Experts generally agree that four traits are essential to predicting how a person will perform. Those traits are dominance, extroversion, pace (or patience), and conformity. If you understand which of those traits is most salient and how the other three factor in, you can identify the kinds of environments where a person will thrive. The logic works the other way too: If you can figure out which trait profile is right for a job and then hire people with that trait, you’ll avoid a lot of frustration.