Dr. Quinn Denny | Published on 11/25/2025
Have you ever heard the phrase that person's quite a character? It can mean they are quirky or eccentric in nature. It might also mean that they are very energetic or a jokester or ornery. These are a few of many words/phrases people use to describe personality. Psychologists have long sought to measure the dimensions of personality in order to understand people and behavior in greater depth. What is personality?
Here we spotlight what personality is according to research and why it is valuable in work as well as in other areas of our lives. Research describes personality as a set of enduring traits which remain relatively consistent throughout one's life span. Robbins et al describes personality “as the sum of ways in which an individual reacts to and interacts with others…measurable traits a person exhibits” (2018, p. 143). They go on to state that, “Personality tests are useful in hiring decisions and help managers forecast who is best for a job” (2018, p. 143). Additionally, I find that personality inventories are useful in promoting self-awareness, awareness of others, and building bridges to effectively interact with others by speaking the natural language of their personality. Some personality traits can be predictive of work performance and engagement, the strongest of which appears to be conscientiousness followed by positivity and proactiveness (Young et al., 2018).
Yet, there is debate regarding personality theory and the use of such tools. Researchers, to be fair, ask questions such as what are traits, how do traits and behavior intertwine, do traits change or remain consistent, how do traits and emotional states interact (Fajkowska & Kreitler, 2018)? Several crucial factors should be considered and understood when determining if the use of personality for yourself and organization make sense.
First, understand that trait-based assessments and type-based inventories exist. Two of the most common and widely used examples are the Big 5 (Five Factor Model) and the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator). Trait-based inventories, like the Big 5, measure traits that are found throughout the population. Type-based inventories measure traits and try to group them together into types or categories.
Second, not all personality inventories are created with the same scientific rigor. The way in which the tool is developed, piloted with cross-cultural populations, rooted in prior research, and mathematically scrutinized for validity are critical. There exists a mountain of pseudo (junk) science in the marketplace purchased more because of skilled marketing techniques and novel content. When starting ioPSYte® and choosing an inventory to benefit clients I phoned an organization where a tool is widely used in religious contexts and there were no answers to how the tool was rooted in research methods and theories, no statistics, no third-party analysis. When I inquired how we might know the tool works, the answer was because people tell them it does. This is pseudo-science and the power of suggestion. You might be surprised to know that well known and publicly accepted tools are subject to considerable critique (Hook et al., 2021; Reilly & Zedeck, 2014).
Third, I prefer trait-based tools versus type-based tools. The moment we label people with types we bias ourselves to think in categories versus dynamically. This kind of thinking is easier, the brain works in schemas, concepts of things grouped together for meaning. We have to wonder however; do I exhibit MBTI ENFJ traits or am I responding with those expected behaviors because someone has labelled me ENFJ and treats me as such? ioSYte® uses the HEXACO, a trait-based inventory which is closely aligned with the Big 5, the tool most widely used by psychologists and most heavily researched.
In my work I have found personality a valuable resource to aid in hiring for job-fit, leader-follower fit, person-culture fit, and career alignment. On an individual level it has been useful for self-awareness and transformational change that comes about when we understand our traits and how to match them with activities where we can thrive and work to navigate our traits when they present challenges. Despite the debate, I believe the use of personality tools in both work and personal domains is here to stay. Each person and organization decides how they will leverage personality science and where they will exercise scrutiny.
Here are two helpful questions to ask when vetting a personality tool:
As a psychologist, when I here “they say it works”, I ask who is they?
You don’t have to be a statistician or scientist, just find an expert. Consult with someone who is devoted to finding a quality tool to help you versus sell you. This person can read research, examine population samples and the methods used to find a good fit with what you are attempting to capture and what the tool is capable of predicting. A promotional set of materials a sales representative shows you with studies does not mean it is properly vetted (a quality set of research).
#2 Is this tool simply novel?
Choose a quality tool even if the name or the marketing materials are not well designed. Sexy-Novel ≠ Valid. For end results you want more accurate and predictive measures, you need validity. It needs to measure what it says it measures and predict what it says it predicts. Go to scholar.google.com and search for the name of the tool. You can read the very short 1 – 2 paragraph descriptions in the abstract sections of 5 – 10 scientific journal articles (peer-reviewed are best). If the tool is heavily scrutinized this is a sign the tool needs more development. If the name of the tool can’t be found this is also a cautionary indicator. A valid tool will make its data and research available to independent researchers who examine it for quality…independent studies.
The use of personality tools in your personal life and work life can be powerful supplements to aid you, but they must be quality tools. If we start with a poor-quality tool, we will get what the tool can deliver, perceptions based on inaccuracy. If our perceptions are our reality and we act on that perceived reality it is paramount we get as close as possible to measuring what we think we are measuring and predicting.
ioPSYte® offers HEXACO Personality Inventories and awareness training for individuals and teams to help you make the most of using personality for yourself and the workplace.
Fajkowska, M., & Kreitler, S. (2018). Status of the Trait Concept in Contemporary Personality Psychology: Are the Old Questions Still the Burning Questions? Journal of Personality, 86(1), 5–11
Hook, J. N., Hall, T. W., Davis, D. E., Van Tongeren, D. R., Hook, J. N., Hall, T. W., Davis, D. E., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Conner, M. (2021). The Enneagram: A systematic review of the literature and directions for future research. Journal of Clinical Psychology., 77(4), 865–883.