Predictive Index Personality test v F4S workplace motivations

What is the Predictive Index personality test?

The Predictive Index personality test is a behavioral assessment tool. It helps organizations determine how people will perform in a specific task or role.

Arnold S. Daniels founded The Predictive Index in 1955. He conducted extensive research on employee behavior and developed the PI test to assess a person’s behavior and personality traits in the workplace¹.

The Predictive Index offers a suite of assessment tools. These include the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment (PI Behavioral) and the Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment (PI Cognitive).

The Predictive Index test helps predict someone's success in a role. It measures a person's behavioral drives (Dominance, Extroversion, Patience, and Formality) and cognitive ability².

Employers use PI in their hiring process to determine someone's future job performance. Organizations also use the test to learn about an employee’s work style, motivations, and cognitive abilities. It helps them predict how employees will likely perform in a role, where they need development and support, and where they will perform better.

What is Fingerprint for Success?

Fingerprint for Success (F4S) is a people analytics and coaching platform that brings out the best in you and others at work and in life.

Michelle Duval founded F4S in 2016 with the goal of making people analytics and personalized coaching accessible and affordable to all. Duval has spent more than 20 years researching the motivations of the world's most successful business builders and entrepreneurs.

From her studies, Duval discovered that attitude and motivation are the X-factors that drive workplace wellness, fulfillment, and peak performance. To that end, Duval identified 48 core motivations and attitudes.

F4S has since assisted organizations in more than 190 countries in team building and improving wellbeing, professional development, and leadership development.

Leaders from high-growth companies, accelerators and VC firms, universities, and enterprises use F4S as a guidance tool for team members. Employees use the platform to better understand themselves and find fulfillment in their work and lives.

Overall, F4S is a crazy-accurate people analytics tool that helps you understand your own and your team’s top motivations and blind spots—that is, areas of improvement.

Your F4S experience begins with an online evidence-based assessment. Following completion of the test, you will receive a report outlining your unique "fingerprint" across the 48 motivations. These influence aspects of your professional life such as communication, work style, and leadership style.

The goal of F4S is to make coaching accessible to everyone. This is why you can access the comprehensive motivation assessment and F4S' AI-powered coach, Marlee, for free.

What are the Predictive Index test features?

The structure of the test depends on which one you're taking. When you take the PI Behavioral Assessment, for example, you will answer two types of questions.

The first question asks you to pick the adjectives that express how you should behave at work. The second one asks you to choose the adjectives you'd use to describe yourself. There are no right or wrong answers.

Each question pertains to a single shared list of adjectives. These adjectives correspond to one of the four major personality characteristics that influence workplace behavior. These four behavioral characteristics or drivers are:

1. Dominance: The drive to influence other employees or events at work. It measures your assertiveness and willingness to take charge of a situation
2. Extraversion: The desire to interact with other people in the workplace. It measures how sociable and outgoing you are
3. Patience: The drive to be consistent and stable in the workplace. It measures your level of patience and ability to work well under pressure
4. Formality: The desire to follow rules and structure at work. It measures how much you adhere to rules and procedures in the workplace

Some companies allow you to review sample questions and take practice tests first to get an idea of what the assessment looks like.

After completing the assessment, you will be assigned one of 17 Reference Profiles. Your profile will include scores or ratings that show how you perform on all four characteristics.

How do you take the test?

As an individual, you can take the test by:

• Applying for a job at a company that uses the PI assessment while hiring
• Becoming an employee at a company that uses it as a development tool
• Using a service provider that offers the test as a self-assessment tool. These service providers typically provide a PI test and the report to you for a fee

Your company can take the Predictive Index test by working with an authorized provider of the assessment. They can either contact Predictive Index, the company that develops and administers the test, or work with one of their authorized partners.

The company can then administer the test to job candidates or employees as part of the hiring process or employee development program. The results of the test can be used to make hiring decisions, improve employee performance, and develop more effective teams.

How long is the Predictive Index test?

The Predictive Index test takes about 6-12 minutes to complete on average². Your team takes the assessment online to learn about their workplace behavior. The Behavioral Assessment consists of a series of multiple-choice questions that assess their innate tendencies in the four key areas mentioned earlier.

Is the Predictive Index test accurate?

The PI Behavioral Assessment is scientifically validated for use in the workplace. Certified by global quality assurance organization DNV-GL in 2018, the PI test met the guidelines of leading psychology experts at the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA)³.

What will my Predictive Index test results look like?

The report will typically include:

• A graphical representation of your scores on each of the four traits, which define your personality type. This includes your Dominance score, Extraversion score, Patience score, and Formality score.
• A summary of your strengths and areas for improvement at work in each trait.
• Recommendations on how to use your strengths in the workplace and suggestions for how to address any potential weaknesses.
• A comparison of your score to the norm group to help you understand how your scores compare to others in the same industry or job function.
• More information on how your scores might impact your behavior and performance in different situations, such as in a team setting or under pressure.

This represents how you normally think and work. That is, your cognitive and behavioral traits such as motivation, behavior patterns, and problem-solving skills. It also includes some suggestions on how you can perform better in different roles.

How can I access my Predictive Index test results?

You can access your Predictive Index test results via your employer or a PI administrator.

If you took the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment through a former or potential employer, you cannot access your results directly. You must contact the administrator of your assessment to obtain access to your results or Behavioral Score ID. The ID is a unique identifier that recreates your results if you have to retake the assessment.

If you still work with the company that administered the assessment, you can request access to your results. Some companies may provide online access through a secure portal or website whenever you want. Others may have a policy of destroying or purging test results after a certain period of time.

If your test was administered by a licensed professional, they may give you a copy of your results or discuss them with you during a follow-up appointment.

Do the Predictive Index test results change over time?

The PI test assumes that your results remain constant for as long as eight years⁴. However, people change as they develop. Events also have an impact on people's lives. It is possible that your Predictive Index test results may change over time, as your preferences, behavioral tendencies, and personality traits can evolve.

Is there any coaching offered coming out of the report delivery?

There isn’t sufficient information about Predictive Index offering direct coaching. However, it equips PI administrators to provide coaching to assessment-takers. Not all providers offer coaching services, so you should ask them directly to assess your options before investing.

Can I invite my employees or team to take the Predictive Index test?

Yes, you can. Companies use the PI test as part of their hiring assessment and selection process, as well as for employee development and succession planning.

Before implementing the PI test in your organization, make sure it complies with employee assessment laws and regulations, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines in the US.

Also, consult with a professional in the field of human resources or an expert in the Predictive Index test. You want to ensure you’re using the test correctly and in line with the relevant laws.

Your team can use the following tools and services to take the Predictive Index test:

• PI's online platform: PI's online platform allows users to take the assessment, view their results, and access additional resources and tools.
• PI's mobile app: PI's mobile app allows users to take the assessment and view their results on the go.
• Third-party assessment platforms: Some third-party assessment platforms, such as iCIMS and Lever, offer integration with PI's assessment data. This allows users to take the test and view results within those platforms.
• PI-trained consultants: Some companies may prefer to use PI-trained consultants to administer the test and interpret the results. These consultants can provide additional insights and guidance on how to use the results to improve team dynamics and make hiring and development decisions.

You need a valid PI account and license to use any of these tools or services.

Fingerprint for Success features

Fingerprint for Success includes people analytics, AI and human coaching, and other features. It’s a tool for employers to vet potential employees and build a healthy, engaged team.

How long is the F4S assessment?

The F4S assessment consists of 40 questions and generally takes around 15-30 minutes to complete. For each question, you must rank the statements (options) based on how they apply to you in the workplace. You don't have to answer all 40 questions at once. The platform saves your progress for when you return.

Overall, the results will help understand employers, HR professionals, leaders, and teammates to better understand employee behavior.

Is the F4S assessment accurate?

The F4S assessment is up to 98% accurate and has been scientifically validated.

Duval founded F4S in 2016 after 15 years of qualitative research. In 2013, Duval also conducted a formal study using the Inventory of Work Attitude and Motivation (iWAM) methodology. The study looked into the motivations of the world's most successful business builders and entrepreneurs. F4S now applies these research findings to assist individuals, teams, and businesses in discovering what motivates them and how to collaborate and perform better.

The software uses an accurate people analytics tool that collects behavioral and cognitive data to help you understand how employees think, act, and communicate. 

What will the F4S assessment report look like?

You’ll receive the report immediately after completing the free assessment.

The F4S assessment gauges your "fingerprint" across 48 motivational traits and how this affects your personal and professional life.

The F4S report identifies your talents and growth areas, and it includes tips to develop the areas that need improvement. You'll also learn how to use your affinities and power of difference to collaborate more effectively with coworkers. You can take the free assessment time and time again to gauge your development.

Along with information about your motivations, you'll get useful, data-driven insights into how you work in a team. This allows you to identify similarities and differences among your teammates so you can collaborate better.

F4S also provides self-paced coaching recommendations, so you don't have to pay to improve team performance right away. You begin for free and bring everyone closer to achieving personal and business growth objectives.

How can I access my F4S assessment results?

Before you can take the assessment, you have to first create a free F4S account. Then you can dive into the assessment and answer the questions. Afterward, you can view your results and goals through your dashboard.

You can use your F4S dashboard to track your progress, take notes on your coaching experience, and reflect on your journey as you go. When you log into your account via the web or mobile app, you can view your results and track your progress.

F4S provides you and your team with free personalized insights and coaching, too.

Everyone can benefit from coaching, thanks to F4S. Marlee, an AI-powered coach, provides free personalized online coaching to help improve your self-esteem, increase your emotional intelligence, and achieve your goals. You can do them at your own pace.

You can also book a human coach to take your coaching journey even further, whether you're an individual or a group.

Can I invite members of my team or employees to take the F4S assessment?

Yes, you can and should!

A 'Teams' tab can be found on your personal F4S dashboard. After your team has completed the test, you can learn more about them by clicking on the tab.

You'll see their distinct motivational fingerprint, shared traits among team members, differences that may cause friction, and an overview of your team's culture. You can switch between different teams or start one from scratch.

Your dashboard also allows you to compare your results to those of your teammates, successful entrepreneurs, and employees from 14 different cultures.

If you work in a department that assesses job applicants, you can use F4S to find the best talent. F4S has a useful tool for ranking talent based on key success factors. You can use the tool to make better hiring decisions.

These additional features also help with hiring, job satisfaction, and retention:

• People Analytics: Managers and leaders can understand, motivate, prevent conflicts before they happen, and better communicate with team members.
• Culture Mapping: For global organizations, this feature helps you to understand different office cultures around the world–improving cross-cultural communication and team bonding.