Agreeableness Quote by Malcolm Gladwell
““innovators need to be disagreeable. By disagreeable, I don’t mean obnoxious or unpleasant. I mean that on that fifth dimension of the Big Five personality inventory, “agreeableness,” they tend to be on the far end of the continuum. They are people willing to take social risks—to do things that others might disapprove of.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell, 2008
Innovators often score low on agreeableness, embracing social risk and challenging norms to drive change.
In simple terms: Innovators are often disagreeable, taking social risks.
Key Takeaway
Embrace constructive dissent.
Themes
creativity
risk
innovation
Mood
challenging
energetic
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Startup leadership
- product design
- team brainstorming
- cultural change
Key Concepts
Personality
social risk
Big Five
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance dissent with teamwork?
- When does disagreement become counterproductive?
A Different Perspective
Being too disagreeable can alienate collaborators.
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