When Lauren and I founded Bridgit in 2013, one of the first things we decided to do was the Myers-Briggs personality test. I say “we,” but to be candid, it was Lauren who insisted we do the test. Naturally, I felt concerned, having grown up with nicknames such as bulldozer, brick, etc. So, we took the test. Based on the results (which I’ll never share!), we learned a lot about how each other worked and what some natural tendencies may be. This helped us navigate our business partnership with ease – and it’s something we continue to leverage even today with our 50 person company.
Beyond the world of Bridgit, we have also seen various personality tests implemented among our customers in the construction industry. Here are 3 ways we have seen them being put to use:
1 – Using desk or internal messenger display for identification
Many contractors have name tags displayed on each team member’s desk – especially at the larger firms. While on a recent trip to Dallas to visit a large ENR 100 general contractor, we noticed that employees had added their respective personality types to their name tags, as well as to their name display on the internal messenger tool.
Displaying personality type can help build team member familiarity and understanding across your organization. Who is introverted or extroverted? Who is a big picture thinker? Who is detail oriented? These are a few of the many traits that personality tests can help you understand about your team.
2 – Implementing smart project team selection and resource plan
As a project-based industry, your teams are constantly changing as new projects begin and resource requirements change. There are many things that come into play when making these team selections, such as: job title, availability, experience at the company. We’ve also seen contractors use personality type as part of their criteria.
Bridgit Bench helps track each team member’s profile – and our custom fields allow you to enter any personality type your company has used to track this information for each team member.
3 – 1 on 1 Meetings to increase direct, human interaction
When it comes time to meet with your direct report, or your manager, a lot of thought often goes into how to give feedback or make requests that will resonate with the other individual. If you know the personality type of the person you are meeting with, it can often help with how you position a certain topic that may be sensitive.
For example, if you have some tough feedback to deliver, and you are typically more logic-driven in your approach, but the person you are giving feedback to is more feelings-based, you can likely be a bit softer in the delivery. This may be outside of your natural tendency, but the message will likely still be delivered loud and clear.
No matter your company size, we think this is a great way to better understand your people and craft the best project teams.
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan
Lauren Lake
Lauren Lake is the COO and co-founder at Bridgit. She holds a degree in Civil Structural Engineering and is well-versed in construction workforce management and resource planning processes. Lauren has been named to the Forbes Manufacturing & Industry 30 Under 30 and Best Of Canada Forbes Under 30 Innovators lists. Lauren has presented at industry events and conferences, including BuiltWorlds, Canadian Construction Association, Procore Groundbreak, and more.
