Blog Author: Ben Ridgeway
A while ago, I read John Burn-Murdoch’s Financial Times article, “The troubling decline in conscientiousness.”.
It made me reflect more deeply on the word, and indeed the character make up, in today’s workplace.
Murdoch highlights a concerning trend: a decline in conscientiousness. Traits like dependability, discipline, and long-term thinking were once seen as cornerstones of professional success. Now they are increasingly overshadowed in our more flexible and digital world.
This shift presents a challenge and an opportunity: a chance to redefine the emphasis on character, proving it to be just as critical a capability as being digitally skilled.
Conscientiousness – A Workplace Superpower
At _nology, we talk a lot about professionalism with our consultants. Conscientiousness goes further. It’s about follow-through, reliability, and self-discipline when no one is watching. In today’s work culture these qualities can be harder to observe and easier to overlook.
Yet conscientiousness is the life skill that underpins long-term career (and life) success. It enables someone to tune out distractions, resist impulsive decisions, and stay focused on meaningful goals. In a world of constant pings and algorithmic nudges, this ability is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
Real-World Commitment
The FT article points to troubling shifts: rising neuroticism, a decline in what I call “positive extraversion” and a drop in agreeableness. These are changes that are reshaping how we work and interact.
The digital world, for all its benefits, can outcompete real-world commitment. It offers instant feedback, endless novelty, and a dopamine-rich environment that makes consistency feel mundane. Yet consistency is what builds trust – the stable currency of any successful career.
Whether you’re working in a team, managing clients, or building software others rely on, being dependable is what turns a good technologist into a great consultant.
Beyond Intelligence: What Really Drives Success
One of the most striking insights from Murdoch’s article is that traits like agreeableness and relationship durability are more strongly linked to professional success than intelligence or socio-economic background. That resonates with our experience here at _nology.
Over the past six years, I’ve seen this play out repeatedly. I’ve sometimes leaned towards consultants who show the strongest technical aptitude, understandably, as I’m always thinking about the client. I’ve learned that technical skill alone isn’t the full picture. Determination and conscientiousness are often the real indicators of long-term success.
If you’re technically capable and trustworthy, you’re the ideal consultant, for us and for our clients. The ones who thrive are those who build strong relationships, communicate clearly, and consistently deliver.
Training for Character, Not Just Capability
The training programmes here go beyond coding, cloud deployment, and automation. We focus on developing well-rounded professionals who value empathy, collaboration, and long-term thinking.
We encourage self-learning not just as a technical habit, but as a mindset. A conscientious person is more likely to keep growing, keep improving, and keep showing up, even when it’s hard.
We also design high-fidelity learning environments that promote focus, discipline, and follow-through. Our programmes teach habits as well as skills—helping consultants build routines that support deep work, sustainable growth, and real-world impact.
Trust: The Ultimate Outcome
Ultimately, conscientiousness and consistency boil down to one thing: trust. When clients work with _nology consultants, they’re not just hiring technical talent, they’re investing in people they can rely on. People who meet deadlines, communicate clearly, and stay committed to the task at hand.
Success isn’t just about what you know, it’s about how you show up.
As the FT article reminds us, what has been eroded can be rebuilt. At _nology, we believe that by combining digital skills with conscientious character traits, we can build the foundations of professional success – not just for our consultants, but for the organisations we serve
Looking to hire consultants who delivery with consistency and character? Partner with _nology to access talent you can trust.
Contact us today