Personality types can seem difficult to break down if we look at them from a distance. However, if you look at some of your habits, you may find out some things about yourself you never realised. These hidden truths can help you find out where your strengths lie and allow you to better understand how you work.
There are a lot of different personality tests out there, and it’s sometimes hard to know which ones to trust. There are some obvious ‘just for fun ones’, like ‘Which Disney Princess are You?’ and ‘What does your choice of vegetables tell you about your future’ etc. However, there are also quite a few which a slightly more scientific.
Most personality tests follow the same trend, making you pick between A and B i.e. Do you prefer wearing formal or casual dress? By doing this, they are picking apart your preferences to determine your personality, and it can be quite revealing.
The theory is simple; start with two personalities which are extreme opposites and see where on the scale you fall. The first personality (A) is well organised, outgoing, competitive and impatient. The second (B) is more relaxed, creative and a bit untidy. Do you identify with either of them? The answer is probably yes!
Neither is good or bad as both are suited to different roles, situations and careers. This is why knowing which one you most accurately reflect could help you play to your strengths.
While having only two options may seem a little restrictive at first, there are reasons why it works this way.
The American Psychological association break the two types of behaviour down like this:
Type A: “A complex pattern of behaviours and emotions that includes excessive emphasis on competition, aggression, impatience, and hostility.”
Type B: “As compared to Type A behaviour pattern, a less competitive, less aggressive, less hostile pattern of behaviour and emotion.”
It’s important to understand that just because you associate more with one than the other that you won’t necessarily possess all of the trait types. However, they can show you which role you would be better suited to. For example, earlier in this article, when you read that the first personality (A) is well organised, outgoing, competitive and impatient, you may have thought that this personality would be better suited to a managerial/leadership role. However, type B actually leans more towards this as they tend to have more compassion.
How important are personality traits?
In the world of marketing, personality does matter, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t fit the ideal one. In truth, it’s good to have a little of column A and a little of column B. However, the most important thing to do is to know how you work with your personality in order to prioritise your tasks. If you leave everything to the last minute or are really disorganised, then these are the types of things you need to recognise. Only once you’ve done that can you get ahead!