C016

Task Completion Tendency

B02 Self-regulation & Execution
Core LayerMML-3

Version v1.3.2

Definition

A baseline disposition to bring initiated tasks to closed outcomes (submitted, finished, packaged, delivered) when external obstacles are not the limiting factor (i.e., fewer “almost done forever” projects).

Poles

Each HES element is a spectrum, not a category: the Low and High poles describe how it presents at its two extremes, while the Reference marks the typical, everyday middle. The poles map variation across the range — neither end is inherently better or worse.

Low Pole

Abandonment tendency: many open loops. Started tasks often stall and remain incomplete. Mid-project fatigue and distraction lead to repeated drop-offs.

High Pole

High closure rate. The person reliably finishes: completes, checks, submits, and closes tasks administratively.

Reference

Finishes important or externally structured tasks, while low-structure projects are more likely to hang.

Measure

Completion rate—the proportion of initiated tasks that reach a predefined “done” criterion within a specified time window and task class.

Measuring Methods

• Track “started → done” in a task system with a stable definition of “done.”
• Experimental short-task series: proportion finished under controlled difficulty.
• Separate “could not finish” from “chose to drop.”

Empirical Anchor

Need for completion / Zeigarnik effect (Zeigarnik, 1927); task persistence (Feather, 1962); conscientiousness-facet: achievement striving.

Notes

• Risks at MAX: finishing at all costs, reduced flexibility in reprioritization.
• Risks at MIN: accumulation of open loops, reduced trust from others, internal tension from “tails.”
• Differs from C011Effort Sustainment (endurance in process vs. closure tendency).
• Differs from C010Cognitive Flexibility (flexibility vs. closure).

Citation

APA

Human Elements System. (2026). Task Completion Tendency (HES Passport C016, v1.3.2). hestable.com. https://hestable.com/passport/C016

BibTeX

@misc{hes_C016, author = {{Human Elements System}}, title = {{Task Completion Tendency}}, year = {2026}, note = {HES Passport C016, v1.3.2}, howpublished = {\url{https://hestable.com/passport/C016}} }