The foundation for helping people transform is to understand that we are all different. And in order to help other people know more about themselves, we have to understand more about different personality types.
This is where the Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment (MBTI), better known as the 16 personalities test, comes in.
Francesca Facio, the human optimization coach and head of certifications at Mindvalley Coach, breaks down this powerful coaching tool. And here’s all you should know about it.
How Does the 16 Personalities Test Work?
The 16 personalities test is a free assessment that categorizes individuals into one of 16 distinct personality types based on the Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator (MBTI®). Developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, this widely-used psychological tool evaluates various aspects of a person’s preferences, including:
- Extroversion and introversion,
- Sensing and intuition,
- Thinking and feeling,
- Judging and perceiving, and
- Assertivity and turbulence.
The test provides insight into behavioral patterns, communication styles, and decision-making processes. It tells you how someone interacts with the world and makes choices.
How Can I Use the 16 Personalities Test in My Coaching Practice?
Our personality is one of the many factors that drive our behavior. That’s why the 16 personalities test is so relevant in coaching.
As a coach, when you build that trust, it allows your coachee to get really honest with you. — @ajitna Share on XYour clients are going to have different personalities, which means they want to be motivated, influenced, and learn in different ways.
By understanding people’s personalities, you will understand them better and communicate with them more easily. As a result, they will get better insights and shift how they approach their lives.
Personality Aspects
The 16 personalities test talks about five different personality aspects: Mind, Energy, Nature, Tactics, and Identity.
1. Mind: How we interact with our surroundings
You will have Introverts who prefer solitary activities because they are sensitive to external stimulation.
And you will have Extroverts, who get energized by social interactions. They also tend to be more enthusiastic and are easily excited.
2. Energy: How we see the world and process information
There are Sensing individuals, who are very practical and down-to-earth. They have strong habits and rely on data to predict future events.
And there are Intuitives, who are very imaginative, open-minded, and curious. They prefer novelty over stability.
3. Nature: How we make decisions and manage our emotions
You’ll meet Thinking individuals in your practice who focus on objectivity and rationality, prioritizing logic over emotions.
On the other hand, you’ll meet Feelers, who are very sensitive and open about expressing their emotions. They are more empathic and less competitive than thinking types. They focus on social harmony and cooperation.
4. Tactics: Reflects our approach to work, planning and decision-making
You will have Judging individuals, who are decisive, thorough, and highly organized. They value clarity, predictability, and closure. They also prefer structure and planning to spontaneity.
Then you have Perceiving personalities, who are very good at improvising and spotting opportunities. They tend to be flexible, relaxed nonconformists who prefer keeping their options open.
5. Identity: How confident we are in our abilities and decisions
These are variants that apply to all the other personality aspects.
On one side, you have the Assertive ones, who are self-assured, even-tempered, and resistant to stress. They refuse to worry too much and do not push themselves too hard to achieve their goals.
And then there are the Turbulent ones, who are self-conscious and sensitive to stress. They are likely to experience a wide range of emotions. They are success-driven, perfectionistic, and eager to improve.
Roles
Another important layer of the 16 personalities test is the role we fulfill in society based on how we’re wired internally. It’s the combination of our personality aspects that reveals our goals, interests, and preferred activities.
1. Analysts: Intuitive and Thinking [NT] type
They embrace rationality and impartiality, and they excel in the scientific or technological fields.
Extremely independent, open-minded, and strong-willed, they question everything and never settle for what other people say is right.
They are also amazing strategic thinkers but often struggle with social and romantic relationships.
2. Diplomats: Intuitive and Feeling [NF] type
They focus on empathy and cooperation. Additionally, they’re great in diplomatic or counseling roles.
They bring harmony, warmth, and empathy into all their relationships.
What’s more, they may face trouble when having to make a difficult decision, especially if it affects someone else.
3. Sentinels: Sensing and Judging [SJ] type
Sentinels are highly cooperative and practical.
They embrace and create order, security, and stability in everything they do.
Meticulous, hard-working, and excelling in logistical or administrative fields, they always stick to their plan and don’t shy away from difficult tasks.
The challenge they face is that they tend to be inflexible and have a hard time accepting different opinions.
4. Explorers: Sensing and Perceiving [SP] type
The most spontaneous role of all, explorers easily connect with their surroundings.
They are practical and great at responding to situations that require a quick reaction. They excel at using tools and techniques in different ways to resolve any challenge.
They are also prone to taking risks.
Strategies
Strategies show our preferred ways of doing things and achieving goals. There are four strategies talked about in the 16 personalities test.
1. Confident individualism: Introverted and Assertive [I-A] type
They prefer doing things alone without asking for help. They have high self-confidence and trust in themselves.
One of their biggest values is personal responsibility. They don’t pay much attention to what other people think or say.
2. People mastery: Extroverted and Assertive [E-A] type
They love social contact and tend to have very good communication skills. They easily rely on others for help and thrive in social settings.
They are self-confident and don’t hesitate to share their worldview. They actively seek roles to assist in their communities.
3. Constant improvement: Introverted and Turbulent [I-T] type
These are the quiet, individualistic people who tend to be perfectionist and success-driven. They often spend a lot of time and effort making sure that the result of their work is the best it can be.
Known as high achievers in their field, they tend to worry too much about their performance.
4. Social engagement: Extraverted and Turbulent [E-T] type
The last strategy is adopted by sociable, energetic, and success-driven types.
They tend to be restless, perfectionistic individuals, prone to experiencing both very positive and very negative emotions.
They’re usually high achievers, even if they’re quiet and sensitive. They tend to place a lot of importance on other people’s opinions. They value social status and are eager to succeed in everything they do.
Create More Powerful Breakthroughs for Your Clients
The 16 personalities assessment is a powerful coaching tool that helps you understand your clients more deeply. By identifying their characteristics, you gain more insights into how they think and why they do the things they do.
Take the free personality test now, or share it with your clients.
If you want to dive deeper into the art of masterful coaching, join us in the free Become a Mindvalley Certified Life Coach masterclass.
Here’s what Mindvalley-certified coaches say about the program.
“As I near the end of this four-month program, I can confidently say that I am more in touch with who I am. I have learned to let go of things that were holding me back from becoming the best version of myself. That’s why I now consider myself an ‘Un-Coach,’ someone who unlearns, unleashes, and untames the expectations others impose on me.”
— Daphney Bossicot, transformation coach; Fall River, U.S.A.
“After this course, I have a clearer understanding of how to help myself and others with effective tools. They provide many methods and tools you can use in addition to your already existing expertise.”
— Daina Migliore, entrepreneur; Los Angeles, U.S.A.
Don’t just transform lives; become a catalyst for personal revolutions. And it all starts with the Become a Mindvalley Certified Life Coach masterclass.
