Peter O'Connor

Professor Peter O'Connor is a faculty member in the School of Management at QUT's Faculty of Business & Law, serving as Head of School. He holds a PhD from the University of Queensland (2008) and specializes in personality psychology, organizational behavior, and leadership development. His research bridges theoretical insights into personality, emotions, and cognition with applied outcomes like tolerance of ambiguity, leadership effectiveness, and social media impact.

Key research areas include: 1) Exploring how personality traits (e.g., extraversion) influence leadership emergence and workplace performance; 2) Analyzing ambiguity tolerance in project management and follower dynamics; and 3) Investigating rule-breaking behaviors in entrepreneurial contexts. His work has been published in journals like Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Personality, and Personality and Individual Differences.

Notable achievements include a QUT Vice-Chancellor's Award for Research Excellence (2017) and over $1M in competitive grants. He advises industry partners on emotional intelligence, leadership development, and ambiguity management. His research has garnered media attention from outlets like Scientific American and The Washington Post, reflecting its societal relevance.

Professor O'Connor combines experimental, longitudinal, and cross-sectional methodologies, emphasizing statistical rigor to address real-world organizational challenges. His current work focuses on reducing dichotomous thinking to foster intellectual humility and enhancing decision-making in ambiguous work environments.