8 Ways to Identify Personality Types, Profiles, and Traits in the Workplace

I. Behavioral Interviews

Alright, picture this: you're sitting across from a candidate, sipping your coffee (or tea, we don't discriminate here), and chatting about their past experiences. Instead of boring old hypotheticals, you ask them to spill the beans on real-life situations they've tackled. It's like getting the inside scoop on their problem-solving skills, communication style, and how they mesh with others — all while enjoying your morning brew.

It's like peeling back the layers of an onion (minus the tears), revealing their personality traits, work approach, and whether they're a good fit for your team. So, next time you're conducting interviews, ditch the theory get practical. You might just uncover a gem!

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II. Peer Reviews

You're not alone in the feedback game anymore! By getting your team involved in peer reviews, you're not just the lone ranger giving out evaluations. Now, everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts on each other's performance, communication styles, and how they rock (or not) at collaborating.

It's like having a whole user panel for your research instead of relying on your sole experience. With all these different points of view, you'll get a fuller picture of your team's personalities, dynamics, and contributions to projects.

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III. 360-Degree Feedback

OK, wanna go further? Introducing the 360-degree feedback process! It allows you and your team members to gather feedback from various angles: peers, supervisors, and subordinates. It's like a feedback all-you-can-eat buffet : everyone can chime in.

This approach offers a full view of each team member's strengths, weaknesses, and how they mesh with others. With this comprehensive feedback, you can tailor your coaching and training sessions to fit  each person like a glove, helping them grow and shine in their roles.

Ready to foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement?

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IV. Team-building Activities

Well, yes, sometimes the best way to reveal an individual is in another environment. It's not just about getting out of the office for a bit (even though, who's gonna complain?), but it's also a chance for everyone to flex their collaboration muscles, brush up on communication skills,  and tackle some puzzles together.

Team-building activities and exercises offer opportunities for individuals to collaborate, communicate, and solve problems in a non-work setting (ie without the actual stress). That can give you some real insight into how your team operates, and reveal individuals' leadership styles, teamwork abilities, and communication preferences...

In short, it allows you to identify strengths and areas for improvement within the team dynamic — plus, it's often a whole lot of fun!

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V. Personality Inventories

Pretty sure you've already head of personality tests. You know, like 16Personalities or those workplace-specific personality inventories, such as the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) or the California Psychological Inventory (CPI)?

They're not just another form to fill — they can help you understand how individuals fit into the team and the organization as a whole. They provide detailed assessments of your talents' personality traits and work preferences. These inventories offer insights into dimensions such as leadership potential, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making styles, helping you understand how individuals' personalities align with organizational goals and team dynamics.

VI. Project Assignments

Ever thought about mixing things up and shuffling your team members around on different projects? It's not just about keeping things interesting or bring a new vision on a stalled project (although that's a bonus!).

It's also a great way to see how they tackle challenges, solve problems, and work with others. Keep an eye on how they handle different tasks and contribute to projects, so you can get a good read on their work styles, creativity levels, and ability to roll with the punches.

It's like playing detective, but instead of solving crimes, you're uncovering the secrets to project success and team collaboration (less dangerous but still rewarding)

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VII. Utilizing Technology

Do you sometimes wish you had a secret decoder ring for understanding your team? Boost its engagement, or avoid crisis? Well, guess what? By leveraging technology solutions such as sentiment analysis tools, you kinda can!

Those AI tools analyze written communication to identify patterns in language use and emotional expression to provide insights into individuals' personality traits and communication styles in digital interactions. It can also help you analyze your own communication to make sure your message conveys the right meaning and intention.

VIII. Psychometric Assessments

"Wait, you've already talked about those", you might be tempted to say. To what I answer "No, not exactly."

You know how personality inventories are all about figuring out who we are and what makes us tick? Well, psychometric assessments take it a step further — they're like the Swiss Army knife of assessments. Psychometrics are in fact a branch of applied psychology. Therefore, sure, they cover personality traits, but they also dive into cognitive abilities & job-related skills.

Think of reasoning tests (like numerical, verbal, logical & abstract, inductive & deductive...) and situational judgment tests. It's like having a whole toolbox of insights at your disposal.

Maybe you'd want to think beyond just personality inventories and dive into the wide world of psychometric assessments. You'll be amazed at what you uncover!

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