During my tenure as the HR leader in a multinational organization, participating in personality assessments became a standard practice – a practice I found incredibly enriching. Exploring personality traits, both mine and my colleagues', was not only enjoyable but also instrumental in unravelling the motivations behind behaviors and decisions. It added a layer of understanding to why certain preferences or aversions naturally emerged.
Approximately 80 million individuals take a personality test annually, with 80% of Fortune 500 companies using these assessments in their hiring processes.
Psychology Today
Beyond recruitment, leaders choose personality tests for diverse reasons, unlocking valuable insights that prove advantageous in different facets of professional interactions and personal development. Here are a few of them:
Self-awareness: Personality tests enhance leaders' self-awareness, helping them understand strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately boosting leadership effectiveness.
Team dynamics: Recognizing team members' personalities allows leaders to tailor their approach, communication, and collaboration, fostering a harmonious and productive work environment.
Conflict resolution: Personality tests identify potential team conflicts, empowering leaders to proactively address and manage issues, maintaining a positive and collaborative atmosphere.
Decision-making: Knowledge of personality traits influences leaders' decision-making styles, enabling more informed choices and consideration of natural tendencies.
Communication: Leaders adapt their communication styles to resonate with diverse personalities, improving their ability to convey messages, motivate the team, and build strong relationships.
Professional development: Personality tests guide leaders in setting targeted goals for personal and professional development, enhancing leadership capabilities over time.
Succession planning: Understanding leaders' strengths and weaknesses aids succession planning by identifying individuals with complementary skills for future leadership roles.
Employee engagement: Leaders who understand team members' personalities engage and motivate employees effectively, tailoring recognition and feedback to individual preferences, boosting job satisfaction and productivity.
Differences between Personality and Emotional Intelligence Assessments
From my perspective, achieving success starts with a profound understanding of oneself. Throughout my work with clients, I've consistently emphasized the significance of self-awareness. Knowing your strengths, values, and growth areas lays a solid foundation for personal and professional success. I believe that this self-awareness journey is integral, and I guide my clients through various insightful approaches to help them navigate and unlock their full potential.
Over the next few articles, we’re going to dive into the many forms of assessments available for leaders so that you can see what works for you! This time, let’s look at the differences between Personality and Emotional Intelligence Assessments and their examples that are being used today:
Personality Assessments - Provide a broad overview of an individual's general tendencies and characteristics. | Emotional Intelligence Assessments - Delve deeper into one's ability to understand and manage emotions, both within oneself and in social interactions |
1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This assessment categorizes individuals into one of 16 personality types based on four dichotomies: extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. It is commonly used in team-building and personal development.
2. DISC Assessment: This tool categorizes individuals into four main personality types: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. It is often used in workplace settings for improving communication and teamwork.
3. StrengthsFinder (CliftonStrengths): This assessment identifies an individual's top strengths out of 34 possible themes. It is designed to help individuals understand and leverage their natural talents for personal and professional success.
4. Enneagram: The Enneagram categorizes individuals into one of nine personality types, each associated with specific motivations, fears, and behaviours. It is often used for personal development and understanding interpersonal dynamics.
5. Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): This assessment evaluates an individual's normal or day-to-day personality, focusing on how they relate to others in various situations. It is commonly used in organizational settings for selection and development purposes. 6. Motivators Assessment: This assessment assess an individual's core values and motivations to better understand their value hierarchy or belief system. It is often used in leadership and personal development contexts to help individuals align their goals and actions with their intrinsic motivations. 7. Learning Styles Questionnaire: This tool used to identify an individual's preferred way of learning and processing information. It can be used by an individual or educators to tailor their teaching methods and materials to accommodate these preferences, potentially enhancing learning outcomes and engagement.
| 1. Emotional Intelligence Appraisal (EQ-i 2.0): This assessment measures five key components of emotional intelligence: Self-Perception, Self-Expression, Interpersonal, Decision Making, and Stress Management. It provides a comprehensive overview of an individual's emotional intelligence skills.
2. Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT): This ability-based assessment evaluates emotional intelligence by measuring four branches: Perceiving Emotions, Facilitating Thought, Understanding Emotions, and Managing Emotions.
3. BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i): This assessment measures emotional and social intelligence across five composite scales: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Stress Management, Adaptability, and General Mood. It aims to provide insights into how emotions impact behavior and overall well-being.
4. Genos Emotional Intelligence Assessments: Genos offers various assessments designed to measure emotional intelligence in the workplace, ranging from Emotional Awareness, Emotional Expression, Emotional Reasoning, and Emotional Management. The assessments are often used for leadership development and employee engagement.
5. Hay Group's Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI): This 360-degree assessment evaluates emotional and social competencies in the workplace. It assesses skills such as Influence, Conflict Management, Teamwork, and Inspirational Leadership.
6. Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment (SEI): This assessment measures emotional intelligence through eight key competencies: Know Yourself, Choose Yourself, Give Yourself, Connect with Others, Choose Optimism, Engage Intrinsic Motivation, Increase Empathy, and Pursue Noble Goals. It is designed for personal and professional development.
7. TalentSmart Emotional Intelligence Test: The test covers various aspects of emotional intelligence, including Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, and Relationship Management. The assessment aims to provide actionable insights for personal and professional growth. |
Both personality assessments and emotional intelligence evaluations provide useful information in different situations. When combined, they give a complete picture of a person's psychological profile. By looking at both enduring personality traits and how someone handles emotions, we get a well-rounded understanding of their behaviour, decision-making, and relationships. This comprehensive view helps individuals better know themselves and supports their overall personal and professional development.
For more information on Emotional Intelligence, check out my previous blog “ IQ vs EQ - A Fair Fight of Importance in Leadership?”
If you're interested in taking a personality assessment, visit this page:
Next Article: We’ll dive into the differences between Strength Assessment vs 360 degree Feedback.
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