The Role of Personality Traits in Quantity Surveyors’ Professional Success in South Africa

The Quantity Surveying (QS) profession operates within high-pressure environments that demand technical precision, ethical judgment, and effective stakeholder engagement. While technical competencies are well established in QS practice, limited empirical research has examined how personality traits influence professional success, particularly within the South African construction sector. This study explores the personality trait profiles of Quantity Surveyors in South Africa and examines practitioners’ perceptions of how these traits contribute to professional success, using the Big Five Personality Traits Model as the theoretical framework. A mixed-methods research design was adopted to capture both measurable trends and in-depth professional experiences. Quantitative data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to thirty practising Quantity Surveyors across candidate, intermediate, and senior professional levels. Qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with nine participants, allowing for deeper exploration of behavioural competencies, stress management, and career development. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyse survey responses, while thematic analysis was applied to interview data. Participants identified conscientiousness as the personality trait most strongly associated with professional success in QS practice, supporting accuracy, reliability, and accountability in QS practice. Emotional stability also emerged as critical for managing stress and maintaining performance under demanding project conditions. Extraversion and agreeableness were found to be moderately associated with successful practice according to participants, through enhanced communication, negotiation, and teamwork. Openness to experience ranked lowest overall, reflecting a preference for established methods, although adaptability and innovation were recognised as increasingly important in a digitalising construction industry. The findings suggest that practising Quantity Surveyors perceive personality traits, particularly conscientiousness, emotional stability, communication capability, and adaptability, as important c