Personality Assessment Instruments

Your personality is your most valuable professional asset - and your biggest potential liability. The difference? Understanding how to leverage it effectively. Many professionals struggle to understand their strengths and weaknesses, leading to missed opportunities and stalled careers. You've probably tried self-reflection or asked for feedback, but these methods often fall short. That's where personality assessments come in. But not all assessments are created equal. ---Class A Assessments--- ▪ Used for psychiatric or mental health evaluations ▪ Highly validated and reliable for clinical use ▪ Example: MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) ---Class B Assessments--- ▪ Trait-based assessments used in professional settings ▪ Validated for use in hiring, development, and team building ▪ Examples: Hogan Assessment, Birkman Method, Winslow Profile ---Class C Assessments--- ▪ Personal development focused ▪ Used for self-awareness and team dynamics ▪ Examples: MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), DiSC, EQ assessments Many assessments are built on the foundation of the Big Five personality factors, also known as OCEAN: 🔸Openness to experience 🔸Conscientiousness 🔸Extraversion 🔸Agreeableness 🔸Neuroticism (or emotional stability) These five factors are considered the fundamental building blocks of personality. Understanding where you fall on each of these dimensions can provide powerful insights into your behavior, preferences, and potential career fit. Over 20 years ago, I took the Hogan Assessment. It was like someone handed me a user manual for my own brain. I discovered strengths I hadn't recognized and blind spots that were holding me back. I didn't just file it away. I reviewed it annually, using it as a roadmap for my personal and professional growth. Each year, I'd focus on leveraging a strength or addressing a weakness. The result? A more intentional and successful career path. You might be thinking, "So what?" ----Here's how you can apply this---- 1. Choose the right assessment for your needs (Highly recommend Class B) 2. Take it with an open mind 3. Review the results with a certified interpreter 4. Create an action plan based on your insights 5. Revisit and revise annually It's not about changing who you are. It's about understanding yourself better so you can make informed decisions about your career and relationships. Here's a question to ponder: If you had a clear map of your personality traits and tendencies, what would you do differently in your career? Share your thoughts below. And if you've had experiences with personality assessments, I'd love to hear about them!  

I recommended this FREE tool for years to my MBA students at the Stanford Business School given how useful I found it and how consistently students confirmed it had also been helpful to them. When current executive clients feel “stuck” I often recommend it to gather data that might point to paths that can help them get “unstuck” – since feeling stuck is often a function of incongruence between what we value and where we are spending our time and energy. I decided to take the survey again, before posting about it since it has been over a decade since I first took it. The results remain wonderfully (and not surprisingly) consistent. My top signature strengths are 1) love/humanity 2) perspective/wisdom 3) social intelligence/humanity, 4) leadership/justice, and 5) honesty/courage. This clarifies why it so important to me to have close relations with others in which sharing and caring are reciprocated, why I am so happy when providing counsel and have ways of looking at the world that make sense to both me and others, love the part of my job that depends heavily on understanding what makes people tick, love leading (and teaching about leadership) and so value speaking the truth. The VIA Character Personality Assessment is a scientific instrument measuring our strengths, and it’s widely used in academic, corporate, and other settings (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). VIA stands for Values in Action. It is free and takes roughly 20 minutes to complete. Check it out and LMK what you learned! https://lnkd.in/gWi2Zt6b

So many assessments! Don't they accomplish the same goals? Assessments are widely used in professional development, but not all assessments serve the same purpose. Some introduce self-awareness, others help leaders apply insights to behavior, and a select few drive deep transformation. We’ve mapped key psychometric tools against Erikson’s Identity-Connection-Contribution model and Bloom’s/Kegan’s developmental frameworks to provide a clearer understanding of how different assessments align with leadership growth. Having personally taken most of the popular assessments, I understand their strengths, limitations, and how they can be best applied to leadership and team development. 📊 Key Insights from the Graphic: Early-Stage Awareness Tools (16Personalities, Indigo, MBTI, DISC) Help individuals understand leadership tendencies but often focus on categorization rather than deep development. They are primarily useful for exploration, self-labeling, and foundational leadership awareness. Developmental Growth Tools (CliftonStrengths, EQ-i 2.0) Move beyond awareness into applied leadership development, measuring strengths, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills. EQ-i 2.0 is scientifically validated to measure emotional intelligence competencies that can be developed over time. Advanced Transformational Tools (MSCEIT 2.0, EQ-i 2.0 at deeper application levels) Assess higher-order leadership competencies, including decision-making, emotional intelligence ability, and strategic leadership agility. MSCEIT 2.0 is ability-based. It measures how well leaders actually process emotions in real-world situations rather than their self-perception. Why Does This Matter for Leader Development? We should know the purpose of each assessment. Some provide insights, others drive action, and a few catalyze transformation. Assessments are not the final step. They might even be the beginning step. Leadership growth happens through reflection, coaching, and continuous development (Mezirow, 1991). Which assessments have had the biggest impact on your leadership journey? Educators and coaches, what do you think? Let’s discuss in the comments! #Leadership, #Innovation, #Management Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS), International Coaching Federation, SHRM 👇

Measuring Success: How Competency-Based Assessments Can Accelerate Your Leadership If it’s you who feels stuck in your career despite putting in the effort. To help you gain measurable progress, one can use competency-based assessments to track skills development over time. 💢Why Competency-Based Assessments Matter: They provide measurable insights into where you stand, which areas you need improvement, and how to create a focused growth plan. This clarity can break through #career stagnation and ensure continuous development. 💡 Key Action Points: ⚜️Take Competency-Based Assessments: Track your skills and performance against defined standards. ⚜️Review Metrics Regularly: Ensure you’re making continuous progress in key areas. ⚜️Act on Feedback: Focus on areas that need development and take actionable steps for growth. 💢Recommended Assessments for Leadership Growth: For leaders looking to transition from Team Leader (TL) to Assistant Manager (AM) roles, here are some assessments that can help: 💥Hogan Leadership Assessment – Measures leadership potential, strengths, and areas for development. 💥Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0) – Evaluates emotional intelligence, crucial for leadership and collaboration. 💥DISC Personality Assessment – Focuses on behavior and communication styles, helping leaders understand team dynamics and improve collaboration. 💥Gallup CliftonStrengths – Identifies your top strengths and how to leverage them for leadership growth. 💥360-Degree Feedback Assessment – A holistic approach that gathers feedback from peers, managers, and subordinates to give you a well-rounded view of your leadership abilities. By using these tools, leaders can see where they excel and where they need development, providing a clear path toward promotion and career growth. Start tracking your progress with these competency-based assessments and unlock your full potential. #CompetencyAssessment #LeadershipGrowth #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipSkills