Leveraging the Big Five Personality to drive outcomes at work.
For the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring and unpacking the TALY Personality Profile, helping you to get the full picture and to unlock the actions you need. Today, we start at the beginning – what is the TALY Personality Profile all about?
Ever wondered why some people naturally thrive in certain situations while others excel elsewhere? People are complex, messy and interesting, and there is a whole lot that comes together to make us who we are – our experiences, intellect, attitudes, values, history, upbringing, habits, character, beliefs and so much more.
And another important part of what makes us tick – our personality.
Your personality is the unique mix of characteristics that help to describe us – what motivates us, how we connect with others, how we respond, how we influence, how we create and so much more.
This is complex stuff, and that’s why TALY exists – to help make sense of it all. There’s no such thing as the perfect personality. Every one of us has a unique combination of strengths that we bring to the table—and unlocking this diversity is precisely what makes teams, workplaces, and life itself so rich and interesting.
To help you understand this a little more, we're kicking things off today with a warm introduction to what TALY stands for, how we approach measuring and interpreting personality data, and why it matters for you, your team, and your workplace.
Ready to dive deeper into understanding yourself and others? Grab a coffee, settle in, and keep reading!
At TALY, we make it easy to integrate these insights into your daily work - especially during the recruitment process. Personality profiling is the key to unlocking stronger, more harmonious teams.
Curious to learn more? Let’s chat about how TALY’s tools can help you navigate the complexities of workplace conflict. Get in touch or book a demo today.
What is personality all about?
Think of personality as the lens through which we see and interact with the world. By measuring personality and where individuals sit on the core traits, we can make sense of motivation, values, natural tendencies, and the things that grab our attention. It doesn’t dictate what we do, but it offers deep insight into how we do it.
One of the core elements of the TALY Personality Profile is the Big Five Personality model. This model consists of five main traits, each of which has three or four sub-traits. Think of it like a hierarchy, with the main characteristics providing the most extensive overview of a person, with the sub-traits then providing a more detailed look at what a person is like. For example, someone may score high on a particular main trait but not fully act like it. We could look at a specific sub-trait, which they’ve scored lower on, which explains these behaviours that don’t fully conform to the high score on the main trait.
The general way to interpret the Big Five personality traits is to start with the main traits, explore what these mean for you, then dive into the sub-traits and see what nuances may exist within your personality.
Another important note is that there’ll generally be a trait or two that show the highest or lowest scores, typically the traits that’ll define you in most situations. It’s important to note that traits scored closer to the middle are considered more balanced, which means you’re more flexible depending on the situation, context, etc.
The core traits of the Big Five Personality model are Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Emotionality, Extroversion and Openness.
Personality is not just about the numbers… it’s about applying the implications in the right way
Let’s deep dive now into how we see and understand personality at TALY. Building self-awareness around your personality, and awareness of the personalities of those around you, is a critical first step in building great teams - and it all starts with reading the personality data the right way.
#1: Every personality trait is uniquely valuable.
Let's start with a simple, powerful truth—there's no such thing as a "good" or "bad" personality trait. Often, we use descriptors like "high" or "low" when exploring personalities, but these labels are never judgments; they're simply insights into how you naturally engage with your surroundings and interact with others. Your traits showcase your authentic strengths, preferences, and the natural ways you shine—not shortcomings or limitations.
Think of your personality traits as unique ingredients, each essential in their own right. Just as different recipes call for different flavours, distinct environments and roles value specific traits. For example, being outgoing and assertive might be perfect for dynamic, high-energy roles, whereas patience and thoughtfulness could be crucial strengths in more structured or reflective settings.
What truly matters is how these traits come together, like a thriving ecosystem. Each aspect of your personality interacts to create strengths and opportunities tailored to certain situations. Understanding your own personality isn't about fitting into a box—it's about harnessing your unique qualities to unlock your full potential, embracing diversity, and creating teams and workplaces where every trait contributes meaningfully.
Ultimately, personality profiling isn’t just about categorisation—it’s about discovering new ways to collaborate, appreciating the diversity within teams, and fostering inclusive environments where everyone can thrive exactly as they are.
#2: Your personality captures the big picture.
Remember, everyone’s beautifully unique. You might read your profile and feel, "Hey, this doesn't fully capture who I am," and you're absolutely right! Personality assessments measure your natural, automatic tendencies—how you generally behave when you're not actively adjusting to specific situations. They aren't designed to pinpoint exactly how you'll respond during a particular sales pitch, networking event, or family gathering.
Think of your personality as the common thread that runs subtly through your life—guiding you from moment to moment, even when you're not aware of it. It’s like viewing your behaviours from above, noticing overarching patterns rather than specific snapshots.
This perspective helps you see the bigger picture: not every detail, but the general shape of your responses, strengths, and tendencies. By understanding these broad patterns, you can better leverage your unique traits to thrive in different contexts, adjusting your approach when needed while staying true to who you naturally are.
#3 personality is your natural autopilot
Here's the wonderful thing—we're adaptable! You're never just one fixed personality in every situation. Maybe you're generally quiet, reserved, and thoughtful in larger groups, yet around your closest mates, you're vibrant, playful, and outgoing. Or perhaps you're naturally direct and straightforward, but in professional scenarios like sales meetings, you find yourself carefully picking your words to create harmony.
Your personality describes your default mode—how you naturally operate when you're comfortable and at ease, without expending extra mental energy to adjust your behaviour. It’s you on autopilot—effortlessly expressing your natural tendencies.
A useful rule of thumb: if you notice that a behaviour consistently drains your energy, it might signal you're acting against your natural personality—or simply approaching it in a way that's out of sync with your core traits. By recognising these signals, you can make smart adjustments or find new ways to engage that feel authentic and energising, helping you succeed while staying true to yourself.
#4: Embrace your personality—it's your superpower!
Lastly—and perhaps most importantly—your personality is genuinely you. Once you hit your mid-20s, your core personality traits become relatively stable. Sure, major life events like marriages, parenthood, career shifts, or losses might subtly reshape aspects of your outlook or behaviour, but at heart, you're fundamentally you.
Learning to embrace and own your personality empowers you to live and work authentically. It allows you to leverage your natural strengths effortlessly, knowing precisely when to adapt and when to confidently switch to cruise control. By recognising and embracing your authentic self, you can navigate life's challenges with greater ease, energy, and joy.
Remember, being you isn't something you need to change—it's your greatest asset. So lean into it, celebrate your uniqueness, and harness your personality as the powerful tool it truly is!
Getting the most from personality profiling
If you've ever explored personality tests, you've probably come across assessments that try to neatly sort people into rigid categories—boxes labelled "good" or "bad," "strong" or "weak." While these tests can be intriguing, they often end up oversimplifying the beautifully complex, nuanced nature of human beings. Personality isn't a fixed label; it's an evolving spectrum filled with possibilities, not limitations. Unfortunately, many personality tests tend to leave people feeling misunderstood, constrained, or even judged.
At TALY, we're taking a fresh approach. Instead of placing labels and restrictions on people, we start with empathy. Empathy means stepping into someone else's shoes and genuinely understanding them on their terms—how they think, feel, and experience the world. By deeply appreciating what motivates individuals, how they communicate best, and the situations where they're naturally at their best, we can foster far more effective, supportive, and fulfilling relationships in the workplace.
In short, at TALY, empathy isn't just a buzzword; it's our starting point and our guiding principle. It helps us craft stronger, happier, more connected teams. And when people feel truly understood and appreciated—not just categorised—they're not only more productive, they're happier, more creative, and more engaged.
After all, personality should never be about boxing people in. It should be about setting them free to do their best work, supported by relationships built on genuine understanding, trust, and respect. That's the TALY difference.
Get in touch to find out more… we love talking about this stuff! Or Book a Demo today to see how easy it is to start using TALY in your business.