CliftonStrengths/Myers-Briggs/Enneagram/Big Five (OCEAN)/Temperaments
What ARE all of these assessments? Which is the best? What do they tell me? Why does The Unveiled Journey promote CliftonStrengths?
While there is value in each of these assessments, The Unveiled Journey focuses on CliftonStrengths as the most comprehensive and integrated assessment. See a comparison of these assessments below.
Big-picture difference (TL;DR)
- CliftonStrengths → How you do your best work
- Myers-Briggs (MBTI) → How you prefer to take in information and make decisions
- Enneagram → Why you act the way you do (core motivations & fears)
- Big Five → What your personality traits statistically look like
- Temperaments → Your baseline behavioral style
| CliftonStrengths (Gallup) | Myers-Briggs (MBTI) | Enneagram | Big Five (OCEAN) | Temperaments | |
| Focus | Talent + performance | Cognitive preferences | Motivation + inner world | Personality traits | Behavioral Energy |
| Core Question | “Where do I naturally excel?” | “How do I process the world?” | “Why do I do what I do?” | “What am I like, statistically?” | “What’s my default vibe?” |
| Traits | -Identifies patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving -Action-oriented and workplace-friendly -Non-pathologizing, non-hierarchical (no “bad” strengths) -Designed to be developed, not fixed | -16 types (INTJ, ESFP, etc.) -Based on Jungian psychology -Binary preferences (Introvert/Extrovert, etc.) | -9 types + wings -Centers on core fear, desire, and coping strategy -Explores stress, growth, and shadow sides | –Openness –Conscientiousness –Extraversion –Agreeableness –Neuroticism | -Classic: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, Phlegmatic -Ancient framework (Hippocrates → modern personality shorthand) -Fast, intuitive, easy to remember |
| Best For | Team dynamics -Leadership and coaching -Writing bios, role descriptions, performance language | -Self-reflection -Communication styles -Learning preferences | -Emotional intelligence -Personal growth -Therapy, coaching, spiritual work | -Research and psychology -Hiring assessments (when done ethically) -Predictive modeling | -Icebreakers -High-level communication styles -Teaching basic differences |
| Limitations | -Team dynamics -Leadership and coaching -Writing bios, role descriptions, performance language | -Weak empirical support -People often change types -Not predictive of performance | -Subjective and introspective -Not built for organizational use -Can feel uncomfortably accurate | -Descriptive, not developmental -Not very “human-friendly” -Doesn’t tell you what to do with the info | -Overly simplified -Not nuanced or evidence-based |
| Relationship to CliftonStrengths | -MBTI = how your mind prefers to work -Strengths = how that shows up in action | -Enneagram = inner driver -Strengths = outer expression | -Big Five = measurement -Strengths = application | -Temperaments = broad strokes -Strengths = fine detail |
The Unveiled Journey 