Personality tests are everywhere, and they've found a place in the business world too. They help us understand our strengths and traits, making communication easier and teamwork more effective.

Businesses use psychometric assessments, like personality and ability tests, to get a clear picture of candidates. They provide objective insights that go beyond resumes and interviews, even if they seem costly and time-consuming.

For employers, these tests are not just for hiring. They help improve team dynamics and collaboration. But before we delve into these tests, this is the Next Level Academy, founded to help entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors succeed financially. We're on a mission to eradicate poverty from this world completely. If you like what we do, join our community.

‍

Benefits of Workplace Personality Tests

1. Self-awareness

Workplace personality tests help you understand your strengths and preferences, which can greatly impact your career. For example, if you're part of a project team, a personality test might reveal that you're good at strategic thinking and problem-solving. This knowledge can help you contribute more effectively and become a valuable team member.

Self-awareness also improves how you work with others. For example, if you discover that you communicate directly while a team member prefers a more diplomatic approach, you can adjust your communication style for clarity and empathy. This boosts collaboration and strengthens relationships.

Self-awareness is an ongoing journey. If the test shows you tend to focus too much on details, you can work on finding a balance between being thorough and making decisions more efficiently. By using self-awareness and the insights from these tests, you can boost your personal and professional success. It's like having a valuable tool for confidently navigating your career.

‍

2. Innovation and Creativity

Workplace personality tests are great for boosting innovation and creativity in teams. They help leaders understand what each team member is good at, which encourages new ideas and smart solutions. These tests also show how people solve problems. Some are analytical and great with data, while others bring fresh and unconventional ideas. By combining these different ways of thinking, teams can find better solutions.

Furthermore, these tests reveal how people deal with risks. Some are more willing to take risks and embrace change, while others are cautious. Knowing this, leaders can create teams with a mix of risk-takers and careful thinkers, striking a balance between new ideas and stability.

By using workplace personality tests, you can unlock your team's creative potential. Use the insights from these tests to put people in roles that match their strengths. Creating a culture that welcomes diverse ideas and smart risks will nurture an innovative team that achieves impressive results.

‍

3. Team Potential

Workplace personality tests play a crucial role in helping organizations move forward. Consider a scenario where you are part of a research and development team. Through these tests, you identify Lisa, who consistently generates fresh ideas, and David, who excels in handling details. By recognizing and leveraging their unique strengths, the team benefits from creative ideas and precise analysis, ultimately leading to significant breakthroughs.

When teams are thoughtfully composed to include individuals with complementary personalities, the potential for success is substantial. These tests provide insights that enable organizations to foster an environment where a variety of talents can thrive, and innovation can flourish. Collaboration becomes a key aspect, with team members understanding and appreciating each other's distinctive contributions. This fosters trust, respect, and mutual support, enabling teams to tackle challenges, adapt to change, and achieve outstanding results.

‍

Common Business Personality Tests

Workplace personality assessments vary in how they analyze your traits. Let's explore the top five common tools:

1. LO Personality Test

The LO Personality Test is unique in its focus on financial behaviors, specifically aimed at investors and entrepreneurs. This robust tool employs a series of carefully curated questions that gauge your financial decisions, lifestyle choices, and personal values to determine your investor/entrepreneur archetype. 

The test identifies one of eight distinct personalities—Hero, Magician, Rebel, Creator, Synergist, Oracle, Protector, and Ruler—each offering unique perspectives on risk management and investment strategies. 

What sets this test apart from other personality assessments is its specialized approach. Instead of merely focusing on psychological traits or team dynamics, it also takes into account how your personality affects your financial choices. This makes it an excellent resource not just for seasoned investors, but also for anyone planning to venture into the world of investing. 

Whether you're a stock market enthusiast or looking to diversify your investment portfolio, understanding your investor personality can provide actionable insights for smarter financial decisions.

‍

2. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

The MBTI test helps you understand your unique personality traits by categorizing you based on four key preferences. These preferences relate to how you interact with the world, make decisions, and communicate. You get your four-letter type based on your responses to a set of statements.

The MBTI test sheds light on how you perceive the world, make decisions, and communicate. This knowledge is valuable for personal growth, career planning, team interactions, and building better relationships.

‍

3. The Big Five

The Big Five, also known as the Five Factor Model (FFM), is a widely used personality model in psychology. There's an official test called NEO-PI-R, but open-source versions like The Big Five Test are also popular and often free.

‍

These tests measure five dimensions known as OCEAN:

‍

• Openness to experience: It's about curiosity, imagination, and creativity.

• Conscientiousness: This relates to diligence, reliability, and self-discipline.

• Extraversion: It's about sociability, energy, and talkativeness.

• Agreeableness: This reflects warmth, empathy, and cooperation.

• Neuroticism: It deals with anxiety, moodiness, and negative emotions.

‍

While The Big Five is a general personality model, it can provide insights into workplace performance. For example, agreeableness can enhance teamwork, and extraversion can boost job performance in fields like teaching.

‍

If you're hiring for a high-risk role, note that extraversion and neuroticism are linked to slightly higher levels of risky behaviors.

‍

4. DiSC Assessment

The DISC test is a tool that helps you understand your behavior. It's like a compass with four points: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. 

This test is usually done through a questionnaire where you answer statements, indicating your level of agreement. Based on your responses, you get a combination of these four dimensions, revealing your unique behavioral profile.

The DISC test helps you understand how you handle tasks, interact with others, make decisions, and deal with challenges. This knowledge can enhance communication, teamwork, leadership, and personal growth at work. Understanding your behavior lets you adjust your communication style, use your strengths, and work better with others.

The assessment has questions that reveal your strengths, limitations, and workplace preferences. Self-awareness has many benefits, like better self-control, creativity, and improved relationships.

‍

5. The Enneagram

The Enneagram of Personality categorizes people into nine types based on a test. It helps you understand your inner world and how you think, feel, and act. This knowledge can improve self-awareness, communication, and your approach to challenges, especially in the workplace.

‍

Here are the nine types:

‍

• The Reformer: Focused on ethics and justice.
• The Helper: Caring and self-sacrificing.
• The Achiever: Competitive and successful.

• The Individualist: Artistic and sensitive.
• The Investigator: Analytical and innovative.
• The Loyalist: Anxious and security-oriented.
• The Enthusiast: Talented and optimistic.
• The Challenger: Strong-willed and assertive.
• The Peacemaker: Humble and harmony-seeking.

‍

The test also reveals your secondary traits, called your "wing."

Are Business Personality Tests Accurate?

Business personality tests can be somewhat accurate, but they're not entirely reliable for making crucial decisions. People's personalities change over time, and work environments can shape personalities, not just the other way around.

Most of these tests rely on self-reporting, meaning you describe your own traits. This might not match how others perceive you, and some people can manipulate the results to get the outcome they desire. For instance, someone taking the MBTI test might answer to look like a great leader if they want a promotion, rather than being true to themselves.

It's essential to remember that many popular personality tests weren't designed for online use. Trained psychologists are the best at administering and interpreting them. Others might misinterpret the results, so these tests shouldn't heavily influence decision-making.

While you shouldn't rely on personality tests alone for decisions, they can enhance understanding, empathy, and support within your team. For instance, knowing someone's Enneagram type might guide how you interact with them.

Advantages

1. Cultural Fit: Employers can assess if candidates align with the workplace culture, considering values and traits that fit well.

‍

2. Efficiency: Using these tests as a pre-screening tool speeds up the hiring process by identifying the best-fit candidates.

‍

3. Energy Insights: Employers can learn what tasks motivate or drain their employees, aiding in effective delegation.

‍

4. Reducing Bias: Personality tests can help reduce unconscious biases, focusing on merit and potential rather than superficial factors.

Limitations

1. Dishonest Answers: Candidates might provide answers they believe employers want or not take the test seriously.

‍

2. Cost: Implementing these tests adds to the hiring process's cost, although it can prevent bad-fit hires in the long run.

‍

3. New Biases: While they can remove some biases, personality assessments can create their own, leading to the rejection of candidates based solely on personality type.

‍

4. Accuracy Concerns: Test accuracy may be compromised by candidates' dishonesty or questions that don't suit specific roles. Multiple test attempts and reliable providers can help mitigate these issues.

‍

The Importance of Business Personality Tests

Personality tests, tailored for the business landscape, have become a valuable tool for both employers and employees. These tests offer numerous benefits, including enhancing self-awareness, promoting innovation and creativity, and optimizing team dynamics. By understanding individual strengths and preferences, employees can contribute more effectively and adapt their communication styles, fostering better collaboration and stronger relationships.

However, it's essential to acknowledge the limitations of these tests, such as the potential for dishonest answers, costs associated with implementation, the emergence of new biases, and accuracy concerns. At Next Level Academy, we believe in the responsible and thoughtful use of tools like personality tests to unlock career potential and drive success in the business world. Our free masterclass helps business owners like you discover proven strategies for business growth and gain insights that can complement the benefits of personality assessments.

Remember that while personality tests can provide valuable insights, they should not be the sole basis for critical decisions, and they are most effective when used in conjunction with other evaluation methods. Keep this in mind to better your work environment with the help of these personality tests.