> Knowledge hub > What are the benefits of personality models?Wherever people come together, sensitivities, talents and different needs come together. If these are far apart, patience can sometimes run out. Personality models are intended to create an understanding of the repertoire of human behavior.
Personality models describe different behavioral characteristics. The aim is to reduce human behavior to the greatest possible common denominator so that everyone can find themselves in the end. This is not entirely new. Even the ancient Greeks are said to have thought about which factors determine a person’s personality. As soon as they thought they had found the “basic ingredients”, they put them into a model. This has not changed in the intervening 2000 years of human history. However, what the Greeks still based on bodily fluids (blood, mucus, bile) and their composition is now attempted to be determined with questions on self-assessment and the assessment of others.
The following models show the attempt to schematize personality.
The model, which has been developed by psychologists since the 1930s, assumes that a person’s personality is determined by 5 factors: Neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness and agreeableness.
The Big Five does not ask whether the factors determine a personality, but to what extent. In other words, everyone has all the factors. The test, which helps you to classify yourself on the five scales, includes a series of statements that you can strongly agree with or disagree with.
The psychologist Dr. Satow attributes certain personality tendencies to different occupational groups. For example, while blue-collar workers and civil servants had low values for the openness and extraversion factors, self-employed people had very high openness values and very low neuroticism values. Translated, this means that civil servants need more security. Entrepreneurial personalities are more willing to take risks. According to Dr. Satow, the values of employees are at a medium level for the five factors. [2]
Even the ideal manager can be identified using the Big Five. According to Pierce J. Howard and Jane Mitchell Howard, their personality profile consists of these tendencies: low N(euroticism) and V(ertolerance) values, high E(xtraversion), O(fness) and G(eknowledge) values.
Nevertheless, the authors emphasize that these are tendencies. For example, a manager must also have a certain amount of V-values in order not to damage the relationship with employees. [3]
DISG® is a well-known personality model that was developed by the American psychologist John G. Geier in the 1970s [4]. In contrast to the Big Five model, it attempts to divide personality into four basic types of behavior (dominant, proactive, consistent and conscientious).
The DISG® personality model also assumes that all of these behavioral types are inherent in people. However, one or two are usually more prominent. This then results in the personality type e.g. proactive or proactive-dominant. The test procedures do not conceal the fact that the assignment to a behavioral type is also influenced by the environment. For example, professional D’s can behave as I’s in private.
At mensch & kommunikation, we use a further development of the DISG® model, namely InsightsDiscovery® for personality development, team development and leadership training.
Personality types and communication
Each type has its own communication style. While D-types tend to communicate clearly and assertively, I-types will use more emotional language. But that’s not all. Each personality type also needs a different form of address.
People who need a lot of room for maneuver (here: D-type) do not like to be presented with a fait accompli. When communicating, it can be helpful to suggest options and let them actively participate in the decision.
People with lots of ideas (here: I-type) need space to express them freely. It can be helpful to actively ask them for their opinion.
People who find it difficult to change quickly (here: S-type) may find it helpful to show them a path in communication with clear intermediate steps that they can use as a guide.
People who always strive to do everything right (here: G-types) can be accommodated by taking time to listen to their critical concerns. Communicate to them why things need to be done to satisfy their analytical mind.
Models such as the Big Five assume that the characteristics of the factors remain stable from around the age of thirty. Where does that leave personal development? Acceptance of one’s own dispositions – that’s the best way to describe the Big Five. The DISG® model and the Insights Discovery® model we use provide development tips for your own personality. Each personality type identifies possible weaknesses, e.g. impatience, which can be controlled by becoming aware of them. Ultimately, personality models have one thing in common: they are designed to train observation. In this respect, you can develop an understanding approach to yourself and the people around you.
Conclusion
“If you have children, you know it is futile to raise your voice, repeat your guidance (if I told you once, I told you a thousand times)” [5]
People have two ears, two eyes and one mouth – and yet they hear, see and speak differently. This brief outline of personality models is no substitute for a guided personality profile created using test procedures. It is intended to give an insight into how attempts are made to “grasp” and “classify” personality. Do we need this? They can be helpful as a support for the mind. From there, the path from shouting to the question “What could the other person need instead?” is not quite so far. But be careful: models work with categories (and types, e.g. DISG®). They are based on statistics, are man-made and are not laws of nature. External analyses are subject to error. Anyone who reacts with anger to “untypical” behavior has gained nothing.
Of course, it is important to note that personality models are not only intended to analyze the people around you. The first glance is directed at one’s own behavioral patterns. For some people, these models can be a first approach to their own personality.
Inspirational quote at the end:
“Everyone is a genius! But if you judge a fish by whether it can climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid. ” [6]
Sources
Howard, Pierce J./Howard, Jane Mitchell (2008): Leading with the Big Five Personality Model. The tool for optimal cooperation. Translated from the English by Silvia Kinkel. Special edition Handelsblatt. Frankfurt/New York
Satow, L. (2012). Big Five Personality Test (B5T): Test and scale documentation. Online on the Internet: URL: http://www.drsatow.de. Retrieved from: https://www.psycharchives.org/bitstream/20.500.12034/423/1/PT_9006357_B5T_Forschungsbericht.pdf (last accessed 28.04.2019).
Seiwert, Lothar/Gay, Friedbert (2016): The 1×1 of personality. More knowledge of human nature & success with the persolog® model. 30th, completely revised and updated edition, Munich.
[1] Behaviorists without children. URL: https://managementblog.org/ (retrieved, 03.05.2019)
[2] Satow, L. (2012). Big Five Personality Test (B5T): Test and scale documentation. Online on the Internet: URL: http://www.drsatow.de. Retrieved from:https://www.psycharchives.org/bitstream/20.500.12034/423/1/PT_9006357_B5T_Forschungsbericht.pdf (last accessed 28.04.2019).
[3] Howard, Pierce J./Howard, Jane Mitchell (2008): Leading with the Big Five Personality Model. The tool for optimal collaboration. Translated from the English by Silvia Kinkel. Special edition Handelsblatt. Frankfurt/New York, p. 107.
[4] It builds on the results of behavioral research by Moulton W. Marston from the 1920s.
[5] Behaviorists without children. URL: https://managementblog.org/ (retrieved, 03.05.2019)
[6] This quote is attributed to Albert Einstein.
The good news is: YES, emotional intelligence can be learned and developed. There are various ways to strengthen your own emotional intelligence or to take targeted steps as an organization to promote it among employees and managers:
Self-awareness: The first step in developing emotional intelligence is to become more self-aware. This means being able to recognize and understand your own emotions and how they influence your own behaviour. It can help, for example, to actively think about your own emotions and identify patterns in your behavior.
To develop empathy, it is important to actively listen to others and try to see things from their perspective. Empathy can be practiced by putting yourself in another person’s perspective and imagining how they might feel. This allows you to develop a deeper understanding of others and build stronger relationships.
Emotional regulation can be learned through stress and anxiety management techniques such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing or exercise. You can also practise delaying your reaction to a situation or email until you have had enough time to process your emotions and react in a more rational way.
Social skills are developed by consciously practicing active listening, assertiveness and conflict resolution. For example, it is helpful to build relationships with people from different cultures in order to develop a broader perspective and show more empathy for others.
Developing emotional intelligence is a lifelong process that requires continuous learning and growth. Books, articles, podcasts, etc. on this topic, as well as workshops and training courses, are a good source of support and offer valuable tips for developing your own emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence has become increasingly important in the professional context in recent years and contributes significantly to professional success. Above all, emotionally intelligent managers are crucial to leading their teams well and effectively. Emotional intelligence can be strengthened by consciously dealing with one’s own emotions and those of others and through targeted training.
