Interpreting Persona Results




Persona assesses the personality traits of the five factor model of personality. The information on this page is intended to provide some general background about the meaning of scores on each of the five personality scales.
Persona scores are expressed in stens (standard ten) scores which reflect the normal distribution of each personality factor throughout the general population. The average scores for the general population are stens of 5 or 6 and these scores are achieved by approximately 38% of people. Stens of 4 or 7 are achieved by a further 30%, stens of 3 and 8 by 18 %, stens of 2 and 9 by 9% and stens of 1 and 10 by approximately 5%.
  Although scores are described as 'high' or 'low' there are no right or wrong score directions and these labels a used for purely descriptive purposes. The brief summary below gives some indication of what each factor is measuring.
  Extroversion
 

High scores (6 to 10) on this scale indicate that the individual is an extrovert. Typical behaviours include outgoingness, impulsivity, enthusiasm and expressiveness. Extroverts generally enjoy meeting and dealing with other people even if they don't know them very well. High scorers are generally happiest in an environment that offers variety and some variability in working routines and schedules. They are often quite competitive and find the opportunity to earn praise or kudos to be very stimulating.
  Low scores (1 to 5) indicate that a person is an introvert. Such individuals tend to be quiet, reserved, and cautious, with a disinclination to deal with large numbers of people. They tend to dislike having to compete directly with colleagues, much preferring to set their own challenges. Introverts value an element of predictability in their working environment and, whenever possible, they generally like to follow a project through from start to finish rather than dispersing their efforts on several projects at once.
  Emotional Stability
 

High scorers (6 to 10) on this scale are usually self-assured with faith in their own abilities and the capacity to make definite decisions relatively quickly. They find the challenges of problem solving to be enjoyable and often seek out new responsibilities and roles. They can generally cope fairly well with occupational pressure. Indeed, they often find limited amounts of stress to be motivating. Their confidence often translates into a dominant and controlling attitude that suits them for leadership roles.
  Low scorers (1 to 5) are quite anxious and often undervalue themselves and their work capabilities. When confronted by problems or difficulties to overcome they tend to be indecisive and vacillating. They are not particularly resistant to work related stress of any kind, and the presence of any pressure in the working environment can adversely affect their performance. As they lack confidence, they rarely have the strength of character to resist more domineering colleagues and tend to be acquiescent and even submissive.
  Conscientious
 

High scorers (6 to 10) on the Conscientious scale are generally structured and systematic people who value tidiness, reliability and clear rules governing working practices. They are usually quite well organised, with the ability to plan their own work activities or adhere to a clear plan of operation drawn up by their superiors. High scorers are normally concerned to ensure that their work is of the highest standards possible, and this tendency can result in inflexible perfectionism in some individuals. Indeed, most high scorers find untidiness or a perceived lack of self-discipline amongst work colleagues to be very irritating.
  Low scorers (1 to 5) are generally more casual in their approach to things and less concerned about rules and regulations of any kind. They are often disorganised and unstructured in their habits, and often do not bother to plan their working activities very well. They are frequently unconcerned about tidiness or standards, and overlook or avoid detailed or repetitive tasks such as paperwork or routine administration. They generally respond negatively to any attempt to impose a rigid system upon them, and take short-cuts in procedures when possible.
  Conformity
 

High scorers (6 to 10) are essentially conservative and traditionalistic in their outlook. They are not very open to radical or new ideas and have a great respect for what they see to be established and well tried methods and techniques. As might be expected, low scorers are typically suspicious of innovations and new ways of working, and will often resist what they see as unnecessary change. Manners and social etiquette are important to them and they set great store by personal conduct. In organisational terms they are usually happiest in a hierarchy where positions are clearly defined, with fairly definite and rigid lines of responsibility and authority.
  Low scorers (1 to 5) on this scale are generally open to experience and are liberal free-thinkers who value informality and creativity above convention and rules. They are open to innovatory ideas and usually like developing their own new ideas and improvements in working methods. They can sometimes be impractical and too concerned with general abstractions rather than with immediate working issues. They are not that concerned about social morés or orthodox rules of politeness and can consequently sometimes appear to be abrasive or rude. By the same token they do not automatically confer respect on superiors and frequently dislike rigid and formalistic organisational hierarchies.
 

Agreeableness
 

High scorers (6 to 10) on this scale are often described as being agreeable in the sense that they are very people-focused and sensitive to others' emotional needs. They prefer consensus in the workplace and try to seek common ground and agreement amongst their colleagues. As a result, they will often moderate their views to find a compromise and are generally not assertive enough to deal with very strong-willed or aggressive colleagues. They frequently rely upon their feelings and intuition to guide them so can often be illogical in their approach to things.
 
Individuals scoring low (1 to 5) on this scale are tough-minded and goal-orientated people who tend to place their personal objectives above all else. As a result, they tend to be more concerned to get the job done than to maintain friendly relations with all of their work colleagues, and this can mean that they are seen as uncaring and insensitive. They are often assertive, sometimes even aggressive, and can be very impatient of people who are slow or incompetent and tend to disregard most emotional considerations. They are very logical and objective in their views, preferring to concentrate on what they see as facts rather than feelings.
 
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