Best Alternative Personality Tests to Myers-Briggs

As a coach you’re probably familiar with personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It’s a popular tool marketed for helping people understand their personality features. However, it is not without criticism. 

Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, claims that the MBTI ignores emotional stability vs reactivity. These are important predictors of how people think, feel, and behave. This gap could hinder your capacity to give thorough advice to your clients.

Understanding these emotional dynamics can improve your analysis effectiveness. The MBTI’s weaknesses stem from its outdated approach. This method is binary and does not convey the rich variety of human personalities.

But before we get into alternative personality tests like Myers-Briggs, let’s cover the basics.

Alternative Personality Tests Like Myers-Briggs

When considering personality tests like Myers-Briggs, there are more comprehensive options available. These alternatives explore the intricacies of human behavior in greater depth. Furthermore, they offer richer insights into the complexities of human behavior.

So, let’s explore some of the most respected and widely used personality tests that go beyond the basic MBTI framework.

The Big Five Personality Test

The Big Five Personality Test is a reputable personality evaluation test. It arose from studies by psychologists such as D.W. Fiske, Norman H., Cattell, and Lewis R. It was then later expanded by researchers like Costa and McCrae. 

Unlike personality tests like Myers-Briggs, the Big Five offers a broader view of personality features. The test assesses five main characteristics of personality. It gives a thorough picture of a person’s behavioral inclinations. 

The Big Five Personality Test takes between 15 and 20 minutes to complete. It consists of a sequence of statements with ratings indicating how much you agree or disagree with each.

Personality Traits

The Big Five evaluates five essential personality traits:

• Openness: Creativity and willingness to try new things.
• Conscientiousness: Organization and dependability.
• Extraversion: Sociability and assertiveness.
• Agreeableness: Compassion and cooperativeness.
• Neuroticism: Emotional stability and tendency towards negative emotions.

Summary and detailed analysis availability

After finishing the Big Five personality test, you will receive a thorough report of your client. The report presents a summary of your client’s scores across the five attributes. This report often includes:

• Visual graphs show where they sit on each characteristic range.
• In-depth explanations of how each score affects their behavior and preferences.
• Practical suggestions on how to use their personality qualities in many areas of their life. These may involve career preparation, connection building, and personal growth.

For a detailed guide on setting SMART goals and developing action plans, check out A Detailed Guide to a 12-Week Coaching Program Template 

The Enneagram

The Enneagram is a psychological framework that classifies people into nine different personality types. These kinds address basic motives, anxieties, and wants. 

The enneagram types include:

1. The Reformer
2. The Helper
3. The Achiever
4. The Individualist
5. The Investigator
6. The Loyalist
7. The Enthusiast
8. The Challenger
9. The Peacemaker

The Enneagram further divides these types into three centers:

• Instinctive: This center prioritizes survival, self-preservation, and physical requirements. (Types 8, 9, and 1)
• Feeling: This center is concerned with emotions, relationships, and interpersonal interactions. (Types 2, 3, and 4)
• Thinking: This center concentrates on thoughts, ideas, and the external world. (Types 5,6,7)

Detailed descriptions of each type

Here is the complete description of each type:

• The reformer: These people are perfectionists who have high expectations for themselves and others.
• The helper: These people get joy from assisting others.
• The achiever: These people are motivated by a desire for success and recognition.
• Individualists: They value individuality and authenticity.
• The investigator: These folks are driven by a desire to learn and comprehend.
• Loyalists: They cherish security and affiliation.
• The enthusiast: These people crave excitement and new experiences.
• The challenger: These are natural leaders who appreciate autonomy and control.
• The peacemaker: These folks emphasize peace over confrontation.

The DISC Assessment

The DISC evaluation is a behavioral self-assessment test that divides people into four major types. Personality tests like Myers-Briggs classify people into dichotomies. DISC analyzes behavioral patterns and how they affect communication and collaboration.

The four types of the DISC assessment are as follows:

1. Dominance (D): People with high D tend to be straightforward, goal-oriented, and forceful. They are typically perceived as decisive and confident.
2. Influence (I): People with a high I style are gregarious, energetic, and people-oriented. They thrive in developing relationships and persuading people.
3. Steadiness (S): People with a high S style are often cooperative, patient, and reliable. They emphasize peace and stability.
4. Conscientiousness (C): Individuals with a high C style are analytical, detail-oriented, and careful. They respect accuracy and precision.

It’s important to remember that everyone has a combination of these styles, although one or two usually dominate.

DISC’s applications in workplaces 

The DiSC assessment is important in the workplace. It improves communication and team relations by recognizing various personality traits.

For example, a dominating person may need to change their communication approach. This is especially true when working with a team member who prefers a more cautious approach.

Details on scales and comprehensive analysis

DISC assessments often contain a questionnaire. This quiz assesses an individual’s preferences across all four types. The findings are presented graphically. They can be shown as a circle or quadrant to show the relative strengths of each style.

A thorough DiSC study reveals insights such as:

• Individual’s behavioral inclinations.
• Their strengths and shortcomings.
• Potential regions of development

This tool may be used to determine the compatibility of team members. Furthermore, it may be utilized to improve work conditions.

The four-color personalities

The four-color personalities paradigm divides people into four different personality categories. The categories are categorized on color correlations, like: 

1. Orange
2. Gold
3. Green
4. Blue

Each color denotes a distinct set of features, communication methods, and behavioral patterns.

Each color symbolizes a distinct personality:

• Orange (Energetic): Orange personalities are typically outgoing, enthusiastic, and action-oriented. 
• Gold (Structured): Gold personalities are known for their reliability, organization, and dedication.
• Green (Analytical): Green personalities are typically analytical, logical, and independent. 
• Blue (Empathetic): Blue personalities are empathetic, compassionate, and relationship-oriented. 

Goleman’s EQ Test

Emotional Quotient (EQ) is the capacity to comprehend, use, and constructively control your own emotions. Daniel Goleman, a well-known psychologist, popularized the notion of EQ. He devised a framework known as Goleman’s EQ test.   

You can organize Goleman’s concept of EQ into four main quadrants:

1. Self-awareness: Understanding one’s own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives, values, and goals.
2. Self-management: The ability to control one’s emotions and impulses, adapt to change, and manage stress.
3. Social awareness: The ability to understand the emotions, perspectives, and needs of others.
4. Relationship management: The ability to build and maintain strong relationships, inspire and influence others, and work in teams.

Applications and benefits of understanding emotional drivers

Understanding emotional drives is critical to personal and professional success. Here are a few advantages of knowing emotional drivers:

• People can enhance their communication abilities.
• Emotional intelligence can help people form stronger connections. 
• Emotional intelligence also contributes to effective dispute resolution. 
• Emotional intelligence can increase work satisfaction.
• Furthermore, EQ is vital for leadership since it allows people to inspire and encourage others.

Individuals who focus on these four quadrants can improve their emotional intelligence. This can lead to better personal and interpersonal interactions, resulting in advantages.

Also read: How to Become a Certified Mental Health Coach, to become a certified mental health coach.

Conclusion

Understanding your client’s personality is a valuable tool for both personal and professional development. While these models give helpful perspectives, they are only the starting point. Each individual is unique, and a one-size-fits-all strategy may not produce the best results.

If you’re a coach looking for alternatives to personality tests like Myers-Briggs, you can experiment with different models. The Big Five, Enneagram, and other models provide varied perspectives on personality. Using multiple approaches can help tailor coaching to each client’s unique needs.To streamline your coaching process, consider using Simply.Coach. Its powerful coaching management tools and features make it easier for you and your clients to focus on what matters most—growth. Sign up for Simply.Coach today and enhance your efficiency as a coach.