Does the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) help employees grow, or just slap a label on them? While it's one of the most well-known personality tests, it often tells you who you are—but not how you think, solve problems, or thrive in a team.
Organizations need tools that unlock potential, fuel collaboration, and drive real results. That’s where MBTI alternatives come in—offering sharper, science-backed insights that actually impact leadership, communication, and decision-making.
Let’s break down the best MBTI alternatives, how they stack up, and how to choose the best option among tests like Myers-Briggs to take your team’s performance to the next level.
Why Look for an Alternative to the Myers-Briggs Test?
The MBTI was developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. Although popular, the test hasn’t been widely accepted in academic psychology. Its 16 personality types, inspired by Carl Jung’s theories, offer a structured view of human personalities, but the MBTI may not be the best tool for applying work scenarios.
Many experts question its reliability and validity, particularly for business applications such hiring, leadership assessment, and employee development programs. The MBTI’s shortcomings include:
Lack of Scientific Validity
One of the biggest concerns with MBTI is its lack of scientific validity. Studies show that test results often change over time, meaning an individual might receive a different personality type upon retesting. This inconsistency raises doubts about its reliability, particularly for leadership development and long-term career planning.
Rigid Categories
Another major drawback is that MBTI oversimplifies personality traits by placing individuals into fixed categories. Modern psychology, including the widely accepted Big Five Personality Model, recognizes that traits exist on a spectrum rather than in rigid classifications. In contrast, more nuanced assessments provide a deeper, more flexible understanding of how people think, behave, and grow.
Limited Workplace Application
While the MBTI can be useful for self-reflection, it lacks direct workplace applications. It doesn’t offer insights into leadership styles, decision-making abilities, or team dynamics—critical factors in hiring, employee development, and organizational success. Businesses need tools that go beyond labeling personality and instead provide actionable strategies for collaboration and performance improvement.
Top 5 Alternatives to the Myers-Briggs Test
Because of these limitations, organizations are turning to more research-backed alternatives that offer both scientific credibility and practical workplace relevance. The five Myers-Briggs alternatives below offer different approaches, some focusing on cognitive preferences, others on behavioral traits, and some on leadership strengths.
Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®): The Best Alternative for Workplace Success
The Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) is a science-backed cognitive assessment that measures how individuals think, make decisions, and solve problems. Unlike the MBTI, which categorizes people into 16 personality types, the HBDI® focuses on thinking preferences that shift with work environments and business challenges.
The HBDI® is built on the Whole Brain® Thinking model, which divides thinking preferences into four quadrants:
- Analytical Thinkers (Blue Quadrant): Data-driven, logical problem-solvers who focus on facts and strategy.
- Structural Thinkers (Green Quadrant): Detail-oriented, process-driven individuals who excel at organization and efficiency.
- Relational Thinkers (Red Quadrant): Emotionally intelligent, people-centered communicators who prioritize teamwork and engagement.
- Innovative Thinkers (Yellow Quadrant): Big-picture, creative thinkers who excel in strategy and visionary leadership.
The HBDI® provides practical strategies for leadership, team-building, and problem-solving. It’s designed for business applications, not general personality trait exploration.
For organizations seeking a more strategic leadership tool, the HBDI® is a stronger alternative to MBTI. (Learn more about the HBDI® vs. MBTI)
Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN Model)
Unlike common business personality tests, which often lack reliability, the Big Five Personality Test is one of the most scientifically validated personality frameworks, widely accepted in academic psychology. It measures individuals across five personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. The Big Five evaluates traits on a spectrum, and is widely used in workplace psychology, hiring processes, and leadership assessment.
One of its greatest strengths is its strong research foundation in psychology. Since it measures conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and emotional stability on a continuum, it provides a more accurate reflection of personality traits.
However, the Big Five lacks the immediate workplace application of assessments like the DiSC® or Whole Brain® Thinking. It doesn’t directly connect to team-building strategies or leadership development programs in a targeted way. It can also be complex to interpret without expert guidance.
DiSC Personality Assessment
The DiSC assessment is a workplace-focused personality test categorizing individuals into four behavioral dimensions: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Unlike MBTI, which emphasizes internal personality traits, DiSC focuses on how individuals interact in team settings.
Its major strength is practicality for workplace communication, leadership development, and conflict resolution. Since it measures dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness, it helps businesses understand team dynamics and leadership styles. Many organizations use DiSC for team-building exercises, enabling employees to adapt their communication strategies to different work styles.
Despite its usefulness in workplace collaboration, DiSC does not provide deep insights into cognitive processes or decision-making styles like the HBDI®. It focuses on behavioral tendencies rather than personal growth, emotional intelligence, or leadership agility, making it less comprehensive than some other Myers-Briggs alternatives. DiSC also lacks the long-term predictive validity of more researched models like the Big Five Personality Test or Whole Brain® Thinking.
CliftonStrengths
CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) identifies an individual’s top strengths from 34 talent themes. Unlike MBTI, which assigns broad personality types, CliftonStrengths helps individuals maximize their potential by focusing on their natural talents.
Its core benefit is leadership development and career growth. Rather than assigning fixed personality traits, it helps employees and leaders identify and leverage their strengths to drive success. CliftonStrengths is well-regarded for executive coaching, leadership training, and employee engagement programs, but it is not widely validated in academic psychology as the Big Five.
However, CliftonStrengths does not measure weaknesses or provide a deep understanding of team dynamics like the DiSC assessment or Whole Brain® Thinking, making it less applicable for team-building efforts.
Enneagram
The Enneagram categorizes individuals into nine personality types, reflecting distinct motivations. Enneagram emphasizes emotional intelligence and core motivations.
It offers value in improving self-awareness and the interpersonal skills of leaders. Some organizations apply it for team-building and conflict resolution to enhance understanding of workplace stress and emotions.
Despite its value in personality growth, the Enneagram lacks strong scientific validation compared to the Big Five or the HBDI®. While it is useful for personal growth, the Enneagram’s workplace applications are more limited than business-focused models like DiSC or Whole Brain® Thinking.
Why the HBDI® Is the Best Alternative
Most personality tests classify people into fixed types, but the HBDI® and Whole Brain® Thinking provide a flexible, research-backed model for improving leadership, teamwork, and decision-making. Instead of focusing on who you are, the HBDI® identifies how you think and solve problems.
Because thinking preferences shift based on context and experience, Whole Brain® Thinking helps leaders adapt, communicate effectively, and deliver better business results. This makes the HBDI® a more practical workplace tool than static personality models.
Thinking Styles vs. Personality Types
Traditional personality assessments assign rigid categories, but the HBDI® focuses on cognitive agility. Thinking styles evolve, allowing leaders to develop new problem-solving approaches rather than being boxed into a single personality type.
Whole Brain® Thinking is better suited for business success because it helps teams apply cognitive diversity to collaborate, innovate, and make better decisions. Unlike self-reflective personality tests, it provides real workplace impact.
How the HBDI® Provides Actionable Workplace Insights
The HBDI® is designed for leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving. It helps teams leverage different thinking styles to improve communication and decision-making. Instead of merely describing personality traits, Whole Brain® Thinking transforms cognitive diversity into a strategic advantage, ensuring teams work smarter and more effectively.
Unlock Your Team’s Full Potential With Whole Brain® Thinking
Personality tests can help you understand traits—but real workplace success comes from knowing how people think, collaborate, and solve problems. That’s where the HBDI® and Whole Brain® Thinking stand out.
By tapping into cognitive diversity, your team can communicate better, innovate faster, and make smarter decisions in any business environment. Whether you're developing leaders, strengthening teams, or improving problem-solving, Whole Brain® Thinking provides the insights and flexibility MBTI and other static models lack.
Ready to move beyond personality labels and start leveraging real thinking power? Take the HBDI® with your team today and see the difference for yourself.
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