Temperament Test

The Keirsey Temperament Test is the most widely used personality instrument in the world. It is a powerful 70 question personality instrument that helps individuals discover their personality type.

It is important that you answer all the questions from the perspective of what feels real for you and not try to give answers that you think would sound like how you should behave in any particular situation.  The objective is to understand yourself as you really are – not the way, for example, you must react at school, or others expect you to behave.  Effectiveness as an individual or leader is not based on any particular personality style.  It is really about how well you know yourself and others.

There are two choices for each question. If both seem to apply, choose the one that feels most comfortable to you. There are no right or wrong answers – about half the population agrees with whatever choice you make.

Team Building Activity

After taking the temperament test, gather your teammates into a circle.  Ask the person to your right what their test results were.  Then look online to read and learn about what type of person they are.  Go around in a circle and introduce your teammates to one another as if you all were meeting for the very first time!

Discussion

• What new things did you learn about your teammates?
• Describe any "AH-HA!" moments you had while hearing the description about a teammate.
• How might not knowing your teammates impact your team?
• How might truly knowing your teammates impact your team?

Temperament Answer Sheet

Temperament Score Sheet

1.         When the phone rings do you hurry to get to it first hope someone will answer 2.         Are you more observant than introspective introspective than observant 3.         Is it worse to have your head in the clouds be in a rut 4.         With people are you usually more firm than gentle gentle than firm 5.         Are you more comfortable in making critical judgments value judgments 6.         Is clutter in the workplace something you take time to straighten up tolerate pretty well 7.         Is it your way to make up your mind quickly pick an choose at some length 8.         Waiting in line, do you often chat with others b.  stick to business 9.         Are you more sensible than ideational ideational than sensible 10.      Are you more interested in a.       what is actual b.       what is possible 11.      In making up your mind are you more likely a.       to go by data b.       to go by desires  12.      In sizing up others do you tend to be a.       objective and impersonal b.       friendly and personal 13.      Do you prefer contracts to be a.       signed, sealed, and delivered b.       settled on a handshake 14.      Are you more satisfied having a.       a finished product b.       work in progress 15.   At a party, do you a.     interact with many, even strangers b.    interact with a few friends 16.   Do you tend to be more a.       factual than speculative b.       speculative than factual 17.      Do you like writers who a.       say what they mean b.       use metaphors and symbolism 18.      Which appeals to you more: a.     consistency of thought b.    harmonious relationships 19.      If you must disappoint someone are you a.     usually frank and straightforward b.    warm and considerate 20.      On the job do you want your activities a.     scheduled b.    unscheduled 21.      Do you more often prefer a.     final, unalterable statements b.    tentative, preliminary statements 22.      Does interacting with strangers a.     energize you b.    tax your reserves 23.      Facts a.     speak for themselves b.    illustrate principles 24.      Do you find visionaries and theorists a.     somewhat annoying b.    rather fascinating 25.      In a heated discussion, do you a.     stick to your guns b.    look for common ground 26.      Is it better to be a.     Just b.    merciful 27.      At work, is it more natural for you to a.     point out mistakes b.    try to please others 28.      Are you more comfortable a.     after a decision b.    before a decision 29.      Do you tend to a.     say right out what’s on your mind b.    keep your ears open 30.      Common sense is a.     usually reliable b.    frequently questionable 31.      Children often do not a.     make themselves useful enough b.    exercise their fantasy enough 32.      When in charge of others do you tend to be a.     firm and unbending b.    forgiving and lenient 33.      Are you more often a.     a cool-headed person b.    a warm-hearted person 34.      Are you prone to a.     nailing things down b.    exploring the possibilities 35.      In most situations are you more a.     deliberate than spontaneous b.    spontaneous than deliberate

36.      Do you think of yourself as a.     an outgoing person b.    a private person 37.      Are you more frequently a.     a practical sort of person b.    a fanciful sort of person 38.      Do you speak more in a.     particulars than generalities b.    generalities than particular 39.      Which is more of a compliment: a.     “There’s a logical person” b.    “There’s a sentimental person” 40.      Which rules you more a.     your thoughts b.    your feelings 41.      When finishing a job, do you like to a.     tie up all the loose ends b.    move on to something else 42.      Do you prefer to work a.     to deadlines b.    just whenever 43.      Are you the kind of person who a.     is rather talkative b.    doesn’t miss much 44.      Are you inclined to take what is said a.     more literally b.    more figuratively 45.      Do you more often see a.     what’s right in front of you b.    what can only be imagined 46.      Is it worse to be a.     softy b.    hard-nosed 47.      In trying circumstances are you sometimes a.     too unsympathetic b.    too sympathetic 48.      Do you tend to choose a.     rather carefully b.    somewhat impulsively 49.      Are you inclined to be more a.     hurried than leisurely b.    leisurely than hurried 50.      At work do you tend to a.     be sociable with your colleagues b.    keep more to yourself 51.      Are you more likely to trust a.     your experiences b.    your conceptions 52.      Are you more inclined to feel a.     down to earth b.    somewhat removed 53.      Do you think of yourself as a a.     tough-minded person b.    tender-hearted person 54.      Do you value in yourself more that you are a.     reasonable b.    devoted 55.      Do you usually want things a.     settled and decided b.    just penciled in 56.      Would you say you are more a.     serious and determined b.    easy going 57.      Do you consider yourself a.     a good conversationalist b.    a good listener 58.      Do you prize in yourself a.     a strong hold on reality b.    a vivid imagination 59.      Are you drawn more to a.     fundamentals b.    overtones 60.      Which seems the greater fault a.     to be too compassionate b.    to be too dispassionate 61.      Are you swayed more by a.     convincing evidence b.    a touching appeal 62.      Do you feel better about a.     coming to closure b.    keeping your options open 63.      Is it preferable mostly to a.     make sure things are arranged b.    just let things happen naturally 64.      Are you inclined to be a.     easy to approach b.    somewhat reserved 65.      In stories do you prefer a.     action and adventure b.    fantasy and heroism 66.      Is it easier for you to a.     put others to good use b.    identify with others 67.      Which do you wish more for yourself: a.     strength of will b.    strength of emotion 68.      Do you see yourself as basically a.     thick-skinned b.    thin-skinned 69.      Do you tend to notice a.     disorderliness b.    opportunities for change 70.      Are you more a.     routinized than whimsical b.  whimsical than routinized