Work motivation determines how hard one is willing to work in order to reach a desired goal. It measures the individual´s internal motivation, the inner drive to succeed and perform well. If a person is genuinely engaged in his or her work, that person will usually perform well.

Even if there are exceptions, this factor is an expression of the will or ambition to present results – regardless of what type of profession or the reward they receive. Generally, this is an important factor for predicting the performance of the individual or the group. One could say that this factor reflects the individual´s ”competitive instincts”.

Self-responsibility describes in which way people take responsibility for – and view – their successes and failures. Most of us regard success as being attributed to ourselves, while obstacles and failures are attributed to something one is more or less affected by; for example bad decisions from a boss or coworker, weak economy or the wrong business sector. 

Commonly one will consider that the consequences of one´s decisions and actions are outside of one´s own control. 

Contrarily, some people see that their own efforts can make a difference. These individuals consider that they can actually make an effect through their behavior and actions, even if events or situations are outside of their own control. They take responsibility, anyway, for trying or solving their problem. In English this factor is referred to as ”locus of control”.

Stress tolerance is about the individual´s ability to handle obstacles or failure. This factor describes how they themselves think they are able to handle obstacles, without being burdened by criticism or failure. This is an important factor for success in many professions. For example, it can be a deciding factor for success at the management level or among salesmen, who often meet opposition or objections.

Even a skilled salesman always gets more ”no´s” than ”yes´s” in sales. Similarly, executives are also forced to argue for their idea in various situations. At the same time, there is a risk that people with a much too high score on this factor will be considered insensitive. In certain cases they can even be considered as some sort of ”steamroller” among employees or relatives.

Emotionally stable people tend to be well-adjusted and generally function well in society. Conversely, people with different types of personal problems will also be more emotionally instable and often have difficulty adapting. Perhaps they´re depressed, nervous or anxious. These people often have a low scores on this factor. The correlation has been shown through several different research projects over the years.

People with a high score are emotionally stable. They are usually temperate, relaxed in social surroundings and don´t get easily upset or worried in social situations. This is obviously a factor for success in most professions, especially at the strategic level. The greater risk there is for insecurity and pressured situations at work, the more important it is to be emotionally stable.

Conscientiousness describes how focused the individual is on planning and reaching an established goal. It describes how conscientious, dutiful or diligent people perceive themselves in comparison with others.

In psychological research, in particular psychodynamic theory, it´s mostly about people with impulse control. Individuals with great self-control aren´t run by impulses. Instead they are planning, controlling, and well-organized, both in thought and in action. Sometimes the term is replaced with ”drive”, initiative, or power of action.