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Five Important Personality Traits of Top Performers

In today's challenging, dynamic environment, hiring managers and talent acquisition experts need to be able to assess the personalities, behaviors and abilities quickly and effectively, particularly if they want to identify and bring in top performers to remain competitive. For instance, when searching for the best sales professionals possible, accurate identification of who will bring in the most sales, integrate seamlessly with existing teams, and provide other benefits for the business depends on many factors.

These are not always obvious on a person's resume or during the initial interview process. To streamline the decision-making process about which applicant to hire, look for these performance-focused personality traits. An ELEV8 Personality Assessment can help identify these sought-after qualities. 

 

1 - Positive and Outgoing Attitude

General negativity and social avoidance will never lead to high levels of performance in either solitary pursuits or team-based projects. Top performers in any position must maintain a positive mindset, the ability to inspire the same in coworkers. This is especially important if the person interacts with third party contacts or consumers directly. Top performers also tend to be team players and looking for such personality traits is imperative. They have the power to elevate performance within a group with their attitude and desire for effective collaboration.

 

2 - Strong Focus on Goals and Professional Growth

Employees focused on company goals drive results and so hiring applicants with a strong focus on achieving those goals means higher productivity. People who can look beyond immediate issues and develop a great strategy focused on the end result are an asset to any workplace. A focus on professional growth increases the chance that they will pursue additional training, find a mentor, or expand their skill set in new directions.

 

3 - Work Ethic and Consistency of Effort

High-performance often requires going beyond the call of duty, and never slacking off on responsibilities. Top performers naturally develop a strong work ethic and will do what it takes to get the job done for the benefit of business. These personality traits align with reliability, trustworthiness, and accountability. Best of all, managers and project team leaders rarely have to spend their time on oversight since these workers consistently perform to the highest levels possible.

 

4 - Ability to Accept and Use Feedback Constructively

When an employee accepts criticism and knows how to use it to improve their performance, their value increases considerably. Constructive feedback encourages re-focused effort, a new mindset, or exploration of new ideas that may bring better results than established methods. Any employee who is eager to grow and learn and never gets defensive or stressed is an asset to the long-term operations of the company.

 

5 - Flexible and Adaptable Mindset

One employee may assist with a variety of projects, play different roles, and fill many needs as the company's focus on different projects shifts. You do not want to hire someone with an exceptionally narrow focus or skill set who cannot adapt to changing the conditions. When setbacks occur or new opportunities arise, those with a flexible and adaptable personality continue to provide high value. These personality traits determine levels of performance not only today but far into the future.

 

Conclusion

Recruiters read many cover letters and resumes and give many interviews before finding the right person for a position. It is not easy to spot the differentiators on paper or during an initial meeting. Instead, the right traits are more likely to be discovered during an ongoing selection process that requires a lot of effort. To help make an informed decision on who to hire and invest time, money and effort to develop and grow, using the ELEV8 Personality Assessment can help identify the most effective and high-performing individuals quickly and effectively.


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