By guest blogger Kaitlin Flanigan
Have you ever been asked the age-old question: “What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?” in a job interview? This question can be difficult to answer without an in-depth understanding of yourself. By taking a personality test like Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator or Gallup CliftonStrengths, employees, employers and students alike can gain crucial insight into personal strengths, weaknesses, communication styles and more. According to an article by Forbes.com, around 80% of Fortune 100 companies depend on these types of tests to build stronger, more effective teams and healthier organizations. Ultimately, understanding who you are will help set you up for success. Here are a few ways personality tests can help propel you in a personal and professional environment!
Discover who you are
First and foremost, personality tests give detailed information about personal strengths, weaknesses, leadership techniques, favored communication styles and more. This is highly important because to collaborate well with others, it is key to first understand yourself. Tests like Meyers-Briggs and CliftonStrengths provide an in-depth look at various aspects of personality. When you get the results, you may feel like someone looked inside your brain and pulled out things you thought were weird quirk or habit! Reading the results can be astounding as you catch yourself saying “This is SO me!”. But knowing if you are introverted or extroverted, competitive, or more easy going is crucial. With this awareness, you will be better prepared to sell yourself in interviews, figure out the roles and career paths best suited for you, and where you fit best on a team. It becomes clear what leadership style you thrive under and your desired decision-making process. Embracing this information will help you grow as an individual and employee. You will be better equipped to know where you belong to help you flourish.
Interact more effectively with co-workers
Do you ever find it confusing or difficult to communicate with certain co-workers? Is it sometimes hard to explain your vision or listen to theirs? This is because we all have different ways we communicate and listen. When everyone in the office knows their own personality traits, interaction between you and your co-workers can be more effective! It is vital to know the strengths and communication styles of those around you. Employees will be better equipped to collaborate because everyone knows the best way to communicate with one another.
In addition, teams can play off one another’s strengths. Say, for example, someone on the team is more extroverted and would therefore be better suited meeting with potential clients. Whereas another team member thrives in more one-on-one settings and would thus excel in maintaining client relations. Having this insight helps co-workers know the best roles for people on their team. When everyone knows how they work best, offices can run more efficiently.
Help managers build a better team
No two employees are the same, which is great. If you are a manager, you can use these differences to build an amazing team and foster an excellent working environment. With these tests, managers can better learn employee’s strengths, weaknesses, perspectives, and processes. It provides insight on the best way to approach problems and how employees interact with co-workers. When supervisors understand how each individual team member works on their own, they can begin to see how everyone can best work together.
In addition, this insight can help managers and supervisors tailor their leadership style to be most effective. Team members will be more receptive to guidance and instructions if managers use their desired communication style. A well-built and effectively led team comes when everyone’s strengths are being utilized. This can lead to better collaboration, understanding and help the company thrive.
Ultimately, whether you are a student, employee, manager or CEO, everyone can benefit from a personality assessment. It uncovers enlightening information you may not have been aware of before. When you know yourself, it will be easier to relate and understand others. Personality tests help build stronger teams and foster a more collaborative and cohesive workplace.