Workplace mavericks: How personality and risk‐taking propensity predicts maverickism

Abstract

We examine the relationship between lateral preference, the Five-Factor Model of personality, risk-taking propensity, and maverickism. We take an original approach by narrowing our research focus to only functional aspects of maverickism. Results with 458 full-time workers identify lateral preference as a moderator of the neuroticism-maverickism relationship. Extraversion, openness to experience, and low agreeableness were also each found to predict maverickism. The propensity of individuals high in maverickism to take risks was also found to be unaffected by task feedback. Our results highlight the multifaceted nature of maverickism, identifying both personality and task conditions as determinants of this construct.

Personality and learning processes underlying maverickism

“…Gardiner and Jackson (2012) did not hypothesize or find any significant relationships between maverickism and the remaining FFM variables. In the current research we aim to test and build theory by offering and testing specific hypotheses linking maverickism to neuroticism and conscientiousness, respectively.…”

“…Work by Gardiner and Jackson (2012) report extraversion, openness to experience and low agreeableness as positively related to maverickism. Extraversion appears to provide the requisite positive affect and social skills required by individuals high in maverickism to persuade others to follow their way of thinking.…”

“…Individuals high in maverickism are disruptive and comfortable disagreeing with others. Thus it is hardly surprising that Gardiner and Jackson (2012) found that low (and not high) agreeableness predicted maverickism. Supported by research identifying mavericks as poor team players (Charlton, 2008), individuals high in maverickism are better characterized as competitive rather than altruistic.…”

“…Maverickism scale (Gardiner and Jackson, 2012) consisted of seven items. The scale measures the tendency of individuals to be successful performers as a result of taking risks, being eccentric and unorthodox.…”

Leading the Startup Corporation: The Pursuit of Breakthrough Innovation in Established Companies

“…Since high-performing individuals are not always necessarily the easiest people to get along with-let alone manage-hiring and retaining top talent can also be quite challenging. Individuals with a tendency to be innovative, independently minded, goal focused and risk taking often possess individualistic and less agreeable characteristics, causing them to be perceived and behave less like team players than an average employee (Gardiner and Jackson, 2011).…”