Category: Personality Tests

DISC, CliftonStrengths®, and Enneagram: why combining them beats choosing one

Reading Time: 5 minutesSearch for the best personality assessment for your team and you will find a fight. DISC against CliftonStrengths®. Enneagram against StrengthsFinder. Myers-Briggs against everything. The whole conversation is framed as a contest, as if your job is to pick the winner and standardize the company on it. It is the wrong question. DISC, CliftonStrengths®, and the Enneagram are not competitors. They are different lenses on the same person, and each one is incomplete on its own. The most useful thing you can know, how someone works, or how two specific people will work together, does not live inside any single assessment. It lives in the relationship between them. That is the case for combining assessments instead of choosing one. Not more tests for the sake of more data, but a fuller read, because the blind spots of one framework are exactly what another one sees. Get the 2026 AI coaching playbook to see how organizations are implementing AI coaching at scale. How CliftonStrengths®, DISC, and Enneagram Provide Different Layers Of Insight Start with what each of the three is good at, and what it cannot tell you. What DISC shows about how someone works DISC reads how a person responds to challenge, pace, and other people. It tells you who moves fast and direct, who needs steadiness, who wants the details right. It is the most practical lens for everyday interaction, which is why teams often start by grounding coaching in DISC results. What DISC does not tell you is why. It shows the behavior, not the motivation underneath it, so two people who look identical on DISC can be moved by completely different things. What CliftonStrengths® shows about how someone works CliftonStrengths® reads where a person’s natural energy goes, the handful of things they do well without trying. It is the lens for development and role fit, what someone contributes that others on the team may not, and it works best when that read shows up in daily coaching rather than in a one-time report. What it does not show is how that strength lands under pressure, or how it collides with someone else’s. A strength described in isolation is a label until you see it next to another person’s. What the Enneagram shows about how someone works The Enneagram reads core motivation, what a person is trying to protect or achieve, often without realizing it, and how they behave when stress hits. It explains the why that DISC leaves out, and it surfaces the stress response that surprises even the person who has it. Used well in coaching, it is the lens for conflict and change. On its own, it can stay abstract, a number and a description, without telling a manager what to actually do in Tuesday’s 1:1. See How Cloverleaf’s Platform Works Try a Demo Request A Cloverleaf Coach Demo What insight is uncovered when you combine DISC, CliftonStrengths®, and Enneagram Put the three together and a person stops reading flat. The fast, direct DISC style now has a motivation behind it, maybe a need to achieve, maybe a need to stay in control, and those two call for very different coaching. The strength that looks like a clear asset on CliftonStrengths® shows its cost under the Enneagram’s stress response. The quiet team member is no longer simply an S on DISC; you can see what they value and what makes them go silent. The bigger shift happens at the level of two people. A single assessment describes individuals. The combination shows how a specific manager and a specific report are likely to work together, where they will align and where they will grind, before the 1:1 instead of after the conflict. Cloverleaf maps more than 1 million behavioral signals across these pairings, which is the part no single framework can produce: not who you are, but how you and this other person will interact. A single person reads differently across all three. On DISC, direct and fast. On CliftonStrengths®, a builder of relationships. On the Enneagram, motivated by a need to feel valued. Coach them on the DISC read alone and you tell them to slow down. See all three and you understand that the speed is in service of connection, and that criticism will land harder than their direct style suggests. The coaching changes. The same thing scales to a whole team. Combine the three across a group and patterns appear that a single assessment hides: a team stacked with fast, direct styles that rushes its decisions, a set of motivations that quietly compete, a strength the team is missing altogether. Friction that looks like a personality clash is often a predictable result of the mix, and you can name it before it costs the team. Why multiple assessment data is most helpful if they are synthesized More assessments do not help if they end up as three separate reports in three separate dashboards nobody opens. That is the trap most organizations fall into. They accumulate assessments over the years, a DISC workshop from an offsite, a StrengthsFinder bundle from an old LMS, an Enneagram book a manager liked, and they end up with siloed data and no shared language for how people work together. The gap is rarely the assessments themselves, it is that the behavioral data never gets activated. Assessments are the fuel, not the destination. A report you read once does not change behavior, any more than a workshop about dieting makes you lose weight. What changes behavior is the same insight showing up in the moment it is needed: before the hard conversation, when the new team forms, the day the reorg lands. That requires the combined read to be synthesized into one picture and delivered in the flow of work, in Slack, Teams, and email, instead of sitting in a binder. How Cloverleaf uses assessment data understand the whole person This is what Cloverleaf is built to do. It synthesizes 13+ market leading behavioral assessments, DISC, CliftonStrengths®, the

5 Personality Tests For Employees That Make Teamwork Fun Again

Reading Time: 13 minutesPersonality tests for employees can reveal insights into unique traits and work styles that can be invaluable for building culture and collaboration. Some critics argue that these tests may oversimplify complex human behavior, lack reliability, and validity, and suffer from self-report bias.They also raise concerns about potential stereotyping, pigeonholing, and limited growth opportunities that might arise from assigning individuals to personality types. At Cloverleaf, we believe personality tests can be tremendous sources of data and learning that can be used to significantly improve workplace performance. The way organizations use these assessments is evolving; dynamic data usage and continuous refinement make personality tests more actionable and insightful than ever before. Ever since their inception, assessments have been a static, one-time experience. Meaning users complete a list of predefined questions that translate into a final score that lives on in perpetuity… Thanks to automation, asking additional assessment questions over time is becoming feasible. Assessments can be refined as users engage in additional contexts, such as interactions with specific colleagues or while dealing with certain challenges. – Scott Dust, Forbes Council Member A balanced approach to tests, while considering their limitations, considers the valuable insights into employees’ strengths, motivations, and preferences. Understanding an employee’s personality inventory can help ensure they are in roles that are an ideal job fit. For example, a more introverted person who doesn’t like speaking in public will most likely not get a job that requires them to do so. Having the right personality for the job or organization will result in a better job fit and bring many benefits—including reduced turnover. – peopledynamics.co By tapping into the power of behavioral and strength assessments, managers and coworkers can develop more understanding about each other, strengthen collaboration, and reduce conflicts. Embracing assessment tools in the workplace can ultimately lead to a more successful organization and unlock your team’s full potential. Key Takeaways: Assessment tools can provide profound insight to build understanding, strengthen collaboration, reduce conflicts, and unlock team potential for a more successful organization. When selecting assessment tools for employees, leaders must consider relevance, validity, ease of use, and ways to make the insights actionable. Leaders can use personality assessment to identify employees’ strengths, motivations, and preferences to strengthen organizational performance. The basic practice of “treat others how they want to be treated” can help team members to feel heard, seen, and valued. 5 Personality Tests For Employees That Improve Teamwork Teamwork can make work fun, but to get there, team members truly need to understand each other. Personality tests can bridge the gap that often exists between different personality types. People are complicated, each with their own unique ways of thinking and doing. Think of these assessments as the roadmap to navigating the diverse landscape of your team, highlighting the best paths for collaboration and identifying potential roadblocks. We’re often asked which personality tests are best for the workplace, and we like to start with these five because of the unique insights each one provides. When combined, these layered insights create a comprehensive understanding of each individual and the dynamics that exist within a team. The five we recommend starting with are: 16 Types DISC Enneagram CliftonStrengths® VIA 16 Types (MBTI) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) categorizes individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on preferences in four areas: Introversion/Extraversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. Developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, this assessment draws from Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types. It’s invaluable for understanding how individuals consume information, learn, and reach conclusions. Learn About The 16-Types Assessment   Key Benefits The MBTI reveals how team members prefer to process information and make decisions. It highlights their mental habits and decision-making engines, offering a deeper understanding of their intrinsic motivations. By recognizing these habits, leaders can create buy-in, minimize miscommunication, and build trust within their teams. Use Cases Individual Growth: Helps individuals uncover their unique cognitive preferences, empowering them to understand how they best process information and make decisions. This self-awareness allows them to leverage their strengths, develop more effective strategies for personal growth, and increase their job satisfaction. Team Dynamics: Enhances team dynamics by revealing the diverse thinking and communication styles within the group. By understanding these differences, teams can reduce friction, foster mutual respect, and collaborate more effectively, leading to a more cohesive and harmonious working environment. Leadership Development: Enables leaders to tailor their management style to align with each team member’s natural preferences. By adapting their approach, leaders can boost engagement and productivity, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and understood. This empathetic leadership fosters a motivated and high-performing team. DISC DISC is a quick and easy-to-remember assessment that measures four traits: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. By observing your team’s communication styles and level of activity in conversations, you can better understand their needs and motivations. Adjusting your approach based on their DISC profile can improve collaboration and productivity. Learn About The DISC Assessment Key Benefits DISC helps teams quickly recognize how each member communicates, responds to challenges, and influences others. By observing these traits, leaders can better grasp the underlying motivations and needs of their team members. Use Cases Individual Growth: Provides individuals with insights into their behavioral tendencies, helping them understand how they interact with others and respond to various situations. This awareness allows them to improve their interpersonal skills and adapt their behavior to different contexts, enhancing their overall effectiveness. Team Dynamics: Improves team communication by identifying the different behavioral styles within the group. By understanding these styles, teams can tailor their interactions to be more effective, reducing misunderstandings and strengthen collaboration. Leadership Development: Helps leaders manage their teams more effectively by understanding each member’s behavioral style. Leaders can use this insight to tailor their communication and management strategies, ensuring they meet each individual’s needs. This leads to a more engaged and productive team, with members who feel understood and supported. Enneagram The Enneagram is a versatile assessment that identifies nine distinct personality types, each with unique emotional

DISC in the workplace

How To Apply DISC in the Workplace: A Leader’s Playbook for Effective Collaboration

Reading Time: 9 minutesTL;DR:Already know your DISC type? This guide walks through practical ways to use DISC in the workplace—improving communication, running better meetings, and aligning work styles. Use it to enhance collaboration and reduce team friction. Already familiar with your DISC profile—but unsure how to use it day-to-day at work? You’re not alone. Many professionals understand the basics of Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, but struggle to translate that into action with their teams. This guide is designed for those ready to move beyond awareness and into application. You’ll learn how to: 👉 Communicate more effectively with each DISC type 👉 Run more inclusive meetings 👉 Align work and roles to team members’ behavioral strengths Whether you’re a team leader or an individual contributor, this article will help you put DISC to work in real-world workplace scenarios. What Are the Benefits of Applying DISC at Work? Incorporating DISC into the workplace can improve communication, giving and receiving feedback, and conflict resolution to enhance team performance. Managers can create a more cohesive and effective team by understanding each person’s motivational tendencies, communication styles, and cognitive diversity. ✅ Understanding Motivational Tendencies One of the primary benefits of using DISC in the workplace is its ability to provide information about the motivational tendencies of individuals. For example, individuals with high Steadiness scores may value cooperation and sincerity, while those with higher Dominance scores may prioritize pushing towards goals and outcomes. Understanding these tendencies can help managers better motivate and engage members of the team. ✅ Enhancing Communication DISC scores can also provide insights into effectively communicating with others. For instance, a team with a disproportionate number of high Dominance scores may create an environment where those with higher Steadiness or Compliance scores do not feel comfortable contributing ideas. Managers can create a more inclusive and productive environment by understanding different communication styles. ✅ Depersonalizing Conflict DISC can also help depersonalize conflict by providing a common communication language for a team. For example, using a team dashboard to display aggregate DISC results can help team members better understand each other’s conflict management styles and triggers. This can lead to developing a “conflict contract” that establishes group norms for dealing with conflict and helps generate team buy-in. ✅ Capitalizing on Cognitive Diversity Studies have shown that teams with higher cognitive diversity produce better outcomes. DISC can help teams understand their level of cognitive diversity and how to harness it to improve outcomes. Using the team DISC wheel, managers can see where the team lacks certain styles or where a member may play a critical role in achieving team goals. ✅ Defining the Right Roles DISC can help managers better understand how team members fit into their roles. Managers can create a more productive and engaged team using DISC to match individuals with roles that align with their behavioral patterns. Assigning tasks that conflict with their natural style may lead to burnout or turnover. 🧠 Related Resource: Talent Development In The Age of AIWant to scale coaching and personality insights across your organization—without burning out your HR team? 👇 Get the Playbook: A practical guide to developing human skills at scale using automation and behavioral science. Talent Development In The Age Of AI Playbook Get a practical guide to scale human skill development across your org, without the usual friction. Dominance (D): How to Lead and Motivate D Types Dominance: Balancing Drive with Team Dynamics The D in DISC stands for Dominance, which characterizes driven, goal-oriented, and assertive individuals. They are natural leaders who seek control and authority, viewing them as positive qualities. However, in their quest for success, D types may prioritize tasks and outcomes over the well-being and contributions of their co-workers. High-D individuals must balance their drive for achievement with understanding how their actions affect their team dynamics. Overly focusing on tasks can dismiss the importance of building relationships and collaborating. This can ultimately hinder team success and create a hostile work environment. Leaders with high-D traits can motivate their team towards a shared goal while creating a culture of openness, respect, and trust. By balancing their dominant nature with empathy and consideration for others, they can harness their strengths to achieve success for the team. Influence (I): How to Collaborate With High-I Teammates Influence: Harnessing Energy for Collaborative Success “I” stands for Influence in the DISC model, representing individuals prioritizing social interaction and relationship-building. I types are energized by being around people and are drawn to change, seeing it as a positive force that can bring about new opportunities. They excel at connecting with others, using their charisma and personal skills to generate enthusiasm and excitement. One potential downside of the I style is that their enthusiasm and love of variety can sometimes lead to impulsiveness and distractibility. They may lose sight of the end goal or become disorganized in pursuing new experiences. As a result, it can be helpful for Is to work with someone who can provide structure and help keep them focused on the task at hand. Influencing types bring a valuable perspective to teams, and their ability to build relationships and generate excitement can help keep teams motivated and engaged. By understanding their strengths and potential pitfalls, Is can use their skills to benefit their team and the organization. Steadiness (S): Creating Harmony With High-S Employees Steadiness: Fostering Team Harmony and Collaboration These individuals are team players who prioritize a harmonious and inclusive team culture. They value stability and seek to create that for their team. Others often consider them to be great listeners and have supportive teammates. They don’t like change or conflict and rarely initiate it, even if it costs them. It’s also essential to include them in any team decisions, give them ample notice if any changes need to be made, and seek their opinions. S-Types like to ensure everyone is heard and foster a strong sense of connection among teammates. By understanding and leveraging the strengths of the S style, you can create a positive

Big 5 Personality Assessments And Cloverleaf

Reading Time: 4 minutesThe Big 5 personality traits include conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness to experience, and extroversion. The goal of the Big 5 was lofty—to distill all the possible personality traits into a cohesive, manageable set of factors.  The research signaled that five was ideal, although it could have been more (and some less popular models do have more than five). The selection of five was to ensure that the factors were distinct and comprehensive, such that the factors covered the vast majority of “variance” across all possible personality traits.  The Big 5 has undergone plentiful and robust construct validity analyses and has been included in all sorts of models, making it a solid approach to evaluating how personality traits relate to different types of organizational behavior. More specifically, if the goal is to understand the degree to which a personality trait (e.g., openness to experience) correlates with an outcome of interest (e.g., creativity), the Big 5 is a wise choice. The challenge with the Big 5, however, is that’s it’s not inherently “practical,” which is the goal in applied settings. The Big 5 is built for research, where the goal is to incrementally advance theory. In applied settings, however, the goal is to facilitate behavior change. This requires a slightly different approach. The factors of interest are still grounded in evidence and have also undergone construct validity analyses. However, the selection of factors (also called dimensions) is based on user utility. Further, the way the assessments are constructed, scored, and reported is more appropriate for those interested in making day-to-day behavior changes. Below, I offer more detailed explanations of these differences.  The first difference is variability. For example, even though conscientiousness is one of the strongest predictors of performance, the mean-level across populations is relatively high. Without variation, it doesn’t add much value to applied settings. Applied, trait-based assessments, such as the dimensions of DISC, 16 types, Enneagram, and Instinctive drives, are built for ensuring that variability exists so that we can glean more specific insights on how the factors show up in work settings. The second difference is neutrality. The applied, trait-based assessments, for the most part (if done correctly), are purposefully neutral (i.e., they are not “good” or “bad”). Several of the Big 5 have negative connotations—neuroticism in particular. Low levels of agreeableness (i.e., disagreeableness) and low levels of openness to experience (i.e., being close-minded) do as well. Again, although these are clearly universal and important traits, they don’t work well in applied settings. Participants don’t want to be told they are innately flawed. Further, negatively worded assessment questions introduce social desirability bias (i.e., we want to present ourselves to colleagues and supervisors as better than what we really are) and/or inflation bias (i.e., we are biased to think we are better than we really are). The third difference entails the approach to assessing behavior. The Big five looks at one trait at a time and asks whether you are low to high on that trait through a series of questions. This is the best approach for research settings when you want to evaluate one trait at a time (and statistically “control” for all other traits). This is ideal for incremental science, but not for applied conversations.  Applied assessments look at a factor of interest and then evaluate the poles of that factor. The extroversion trait of the Big 5 does this, with its opposite being introversion, but the others don’t have the same degree of polarity. Being low on neuroticism doesn’t inherently suggest that you are emotionally intelligent, for example (although some have tried to prove that this is the case).  With DISC there is a two-by-two of factors that look at how you view your environment (factor 1 = favorable or unfavorable) and how you approach your environment (factor 2 = aggressive or passive). With 16 Types, the factors cover categories such as “perception” (either sensing or intuition) and “judgment” (either thinking or feeling). Overall, these pole-based approaches ensure that the insights are neutral (not good or bad, just different), people self-rate without bias (no one likes to admit they are neurotic or disagreeable, for example), and those insights can be delivered regardless of where one falls on the factor of interest. Also important, the personality trait assessments on the Cloverleaf platform do overlap with some of the Big 5 dimensions. In particular, extroversion-introversion is covered in 16 types, and agreeableness is covered, to some degree, in the D vs. I scores of DISC. In my opinion, those are the two most practical factors of the Big 5 in applied work settings. I’ve heard several academics suggest that using anything except the Big 5 to assess personality is incorrect. This is oversimplified. If the goal is to advance science with respect to personality, the Big 5 is the most suitable. But this is because that is what the Big 5 was built for.  If the goal is to change behavior in applied settings, Cloverleaf’s personality trait assessments—DISC, 16 types, Enneagram, Instinctive Drives—are not only suitable, they are ideal. Academics assume that these practitioner-focused alternatives haven’t undergone construct validity analyses. This is untrue—they just don’t have the data to conduct these analyses. The assessment providers offer some analyses, independent academics have conducted analyses and published the findings in peer-reviewed outlets, and I have conducted our own analyses on our user database. The findings are sound.  In summary, the Big 5 is amazing, especially if you’re conducting research. But as of today, we are focusing on incorporating personality trait assessments that offer as much practical utility as possible. HUMAN SKILL PROGRAMS ARE HITTING LIMITATIONS…​ 5 THINGS THIS FREE RESOURCE WILL TEACH YOU Close the widening gap between learning and on-the-job application Overcome the tension of pausing productivity for development opportunities Integrate learning so it is actually in the flow of work The evolution of human skill development What Automated Coaching™ is and how it works.