What is the difference between the MPO personality inventory and others?
There are more than 2,500 psychometric approaches in the U.S., at least 100 in Canada. In our dealings using our business solutions with the MPO (Managing Performance in Organizations) approach, it goes without saying that we are asked the inevitable question: but what is the real difference between your MPO and what is commonly found on the market?
The common denominator (an absolute must) in any approach to psychometrics is the reference to the renowned “BIG FIVE” which are recognized for their long-term consistency.
The “BIG FIVE” include: openness, neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion and conscientiousness. In MPO terms: originality, spontaneity (as opposed to agreeableness), assertiveness. extraversion, the need for structure. Added to this is the weighting with the MPO (the rhythm of the person) and the adaptability to a professional environment.
The most important difference is the very notion, not of a test, but of a personality inventory. as its name suggests, a test refers to a correct or incorrect response to specific questions.
When it comes to the MPO approach, the concept of inventory refers to a neutral and non-judgmental identification of the person’s motivational needs. Whether the individual is in a high creativity mode or in a concrete/tangible, down-to-earth mode, no judgment should be made in the analysis of the candidate or the employee.
This approach has the benefit of being seen as non-threatening, especially since our clients suggest that it be used internally to better understand the different sources of employee motivation. Consequently, this strengthens managers’ abilities to engage their staff, thereby improving productivity and employee retention.
With all this in mind, never in our feedback sessions will we tell people that they are too much of this or too little of that. However, in terms of methodology, most approaches use forced-choice questionnaires, so often (having completed many of them myself) our best choice is … the least worst option. MPO is a free-choice survey, providing precision and a spectrum of nuances that are much appreciated by our users.
The most important step is to conduct an assessment between the individual’s motivational needs and the finely tuned job profile. In the event that there is a major discrepancy between the individual’s traits (in hiring or staffing) and the job profile, it will be important to evaluate the potential difficulty for the person to adequately carry out the mandate. As well as to gauge the risk that these people could leave their position, specifically due to such a mismatch.
In addition, the MPO methodology refers to two scales, the relative scale and the normative scale, whereas most approaches on the market use only the normative scale which is general and less precise.
In the end, to get a concrete idea, simply try out our MPO personality inventory and judge the results for yourself!
