Undertaking a self-assessment is a great first step for the employee to align their interests and passions with personality strengths and appropriate jobs, and assists organizations in getting the right people in the right roles.

 

Since the development of the first personality assessment test, the intent has been to understand. To understand what makes us unique, why some people get on better with others, and how personality differences can lead to miscommunication and conflict. 

 

While there are multiple personality tools in the market— one of the most famous, was developed by Dr. Roger Birkman. Like most personality assessments, the Birkman method revolves around the “Big 5” factors of personality: extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. While understanding how these dimensions motivate us and make us unique is interesting, it is how we can leverage the information to make people’s lives better that is far more fascinating. 

 

As a bomber pilot in World War II, Dr. Birkman became interested in the perceptions and misperceptions that occurred among crew members. This was one factor that led him to develop an assessment tool and associated business that has been used by millions of individuals globally. 

At Right Management, we extensively leverage the Birkman psychometric test as a tool to help people increase self-awareness and better understand the work environment and potential roles that would best align with their personality type. Before we can help anyone decide on the next step in their career, they need first to understand who they are. 

 

Like many personality assessments, the Birkman methodology uses a 2x2 grid with the axes representing high energy/ low energy (extraversion/introversion) and people-focused vs task-focused. 

 

The tool differs from other personality assessments in that it measures not only how an individual usually behaves, but also what their interests are, what sort of environment they would most like to work in, and how they are likely to react under stress. Armed with this information, an individual candidate can better understand the types of roles for which they are best suited. An example was a dispirited IT manager who found through the self-assessment that he was gaining life satisfaction in his spare time working in the garden while the IT job was paying the bills. After reflection, he decided to change career direction, align his passion with his work, and took up a gardening franchise. 

 

When an individual is working in a role that plays to their strengths and interests and meets their environmental needs, they are more motivated, productive, and happier. By aligning interests and passions with the job, work becomes a pleasure, not a chore. While it could be perceived by some as idealistic, life is short and we believe people should love what they do. As the old saying goes: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”.

 

Unfortunately, many people toil away at jobs that don’t suit them. Research by Right Management Australia has shown that 20 percent of the workforce—one in five people—are in roles that they tolerate but don’t particularly enjoy. Essentially, they are working to earn money so they can have a life. 

 

This issue has significant implications—for the individual and the organization. If you aren’t engaged in your work, employee motivation falls, stress levels rise, workforce engagement and productivity suffer, and organizational performance declines.  

 

We feel this is both unfortunate and unnecessary. Undertaking a self-assessment is a great first step for the employee to align their interests and passions with personality strengths and appropriate jobs, and assists organizations in getting the right people in the right roles.

 

Would you like to discuss further with a Right Management expert? Email us at ContactUs@Right.com.