The Role of Average Agreeableness Trait in Shaping Entrepreneurs

Agreeableness, one of the Big Five personality traits, plays a vital role in entrepreneurship, influencing leadership style, decision-making process, and overall team dynamics. Scientific literature indicates that people scoring low in agreeableness are likelier to become entrepreneurs. Agreeableness is characterized by warmth, empathy, and a positive attitude toward others. On the other side of the spectrum is antagonism — a trait characterized by the ability to stand one's ground, assertiveness, and a more confrontational or competitive nature.

While agreeable people are motivated to help others and improve the world, antagonistic entrepreneurs focus on personal gain and interests, making them effective in profit-oriented businesses.

But what about moderate agreeableness?

Having a middle-ground level of agreeableness can be advantageous for entrepreneurship. Finding the right balance between self-interest and helping others is critical to successfully navigating the complexities of the business world. So, entrepreneurs with moderate agreeableness often find themselves successful in various businesses.

In this article, we will look at how to maximize your potential in business if you have moderate agreeableness scores and navigate through various challenges you may face during your entrepreneurial career.

You may also want to read:

• How Does High Agreeableness Impact Entrepreneurial Style?
• How Does Low Agreeableness Impact Entrepreneurial Style?
• Best Jobs and Careers for Agreeableness Personality Traits
• Big 5 Agreeableness vs. Antagonism: How Do These Traits Impact Learning Styles?
• Agreeableness vs. Antagonism and Leadership Style: Strengths and Weaknesses
• Big 5 Agreeableness vs. Antagonism Relationship Styles

How Does High Agreeableness Score Impact Entrepreneurial Style?

Having a moderate score on agreeableness, as indicated by the Big 5 Personality Test, can have far-reaching implications for your entrepreneurial style. Agreeableness is associated with qualities such as cooperation, trustworthiness, and kindness — all highly sought after in an entrepreneur. Therefore, if you're moderately agreeable, your business approach will be collaborative, customer-centric, and team-oriented. Studies indicate that many entrepreneurs have low to moderate agreeableness scores, so you have a high chance of becoming an entrepreneur if you work hard enough.

Plus, you are likely to feel comfortable in conflict situations while you still prefer to avoid them. Instead of avoiding conflicts, as people with low agreeableness do, or initiating conflicts for personal gain, as people with high agreeableness do, you take a proactive stance. What does it mean? You anticipate potential problems and tackle them head-on, preventing disruption to business operations and maintaining a healthy working atmosphere.

Tips for Achieving Success as an Entrepreneur with High Agreeableness

Balance in agreeableness comes with several benefits you can use to succeed as an entrepreneur. Here are some tips and strategies to improve your productivity and efficiency as a moderately agreeable entrepreneur.

Find a balance between cooperation and assertiveness:

Finding a balance between being cooperative and assertive is key for moderately agreeable entrepreneurs. Being empathetic and prepared to stand your ground when necessary is important. Show that you're willing to work with others and build strong relationships, yet still have the courage to stand for your interests.

Balanced Risk Taking:

With an agreeable temperament, entrepreneurs may take calculated risks that fit their values and ensure the well-being of all those involved. They might be less eager to go for it when opportunities are high risk. However, they will still consider chances if properly balanced against potential rewards.

Leverage Your Adaptability:

Moderate agreeableness is a valuable trait for entrepreneurs, enabling them to be flexible in social situations. This attribute can prove invaluable when interacting with different individuals or groups, such as customers, employees, investors, and suppliers. You can easily support your employees and negotiate to have a better offer from suppliers.

Utilizing Emotional Intelligence in Negotiations:

When negotiating, your emotionally intelligent approach to understanding and responding to others' feelings can be extremely advantageous. Whether in talks with investors, partners, or suppliers, demonstrating your emotional intelligence allows you to build trust, develop, and gain insight into the other party's wants and worries, thus allowing for a win-win situation everyone will appreciate.

Build a Diverse Network:

Given your moderate agreeableness, you are well-suited to interacting with various personalities. Leverage this by creating a wide professional network — the more expansive it is, the greater your access to different opportunities and resources.

Moderate agreeableness can be an invaluable asset for entrepreneurs. Being aware of and strategically leveraging this trait can be a powerful tool as you traverse the difficulties of running your own business, enabling you to find success more easily along the way.

Cons of Having Moderate Agreeableness as an Entrepreneur

It's undeniable that being moderately agreeable has its advantages in the entrepreneurial arena. However, it is essential to consider possible drawbacks or difficulties connected with this trait. Here are a few potential cons for entrepreneurs who possess moderate agreeableness:

Slower Pace of Progress:

Entrepreneurs with moderate agreeableness may be more likely to pursue consensus before taking action. This approach can lead to better team harmony. However, it could also hinder quick decisions when time is of the essence.

Difficulty with Competitive Environments:

Navigating a highly competitive environment can be daunting. Striking the right balance between cooperation and competition is key to success. However, it can be difficult for individuals with average agreeableness to tap into their aggressive side when necessary.

Difficulty in Driving Hard Bargains:

Negotiating is a delicate art that requires collaboration and assertiveness in equal measure. Yet, achieving the right balance can be tricky when it comes to tough bargaining. The desire for mutual satisfaction may stop you from pushing hard enough at times, potentially resulting in less favorable outcomes for your business.

Potential Lower Financial Success:

It appears that entrepreneurs with low agreeableness tend to earn more. However, this doesn't have to be an obstacle on your path to success. It requires strategic thinking when making money-related decisions and recognizing your value in negotiations.

Limited Risk Taking:

Entrepreneurship often requires taking calculated risks. However, moderately agreeable people may tend to gravitate towards safety and predictability. In some scenarios, it may result in a loss of potential financial gains.

Entrepreneurship is an exciting yet challenging journey that requires resourcefulness and resilience. Those with moderate agreeableness must recognize the potential of their attributes — remember to delegate tasks to others if needed.

Famous Entrepreneurs with Moderate Agreeableness

Many entrepreneurs fall into the moderate agreeableness category. They know when to say “No” and when to spend additional effort to support their employees. Here are some of the brightest examples of entrepreneurs with moderate agreeableness:

Bill Gates:

As the co-founder of Microsoft, Gates has earned a reputation for his business-related talents and his generous philanthropic efforts. He appears to have achieved an admirable balance between being agreeable with others and making difficult decisions when necessary.

Elon Musk:

The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, renowned for his IQ, ambition, and determination, has made tremendous strides in tackling global issues such as renewable energy and space exploration. His knack for cultivating beneficial relationships while overseeing multiple ventures suggests he is likely to possess a healthy balance between assertiveness and agreeableness.

Reed Hastings:

As Netflix's co-founder and co-CEO, Hastings has revealed his knack for balancing between making difficult decisions (like dividing up DVD services from streaming services) and cultivating an inviting work environment.

Bob Iger:

The former CEO of Disney, Iger, has become renowned for his affable leadership style, emphasizing a positive working climate. Nonetheless, he has made several strategic transformations, such as the acquisitions of Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox — evidence that speaks to a combination of characteristics indicative of moderate agreeableness.

Brian Chesky:

As the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, Chesky has consistently promoted the value of fostering a cohesive community. Yet his firm decisions amid regulatory pressures and during this pandemic prove he has a moderate level of agreeableness.

Howard Schultz:

Howard Schultz, the ex-CEO of Starbucks, had a unique ability to balance fierce ambition with consideration for employee well-being and corporate social responsibility.

Kevin Systrom:

Systrom, co-founder of Instagram, embodied a user-focused approach as he steered the company through its acquisition by Facebook. He achieved a great balance between satisfying users and focusing on business needs, which suggests he is moderately agreeable.

As you can see, the abovementioned entrepreneurs faced quite challenging decisions and, at the same time, managed to establish a positive public image. This success could be partially due to a balance between agreeableness and antagonism.

Moderate Agreeableness Businesses and Industries

Entrepreneurs with moderate agreeableness can strive in almost every business due to their well-balanced traits. However, some industries might particularly benefit from talented entrepreneurs with moderate agreeableness. Here are a few examples:

Consulting:

Maintaining a harmonious blend of assertiveness and cooperativeness can be essential to success in the consulting world, where it's important to build strong relationships with clients while still delivering informed and strategic counsel.

Education and EdTech:

Having a successful educational institution or EdTech startup requires more than just the ability to make assertive decisions; it also necessitates connecting with students and parents on an empathetic level.

Media and Entertainment:

The ability to foster meaningful relationships and partnerships and the capacity to make savvy strategic decisions that steer content production and distribution are essential for success in this highly demanding yet rapidly evolving sector. Those who possess moderate agreeableness have an excellent chance of thriving here.

Research and Development (R&D):

Leading a Research and Development organization, particularly in the highly innovative field of technology, necessitates having a balance between working cooperatively with researchers from all backgrounds and displaying boldness when it comes to promoting novel ideas, securing funds for projects, and ensuring products launch successfully.

Automotive Industry:

Maintaining a healthy equilibrium between meaningful connections with suppliers, customers, and staff members while making the difficult decisions necessary to guide business strategy forward is paramount in the automotive industry.

E-Commerce:

As an e-commerce entrepreneur, it's important to balance being customer-centric and firm in decision-making. Especially when managing suppliers, dealing with customer complaints, or navigating competitive markets.

Financial Services:

Establishing trust and cultivating strong client relationships is essential when offering financial advice or services. To succeed, this requires firm decision-making and extensive knowledge of current financial markets and trends.

Remember that the ideal fit for a business venture depends on an individual's unique skills, interests, and prior knowledge. Therefore, when launching your enterprise, ensure it caters to what you enjoy and can do well.