How a personality test will put you on top of your game.

Great! Your colour is yellow or MBTI-code is INTJ. Now what?

Personality tests are available in multiple shapes and sizes. The outcome is likely a colour, a code, some kind of shape or a very specific job. I recall the outcome of my first personality-career test was interesting to say the least. Either policeman or Africanologist (Africa connoisseur translated from Dutch) would be the perfect fit for my future. Well guess what I am not… Two years ago I took a test that I was more enthusiastic about, and I will explain why.

The MBTI, or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an extensive test which will provide you with four letters. In this article I won’t spend any time explaining how the test works and what the exact outcomes are, but please dive into it yourself if it interests you after finishing here. WIKIPEDIA

After completion of such a test I hear most people make the following comments: ‘So now I know that I am X, Y or Z, I could have told you this before participating’, or ‘I already knew this, nothing new for me’, or another classic one ‘I don’t like putting people in boxes, everyone is unique’. Though of course every human is unique, there are some interesting things you can learn from these tests.

It’s not about you, focus on others.

Yes, indeed. Focus on learning what the outcome of the different tests say about others. Look at the behavior of your stakeholders, colleagues and others. Look at what drives them, find out when they are most productive, find out all there is to know about another person’s drive. Until you are capable of understanding what options you have to make the other person in the room feel as good as possible, there is a lot to win. Tests don’t normally provide you with just a score. Your behavioural preferences are expressed in some kind explanation sheet and a description of what a score means. Take a look at what preferences are listed for outcomes other than yours. “Why?” Well I’ll tell you why.

For you it can be the key in understanding how to deal with any stakeholder you will ever come across. Example: your colleague has done something amazing. You want to compliment her or him. What do you do? Do you compliment him the way you would like to be complimented or would you prefer to give a compliment that makes sense for them. An extrovert person could enjoy receiving compliments and a lot of ceremony in front of a crowd, an introvert person might get more out of a one-on-one ‘thank you’. Then there’s also people to which no complement matters unless it is expressed in €€€…

The point that I am trying to make here is that the impact of a compliment will be high only when the way you deliver it fits the person you are giving it to. Besides this example I can mention countless others: how to deliver a bad message, how to encourage others to do better, how to offer your help, how to get stakeholders on board, etc. Having insights in how you can deliver a message in a way that it is perceived best by the person on the receiving end I find extremely valuable.

Get on top of your game.

And that’s where I would like to link back to the title of this article: How a personality test will put you on top of your game. Think about it, if you (are a manager and) need to get things done and for that are dependent on others, what is more effective than having a good idea about how to get that message across to others effectively. Having insights in the personality profile of others can give you great information about what they need, what makes them thrive and what gives them energy.

Let me be clear, in this article I am not suggesting that you will ever know exactly what the other person in the room wants, even if you studied behavior extensively. The message I want to share is that having insights in the behavior of others can open up your eyes to the needs of people other than yourself. Being aware of the needs of others can put you on top of your game. It can help your actions become more powerful, making the result even more satisfying. Very simple way for everyone to get what they want, isn’t it?

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Check out some examples of personality test results down here.

• MBTI Results — Results of the test.
• Sample Reports — Dives into behavior, needs etc., as mentioned in this article.

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