Workplace Personality Assessments: Where Does the HBDI® Fit In?

Workplace assessments have become a valuable tool for organizations to gain a better understanding of their employees’ unique talents, preferences, and areas for growth. By using these tools, leaders can make more informed decisions that can help to improve individual and team performance, enhance communication and collaboration, and create a more positive work culture.

However, with so many assessments on the market, finding the one that best suits your team's needs can be challenging. Let's explore a few of the most popular workplace assessments, including what they measure, the type of situation they work best for, and how they can complement the HBDI®. 

HBDI® and DiSC

The HBDI® and DiSC assessments are two popular assessments employers use to help team members learn more about themselves. While both assessments help teams discover their strengths and weaknesses (and each other’s), fundamental differences exist.

• ​​HBDI® measures a person's thinking preferences and has a Whole Brain® Thinking methodology behind it, while DiSC assesses behavior and lacks a comprehensive language or framework for the application.

• HBDI® focuses on how people process information and make decisions through their thinking preferences, while DiSC looks at behavior without considering thinking processes.

• DiSC classifies individuals into four profiles based on communication style and reactions to stressors (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance). At the same time, HBDI® has four interconnected quadrants (Logical, Organized, Relational, and Innovative) representing thinking preferences.

• HBDI® provides a deeper understanding of thinking preferences and offers behavioral clues similar to DiSC reports.

• Both HBDI® and DiSC provide insights into thought processes and behaviors, enhancing effectiveness at work.

• HBDI® offers valuable tools and techniques for establishing a shared language and promoting continued utilization beyond the assessment outcomes.

• Only Whole Brain® Thinking and HBDI® offer a holistic understanding of thinking preferences and provide tools for everyday application, enabling cognitive diversity for improved communication and collaboration at an individual, team, and organizational level.

Learn more about the comparison of HBDI® and DiSC.

HBDI® and CliftonStrengths

The HBDI® and CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessments are valuable tools for understanding how people react to challenges and what they gravitate toward in their daily work and interactions. 

• HBDI® measures thinking preferences, while CliftonStrengths identifies natural strengths and highlights areas for development.

• HBDI® focuses on how people process information and make decisions through the Whole Brain® Thinking Model, which divides thinking into four quadrants.

• CliftonStrengths measures 324 different strength areas to pinpoint existing skill sets and areas for additional training.

• Both assessments help individuals and teams improve performance by leveraging natural preferences and abilities.

• HBDI® provides tools and a common language for applying thinking preferences to improve decision-making, innovation, problem-solving, and communication.

• CliftonStrengths allows individuals and teams to focus talent in areas aligned with strengths but lacks a comprehensive language or framework for the deeper application.

Learn more about the comparison of HBDI® and CliftonStrengths.

HBDI® and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The HBDI® and the MBTI can both be used to help teams become more productive. The HBDI® assesses thinking preferences and measures cognitive preferences. Conversely, the MBTI is a personality assessment that categorizes people across four temperaments: extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. 

• HBDI® measures thinking preferences, while MBTI focuses on personality types.

• HBDI® is based on the Whole Brain® Thinking model, while MBTI uses four temperament scales.

• MBTI's complexity and identification of 16 types make it challenging to apply and scale without a comprehensive language or framework.

• HBDI® provides insight into cognitive preference across the Whole Brain® Thinking quadrants and offers practical application in everyday work activities.

• MBTI focuses on how personality types interact with others.

• Both assessments enhance understanding of individual and team strengths and weaknesses.

• HBDI® provides tools and methodology for creating a common language and supporting ongoing applications beyond assessment results.

Learn more about the comparison of HBDI® and MBTI.

HBDI® and Insights Discovery

The primary difference between HBDI® and Insights Discovery is in the premises. The HBDI® assessment measures a person's thinking preferences. It has a sticky Whole Brain® Thinking mythology behind it, while the Insights Discovery assessment is designed to help individuals understand their personalities and communication style. Like many behavioral assessments, it is more challenging to scale as no easy language or framework supports a deeper application.

• Insights Discovery uses a four-color model to represent behavioral patterns and adapt communication styles.

• HBDI® and Insights Discovery can be used together to understand thinking preferences, cognitive preferences, strengths, and behavioral styles.

• HBDI® helps individuals and teams understand dominant thinking styles for improved problem-solving, communication, and decision-making.

• Insights Discovery focuses on understanding personalities and communication styles.

• HBDI® provides tools and methodology for creating a common language and ongoing application.

• HBDI® offers strategies and recommendations for leveraging thinking preferences.

• Insights Discovery emphasizes improving interpersonal communication and relationships.

• HBDI® offers tools and techniques for establishing a shared vocabulary and supporting continued use beyond the evaluation outcomes.

HBDI® and Predictive Index (PI)

Both the HBDI® and PI assessments offer valuable insights into individuals' preferences and behaviors, but they have different scopes, methodologies, and applications. the main difference lies in the focus of the assessments. HBDI® emphasizes thinking preferences and provides a framework for individual and team thinking styles. On the other hand, PI focuses on behavioral drives and provides insights into individual motivations and work preferences, with some limited applicability to team dynamics. Choosing the most suitable assessment depends on the organization's or individual's specific goals and needs. 

• HBDI® measures thinking preferences by analyzing four quadrants of the brain, while PI gauges workplace behaviors and driving forces. Both provide insight into an individual's cognitive and work-related tendencies.

• HBDI® uses a questionnaire to rate thinking preferences, while PI uses a behavioral assessment framework to analyze responses. Both provide valuable insights for professional work settings.

• HBDI® helps with personal growth, teamwork, and problem-solving. It identifies cognitive patterns and improves communication. PI aids in talent recruitment, succession planning, and team enhancement. It matches people with suitable positions based on their behavioral traits.

• HBDI® assesses thinking preferences to boost performance, while PI evaluates work-related behaviors and motivations for better role assignments.

• HBDI® provides tools and techniques that help establish a common language and encourage their use beyond the evaluation results.

Take Your First Step To Create a Common Language With Whole Brain® Thinking and the HBDI®

Help your talent at all levels of your organization discover their cognitive strengths, thinking preferences, and areas of improvement. Find out how to kick-start Whole Brain® Thinking in your organization.