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Top 10 Personality Tests

business finance goals growth leadership operations thrive Mar 04, 2024
Top 10 Personality Tests

Top 10 Personality Assessments Used in Business and Benefits of Each

Personality assessments are becoming an essential tool for businesses looking to enhance productivity, improve hiring processes, and foster better team dynamics. These tests help leaders and business owners understand the strengths, communication styles, and working preferences of employees, leading to more effective collaboration and decision-making. There are many good options when it comes to a personality profile for you and your business. Each profile has a different focus and can be useful in many ways. When using these tests, the focus on which test and profile is used in not nearly as important as using the information as a guide to know and lead your team, and creating a better organization. Below, we’ll explore 10 of the most utilized personality assessments used in business and the unique benefits each one provides.
 
1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) divides people into 16 personality types based on four dimensions:
Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I)
Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N)
Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Better Communication: MBTI helps managers understand how employees prefer to communicate, enhancing team collaboration.
Team Synergy: By identifying personality types, managers can create balanced teams that complement each other’s strengths.
Effective Leadership: Understanding employees’ MBTI types enables leaders to tailor their management approach, improving morale and productivity.
 
 2. DISC Assessment
The DISC Assessment categorizes personality into four main types:
 
Dominance (D) – direct and results-oriented
Influence (I) – outgoing and persuasive
Steadiness (S) – dependable and patient
Conscientiousness (C) – analytical and detail-oriented
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Team Dynamics: DISC helps managers assign roles based on behavior types, leading to more effective teamwork.
Conflict Resolution: Understanding DISC profiles allows leaders to mediate conflicts with greater empathy and insight.
Sales Success: Sales teams often use DISC to adapt communication to match a client’s behavioral style, improving outcomes.
 
3. Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN)
The Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN) model measures:
 
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Tailored Hiring: The Big Five is often used to predict job performance, with traits like high conscientiousness correlating with reliability.
Workplace Stability: Understanding neuroticism can help businesses offer support for employees under stress.
Personal Growth: Traits like openness or agreeableness can predict flexibility and collaboration, important in leadership and team roles.
 
4. StrengthsFinder (CliftonStrengths)
StrengthsFinder, developed by Gallup, focuses on identifying an individual’s top strengths from a list of 34, such as Achiever, Strategic, and Relator.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Strength-Based Team Building: Managers can assign tasks based on employees’ strengths, increasing productivity and job satisfaction.
Engaged Employees: Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses boosts engagement, leading to higher retention rates.
Career Development: Employees gain insight into their strengths, helping with career planning and role adjustments.
 
5. Enneagram
The Enneagram divides people into nine personality types, from Type 1 (The Reformer) to Type 9 (The Peacemaker), each with its unique motivations and fears.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Self-Awareness: The Enneagram encourages personal and professional growth by helping individuals understand their core drivers.
Leadership Development: Leaders who understand their own Enneagram type and that of their team members can inspire and motivate more effectively.
Enhanced Collaboration: Teams that understand each other’s Enneagram types can work together with greater empathy and respect.
 
6. 16Personalities
16Personalities is based on the MBTI framework but offers a more modern and accessible approach to identifying personality types. It groups people into 16 types across five key traits: Mind, Energy, Nature, Tactics, and Identity.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Hiring Accuracy: The detailed results help match candidates to roles that fit their personality, reducing turnover.
Team Compatibility: Understanding personality differences allows for better team collaboration and problem-solving.
Self-Improvement: The test encourages personal reflection and self-awareness, promoting continuous growth.
 
7. Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0)
The Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0) assessment measures emotional intelligence, focusing on an individual’s ability to understand and manage their emotions, as well as those of others.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Leadership and Decision-Making: High emotional intelligence is crucial for leaders who need to manage teams effectively and make sound decisions under pressure.
Conflict Resolution: Employees with high EQ are better equipped to resolve conflicts and navigate difficult conversations.
Team Cohesion: Emotional intelligence helps teams manage stress, build rapport, and collaborate more smoothly.
 
8. Kolbe Index
The Kolbe Index assesses an individual’s instinctual behaviors, focusing on how they take action. It evaluates a person’s natural strengths across four categories: Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, and Implementor.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Increased Efficiency: The Kolbe Index helps leaders assign tasks based on how employees instinctively operate, maximizing efficiency and performance.
Enhanced Teamwork: Understanding action modes improves collaboration, ensuring projects move forward smoothly.
Task Delegation: Managers can align tasks with employees' natural strengths, leading to higher job satisfaction.
 
9. Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)
The Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) is designed to predict job performance by assessing key characteristics such as Sociability, Ambition, and Prudence.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Improved Hiring: The HPI is used to predict how well a candidate will fit within a company’s culture and job role, improving hiring accuracy.
Leadership Identification: The test helps identify potential leaders within a team, based on traits like ambition and interpersonal sensitivity.
Cultural Fit: Understanding personality profiles ensures employees align with company values, improving retention and engagement.
 
10. Caliper Profile
The Caliper Profile evaluates an individual’s motivations and personality traits to predict job performance. It measures over 50 attributes, including Leadership, Teamwork, and Adaptability.
 
Benefits for Businesses:
Precision in Hiring: The Caliper Profile helps businesses match candidates with specific job roles, improving hiring outcomes.
Leadership Development: The assessment is commonly used to identify leadership potential and develop future managers.
Customized Training: The test results provide insights into areas where employees might benefit from additional development or support.
 
Personality assessments are an invaluable resource for businesses aiming to improve hiring, build stronger teams, and foster a productive and collaborative work environment. Whether you’re looking to enhance leadership, optimize team dynamics, or increase employee engagement, these top 10 personality assessments offer practical insights to help your business thrive. By leveraging these tools, small businesses can better understand their employees and create an environment that promotes growth, satisfaction, and success.