Ruth Barratt, a clinical assistant professor of management at the W. P. Carey School of Business, is teaching a class for small business owners on forming and leading high performance teams.

Managers tend to focus on skills and knowledge when assembling teams, but management Professor Jeff LePine’s research suggests that personalities should be factored in as well.

Have you ever thought “Where was I?” when you returned to a task after someone had interrupted you? Task shifting — even pulling yourself away from the computer screen to answer a question — can impact productivity. For astronauts, it can increase risks.

What personality traits make for a better boss, assertiveness or humility? A team of researchers from ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business discovered that humble bosses perform best.