Personalities in the Workplace — There’s a Quiz for That
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities” – Stephen Covey
Scroll through your Facebook news feed and notice how many friends post quiz results telling you the kind of dog they should get, where they should live, what superhero they should be, what Netflix series they should watch, where they should go on vacation, and their personality type, to name a few.
Social media quizzes make the rounds pretty regularly and personality results seem to get quite a bit of traction in the (my) newsfeed. Oftentimes, the results provide validation about aspects of our personality and may even offer some insight into other aspects of our personality that are not so apparent.
While social media quizzes are meant to be fun and entertaining, there are some assessments and measures that can help us understand ourselves and others from a more scientifically grounded perspective. This can be extremely helpful in navigating workplace interactions.
Here are 5 personality assessments that are widely used in the business world:
- Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. The multiple choice questionnaire asks about specific, everyday situations in order to assess your daily behavior, interests, and opinions. The score report outlines personality-based strengths and weaknesses, including problem-solving skills, stress coping, interpersonal and work styles, and overall professional effectiveness.
- Keirsey Temperament Sorter. The test consists of 70 self-report questions that offer two choices for each option. Test-takers select the option that best describes their own temperament or behaviors. Keirsey’s assessment categorizes personality by four key temperaments: Artisan, Guardian, Idealist, and Rational.
- Sokanu. In addition to career matching and compatibility, this assessment gives you insight into your personality and the values that truly matter to you.
- CliftonStrengthsFinder. This assessment helps identify the areas where you (or team if being used in that context) have the greatest potential for building strength. It measures recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior.
- Real Colors. This is a dynamic workshop experience using a personality type test to help people learn to recognize, accept and value the differences in others while improving understanding, empathy and communication. Real Colors workshops give you valuable insight into what is most important to others, why they may react to situations differently than others, and how you can best communicate with them.
Recognizing and understanding the personality types of yourself and those with whom you work can lead to better working relationships, increased productivity, and a more healthy professional environment. Would your team benefit from a more in-depth exploration of personalities in the workplace? CONTACT US – we have a variety of top-notch facilitators ready to help!
