Is personality the key to success?

Let’s start with what personality actually is. We can define personality as a set of mental traits, emotions, behaviors and thoughts that define who we are. In simple terms, we can say that personality reflects our reactions to various types of external and internal stimuli. It is shaped by genetics, the environment around us, life experiences and interactions with other people. Without a doubt, personality affects our lives both personally and professionally.

Understanding one’s own personality can be the key to success. More and more managers are aware of this. As a result, more and more research has been produced recently on personality models and their impact on the professional sphere. In this article we will look at one of them – the Lumina Spark model.

Lumina Spark personality model

The Lumina Spark personality model is an advanced personality diagnosis and analysis tool. It allows you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and other people in various life situations, including professional contexts. This model was developed by Lumina Learning. Due to its innovative methodology, it quickly gained popularity. Today, the Lumina Spark personality model is used as a tool to support the development of leaders, teams and entire organizations.

Main assumptions of the model

The foundations of the Lumina Spark model are based on the assumption that each of us has different aspects of personality, which express themselves depending on the context and situation we find ourselves in. The model focuses on analyzing different aspects of personality (24 traits) and their impact on behavior, communication and interpersonal relationships.
One of the key features of the Lumina Spark model is its multidimensionality. The model is based on four main dimensions, which form the so-called “four quadrants.”

Four quadrants

Dimension 1 – Extraversion vs. Introversion

The first dimension of the model relates to one’s propensity for social interaction and how they “recharge” their internal energy. People who lean toward extraversion prefer to interact with other people and are open and sociable. They like to be the center of attention and feel comfortable being in large groups of people. Their openness makes them easy to make new contacts. Such people will do well in direct contacts with customers, sales or marketing.

Introverted people, on the other hand, are more prone to reflection and value solitude. They also need more time to recover alone. Such personalities will find themselves excelling when performing tasks that require focusing, analysis and reflection. Introverts perform better when working on more complex issues.

Dimension 2 – Vigilance vs. Intuition

This dimension relates to how we make decisions and assimilate information. People with a preference for vigilance are distinguished by excellent analytical skills. They base their decisions on data and facts. In the professional sphere, such people excel in working with numbers – accounting, logistics, controlling.

In contrast, people who make decisions based on their intuition are more empathetic. They are often guided by emotions and are people-oriented. Such personalities thrive in situations that require innovative thinking. They are also more willing to take risks. Their creativity and ability to anticipate trends can be valuable in fields such as strategic management, marketing or product development.

Dimension 3 – Thinking vs. Sensitivity

The third dimension concerns thinking. People with a preference for thinking try to make rational decisions. They analyze facts, look for logical arguments. They are guided by principles they recognize. They tend to stick to facts and avoid subjective judgments. Such people are fulfilled as analysts, financial advisors, programmers.

In contrast, people with a sensitivity preference are driven by emotions, empathy and understanding of human needs. They are open-minded, able to actively listen and willing to engage in interpersonal relationships. They often make decisions based on values and feelings, guided by intuition and empathy. More sensitive people excel in business negotiations, people management or customer service.

Dimension 4 – Accuracy vs. Flexibility

This dimension relates to our preference in the area of self-organization and planning activities. Accurate people are more meticulous and well-organized. They pay attention to details. In the professional sphere, such individuals excel in detailed planning, task organization and attention to quality. Such personalities will do well in jobs related to auditing, quality control, technical design.

In contrast, people who are more flexible are more creative and open to change. They adapt quickly to changes in the environment and are good at solving unusual problems. Such people can skillfully use technological innovations, are open to new ideas and are more willing to implement them.

Prepared by the author on the basis of: https://luminalearning.com/personality-and-competencies/

By analyzing the four dimensions discussed above and their combinations, the Lumina Spark model allows us to create an individual personality profile. This profile reflects our individual characteristics and preferences. It is a valuable tool that can be used in various areas of life – team management, personal development, communication and building effective interpersonal relationships.

Lumina Spark model in a professional environment

Using the Lumina Spark personality model in a professional environment can bring many benefits to the organization itself, but especially to its members. Understanding yourself and other colleagues will certainly affect not only the efficiency of work, but also the atmosphere. But let’s get down to specifics! What benefits can we expect using the Lumina Spark model?

Benefits of using the personality model:

• Identifying employees’ strengths and weaknesses,
• More effective planning of training and development programs for employees (check out Opexity’s training subscriptions that allow personalization of training programs),
• Learning about each other’s talents and personal predispositions and being able to use them in the professional sphere,
• Overcoming communication barriers between co-workers and team members,
• Better understanding of co-workers, their work styles and opportunities to motivate them to work,
• Ability to effectively align tasks and roles within the team.

In conclusion, using the Lumina Spark personality model in the professional sphere can bring many benefits. From improved communication and team atmosphere, to more effective team management, and more effective recruitment as well as employee development.

If you want to learn more about effective team communication and efficient leadership – check out the Team Management & Communication course.