The Power of Personality Assessments: Why Every Leader Should Know Themselves (and Their Team)

In today’s complex and fast-paced workplace, one leadership tool stands out for its ability to build trust, deepen team connection, and improve productivity: personality assessments. From DISC and Myers-Briggs to CliftonStrengths and Enneagram, these tools help leaders better understand themselves and those they lead. And when used intentionally, they don’t just categorize people—they unlock potential.

At its core, leadership is about relationships. And relationships thrive on understanding. As a leader, knowing your natural traits, communication preferences, and emotional triggers gives you a strategic advantage. It helps you become more self-aware, regulate your responses, and lead with authenticity. But it also helps you adapt. Maybe you're naturally task-oriented and direct, but your team member thrives with collaboration and encouragement. Without awareness, you may unintentionally create tension. With insight, you adjust your approach—and build stronger alignment.

Personality assessments offer more than labels. They provide a language for strengths, stressors, and communication styles. When leaders and teams use that language, it becomes easier to navigate conflict, delegate effectively, and celebrate the diversity of perspectives.

For example, imagine a team where one member is data-driven and detail-oriented while another is a big-picture visionary. On the surface, they may frustrate each other. But when both understand their strengths through a personality lens, they begin to see each other as assets—not obstacles. The visionary pushes the team to innovate. The detail-oriented thinker ensures things don’t fall through the cracks. Together, they’re better.

Leadership expert Patrick Lencioni once said, "If you can get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time.” Personality assessments help get people rowing in the same direction by clarifying how each person contributes best.

For teams, the benefit is even greater. When team members understand one another’s styles, communication improves, empathy increases, and collaboration becomes more natural. Productivity rises—not because people work harder, but because they work better together.

Here’s how leaders can harness the power of personality assessments:

1. Start with yourself. Take an assessment and reflect honestly on the results. Where do you shine? Where might your blind spots be?
2. Share with your team. Open up about your tendencies and how they affect your leadership. Vulnerability builds trust.
3. Facilitate a team discovery session. Let team members learn about themselves and each other. Tools like DISC or CliftonStrengths make great team-building exercises.
4. Apply the insights. Use results when assigning tasks, giving feedback, or managing conflict. Awareness turns into action.
5. Avoid the box. These assessments are tools, not labels. Use them to grow, not to excuse poor behavior or make assumptions.

Ultimately, great leaders don’t just manage tasks—they lead people. And people are complex. Personality assessments won’t give you every answer, but they will give you a powerful head start.

Because when leaders understand how they’re wired—and how others are wired—they can lead with greater empathy, clarity, and impact. And that’s how real transformation begins.