Psychologist Liz Payne interviews 5 different 'personality profiling tools' and gives sound advice on what to consider. She says while the prospect may at first seem exciting, it is not unusual to end up feeling a little overwhelmed given the abundance of tools on the market.
As a Training and Development professional, you may be considering incorporating a personality profiling tool into a training program to strengthen participants’ learning. While the prospect may at first seem exciting, it is not unusual to end up feeling a little overwhelmed given the abundance of tools on the market.
Making an informed decision is not easy. To help build your understanding, suppliers of five different tools, some very well known and others newer to the market, were asked to describe their tools. In her article (first published in AITD Training and Development Magazine in December 2014) Liz interviewed Everything Disc, HBDI, MBTI, Talent Q, and TetraMap.
Many other tools exist, and I am not suggesting that you limit your search to these options.
Liz Payne
Some tips to help you make the right decision
- Be clear on what outcome you are trying to achieve.
Each tool is designed to measure different things and will provide you different insights. You may have noticed that the term “personality profiling tools” can only be loosely used to describe these tools as most do not measure personality strictly speaking.
- Think through how your choice will integrate with other tools, processes, and training programmes.
Aim for an integrated approach from the start rather than confusing participants with a whole range of different tools and concepts.
- Consider what is important to your organisation.
Are you more likely to get acceptance by opting for a well-established tool or do your participants like fresh and innovative ideas? Likewise, is it a good idea to look for a tool with a strong research basis or would a more intuitive tool achieve your goals more effectively?
- Remember to put organisational and participant needs ahead of your own personal preferences.
We all have our own personal favourites, however, be honest and weigh up if your choice is the best for the situation.
- Do your homework before making a commitment.
The majority of tools require some form of upfront investment in terms of accreditation so make sure the tool meets your needs and that you are spending wisely.
- Ask suppliers for explanations.
If you do not understand something, ask suppliers to break down technical terms and cut through marketing terminology.
- Get a range of perspectives.
While suppliers are a great source of information, be sure to seek the views of your peers and independent practitioners. Reach out to your network or more broadly by social media.
Read the full article.
This first appeared in the Australian Institute for Training and Development magazine in December 2014.