Personality profiling is increasingly being used within the workplace, both as a personal development tool and to enhance existing working relationships.
By understanding personality traits and communication styles, both individuals and teams are able to build better connections, find roles that align with their strengths and identify areas for development.
For firms considering adopting this type of testing within their business toolkit, here are some key things to consider.
Be clear on the purpose
The idea that there are a limited number of fundamental personality types goes as far back as Ancient Greece and Hippocrates’ four temperament categories. This in turn influenced Carl Jung’s personality archetypes and these early theories can be seen in the root of many of the current profiling models, including DISC and the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator.
Personality profiling isn’t about labelling people or putting them in a box however. We are all a unique blend of different traits and it’s about creating self-awareness of this, so people can adapt and stretch to aid their development and improve workplace interactions.
Plan to add value
There are now a wealth of personality profiling and assessment tools out there, which can be a little overwhelming for firms at the outset. To select the right tool, businesses need to be clear about what they will be using it for, as they are not all designed for the same purpose. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator® test for example is not suitable nor intended to be used as a pre-employment personality test whereas there are other tests that are specifically designed for this.
It’s also important to be aware that it’s not the assessment in itself that adds the real value, but how an organisation interprets and utilises the results. Whilst time should be taken to select a suitable tool therefore, it’s equally if not more important that businesses have a robust plan in place for decoding the results and mapping out how the data will be used.
Building better teams
Personality profiling tends to be most beneficial when adopted by whole teams or organisations, so that everyone is speaking the same language.
Mapping personality profiles across departmental or project teams allows businesses to identify both strengths and where there may be gaps. In order to create high-performing teams, businesses need a blend of behavioural styles, as strengths can be weaknesses without their counterbalance. Big-picture thinkers for example are complemented by the detail-orientated and awareness of requiring this balance helps businesses to build high performance teams and a more robust leadership pipeline. Identified gaps can then feed into succession or recruitment plans.
Results can also be used to facilitate solutions to issues with individuals or within teams in relation to areas such as conflict management, collaboration and problem solving. In relation to disputes and conflicts for example, the ability to promote self-awareness and understand how different personality types interact can really help unpick the root cause of conflicts and inform strategies for effective mediation.
Personal development
Profiling results can also feed into individual professional development plans as well as management and leadership training. Being aware of someone’s strengths, weaknesses, motivators and stressors allow plans to be more tailored and effective.
For example, by increasing awareness of specific traits or behavioural patterns, personality profiling can help to determine where employees need to focus on self-development and what types of training or upskilling they would most benefit from. Assessments can also be valuable for offering effective leadership training for current people managers and in identifying leadership potential in aspiring employees.
In summary, personality profiling offers numerous benefits if approached in a structured manner. Like most workplace tools however, the value is not within the tool itself but how the results are interpreted and utilised in line with broader business goals.
Supporting Leaders
Following on from our last article which outlined our Helping Empower Leaders Program, Progeny HR can support your business in taking this a step further by using DiSC, a behavioural assessment tool that helps groups and individuals understand their own styles and preferences to improve communication and collaboration.
Using DiSC profiling to underpin all people processes, maximising successful interactions in the workplace and enhancing understanding of people in general. In completing individual and team DiSC profiles we will support leaders to better understand each other and their strengths and limitations as a group to better make decisions and drive business forwards in a positive and impactful way.
If you want to discuss your business with our team of HR professionals, whether it’s to develop your leadership teams or review your policies in preparation for change, we are here to help you. Contact our team today.
