How to Run a Personality Test for Team Building

A personality test can be the best 45 minutes of a team day or an awkward round of labels. The difference is rarely the test. It is how you run the session: everyone answers at the same time, the results are shown as a team, and the talk turns quickly from "what am I?" to "how do we work together?". This plan works for team leads, HR and coaches, in a room or on a video call, with any team of 4 to 15 people.

When a team personality session is worth it

  • A new team, or several new joiners: people learn how colleagues like to work faster than through months of trial and error.
  • A kick-off or offsite: it gives the day a light, personal start before the serious topics.
  • A team with recurring friction (meetings that drag, deadlines that slip, ideas that get shot down): the traits give neutral words for the differences behind it.
  • Not as a fix for a real conflict between two people, and never to decide who gets hired, promoted or moved.

The 45-minute plan

  • 0–5 min: why we are doing this. Say it is a conversation starter, not a diagnosis, and that every end of every trait is useful in a team.
  • 5–10 min: everyone answers on their phone at the same time (our free game has 20 quick statements, about 3 minutes) and guesses who on the team is, for example, the most organised.
  • 10–25 min: reveal the team map on the shared screen. Go trait by trait: where the team clusters, who sits at the edges, which guesses were right.
  • 25–40 min: talk about work, not personality. Use two or three of the questions below and write down what the team agrees.
  • 40–45 min: one agreement per person or one for the team, for example "we send the agenda the day before" or "we leave five quiet minutes before deciding".

Setting up: in a room or on a video call

In a room, put the host screen on a projector or TV and let people join with the code on their phones. On a video call, the host shares their screen and everyone joins in a phone or a second browser tab. No one needs an account or an app.

Ask people to use their real first name: guesses and awards only work when colleagues know who is behind each avatar. Tell them the session is deleted after 7 days.

Free team personality game

Debrief questions that turn results into teamwork

  • Extraversion: "How do we make sure the quieter half of the team is heard before we decide?"
  • Agreeableness: "When someone disagrees, how do we want them to say it, and do we really want to hear it?"
  • Conscientiousness: "Where do the planners and the improvisers annoy each other, and what one rule would help?"
  • Emotional stability: "Who spots risks early, and how do we listen to them without stopping everything?"
  • Openness: "How do we test new ideas without dropping what already works?"
  • For everyone: "What surprised you about the team map?" and "What should a new colleague know about working with you?"

Mistakes that ruin the session

  • Treating results as labels ("you are the chaotic one"). Talk about tendencies and situations, not fixed types.
  • Ranking the ends of a trait. A team needs both the planner and the improviser.
  • Making it mandatory to share individual details. Let people say as much as they want about themselves.
  • Running it and moving on. Without one written agreement, the energy is gone by the next week.
  • Using the results for decisions about people. A short game is not a validated assessment.

After the session: from personality to real feedback

A personality game shows how people see themselves. It does not tell anyone how their behaviour lands with colleagues. Some weeks after the session, a short anonymous 360 is the natural next step: each person rates themselves, colleagues rate the behaviour they actually see, and the report shows where the two pictures differ.

For coaches and facilitators, the team game is a free warm-up for a workshop; the 360 gives each participant individual evidence to work on with you.

Big Five at work · 360 feedback for coaches · Live brainstorm: anonymous ideas and a team vote · Free Johari window: see how others see you

Frequently asked questions

Which personality test is best for team building?

A short one, taken by everyone at the same time, with no right answers and results shown as a team. The Big Five model is a good basis because it describes people on scales instead of boxes.

How long does a team personality session take?

About 45 minutes: a few minutes to answer, 15 minutes to reveal the results and 15 to 20 minutes to talk about how the team works.

Does it work for remote teams?

Yes. The host shares their screen on the video call and everyone answers on their phone or in another browser tab.

How many people can take part?

Our free game works from 2 to 40 people; the conversation works best with 4 to 15.

Can we use the results for hiring or promotion?

No. A team game is a conversation starter, not a validated assessment. Use it to agree how you work together, never to make decisions about people.

Run your session for free

Start a session, show the code on the screen and reveal your team map together. No sign-up, works in a room or on a video call.

Start a team session

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