So you’ve just taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or the CliftonStrengths, or DiSC, or Birkman, or EQ-i 2.0, or done a 360, or used any of the other tools out there that aim to provide personal, professional, and leadership insights. Now what?
In my line of work, I have had various clients and friends ask me what I can do with the results of an assessment I have taken, either for work or even (if you’re one of those people), for fun. And while taking a personality assessment, whether its results are validating or surprising, can be a great source of glee, the truth of the matter is that the information gained is unlikely to contribute anything lasting to your development, regardless of how good or accurate the assessment is.
Unless you take the time to figure out what to really do with it.
The importance of making the insights gained through these tools lasting is that we, as human beings, tend to have a difficult time seeing ourselves clearly and fully, even if we don’t want to admit it. We may see parts of ourselves, but there are other parts of us that we don’t want to acknowledge because we don’t like that piece of ourselves and then other parts still that we don’t even know exist, that we’re blind to. Assessments help us put words to things we may feel but not be able to vocalize, and they can provide us with additional pieces of information that help us look at ourselves and the world more widely, clearly, wholly.
So what’s the secret to making the most of the information you’ve gained? If you want only want two words, they are time and reflection. If you’re willing to read beyond the two, then below is a more detailed plan that will help you take the information you gain, figure out how to apply it and practice new behaviors, and create lasting change and a path of growth in your life.
Use a Pen
Science has shown that physically writing something down is more effective than typing or just reading when it comes to remembering something effectively. Having to form letters and words with your hand leaves an imprint on your brain that typing simply does not. The first recommendation is to grab a pen and make written notes in order to make the following suggestions more effective.
Identify What Makes Sense to You and Validates How You Think of Yourself
We all have gifts, and it serves us well to recognize and leverage those gifts in our work and our lives. We also all have tendencies and wounds that can get in the way of our success and joy. Sometimes an assessment can shed light on a motivation or reason for why we have the gifts we do, carry the burdens we bear, and wrestle with the challenges we have. Take time to really dig through those insights, and reflect on how they exist in your life and are expressed through your behavior.
Spend Time On the Pieces of Information that Challenge You
You may not agree with everything an assessment reports. While it is easy to dismiss these pieces of data as outliers or to consider either it or yourself as an exception, the fact that this piece of information presents a challenge to your thinking is the very reason it is such a great opportunity. As they say, “A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.”
The pieces of data that you either struggle to reconcile or wish weren’t true are the places to spend your time - either working through why it may appear in the report even though it does not apply, or examining why this may have come up and why you are resistant to it. Either way, the time spent reflecting increases self-awareness and gets you closer to being able to identify what kind of change, if any, you want to explore.
Think About the Story You Tell Yourself About Yourself; Then Challenge Your Narrative
We all have narratives that we have developed about ourselves and other people, and thanks to a little thing called confirmation bias, we typically only see and accept the pieces of information (good or bad) that reaffirm our existing narrative. One of the ways an assessment can be helpful is that it provides pieces of objective data - not opinion - and context outside of your self narrative. Giving all pieces equal reflection time allows you to affirm and challenge the way you think about and talk to yourself, which opens the door to helping us identify the things we’ve decided are true (when they aren’t), assessing if those things are still serving us well, and figuring out how we want to adapt to, let go of, or change to move forward.
Ask for Feedback Based on What You’re Learning From Your Reflection
In the spirit of seeing ourselves clearly, find a handful of people around you who are safe and willing to be honest. Ask about both the pieces that are validating and affirming, as well as the pieces that are challenging and hard to swallow. People who love you and are invested in your growth can be a great lens through which to see yourself so that you can identify the areas you want to develop or change.
Identify Where You Want to Grow, and Make a Plan for How and What
After taking time for reflection, identify the insights you want to act on. Changing behavior requires time, attention, effort, and practice. Choose one or two areas in which you want to grow (don’t worry if there are more - keep a list so you can tackle two others when you’re ready!) and determine a small, actionable step you can take in service of that growth. Establish what you will track, when you are going to practice your new behavior, and how often you will check in on your progress.
Reflect, Reflect, Reflect - and Track Your Progress
The key to growth is reflection. It takes intentional and dedicated practice to grow, and setting aside the time to think about and take stock of how the journey is going is integral to the process.
Assessments are a quick and simple way to get new information, validate areas of strength, challenge old information, and shed light on opportunities to grow. They provide an avenue to think about the past and explore future possibilities, but only if you put in the work to making it stick. Next time you are asked or individually elect to take a work style or personality assessment, try to spend as much time reflecting on the insights as possible. Then, turn those insights into small actionable steps. Do this enough over enough time, and you’ll find that your growth will have propelled you forward more than you could have ever imagined.
Chew on This:
When is the last time you took an assessment that left a lasting impression on you?
What did you do with that information?
How can you continue to grow through the insights you gained?