Get All Access for $5/mo

How Leaders Can Use Myers-Briggs, DISC and FIRO-B Tests to Drive Corporate Culture Ensuring everyone understands each other's personality types can help create a culture of cooperation and self-awareness.

By Dr. Steven Ghim

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Nobody wants to work in a business where they feel like another number or a disregarded team member. They want to feel included and heard, and they want to get along with the other people on the team. So if you really want people to be productive and present for the long term, you absolutely must build a cohesive, positive culture.

How do you do that? Modeling what you want workers to do and emphasizing transparency is a great start. But you can also use personality tests like Myers-Briggs, DISC and FIRO-B to help create an atmosphere everybody can be proud of.

Related: How to Know You're Hiring the Best Fit

Understanding your options

Myers-Briggs, DISC and FIRO-B tests all try to assess what a person's main characteristics, needs and preferences are. But they do have differences, which influences how you apply them for a powerful working culture in your office.

Myers-Briggs is a relatively long test of about 90 questions that is more introspective. It separates people into 16 personality categories. DISC has about 20-30 questions and just four categories (dominant, inspiring, supportive and cautious). It's more about people's inherent personalities rather than how they think. FIRO-B is all about interpersonal interactions and figuring out how somebody might act externally in a group of people.

How personality tests can support your business

Personality tests can drive a positive culture in four main ways:

1. Hiring for fit

Personality tests can indicate the type of position in which a candidate might do well. For example, if somebody has fantastic soft skills and sees building relationships as super important, then they could thrive in human resources or marketing. By putting people in the position they have the right personality for right from the start, you can tap their natural skills to complete the full range of tasks your business demands with minimal stress. It can be easier to figure out who to approach for specific types of assignments after hiring, too. As they have more and more successes, they'll become more confident in themselves and each other. Utilizing personality tests to screen the candidate pool before final hiring can eliminate potential work performance issues due to a mismatch in personality and duties.

2. Communication and minimizing conflict

When everybody on your team has a grasp of what makes everybody else tick, it becomes so much easier to communicate with real transparency. Each person knows how to approach other team members without ruffling too many feathers, and they can head off potential misunderstandings by tailoring what they do and say. Overall, this can mean less disagreement and more efficiency. People are more likely to feel valued if they see that others are hearing their ideas and responding appropriately to each other's personality styles.

3. Representation

A great product or service is critical for your company. But people have to be in the right job for their personality if they're going to represent that product or service to other people well. A receptionist who only cares about the bottom line or doesn't ask any tailored questions, for example, can be abrasive. They can give the impression to your customers that there's no reason to get excited about what you're offering.

When people on your team know their personality type and the personality types of others, they can refer customers or clients to anybody on your team with confidence. This helps give the impression that your employee believes in both their teammates and your company. It verifies that individual abilities are sufficient and appreciated, and everybody recognizes how each person contributes to achieving the company's goals.

4. Self-awareness

Some personality tests that focus more on what goes on internally, like Myers-Briggs, can help a person understand who they are and what they need to thrive as they go through their career. That increased self-awareness can make it easier for them to know their limits, ask for help and go after opportunities that will really benefit them. They can be better models for self-accountability.

Related: How To Successfully Develop Your Company's Core Values – And Ensure They're Practiced

Myers-Briggs, DISC and FIRO-B all have slightly different focuses, so they can help develop your culture with different insights. Using them together can paint a full picture of how to transform your work environment. Whether you're just getting off the ground or already have hundreds of workers, keep them in your arsenal to protect your future and establish a company culture of emotional intelligence.

Dr. Steven Ghim

Cosmetic Dentist at Dr. Steven Ghim, DMD, PLLC

Dr. Steven Ghim is a cosmetic dentist who also provides general and comprehensive dental care. Ghim has over 20 years of clinical experience and his private practice office is fully digital, ultra-modern, and serves the adult patient. He also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Franchise

Kick-Start Your Small Business With These Cost Effective Strategies

Starting a small business is an exciting adventure, brimming with both opportunities and challenges. A key to success is effectively managing costs from the outset.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Business News

'I'm Shocked': Costco Customers Are Freaking Out About a Change to a Beloved Bakery Item

Costco customers are feeling burnt by a not-so-sweet switcheroo in the bakery department.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.