Using Personality Assessments to Spark Meaningful Team Conversations

In my work with leadership teams, I often use personality assessments—not as labels or verdicts, but as tools to deepen understanding and build trust. When used well, these instruments create a shared language for how people show up, communicate, and make decisions. They open the door to conversations that are both personal and practical.

Recently, I facilitated a session with a senior team that used the Hogan assessment to explore individual and collective patterns—what energizes each person, what triggers stress, and how those tendencies influence team dynamics. What was most powerful wasn’t the data itself, but the dialogue it inspired. Team members began connecting the dots between their results and the real moments that matter most: how feedback is given, how conflict is managed, and how trust is built.

When a team discusses their profiles together, something shifts. The conversation moves from “why can’t they see it my way?” to “oh, that’s how they see it.” That shift—toward curiosity, empathy, and shared accountability—is what allows teams to unlock both performance and cohesion.

At Live Oak Leadership, I don’t treat assessments as one-time events or personality quizzes. They’re used as lenses for real work: strategic alignment, role clarity, decision-making, and feedback. The goal isn’t simply to know who you are on paper, but to understand how you work together in practice.

When teams can speak openly about their differences and appreciate the value each person brings, the result is greater trust, stronger communication, and a culture where people can stretch and grow.