Over the years I’ve heard this general question from time-to-time. I have also heard it specifically as it relates to comparisons of tools like Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) vs. TypeCoach® vs. Enneagram® vs. DISC® vs. fill in the blank of the many, many assessments.
I know the question is really rooted in a few areas of hesitation. Firstly, people are super busy and they want to make sure it’s going to be worth exchanging their time for the results. Secondly, there’s so many tools available and the hesitation is in picking the “right one.” And thirdly, people may hesitate because they think an assessment will put them in a box. A mentor of mine used to say “it’s a lens not label” and that is the way I always approach the use of the tools. I’m sure there are other reasons for hesitation, but these are the big 3 that I’ve heard from individuals in my long career in HR, training, and coaching.
Ultimately – I have a short answer and a long answer. The short answer is … YES they are still relevant! Any time you can increase your self awareness you are going to gain value and points of understanding that can lead to a pivoting of behavior.
And a long answer is … YES and there are so many nuances to the use of personality assessments. Here’s 6 things to consider and how I think about them:
- KNOW WHAT IS BEING MEASURED. I begin with the premise that there is value in each and every assessment. There is a range of aspects they are assessing for and understanding what each tool measures and what information it provides will help guide your decision to go / no go with it.
- FREE DOESN’T MAKE IT BETTER. I know, I myself prefer a bargain. However, when it comes to information and assessments I don’t believe that free is always the way to go. if you are just wanting to have some fun and giggles on your social media feed – free is fine. Those results are not going to be validated and verified so you can take them with a grain of salt. You would have to do some real research to know if the creators used any level of science, statistics, validation at all. My experience – I haven’t really found a free one that is a strong contender for a true and accurate picture. Basically it’s for entertainment purposes.
- KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR. Paid assessments are often provided by a company, coach, consultant, teacher, medical professional, or career related professional. There are still many varieties so digging in and asking questions will help you know exactly what the tool is assessing and you can usually request validation data and information. These tools are used for professional purposes and typically will be very accurate, based on how you answer the questions.
- MINDSET MATTERS. It’s important to know what mindset you should be in when you answer the questions. Check with the person providing the assessment to see if the tool is best taken based on your work style, your career aspirations, or your natural in-born preferences, etc. Any assessment is only as good as the quality of the answers provided by the taker. You shouldn’t try to skew the answers based on what you think your boss wants to see. It wont’ be accurate and therefore it won’t be very useful either.
- VERIFY THE RESULTS. Before you take action or make decisions based on them you’ll want to make sure the results make sense for you. If you are utilizing a paid assessment you should expect to be able to discuss the results with the person providing it. They will either be qualified, certified, or have access to materials to be help you verify that you have indeed landed on the “best fit type” for you.
- YOU HAVE A CHOICE. When you get your results, you have a choice to utilize that information to dig deeper into the insights they provide. You can choose – not to change who you are (you really can’t change your fundamental personality) but rather to adjust your style, your communication, your behaviors … or not. You are always at choice. In my experience, most people are inspired to make some level of shifts or adjustments. Look for how it can invite conversations and connections that have the opportunity to deepen and sometimes even heal relationships or conflicts.
If you are interested in learning more I can help! Utilizing these assessments to coach and assist people is a huge passion of mine. I have seen major transformations in people, communications, relationships, and teams by utilizing personality type assessments in meaningful and masterful ways. Personally, as a master trainer of Jungian Personality Type I offer the TypeCoach® assessment and suite of resources as my tool of choice. Using it allows you to learn the fundamental ways that your brain is wired on the vectors of – Energy, Information, Decision Making, and Structure. Those areas are so fundamental and can lead you to knowledge and insights in terms of how you experience stress, innovation, leadership, motivation, effective communication, conflict management, and so much more! Feel free to reach out to learn more on my website through the contact me page: www.mightyinspiration.com
Know thyself … and be blessed!
