The Originality Factor (O)

Originality refers to the degree to which we are open to new experiences/new ways of doing things. Highly original people tend to have a variety of interests and like cutting edge technology as well as strategic ideas. Those who are low in originality tend to possess expert knowledge about a job, topic, or subject while possessing a down-to-earth, here-and-now view of the present.

Howard and Howard (2001) identify four main facets of originality, which are described in Table 3.

Levels of Originality

On the one hand, the Explorer has broader interests, has a fascination with novelty and innovation, would generally be perceived as liberal, and reports more introspection and reflection. Explorers are not unprincipled, but they tend to be open to considering new approaches. The explorer profile forms the basis for such important social roles as entrepreneurs, architects, change agents, artists, and theoretical scientists (social and physical).

Table 3. Four Facets of Originality (Howard & Howard, 2001a) with Anchors for the Two Extremes of the Continuum

On the other hand, the Preserver has narrower interests, is perceived as more conventional, and is more comfortable with the familiar. Preservers are perceived as more conservative, but not necessarily as more authoritarian. The preserver profile is the basis for such important social roles as financial managers, performers, project managers, and applied scientists.

In the middle of the continuum lies the Moderate. The moderate can explore the novel with interest when necessary, but too much would be tiresome; on the other hand, the moderate can focus on the familiar for extended periods of time, but eventually would develop a hunger for novelty.

This trait is not really about intelligence, as explorers and preservers both score well on traditional measures of intelligence, but it is about creativity.

The Accommodation Factor (A)

Accommodation refers to the degree to which we defer to others. High accommodation describes a person who tends to relate to others by being tolerant, agreeable and accepting of others. Low accommodation describes one who tends to relate to others by being expressive, tough, guarded, persistent, competitive or aggressive. Low accommodating people may not accept information without checking and may come across to others as hostile, rude, self-centered, and not a team player.

In defining the components of accommodation, Howard and Howard list five facets, which are presented in Table 4.

Table 4. Five Facets of Accommodation (Howard & Howard, 2001a) with Anchors for the Two Extremes of the Continuum

Levels of Accommodation

At the one end of the continuum, the Adapter is prone to subordinate personal needs to those of the group, to accept the group's norms rather than insisting on his or her personal norms. Harmony is more important to the Adapter than, for example, broadcasting one's personal notion of truth. Galileo, in recanting his Copernican views before the Roman Inquisition, behaved like an adapter (or, like a challenger with some common sense!). The adapter profile is the core of such important social roles as teaching, social work, and psychology.

At the other end of the continuum, the Challenger is more focused on his or her personal norms and needs rather than on those of the group. The challenger is more concerned with acquiring and exercising power. Challengers follow the beat of their own drum, rather than getting in step with the group. The challenger profile is the foundation of such important social roles as advertising, managing, and military leadership.

In the middle of the continuum is the Negotiator, who is able to move from leadership to followership as the situation demands. Karen Horney described the two extremes of this trait as "moving toward people" (adapter) and "moving against people" (challenger). The former, known as tender-minded, in the extreme become dependent personalities who have lost their sense of self. The latter, known as tough-minded, in the extreme become narcissistic, antisocial, authoritarian, or paranoid personalities who have lost their sense of fellow-feeling. In one sense, this trait is about the dependence (or altruism) of the adapter, the independence (or egocentrism) of the challenger, and the interdependence (or situationalism) of the negotiator.

The Consolidation Factor (C)

Consolidation refers to the degree to which we push toward goals at work. High consolidation refers to a person who tends to work towards goals in an industrious, disciplined, and dependable fashion. Low consolidation refers to one who tends to approach goals in a relaxed, spontaneous, and open-ended fashion. Low consolidation people are usually capable of multi-tasking and being involved in many projects and goals at the same time.

Table 5 lists the five facets which Howard and Howard associate to form the consolidation factor.

Levels of Consolidation

On the one hand, the Focused profile exhibits high self-control resulting in consistent focus on personal and occupational goals. In its normal state, the focused person is characterized by academic and career achievement, but when focusedness turns extreme, it results in workaholism. The focused person is difficult to distract. Such a profile is the basis for such important social roles as leaders, executives, and, in general, high achievers.

On the other hand, the Flexible person is more easily distracted, is less focused on goals, is more hedonistic, and is generally more lax with respect to goals. The flexible is easily seduced from the task at hand by a passing idea, activity, or person; i.e., they have weak control over their impulses. Flexibles do not necessarily work less than focused people, but less of their total work effort is goal-directed. Flexibility facilitates creativity, inasmuch as it remains open to possibilities longer without feeling driven to closure and moving on. This profile is the core of such important social roles as researchers, detectives, and consultants.

Table 5. Five Facets of Consolidation (Howard and Howard, 2001a) with Anchors for the Two Extremes of the Continuum

Towards the middle of this continuum is the Balanced person, who finds it easier to move from focus to laxity, from production to research. A balanced profile would make an ideal manager for either a group of flexibles or a group of focuseds, providing just enough of the opposite quality to keep flexibles reasonably on target without alienating them, and to help focused people relax periodically to enjoy life a little.