If you have already participated in a personality assessment, it is very likely that you have encountered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI is a self-assessment tool for personality which makes it possible to classify individuals into one of 16 personality types based on their preferences across four dimensions.

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Although the MBTI remains popular in certain organizational and educational contexts in self-knowledge, Rising Up prefers to use other more modern and accurate assessment tools for a more complete understanding of the key, so-called transversal (so-called “non-technical”) skills of the individual. We call them core skills.

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In this article, you'll find out how the MBTI works and why Rising Up doesn't use it.

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What is the MBTI?

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The MBTI is a popular personality self-assessment tool, which consists of over 90 forced choice questions. It is based on Carl Jung's personality type theory and classifies individuals into one of 16 personality types based on their preferences across four dimensions:

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1. Extroversion (E) vs Introversion (I)
2. Sensation (S) vs Intuition (N)
3. Thought (T) vs. Feeling (F)
4. Judgement (J) vs. Perception (P)

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The MBTI is often used in a variety of contexts, including higher education institutions, organizations, and personal development, to help individuals better understand their personality preferences and relationships with others.

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How does the MBTI work?

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The specific questions used in the MBTI are supposed to assess an individual's preferences on various scales:

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• Would you rather spend your free time with a group of people (Extroversion) or alone (Introversion)?
• When making decisions, do you rely on logic and analysis (Thinking) or on your personal values and emotions (Feeling)?

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Based on your answers, you are then classified into one or other of the following categories:

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• ENFP;
• STIS;
• INTP.

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What are the 5 main limitations of the MBTI?

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Here are some of the main issues and criticisms associated with MBTI questions:

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1. The lack of empirical evidence: The theoretical foundations of the MBTI and its ability to predict real-life outcomes, such as career performance and compatibility in relationships, have come under intense scrutiny due to the limited empirical basis of evaluation in the field of psychology.

‍2. Forced Choice Questions: Individuals must choose a preference from two options for each dichotomous dimension (for example, Extraversion or Introversion), which can oversimplify the complex nature of human personality, as most individuals demonstrate a variety of behaviors and preferences in different situations.

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3. Insufficient precision: MBTI assessment questions are limited in number and scope. It is therefore difficult to accurately understand all the personality traits and preferences of an individual.

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Additionally, because the MBTI only focuses on four personality dimensions, it cannot distinguish between:

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• Thinking styles
• cognitive strengths
• The emotions

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For example, if you are classified as an INTP while your teammate is classified as an ESFJ, the test may suggest that there is no compatibility between the two, even though reality often shows that these “types” often share common traits.

The MBTI Makes assumptions about your identity based on the test, but it provides little or no information:

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• How can others perceive you or how can you react in different situations? ;
• How can you improve your overall performance?

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4. The excessive importance given to labelling/profiling : The MBTI classifies individuals into one of 16 personality types, which can lead to labeling and stereotyping. People may be confined by these labels and not fully explore or develop their unique traits and characteristics.

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5. Questioning its reliability : Some studies have shown that individuals can get different MBTI types when they retake the assessment, raising questions about the reliability of the instrument and the consistency of the results.

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Given these limitations, some psychologists and researchers prefer personality assessments that are more comprehensive and scientifically validated. In fact, this is the raison d'être of the Soft Skills Scan, which bases all of its work on scientific research.

What is soft skill scanning?

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The soft skill scan is a test to assess a person's non-technical skills, i.e. their transversal skills. This test assesses an individual's soft skills.

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How does the Soft Skill Scan work?

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While the MBTI is a personality assessment tool that categorizes individuals in terms of extroversion and introversion, thinking or feeling... soft skills analysis is primarily used to assess an individual's soft skills, which are personal attributes and interpersonal abilities that influence their effectiveness in the workplace and in social situations.

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The soft skills scan test evaluates and maps an individual's soft skills according to the Rising Up core skills framework, composed of 25 soft skills:

1. Emotional identification;
2. Responsiveness;
3. Emotional control;
4. Responsiveness;
5. Ambiguity tolerance;
6. Positivity;
7. influence;
8. Empathy;
9. Oral expression;
10. Opening;
11. Be attentive to others;
12. Give positive feedback;
13. Assertiveness;
14. logical reasoning;
15. Mental flexibility;
16. Intuitive reasoning;
17. Diverging reasoning;
18. Spirit of synthesis;
19. Multitasking;
20. Scheduling;
21. Autonomy;
22. Taking initiative;
23. Curiosity;
24. Effectiveness;
25. Monitoring

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What are the 5 differences between Soft Skill Scan and MBTI?

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The Soft Skill Scan and the MBTI are two different tools used to assess and understand different aspects of an individual's abilities and personality. Here are the main differences between these two tools:

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1. Validity and reliability: Since the MBTI has been the subject of criticism and skepticism about its scientific validity, reliability, and ability to predict outcomes in the real world, Rising Up decided to create the scientifically proven Soft Skill Scan tool, to finally identify your potential and find the path forward to progress and develop your ability to adapt.

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Our methodology is based on two fundamental principles:

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• Avoid Barnum and Dunning-Kruger effects.
• Offer a precise and clear description of your skills.

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Our work is based on the research of our company co-founder who worked on the development of core competencies. The assessment is a mixture of classical psychological evaluations that we adapt in order to simplify and clarify sentences, but also skills tests developed in laboratories to measure certain cognitive abilities.

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2. A complete test: A soft skills analysis questionnaire, also called an assessment or survey, generally consists of a series of questions designed to assess a person's soft skills. These questions aim to assess various interpersonal and personal attributes that are important for success in the workplace and in social situations. In this respect, the soft skills scan focuses exclusively on the soft skills of the individual.

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3. A more thorough analysis: Rising Up's sophisticated soft skills scanner can go further in analyzing a person's soft skills by using several assessment methods:

• by asking detailed and contextual questions;
• by providing examples of behavior;
• using competency frameworks;
• by offering feedback;
• by customizing evaluations;
• take into account longitudinal data.

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The aim is to provide a nuanced and actionable understanding of an individual's soft skills for personal and professional development.

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4. Adapted to the individual: The Rising Up soft skill scan distinguishes the uniqueness of each individual, allowing them to use self-awareness as a productivity tool.

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Our approach is to decode the mind in order to optimize your behaviors and cultivate new habits. By analyzing your daily routines, we help you develop the ones that are most effective.

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Rising Up uses an essential skills scanner to identify:

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• ways forward;
• personal and professional development;
• improving teamwork;
• promote effective collaboration
• development initiatives;
• contribute to the success of the organization and to the personal development of employees, students.

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5. Action for development: Understanding each other allows for more informed decisions, which results in increased productivity, challenges, innovation and, ultimately, maximum productivity.

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After identifying your core competencies, Rising Up encourages individuals to understand how their brains work and to adopt new practices, especially in the context of team performance. This approach helps our customers to

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• Engage their teams on specific topics.
• Building strong relationships and fostering a sense of belonging.
• Train their teams in new areas to improve their skills.

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Conclusion

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In summary, these five main limitations of the MBTI have prompted organizations like Rising Up to explore alternative approaches that are more comprehensive and scientifically validated.

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That's how Rising Up created the Soft Skill Scan, a scientifically reliable tool designed to assess a person's essential skills.

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Unlike MBTI, Soft Skill Scan offers a well-designed questionnaire, in-depth analysis, personalized recognition, and a strong emphasis on actionable information in order to better identify areas of progress, improve teamwork, and contribute to both personal development and organizational success.

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“Knowing how to identify your skills is vital and I now realize everything that has escaped me for so many years. The Soft Skills Scan module has really changed the game.” - Delicate Begona

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If you are a manager or school director in higher education, you should definitely try our tools.

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Send us a message 📩 to hello@risinguparis.com and we'll organize a 15-minute demo for you within a week.