Four Benefits of Introducing Teens to Personality Profiling

It's important for teenagers to understand that there's nothing wrong with them - they are who they are!

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As a young person I constantly asked myself ‘What’s wrong with me?’ ‘Why can’t I understand this equation?’ ‘Why doesn’t Mark love me?’ ‘Why do I have so many pimples?’ ‘Why is Sam bitching about me?’ ‘Oh god, there MUST be something wrong with me’. Where in fact, there is nothing wrong with me at all. There wasn’t back then and there still isn’t now.

Too many young people ask themselves ‘what’s wrong with me’. In fact, it is getting worse, especially with the onslaught of social media, the rise of online marketing, keyboard warriors and online predators. We have young people cutting themselves, killing themselves, abusing drugs and alcohol and these statistics are on the rise.

I am certain it is coming from the heart of the question “what is wrong with me?” “Why am I so fat, so skinny, so tall, so short, so red headed, so black skinned, so pimply, so rich/poor, so not into sport, so into girls when I am a girl (or boys when I am a boy)”. So many unnecessary questions when there is actually absolutely NOTHING wrong with them at all. They just don’t understand themselves and don’t understand that who they are is perfectly fine, just the way they are.

They have too many outside influences telling them how things ‘should’ be and who they ‘should’ be but very few things affirming who they are. We hear sandwiched criticisms, ‘oh, that looks lovely dear BUT…’ and ‘I know you really like hanging around Tim/Chloe/Jack BUT…’ They need guidance and insight into WHO they are, not what someone says they are or ‘should’ be.

Although there are many benefits for young people to understand their personality types, here are some of the main ones:

Benefit #1: It can help a young person identify their likes and dislikes

Many young people innately know whether they like something/someone or not but often find it difficult to articulate why, with the adult receiving an infuriating ‘I dunno’ response. By a young person identifying likes and dislikes and having the tools to explain why, comes in handy when they are trying to make important decisions in their life, such as choosing a career. An ‘I dunno’ suddenly becomes a flowing monologue of insights and revelations to the surprise of everyone around them, including themselves.

Benefit #2: It can help a young person understand which situations allow them to perform at their best

By a young person learning more about their personality type, it can help them discover new ways to approach problems and perform at their best. If a young person knows what might work best for their type, it can give them new ideas for how to solve problems, deal with stress, cope with conflict, approach others opposite to them, manage their study habits, and feel empowered when making decisions.

Benefit #3: It helps a young person better understand their strengths and weaknesses

Young people are very good at focusing on their weaknesses and not their strengths. Helping them identify what they are good at, will assist them in a wide variety of situations, from forming study groups, picking school subjects, communicating with people opposite to them and capitalising on strengths when applying for work. Understanding the language that defines each of the types also provides them a list of skills and abilities they can include on their resumes and job applications.

Benefit #4: Knowing personality types can assist young people better understand others

By understanding the Personality Dimensions® concept, young people get to see and appreciate how other classmates/friends react to the different types. We all have a different way of seeing and interacting with the world and Personality Dimensions® helps young people to see that no personality type is ‘better’ than any other – just different. And each perspective brings something new and interesting to the table.

Many young people often fall into the trap of mistakenly believing that most other people share the same view, opinions, attitudes and traits that they do, and then they get frustrated, upset and angry when someone does something completely opposite to them. By undergoing personality profiling, the young person not only gains a greater insight into their preferences, but also the preferences of their classmates, friends, (dare I say) enemies, teachers and family members.

Personality tests can be thought provoking, insightful, and fun. The key is to assist young people not to get too hung up on their results, whichever profiling tool you decide to use with them. Even though we grow and change as we learn new things and have new experiences, researchers have found that our overall personalities are surprisingly stable over time. By providing a young person with an opportunity to understand themselves at a young age, imagine how much more mature they will be in their decision-making processes, ability to deal with others and career choices. Imagine actually hearing an, ‘Oh yes, I know what I would like to do when I leave school’, instead of a resolute ‘I dunno’.

There are multiple ways to support young people in their quest for understand self and others, however the most lasting effect is when they undergo either one on one personality type coaching or go through a workshop with their peers, or when parents do the profiling for themselves (understand self, understand your child).

To find out more about how Personality Dimensions® works for young people and how schools and parents can support them to embrace and not deny their personality for all it is, warts and all, get in touch.

I have been a teacher, a mentor, a tutor, an author, and an Award-winning Youth Coach. Together we can help your child reach their potential.