscientious tend to be good at planning and staying on task. They may also be highly disciplined and prefer to do things in a structured way.

Formula of dimensions of personality

The Big Five Model of Personality is one of the most widely accepted personality frameworks used to describe and measure human personality. This model is composed of five broad dimensions, or traits, that are used to describe the range of personality traits in individuals. The Big Five dimensions are Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Openness to Experience (O) is a personality trait that reflects an individual’s level of intellectual curiosity and willingness to explore new ideas. Individuals who are high in openness are likely to be open to new experiences, be creative and enjoy abstract thought. On the other hand, individuals who are low in openness to experience are more likely to be traditional, conventional and prefer routine.

Conscientiousness (C) is a personality trait that reflects an individual’s level of responsibility, organization and self-discipline. Individuals who are high in conscientiousness are likely to be reliable, organized and hard-working. On the other hand, individuals who are low in conscientiousness may be more flexible and spontaneous, but may also be less dependable.

Extraversion (E) is a personality trait that reflects an individual’s level of energy, enthusiasm and social engagement. Individuals who are high in extraversion are likely to be outgoing, sociable and enjoy attention and stimulation from others. On the other hand, individuals who are low in extraversion are likely to be more introverted, preferring to spend time alone or with a few close friends.

Agreeableness (A) is a personality trait that reflects an individual’s level of trust and cooperation. Individuals who are high in agreeableness are likely to be kind and cooperative, while individuals who are low in agreeableness may be more competitive and skeptical.

Neuroticism (N) is a personality trait that reflects an individual’s level of emotional stability and vulnerability. Individuals who are high in neuroticism are likely to be more emotionally sensitive and prone to experiencing negative emotions. On the other hand, individuals who are low in neuroticism are likely to be emotionally resilient and less vulnerable to stress.

The formula for the Big Five Model of Personality is: OCEAN, where O stands for Openness to Experience, C stands for Conscientiousness, E stands for Extraversion, A stands for Agreeableness, and N stands for Neuroticism.

When to use dimensions of personality

Dimensions of personality can be used for a variety of purposes in management. Specifically, they can be used to:

• Develop effective strategies for recruiting, selecting, and developing employees. By understanding the unique traits and skills of each individual, managers can make better-informed decisions when it comes to hiring, training, and managing employees.
• Improve team dynamics and collaboration. Understanding the personality traits of team members can help managers create teams that work together efficiently and productively.
• Understand how people interact on a professional and personal level. This can help managers create a positive work environment and foster positive relationships.
• Understand how people respond to stress. Knowing the different personality types can help managers create strategies to reduce stress and foster a healthy work-life balance.
• Develop leadership skills. Understanding the different personality dimensions can help managers better understand their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their team members, and develop more effective leadership strategies.

Models for dimensions of personality

Personality dimensions refer to the various characteristics that make up an individual's personality. These dimensions include:

• The Big Five Personality Traits: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. These traits encompass an individual's preferences, values, and behaviours, and they provide insight into how they interact with others.
• The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This tool helps to identify an individual's preferences in areas such as how they interact with the world, their decision-making processes, and their communication style.
• The Enneagram: This is a nine-point typology system that categorizes individuals into nine distinct personality types based on their unique combination of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
• Positive Psychology: This is a field of psychology that focuses on the strengths and virtues of individuals, such as resilience, optimism, and motivation.
• Values and Beliefs: These refer to an individual's core values and beliefs, which can provide insight into how they make decisions and interact with others.
• Empathic Capacity: This refers to an individual's ability to understand and feel the emotions of others, which is important in forming meaningful relationships.
• Creativity: This refers to an individual's level of creativity, which can be beneficial in problem-solving and developing innovative solutions.

Advantages of dimensions of personality

The advantages of understanding the dimensions of personality are numerous. They include:

• Improved communication with employees - By understanding the personality dimensions of employees, managers can better communicate with them on both a professional and personal level. This can lead to more effective problem solving, better team dynamics, and a more productive work environment.
• Increased employee engagement - Understanding personality dimensions can help managers tailor their approach when engaging employees. For example, managers can recognize when an employee is extroverted and understand that they may need more frequent team meetings and feedback to stay motivated.
• Increased understanding of stress response - By understanding employees’ personality dimensions, managers can more accurately assess how they will respond to stressors in the workplace. This knowledge can help managers create a positive work environment that is conducive to productivity and morale.
• Better recruitment and selection decisions - Knowing the personality dimensions of potential hires can give managers a better sense of how a candidate will fit into the organization. They can then use this knowledge to make more informed decisions about who to hire.

Limitations of dimensions of personality

Dimensions of personality can provide useful insights into how someone interacts and responds to stress, however, there are some limitations to these dimensions. These limitations include:

• Not accounting for environmental factors: The dimensions of personality do not take into account potential environmental influences or the changing nature of a person’s life.
• Not accounting for individual differences: Personality dimensions do not take into account the uniqueness of each individual, as everyone may have different experiences and perspectives.
• Not accounting for evolution over time: The dimensions of personality do not account for changes in a person over time. People may evolve and grow in different ways that the dimensions of personality cannot account for.
• Not accounting for cultural influences: The dimensions of personality do not take into account the influence of culture on a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
• Not accounting for mental health issues: The dimensions of personality do not take into account potential mental health issues that may impact a person’s behaviour.

Other approaches related to dimensions of personality

In addition to understanding personality dimensions, there are several other approaches related to understanding individuals’ personalities. These approaches include:

• The Five-Factor Model (FFM): This model focuses on five major traits that are thought to capture the structure of personality: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. This model provides a comprehensive framework for understanding personality traits and their relationships to behaviour.
• Temperament Theory: This theory focuses on the innate, biological components of personality. It suggests that there are four basic temperaments—sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic—which are determined by the balance of four biological humours.
• Personality Type Indicators: These tools are designed to measure individual personality traits, allowing individuals to identify their type and associated behaviours. For example, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) identifies 16 personality types.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This approach is designed to help individuals identify and change their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It is based on the idea that our beliefs and attitudes shape our behaviour, and by changing our thoughts, we can change our behaviour.

In summary, there are several approaches to understanding individual personalities, including the Five-Factor Model, temperament theory, personality type indicators, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Each of these approaches offers unique insights into individual personalities, which can be helpful in developing effective management strategies.

Dimensions of personality — recommended articles

Social cognitive theory — Model of emotional intelligence — Psychological drives — Marston model — Process of learning — Social Style — Shared mental models — Social identity theory — Sense of identity

References

• Eysenck, H. (2018). Dimensions of personality. Routledge.
• Ashton, M. C., & Lee, K. (2001). A theoretical basis for the major dimensions of personality. European journal of personality, 15(5), 327-353.