For Couples, Success at Work is Affected by Partner’s Personality

Scientific American:

What does it take to get ahead at the office?  It’s well-known that personality influences professional prowess, as high earners tend to be extraverted, ambitious, conscientiousand self-confident.  Whether you measure success in wages or personal satisfaction, superstars in the workplace tend to be energetic and proactive, with a high need for achievement.

A surprising new study suggests that personality plays an even bigger role in workplace outcomes than previously thought — but in an unexpected way.  Brittany Solomon and Joshua Jackson from Washington University found that while our own personalities influence our job performance, our spouses’ personalities are also associated with professional success.

Many people search for romantic partners who are sexually attractive or who have an agreeable personality, but the data from Solomon and Jackson suggest we should search for something more in our mates, whose influence may linger with us in our work day and have long-term effects on our job performance.

Read the whole story: Scientific American