Free “Personality” Tests That Can Improve Our Leadership

Most of this Content is Based on a Class Taught in Summer 2024

Links to Personality Tests for Quick Access

1. Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) Test
2. DISC Test
3. HEXACO (includes the Big 5) and/or the Big 5 Personality Test
4. Emotional Intelligence Test
5. Enneagram Test (Truity) and/or Eclectic Energies Enneagram Tests
6. Character Strengths Test
7. High 5 Test   
8. True Colors Test 
9. Zone of Genius Quiz (learned in spring 2025)
10. Daring Leadership Assessment (from Brene Brown) (learned in summer 2025)

Course Description

Over the past 30 years of teaching courses on leadership and organizational behavior, students have always ranked the “leader self-awareness” section of my class as their favorite. I thought we would just focus on this topic then! Instrument examples include: Big 5, Character Strengths, DISC, Emotional Intelligence, Enneagram, High 5, Johari’s Window, and Myers-Briggs.

Class Preparation

For our “class” each week, students will be asked to examine a different personality test by:

1. taking it ourselves,
2. reading &/or watching a video on the theory behind it, and
3. discussing how it can be used to strengthen our ability be successful in life!

Personality Tests

I. Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) Test

Authors – Katharine Cooke Briggs and daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, 1943, based on Carl Jung, 1921

4 main scales which result in 16 types

1. Introversion/Extraversion
2. Sensing/Intuition
3. Thinking/Feeling
4. Judging/Perceiving

        Content

Content

1. Video – What’s Your Type? – Jean Kummerow – 21 min
2. Article – MBTI links to Workplace, Learning, Leadership, Careers, Communication, Emotions
3. Article – Click on What’s Your Type and read about Famous People w/, Facts, & Hobbies of Your Type
4. Article – How Each Myers-Briggs® Type Reacts to Stress (and How to Help!)
5. Article – The Learning Styles of Every Myers-Briggs® Personality Type
6. Article – 16 Personality Styles and Romance
7. Article – Myers-Briggs-Personality-Type-and-Exercise
8. Article – History of the Myers-Briggs

II. DISC Test

Author – William Moulton Marston – 1928 and Walter Clarke – 1940s

4 major themes – 38 questions

1. Drive: taking charge and making key decisions,
2. Influence: engaging others to work together
3. Support: assisting others to achieve group goals
4. Clarity: working independently to produce correct results

Content

1. Video – DISC – John Schindell – 5 min 
2. Video – DISC Communication – Sarah Gibson – 3 min
3. Article – The DiSC styles
4. Article – DiSC Styles
5. Article – History of the DISC

III. HEXACO (includes the Big 5) and/or the Big 5 Personality Test   

Authors – Big 5 – Paul Costa and Robert R. McCrae, 1970s, based on Gordon Allport and Henry Odbert, 1930s, HEXACO – Michael C. Ashton and Kibeom Lee

5 major themes – 50 questions

1. Honesty/Humility (H)
2. Emotionality (E) (also called Neuroticism)
3. Extroversion (X)
4. Agreeableness (A)
5. Conscientiousness (C)
6. Openness to Experience (O)

Content for Class

1. Video – The Big Five Personality Traits – 5 min
2. Video – The Big 5 OCEAN Traits Explained – 6 min
3. Article – Big Five Personality Traits: The 5-Factor Model Of Personality
4. Article – HEXACO Personality Test and Scale Descriptions
5. Article – History of the Big 5: Why This Online Psychometric Test Packs a Punch
6. Article – History of the HEXACO

IV. Emotional Intelligence Test  

Author – Daniel Goleman, 1995

5 major themes – 55 questions

• Self-awareness
• Self-regulation
• Empathy
• Motivation
• Social Skills

Content

1. Video – Daniel Goleman Introduces Emotional Intelligence | Big Think – 5 min
2. Video – What is Emotional Intelligence and How Can You Develop it? – 5 min
3. Article – Emotional Intelligence Has 12 Elements. Which Do You Need to Work On?
4. Article – Emotional Intelligence: How We Perceive, Evaluate, Express, and Control Emotions
5. Article – Dr. Daniel Goleman Explains the History of Emotional Intelligence

V. Character Strengths Test     

Authors – Seligman & Peterson – 2004

6 major virtues – 24 traits – 96 questions

1. Wisdom: creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective
2. Courage: honesty, bravery, persistence, zest
3. Humanity: kindness, love, social intelligence
4. Justice: fairness, leadership, teamwork
5. Temperance: forgiveness, modesty, prudence, self-regulation
6. Transcendence: appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, religiousness

Content

1. Video – The Science of Character – 8 min
2. Video – The Test that Reveals your Hidden Strengths – Laurie Santos – 6 min
3. Article – What are the 24 Character Strengths
4. Article – The 24 Character Strengths
5. Article – Tips for Using Each Character Strength in a New Way

VI. Enneagram Test (Truity) and/or Eclectic Energies Enneagram Tests

Authors – Chilean Claudio Naranjo, 1970s, student of Bolivian Oscar Ichazo, 1970s

9 Major Types – 105 Questions

1. The Reformer – The Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, Perfectionistic
2. The Helper – The Caring, Interpersonal Type: Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, Possessive
3. The Achiever – The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptive, Excelling, Driven, Image-Conscious
4. The Individualist – The Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, Temperamental
5. The Investigator – The Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, Isolated
6. The Loyalist – The Committed, Security-Oriented Type: Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, Suspicious
7. The Enthusiast – The Busy, Fun-Loving Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Distractible, Scattered
8. The Challenger – The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, Confrontational
9. The Peacemaker – The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, Complacent

Content

1. Reading – The Road Back to You (2 chapters) – Stabile – 30 pgs (I will email you this reading)
2. Video – Intro to the Enneagram || What are the 9 Personality Types? – 11 min
3. Article – How the Enneagram System Works
4. Article – 10 Career Ideas for Each Enneagram Type and/or What Career Path Is Best Based on Enneagram Type
5. Article – Percentages of MBTI Types Within Each Enneagram Type
6. Article – History of Enneagram (from Enneagram Institute) &/or History of Enneagram (from Integrative 9)
7. Video – The Enneagram Explained with Movie Characters | Enneagram in Film – just first 11 min
8. Fun Videos – Enneagram Rhapsody – 6 min – it is a song on the 9 types, Enneagram at Starbucks (8 min), Enneagram Types Behind the Wheel – 8 min

VII. High 5 Test

4 categories, 20 strengths, 120 questions

1. FOCUS  1. Optimist 2. Analyst 3. Coach 4. Empathizer 5. Brainstormer
2. LEVERAGE  6. Philomath 7. Believer 8. Thinker 9. Strategist 10. Problem Solver
3. NAVIGATE  11. Deliverer 12. Chameleon 13. Storyteller 14. Time Keeper 15. Peace Keeper
4. DELEGATE  16. Catalyst 17. Winner 18. Commander 19. Self-Believer 20. Focus Expert

Content

1. Video – High 5 Test: Review of the Free CliftonStrengths Alternative – 6 min
2. Video – Focusing on Your Strengths, Shane Lopez – 17 min
3. Articles – HIGH5 Test VS CliftonStrengths Test: Systems Compared (2024)
4. Article – HIGH5 Strengths Test Methodology & Approach
5. Article – HIGH 5 Test Review: Does It Unlock Your Superpowers?

VIII. True Colors Test

Don Lowry, 1978

Content

1. Read – True Colors Reliability and Validity
2. Read – True Colors Printable Personality Test
3. Video – Leadership Training – Personalities of Color – 24 min
4. Video – True Colors – Test Your Personality – Mary Miscisin – 10 min
5. Review – True Colors Instrument Breakdown

IX. Zone of Genius (learned in Spring 2025)

From “The Big Leap” by Gay Hendricks. In the Zone of Genius, you are doing work that you love so much that it doesn’t seem like work anymore.  You do the work in your own unique way and bring your unique touch to it.  No one can do it quite like you do. In your Zone of Competence, you’re doing just fine.  You do work that others can do just as well or better than you, but you get the job done.  You do the job well, but you don’t really find it satisfying. There’s another zone that is actually important to discuss:  The Zone of Excellence.  When you’re there, you are doing something that you consistently get good feedback on.  You do this better than most people – you’re actually quite excellent at it.  But it doesn’t fulfill you in the same way as your Zone of Genius. What would you miss most about my presence if I passed away? What am I your go-to for?

X. Daring Leadership Assessment (from Brene Brown) (learned in summer 2025)

“Daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are teachable, observable, and measurable:

1. Rumbling with Vulnerability
2. Living into our Values
3. Braving Trust
4. Learning to Rise.

The Daring Leadership Assessment will help you gauge your strengths and your opportunities for growth as a daring leader.  On average, the assessment takes less than 10 minutes, and you will be able to print or email the results to yourself.

Possible scores for each skill set range from 0-10. The assessment report serves as a guide to areas where:

• You will likely have strengths (scores ≥ 8).
• You will likley have both strengths and opportunities for growth (scores ≥ 5 and <8).
• You will likely have solid opportunities for growth (scores < 5).”

XI. Spiritual Gifts Inventory (online) or pdf version of the same inventory

Resources

1. Open-Source Psychometrics Project

These tests range from very serious and widely used scientific instruments popular psychology to self produced quizzes. A special focus is given to the strengths, weaknesses and validity of the various systems.

2. The 23 Best Personality Tests in Rank Order (2024 Update)

One person’s opinion on some of the best personality tests out there.

3. Best Tests To Help You Understand Your Strengths And Weaknesses

Many of these cost money but it is a good overview of 15 various options.