Real Growth

Not that long ago, I worked with a client who was refreshingly honest. They had completed one of our personality assessments in the DISCover Your Positive Personality program and were contacting us to go over the results.

Rather than pretending an enthusiasm they did not feel, they told us they didn't like personality tests and only went through the process because they were asked to by their boss. Some may have taken this open reluctance as a sign they should give up. Instead, I chose to explore things further.

Change begins with openness about our thoughts and feelings. When we are real with one another, we can learn and grow. I've learned to remain curious about the story underneath our reactions.

The Purpose of Personality Assessments

As we went over the personality assessment, I stayed open to the client's thoughts and feelings. Soon I began to notice that they'd interpreted the results of their personality assessment as negative. They'd thought the purpose of the assessment was to point out what is wrong with them so that it could be fixed.

Sometimes if we are different, we may come to think that makes us less. We may expect people to want us to change. We may not see the value of our uniqueness. But every person has unique gifts to contribute. A personality assessment helps us see those gifts and gives us the opportunity to discover new ways of sharing those gifts in our interactions with others.

As I pointed out the benefits of the client's personality type, they began to enjoy the discovery. They started to view their uniqueness as a valuable asset. They left our conversation ready to play to their strengths and grateful to have been seen for who they are.

Interacting with Others

Life is all about people. No matter what you do and where you do it, how you interact with others determines your success and happiness.

Completing a personality assessment does more than identify your strengths. It helps you figure out how to interact effectively with others.

When is the last time someone approached you in a way that suits your personality? I bet that felt good. The more we know about ourselves, the better we can support each other.

Benefits to Businesses

Businesses that encourage their people to understand their personality and share that understanding with others achieve greater success.

Here are a few of the key benefits:

• By understanding the mix of individuals, businesses who encourage their people to complete personality assessments can assemble diverse teams with a rich blend of talents and skills.
• When people know each other's personalities, they can come up with effective strategies for problem solving.
• People who feel known and accepted for who they are feel more confident. Organizations that celebrate each person's unique qualities as strengths rather than weaknesses set a solid foundation for growth.
• Understanding each other deepens our connections. People who learn about one another's personality and act in ways to support each other enjoy working together more. The business runs more smoothly as a result and challenges are met with strength.

As Erik Erikson said, "The more you know yourself, the more patience you have for what you see in others."

Call to Action

Take a personality assessment. Share your results with your team. Ask them to do the same.

Your Friends,
The UpCloseTeam