The OCEAN model of personality

Since the 1990s the OCEAN model of personality (sometimes described as the Big Five Model) has come to be seen as the best evidence-based description of individual’s personality. There are now many thousands of peer-reviewed articles on the application of the OCEAN model in areas from exercise to mindfulness, self-management and productivity to job performance. What is the OCEAN model?

Openness

The Openness trait – from low (focused) to high (open-minded)

• High scorers are likely to explore the new and different. These open-minded people may add some creative spark to the team or organisation.

• The open-minded may find it hard to keep interested in ongoing tasks or jobs that become routine.

• More focused people may find the ideas and suggestions of open-minded people curious or disconcerting.

• Focused people are more likely to be practical, conservative in behaviour and conventional in their outlook.

• The focused people are not unintelligent or authoritarian. They are more likely to make their contribution while following established practices and processes.

Conscientious

The Conscientious trait – from low (spontaneous) to high (conscientiousness)

• High scorers are future-oriented – and likely to use goals, plans and organisational flair to make progress.
• More spontaneous types are more likely to be opportunistic and responsive to environmental signals.
• Conscientious types are often valued for their capacity to focus on the plan and get things done.
• Under pressure, or if overused the tendency to conscientiousness could result in a ‘stick to the plan’ approach; this could be problematic in a context where the conventional wisdom is no longer appropriate.

Extraverted

The Extraverted trait – from low (independent) to high (extraverted)

• High scorers on the Extraversion factor enjoy people, are positive and tend to dominate.
• Less extraverted people are more reserved but not anti-social (though they might appear to be aloof).
• Less extraverted usually implies serious rather than unhappy, and independent rather than followers.
• Extraverts’ inclination to seek out opportunity together with their socially engaging style suits them to selling and persuading roles.
• Independents are a better fit to work that demands periods without the stimulation of social contact or other rewards.
• Under pressure extraverts can be distracted by social or tasty opportunities

Agreeable

The Agreeable trait – from low (competitive) to high (agreeable)

• Agreeables are more likely to cooperate, in contrast to competing.
• The empathy of high Agreeables suits them to caring professions and service-oriented jobs.
• Their helpfulness, if taken to the extreme could result in exploitation by more self-centred people.
• Those scoring at the competitive end of this dimension can be more tough-minded. This can be appropriate in many scientific and business roles.
• Similarly, combative roles such as court room litigation or politics are difficult for high Agreeables.

Nervous

The Nervous trait – from low (emotionally steady) to high (nervous)

• High scorers on this trait are more likely to experience negative emotions.
• Such nervous people are sensitive to threats and may learn to avoid such risks.
• They are more likely to be distracted by worrying thoughts.
• Taken to extreme, or under pressure highly nervous people may avoid challenging situations with potential limitations on their capability.
• Relaxed and emotionally steady people feel that they have less to worry about, but they may miss important risk signals and may be slow to learn important lessons.
• More nervous people are valuable contributors to accurate risk assessment.