So Apparently I'm a Maverick

As someone who spends their days thinking in systems, I recently found myself on the other side of the equation. Instead of designing the system, I was being systematically designed – or at least categorized. Two corporate personality assessments have landed on my desk: Manage By Strengths (MBS) and Predictive Index (PI). You know, those tools that attempt to transform the beautiful complexity of human leadership into neat little data points and colorful charts.

It's a bit ironic, really. As a design leader, I'm constantly pushing against one-size-fits-all solutions, advocating for nuanced, human-centered approaches. Yet here I was, watching my leadership style being algorithmically sorted into predefined boxes. These assessments are part of a long tradition of trying to make sense of human complexity, dating back to when Myers-Briggs decided Jung's psychological theories could be transformed into a corporate tool (because who doesn't want their entire personality reduced to four letters?).

These corporate personality tests we use today actually started as military assessments during World War I, screening soldiers for combat readiness. We've somehow transformed a tool designed for evaluating wartime psychological fitness into one that determines if you'll be a good "culture fit" 😬

The funny thing about all these tests is that while they're pitched as scientific management tools, they often tell us things we kind of already know about ourselves. Like, did you really need a test to tell you that you're outgoing and like working with people? Probably not! But sometimes having that external validation, even from a corporate assessment, can be weirdly validating.

But here's where it gets interesting. While my initial reaction was healthy skepticism (okay, maybe an eye roll or two), something unexpected happened along the way. Between the corporate jargon and standardized questions, I found moments of genuine insight about how I show up in the world of design leadership. Sometimes the most valuable discoveries come from questioning the system itself.

My results from Predictive Index

The Results Are In...

According to these assessments, I'm what they call a "Maverick" - an innovative, "outside the box" thinker who's supposedly undaunted by failure. My first thought was "Well, that sounds cooler than I expected." My second thought was remembering all those times I definitely felt very daunted by failure, thank you very ittle.

But as I dug deeper into the results, I found myself nodding along to some surprisingly accurate observations. Apparently, I'm "people-oriented, outgoing and talkative" (guilty as charged), with a "spontaneous sense of humor" (I mean, I try). The assessments also picked up on my tendency to focus on the big picture while being perfectly happy to delegate the details. Anyone who's worked with me knows I'd rather spend time thinking about strategy and possibility than getting lost in the minutiae.

The Actually Useful Parts

Strip away the corporate-speak, and there are some genuine insights here about how I operate:

• I'm energized by challenges and new possibilities (true - my journey has led me through almost every kind of design to even the technical bits)

• I prefer working through ideas with people rather than alone (definitely true - I co-founded AI Portland partly because I believe in the power of community-driven innovation)

• I have a "high sense of urgency" (okay yes, I've been known to get excited about new ideas and want to implement them... immediately)

The "Well, Actually..." Parts

Some findings made me laugh because they're those classic corporate assessment generalizations that sound good but don't tell the whole story. Like apparently, I "can sell most anything, including ideas and concepts." While I appreciate the vote of confidence, anyone who's tried to convince their team to adopt a new design system knows it's never quite that simple.

What I Learned

Looking past the corporate jargon and assessment-speak, this process did make me reflect on my leadership style. I believe in creating environments where both systems and people can thrive. I get excited about possibilities and love bringing people along on the journey. And yes, sometimes I need to remind myself that not everyone moves at my pace or processes information the same way I do.

The most valuable insight? Leadership isn't about fitting perfectly into some prescribed behavioral pattern. It's about understanding your natural tendencies - both the strengths and the growing edges - and using that awareness to build better relationships with your team.

Moving Forward

Will these assessments fundamentally change how I lead? Probably not. But they've given me some useful language to describe things I already knew about myself, and maybe a few new insights to consider. Most importantly, they've reminded me that leadership, like design, is all about iteration. We try things, we learn, we adjust, and hopefully, we get a little better each time.

And hey, if being a "Maverick" means I get to keep challenging the status quo and pushing for innovation while building strong teams along the way, I'll take it. Even if it came from corporate mandatory fun.

Have you been through the corporate personality assessment gauntlet? I'd love to hear your stories and insights. Drop me a line at nicolemors@gmail.com or find me on LinkedIn.