Small studies have found a link between certain personality traits and success at work. Now, a study of 5,000 British workers shows that some of the traits that are usually classified as abnormal actually predict employee performance in certain roles. Here, we look at the symptoms that can be leveraged to succeed.

CompulsivePerfectionism

Joan Limburg, author of a memoir about OCD, considers herself quite the perfectionist. She donated drafts of her poems to Cambridge University, where the librarians were delighted that she felt compelled to put each piece in its own transparent binder. When people with OCD indulge their urge to triple-check and organize, they can be invaluable in proofreading and other detail-oriented jobs.

Schizotypal Thinking

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder — who exhibit a combination of social withdrawal, bizarre beliefs, and cognitive distortions — see patterns that few others notice, says Scott Barry Kaufman, a cognitive psychologist at New York University. They often excel in the arts, and research by Adrian Furnham, the lead author of the recent study, suggests that their unconventional creativity may be a boon in areas like sales, too.

Narcissism

A CEO with high self-esteem will see himself not just as an individual but as the embodiment of the company he leads. Peter Harms, a professor of management at the University of Nebraska, points out that the desire to be better than others can motivate someone to learn and improve. Michael Maccoby, a leadership expert at the University of Oxford, notes that a true narcissist aims to produce work that goes beyond success to change the world.