Why I didn't build a personality test
How Humor Intelligence is different than DISC, Myers-Briggs, or the Enneagram...
Haven't taken the Humor Intelligence Assessment yet? 5 minutes. 8 competencies.
If you’ve ever taken DISC, the Enneagram, or Myers-Briggs, you know the drill: answer questions, get a type, read your description, nod along, maybe share it with your team, then put it in a drawer.
The core message of every personality test is the same: “Here’s what you are.”
The Humor Intelligence Assessment does something different. It tells you what you can DO.
Traits vs Skills
Personality tests measure traits. Traits are relatively fixed. If you’re an introvert, you’re an introvert. If you’re a D-style on DISC, Dominance is your wiring. Useful to know, but hard to change.
Humor Intelligence measures competencies. Competencies are learnable. If your Creation score is low today, it doesn’t have to be low six months from now. If your Facilitation score is high, you can learn to leverage that strategically instead of just doing it instinctively.
One person who took the assessment said it was
“better than personality tests because it’s a tool for connecting with others, not just categorizing who you are.”
Another said:
“I’m not a good creator, but I have OTHER skills that are equally as valuable, if not more.”
She only realized that because the assessment broke humor into 8 separate competencies instead of giving her a single label.
Which means it’s not a question of whether you’re “funny” or “not funny.” You have a specific profile across 8 skills, and every one of them can be developed.
If you haven’t taken the assessment yet, it’s 5 minutes and you’ll get your full profile immediately:
If you’ve already taken it, I’d love to hear what surprised you. Hit reply and tell me.
Wit regards,
Andrew
PS. For the record, I’ve taken every personality test listed above. Apparently I’m a Type A blue square, conscientious INTJ with the sign of Aquarius. I have no idea what to DO with any of that, other than take long walks on the beach... by myself.
The traits vs. skills distinction is the right one, and it explains why most personality results end up in a drawer; knowing you're an INTJ doesn't tell you what to do on Monday morning.
The 'what do I DO with this' frustration is real, and it's where most frameworks stop.
BaZi Astrology (Omnigram) takes a different angle; it works from birth data rather than self-report, so there's no questionnaire, but more importantly, it maps timing. Not just what you are, but when your specific wiring is likely to flow and when it's likely to grind.
Knowing you're a conscientious INTJ Aquarius is interesting. Knowing that the next two years specifically favor deep focus work over public-facing roles is actually actionable.
Though I'd argue your humor intelligence framework is probably the most directly actionable thing in this list, skills you can develop beat labels you can collect every time.
I dislike how personality tests put us in yet more boxes. It’s more fun to change and improve ourselves, including through humor!