The Unfinished Symphony: Unveiling the Mysteries of Human Behaviour at Work

Understanding Behaviour at Work: A Psychologist’s Perspective

Imagine yourself as an orchestra conductor, tasked with creating a masterpiece of human performance within your organisation. Each team member brings a unique instrument – their personality. But to achieve harmony, you need to understand the individual notes and how they interact within the composition. This is the essence of the challenge faced by occupational psychologists: deciphering the complex symphony of human behaviour at work. If you want to read more about the impact of occupational psychology I wrote a piece on this topic last month: The 5 Core Areas of Occupational Psychology That Can Benefit Your Business. Why Invest in Your People? | qpeople.

One of the fundamental struggles in this pursuit lies in the ongoing debate between type and trait-based personality theories. While the goal of understanding and predicting human behaviour seems straightforward, achieving it has proven to be an intricate puzzle with missing pieces.

The Nuance of Traits: Understanding the Building Blocks

As an occupational psychologist, my initial focus leans towards trait-based personality assessments. Traits, defined as the fundamental characteristics that shape an individual, offer a seemingly clear window into someone’s behaviour. Tools like the NEO-PI-3, with their scientific grounding and detailed profiles, initially appealed to my desire for a more structured approach. They promised a roadmap to understanding an individual’s tendencies and how they might interact with work situations.

However, personality may not always be a static entity (another ongoing debate!) The environment in which we find ourselves can have an impact on how we behave, just like the acoustics of a concert hall are play a crucial role to the sound of your musical piece. The “Big Five” model, or similar frameworks, may not fully capture how our personality traits adapt in an ever-evolving working world and we might need to look at alternative ways of viewing personality and human behaviour.

The Enticing Simplicity of Types: A Different Score for the Same Performance?

Many businesses, seeking a more readily implementable solution, gravitate towards type-based personality assessments. These tools categorise individuals into distinct “types” (e.g., Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), offering a seemingly clear-cut way to understand strengths, weaknesses, and communication styles.

The appeal of type-based assessments is undeniable. They are often presented in a straightforward and memorable manner, making them easy to grasp for managers and HR professionals who may not have extensive experience with psychometrics. Additionally, some type-based systems can be particularly effective in driving behavioural change within an organisation. Think of them as sheet music specifically designed for a particular style of music. They provide clear instructions that can help individuals play their part in the overall performance.

However, the ease of use comes with a caveat. Type systems can be overly simplistic, potentially misrepresenting the complexity of human behaviour. These rigid categories may not capture the full range of an individual’s traits. Furthermore, a focus on types can overshadow the dynamic nature of personality, potentially hindering the development of well-rounded individuals capable of adapting to changing situations. Imagine forcing a violinist to only pluck strings – they may excel in that specific area, but their overall musical potential remains untapped.

Beyond the Debate: Finding the Right Instrument for the Orchestra

So, where do we stand in this ongoing debate? Is there a single, perfect model for understanding human behaviour at work? The answer, perhaps unsurprisingly, is no. The truth lies in acknowledging the limitations of both approaches and adopting a more nuanced perspective.

At qpeople, we believe that the most effective approach is one that is tailored to the specific needs of each client. We view the type vs. trait debate not as a binary choice, but rather as a spectrum with valuable insights to be gleaned from both sides (to find out more about how we use psychometrics see our previous blog: Approaches to learning and development assessment: getting the right fit | qpeople).

Just like a skilled conductor wouldn’t use the same score for a symphony orchestra and a jazz band, we don’t rely on a one-size-fits-all assessment tool or approach. Instead, we collaborate closely with our clients to understand their unique challenges and goals. This allows us to select the most appropriate psychometric tool, be it a trait-based assessment offering in-depth personality profiles, a type-based tool that facilitates team communication, or even a combination of both.

Ultimately, the goal is not to pigeonhole individuals into pre-defined categories, but to empower organisations to tap into the full potential of their human orchestra. By understanding the unique instruments (personalities) at their disposal and fostering an environment that allows for individual expression within the framework of teamwork, by raising self awareness and psychological safety (Psychological safety: the key to unlocking a high-performance workplace | qpeople) companies can create truly remarkable symphonies of performance.

The question remains: How can we further refine our understanding of human behaviour at work? What innovative approaches are emerging in the field of psychometrics? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.