Personality Profiling + Psychometrics

What Are Psychometrics?

So many of us will have used the term psychometrics or heard it used… but what exactly are they?

Let’s break it down… when we use psychometric tests we are aiming to explore and measure or assess in some way (through a metric) elements of an individual’s psyche, particularly their way of thinking, feeling, and motivating, consciously and unconsciously… which in turn informs and directs their body’s reactions to its social and physical environment.  These assessment tools can include skills and abilities in addition to deeper psychological preferences.

Some people have an aversion to taking psychometric tests feeling they will be “judged” or “boxed in”… but in reality this is the opposite of what personality profiling tools aim to do.  Firstly a profiling tool can only ever reflect what you have entered into it.  I am often amazed when people read a report and say “this is so like me“… Well of course it isn’t them in totality – they are far more complex and individual, but it may very well reflect a number of their preferences… because guess what… they filled out the questionnaire!  Just as interesting is when an individual feels a report in unlike them, because this enables a discussion relating to how they see themselves and how others experience them… and that discussion is kind of the point!

Instead of judging and boxing in, these tools seek to create exploration and understanding. They are a CONVERSATION STARTER.

Ability, motivation, values, attitudes, beliefs, interests and many other factors may all affect the “uniqueness of the individual”. We are far too complex to map out with one single metric, so of course it is a necessity for psychometric reports to generalise to an extent within their hypothesis.

Profiling tools can only ever offer insight into a small part of the picture, their purpose is to promote deeper discussion.

Psychometrics can provide a useful orientation point though and the role of a psychometric profiler is to transcend their generalisations, negate potential confirmation bias and avoiding labelling.  Psychometric assessors do this through coaching to identify where the insights these tests provide can add the greatest value for the individual, their teams and those they interact with.  And so… the true value of psychometrics comes within the conversations and reflection that they promote, rather than the paper and online reports they create and this is where engaging a professional profiler will assist in ensuring depth of analysis.  Those of us who are registered on the British Psychological Society register of qualified test users (RQTU) have invested time and energy in ensuring we truly understand the tests we are using and therefore can avoid the pitfalls of surface level assumptions.

THIS LINK provides deeper background into: Ability versus Personality Profiling and Type versus Trait Tests for those who have a preference for deeper research…

Which Psychometric To Choose (if any)?

Well the answer to that question is… It depends!

Call us for a consultation we will help you identify which metric best fits your needs sharing example / sample reports for you to see for yourself how your specific aims can be best addressed.

As a professional Coach I will not simply provide you with a psychometric because you “have heard it is a good tool”.  I am passionate that when you choose to incorporate a psychometric within your development activity, that you are using the right tool for the outcome you require.  I will happily consult with you to identify your needs and whether a psychometric is or perhaps is not the appropriate option.

These tools represent a significant investment and we can all too often be swept away by a beautifully packaged product to later have a sense that it didn’t quite fit the bill or worse still we experience buyers remorse.  Another option is that we feel the product was great – but in reality we have no understanding or awareness of what we could have achieved with a different tool, or if this particular profiling tool had been fully explored in line with well considered aims.

It is my intention for you to be able to make an informed choice

If you visited the additional information link above to take a deeper dive into psychometrics, this could all sound a bit theoretical, academic and serious.  Be reassured, with any learning of this kind it is useful to keep things practical and fun and I really believe enjoyment and developing deep self-awareness for pragmatic aims… are not mutually exclusive pursuits!

As a results focused business, it is important though that you recognise the role psychometrics play in facilitating useful discussions to bring about behavioural change.  This awareness enables you to continue to gain benefits from developmental activity following any developmental intervention I (or my associates) might offer.

If a psychometric will add value, I will advise on one that is fit for purpose and integrate this within your development activity.  The beauty of having broad experience in the field is that the guidance offered is built on a knowledgeable foundation based upon evidence of application of these tools within a range of contexts.

Each psychometric tool has pros and cons, just as each personality preference brings benefits and limitations depending upon the context.

The approach to your development will be systemic and blended drawing upon a range of applied psychology to assist your personal and professional development and coaching.  Too often in the business arena we have heard about a sense of labeling evolving following the misuse of these tools.  This devalues the benefit these tools can bring and leads to cynicism regarding potential pigeon holing.  Ironically as previously mentioned psychometrics are developed to offer the precise opposite, encouraging curiosity, recognising the value we each bring, whilst highlighting how different we all are and reminding us that in addition to having preferences, we can be flexible.

Psychometrics are a very small part of the picture when exploring personal and professional development, they are indeed useful when positioned as such and applied appropriately.  they are also useful as entry level development exercises for those who like contained structure before expanding into wider modalities such as NLP.

Where you decide to use psychometrics within your training and development, I will ensure that these are accompanied by face to face client feedback, since these reports add little value without a coaching conversation to explore them further.

I am a qualified registered professional test user and adhere to British Psychological Society guidelines in the administration of all psychometrics.  In addition to a range of ability tests, I specialise primarily in the use of personality profiling tools and I am qualified to administer the following:

  • MBTI Myers Briggs / TDI Type Dynamic Indicator
  • Extended DISC
  • 15FQ+
  • MTRI – Management Roles Team Indicator
  • ITPQ – Ideal Task Profile Questionnaire
  • WSA – Work Style Analyser
  • IWAAM
  • CPP – Cognitive Processing Profiling

Other metrics offered

  • Belbin Team Roles
  • LSI Learning Style Inventory/ PLS – Honey and Mumford
  • EQI – Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire
  • Spiral Dynamics – Values Systems
  • TEP – Team Effectiveness Profile
  • Bernes Drivers
  • Gardner’s Multiple IntelligencePersonality Profiling