Get creative to get ahead? How personality contributes to creative performance and perceptions by supervisors at work

Abstract

What are creative employees like, aside from being high on Openness to Experience? Based on a sample of 170 full-time working professionals in the consulting industry, the present study investigated the Big Five personality predictors of both supervisory perceptions and performance ratings of creative individuals at work. Results suggested that those with higher Openness and Extraversion but lower Agreeableness, were more likely to be perceived as creative people by their supervisors. In terms of their actual creative performance on the job, employees with higher Openness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness, received better supervisory ratings. In highlighting the impact of other Big Five traits in addition to Openness, we interpreted the findings in terms of motives to get ahead or get along and further discussed the implications of the study results for personality and creativity research in the workplace.

Keywords

• Big five personality traits
• Creative impression
• Creative performance
• Creativity
• Work settings