Oscar Rodriguez: A Diamond Personality

Oscar Rodriguez moved from Puerto Rico to Gainesville, Florida in 1985. At this time he could barely speak English. Oscar entered a community college while working at a mall and after graduation a friend suggested he work for a jeweler. Although Oscar had no prior experience, he decided to give it a try. While there he earned his Diamonds and Diamond Grading certification, but was not satisfied in the current position he held. While educating himself through his current position and increasing his knowledge of diamonds, the quality of the same, and their pricing, Oscar decides to seek out other business ventures to further his career. In 1997 Rodriguez decided to open his own jewelry store but found that customers were able to purchase diamonds on the internet for less. This gave him the idea to delve into the diamond selling business online, but after some criticism that he would never succeed; Rodriguez gave up on the idea. Although he was discouraged, Rodriguez made the decision to pursue his dream. In 1993 Oscar’s company Abazias.com went public. Currently 38 years old, Rodriguez’ business is one of the most successful in the industry, and he states its worth at $350 million dollars. (Robbins, 2009). This paper will concentrate on the personality traits attributed to theories categorized below, and show the personality contributors to Oscar’s success.

Contributing Factors to Success

Oscar Rodriguez started off being determined. Coming to Florida without the ability to speak fluent English, then attending community college shows this. There is no way simply being in the right place at the right time had anything to do with this man’s success. The desire to succeed, coupled with sheer determination are the two main reasons for the end result of success.

Rodriguez and the Big Five

Trait theory describes five dimensions of personality that contribute to success. The theories are listed and defined as follows:

1. Extraversion – the act of directing one’s interest outward or to things outside the self.

2. Agreeableness – pleasantness resulting from agreeable conditions

3. Conscientiousness – Guided by or in accordance with the dictates of conscience; principled: a conscientious decision to speak out about injustice

4. Emotional Stability – the quality of being stable within ones emotions

5. Openness to Experience – active imagination, aesthetic sensitivity, attentiveness to inner feelings, preference for variety, and intellectual curiosity

(FD, 2011).

In light of Oscar’s