We all want to know more about ourselves.
Despite the fact that no one else on the planet has equal access to our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, we still have a deep desire to learn more about who we are and why we act the way we do.
We naturally turn to simple assessments that we hope will accurately reflect personal qualities important to our well-being and success.
Although other sources of feedback and assessment are likely more enlightening, such as peer evaluations, biofeedback, task performance, and structured interviews, we can typically access self-assessment questionnaires without any heavy lifting.
Self-assessment surveys are easy and fast. It takes roughly five seconds to read, reflect, and respond to a question item. Self-scoring, when it is available, requires only a minute or two.
In short order, we can potentially learn a lot about ourselves with very little investment of time, energy, or ego.
In many cases, such as with measurements of personal strengths, personality dimensions, self-confidence, and learning mindset, the survey pointedly outlines the qualities required to be more productive, healthy, or successful.
The items remind us to focus on those factors we may be missing or need to do better with.
A great self-assessment captures more about us than we know on the surface. Better yet, it exposes us to ourselves so we may gain insights lurking just below our recognition and acceptance.
With the help of this simple tool, we find new answers in our perennial search to define who we are, at least in the moment.
Perhaps you have already taken and benefitted from the insights of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Gallup’s StrengthsFinder, the DISC personality assessment, the Enneagram personality typing system, or many of the other popular self-assessments.
Of the many personality assessments, The Big Five Personality Traits assessment has become tremendously fashionable of late. If you haven’t already, take the test at no cost by visiting truity.com.
Learning more about yourself through self-assessments is an exercise in reflection. Taking the time to look in the mirror is a great way to see the perfections and imperfections that make you who you are. Now the hard work of self-development begins.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
