WHAT DOES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY HAVE TO DO WITH PERSONALITY?

​In this very brief "flash learning style" vlog, I explain why personality at work matters and what it has to do with psychological safety, the feeling that one can bring one's whole self to work. I hope you enjoy it! Please comment! In your experience, does understanding personality enhance psychological safety?

One thing that occurs to me as I review my video is that there could be a "dark side" to the use of personailty in organizations: When personality testing becomes a weapon rather than a tool for success. Please:

• Use personality assessment and training for development purposes.
• Avoid promoting the idea that there is "one perfect personality trait" for a particular job. There really isn't.  Not only people can "stretch" their natural tendencies, but behaviors are often the result of a complex combination of personality traits, values, motivations, and the circumstances being experienced. 
• If you do use personality testing in your organization, remember that a person's personality results should be private. Do not coerce someone into sharing his or her results. 

With these precautions in place, personality work can do quite a bit of good. Your team can foster a culture of collaboration, appreciate each other's gifts, and learn neutral language to refer to personality differences. ​