Who I Am – Assessment Tool Insights
Assessment instruments provide a unique insight into the mental processes and observable behaviors of workers. These tools can really help evaluate a person’s fit for a role, inform of strategies for motivation, and uncover gaps in knowledge or skill set. It is important to keep in mind that for some people, labeling can be scary. No one likes to feel trapped in a box or have their complex self-identity labeled in a simple, generalized group.
I am more than my results, my categories, my thinking styles, or any static measurement.
However, these tools provide us with a starting point for understanding ourselves and others. Just because someone is action-oriented and direct, doesn’t mean that they would excel in a specific role. Knowing those traits about someone would help you craft a message, leverage strengths, or present information in a way more likely to motivate the individual.
I have always been interested in psychology and the learning process which is perhaps why I am so drawn to assessment instruments. There are no right or wrong answers, only shades of grey. I know the results are never the full picture of the person and yet most people find their results almost creepy in accuracy. Sometimes embarrassingly so, “Oh, yeah, I totally DO that… but would prefer no one else knows!”
So how do I use the results?
I actually want the people I work with to know my strengths and weaknesses, to have a picture of how best to communicate with me, and to understand my unique value-proposition and skills. When I start a new role or join a new team, I share my reports with my manager and any interested parties.
Why?
To start a conversation about how I can best contribute to the team, where I need others’ support, and the work environment I need to thrive.
Emergenetics
DISC
Predictive Index
Lominger
BS/PSY PAPER
A blast from the past, I wrote a lot about this personality stuff earning my degree.
Personality Reflection Essay
No two individuals are exactly alike in thought, action and word. The psychology of personality seeks to study individuals mental processes and behavioral tendencies to understand both similarities and differences among humanity. This paper is based on the personal reflection of its author, Jennifer Springer, and is written in first person due to the nature of the self-assessment and for reader clarity.
In the following paragraphs, I will define personality as I understand it, identify key personality features that classify me, evaluate external perceptions of me, reflect on personality consistency across situations, discuss past experience with assessments, and address the reliability and validity of personality tests.
Personality is a combination of consistent behavior and mental patterns that persist long-term within an individual. An individual’s personality is unique to that person and underlying thoughts and behaviors are usually consistent throughout his or her lifetime unless a major life event has profound impact on the individual’s psyche.
Many measurements and classifications exist to categorize personality into a common framework for better understanding and prediction of individual tendencies. The study of personality brings a greater appreciation of personal motivation, expression, and patterns of behavior. Through self-assessment and external tools, an individual can gain insight and understanding of self, which can lead to personal development and acceptance.
Key personality features that define me include an internal locus of control, ability to empathize with others and desire to assist, gifted communicator and peace-keeper, emotional openness, independence and need for solitude to recharge, adventurous and spontaneous, over-achiever, and a strong creative problem solver and conceptual thinker. In the various behavior and personality tools my results are consistent and I can identify where I will fall based on the results model. Depending on the classifications of the assessment, I am a healer, a helper, a relater, or a teacher.
I have taken multiple personality tests in the past due to my ongoing interest in psychology and personal commitment to self-understanding and acceptance. Usually I am not surprised by the results of the analysis, although occasionally an assessment will manage to tap into parts of my personality that I do not readily acknowledge to others.
For example, the first time I took the DISC Behavioral Assessment, I was a bit embarrassed about sharing some of the information contained in the approximately 25 page report. Although I am very aware of my tendency toward defiance of authority, impulsiveness, and a strong need for external validation, I was uncomfortable sharing that information. The assessment was taken as a team builder and the results were geared toward defining my observable behavioral patterns and how to both successfully communicate with and manage me based on the answers to the test. Knowing that my coworkers and manager would be reading the results and using the information to better manage me was challenging. Although I agreed with the information contained within the report, certain aspects seemed too personal to expose to everyone in the workplace.
My personality features stay consistent in most situations with slight adjustments dependent on the appropriateness of the environment. People all have different masks and behaviors that are worn in professional and personal lives, or with acquaintances versus close friends and family. However, because I am emotionally open and people focused I tend to blur the lines between roles and present the same face regardless of the situation, which has caused me problems in the past. I have learned that over sharing can be dangerous in the workplace and I try to be conscious of that and tone down my heart-on-the-sleeve approach. Regardless of the situation, my first tendency is to try to understand the perspectives of all individuals involved and find a win-win solution that still allows each individual to be true to themselves.
The consistency of others view of me depends on their level of interaction and exposure with me. As a corporate trainer, my students initial impression of me is one of professionalism and passionate guidance. I focus on the Socratic method and lead others to their own answers by asking probing questions and presenting information in multiple ways to appeal to different learners. However, outside of the classroom environment people quickly determine that professional distance and political correctness are not my natural inclination.
Based on the evaluation of others over the years in different situations, I would say that most people are able to identify my personality features in a context very similar to my own perception. Two major areas of variance include my level of extroversion and esteem. Due to training and perseverance, I present as a very confident speaker and most people tend to assume that I am always outgoing and extroverted. Others also tend to place my competence and abilities at a higher level than I perceive.
For a personality test to be considered reliable and valid, I believe there would need to be elements of both internal and external analysis. People can be blind to their own traits or think that others do not see the less appealing traits we have. An external perspective can be very helpful in providing a more objective and comprehensive analysis. In addition, I do not consider personality assessments to be valid if they do not hold up over time and multiple instances of evaluation. For example, every time I have taken a Myers-Briggs assessment, regardless of the source, the results are the same; Introversion (I), iNtuition (N), Feeling (F), and Perceiving (P).
Conclusion
In conclusion, I am a unique individual, just like everybody else. Due to my career and personal interests, I have had the opportunity to take a variety of personality assessments, measuring behavior and mental patterns, on several occasions over the span of many years. Although there are times I wish the results were different, in my estimation and from the outcome of said tests, my personality has been very consistent over my lifetime. In addition to my own assessment, external observers have also provided a consistent baseline of my behavior across situations and environments. I believe that this self-knowledge and acceptance of all of my personality traits, regardless of positive or negative perception, is essential to my personal and professional growth.
References
Burger, J. M. (2008). Personality (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.