The personality trait most linked to career success is Ambition. Despite this, academic psychology has largely ignored and stigmatized ambition. This talk does three things. First, it defines Ambition and highlights the consequences of ignoring it. Second, the talk describes how factor models of personality, such as the Big 5 and HEXACO models, fail to account for Ambition. Third, the talk describes the reputational and work performance correlates of Ambition, showing clear differentiation from Extraversion and Conscientiousness. The talk concludes with the practical consequences of continued ignorance of Ambition and recommendations for practitioners.
