Tilt Tuesday #11 - Personality Assessments Best Practices

Even the most trusted and enduring prescription medications have the potential for adverse side effects, and the same is true of personality tests.  While in general it’s true that they can provide valuable insights and developmental opportunities, some of their characteristics need to be strategically considered to help mitigate the pitfalls.

In this post, we will briefly discuss how personality assessments like the True Tilt Personality Profile (TTP) can help you with teamwork and some potential perils you should be wary of when using them.

In contrast to earlier beliefs, personality is now thought of more frequently as a malleable construct.  Someone who has been with the same organization for two decades might be quite different at present than when first hired, and it might be difficult to identify or clarify those differences without a personality assessment.

Among the responsibilities of team leaders is the task of optimizing the productivity of teams.  While there are many variables to consider in this endeavor, one of the most salient is keeping team members in a state of cohesion and open collaboration.

Approaching this challenge by implementing personality tests and analyzing the results is a sound strategy.  Assessments like the TTP can help individuals better understand how to work with their team members and provide insights into the impact of their own interpersonal preferences. 
Furthermore, TTP reports highlight the importance of self-regulating the frequency or extremity of traits that may trigger counterproductive dynamics. 

Yet, it is crucial for team leaders to understand the proper procedure for integrating personality tests.  Failing to do so can result in team dysfunction and even legal woes.  If you are a team leader and are unsure how to use the results of personality tests, hiring a corporate coach would be recommended.

When you get the results of the personality tests taken by your team members, be sure to remember that personality can be altered and developed to be more intentionally agile.  This way of thinking about personality is in contrast to an often inaccurate assumption that a given team member’s initial results will apply for perpetuity.

For more information on this topic, check out our upcoming blog!

Relevant Quotes

“Your real personality identity is not an option, it is the foundation for your happiness and health.”

― Diana Dentinger

“One of the truest signs of strength is accepting one's own weaknesses.” 
― Tadahiko Nagao

“Much of our life is spent wishing others understood us better than they do.” 
― Gordon W. Allport