Agreeable team members wanted: personality configurations of high-performing individuals in global virtual teams

Abstract

Purpose Although much research has been done on the Big Five personality traits that underpin individual performance in teams, knowledge of the interdependencies of traits for individual performance is rather limited and especially so in the new ordinary workplace represented by global virtual teams (GVTs). The purpose of the study is to explore how personality traits combine in configurations that lead to high individual performance in GVTs. Design/methodology/approach Based on the configurational perspective, we use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis on a sample of 697 students nested within 171 GVTs to examine the influence of the personality traits on peer-rated individual performance. Findings Three distinct configurations of traits, each including agreeableness, account for high levels of individual performance in GVTs. Agreeableness, which is found to be a necessary condition, emerges as a favorable trait in GVTs and is associated with high individual performance across three different combinations with other personality traits. Originality/value This study offers a deeper understanding of the interplay between personality traits and their causal conditions for high individual performance in GVTs, thereby enriching the literature. It contributes to the growing body of literature on virtual team dynamics, providing insights that can help organizations optimize team composition and performance in the increasingly digital workplace.