Matching Responsibility, Personality, Style, and Behavior

At the Adizes Institute, we have developed a test that distinguishes between personality, style, and behavior, comparing them to the responsibilities assigned to individuals. What is the difference?

Personality:
We are born with a certain personality, which is largely driven physiologically. Research, including a notable study in Denmark, has shown that personality traits can be identified as early as toddlerhood. For example, an entrepreneurial personality (the "E" in the Adizes PAEI code) is often characterized by curiosity and restlessness, with a tendency to lose interest in toys quickly. In contrast, a risk-averse personality (the "A") may be more suspicious and hesitant to be held by strangers, taking time to accept new people. A doer style (the "P") focuses intently on objects at hand, while an interpersonal personality (the "I") is often cheerful and easily transitions between caregivers.

Behavior:
Behavior refers to how we act in specific situations. For instance, someone with an entrepreneurial personality may typically embrace risk but might choose to prioritize others' feelings in a particular context, behaving in a more caring manner despite their inherent traits. Thus, behavior is influenced by the situation at hand.

Style:
Style reflects how we behave over time and is shaped by a personality’s adaptation to the demands of assigned tasks. Both genetics and environment influence an individual’s style.

The ALIS Test:
The Adizes Leadership Indicators Suite (ALIS) comprises a series of assessments. First, we codify the task's responsibilities using the PAEI framework, followed by evaluating an individual's PAEI style through feedback from peers, superiors, and subordinates. This process reveals how a person adapts their style according to the expectations of those around them. It’s common for different observers to have varying expectations—perhaps a boss expects a "P" style, while peers and subordinates expect more of an "I" style, all while the organizational role leans towards "A," and the individual's personality is "E." Such discrepancies highlight the need for clear communication of responsibilities across all parties.

Interpreting the Codes:

• If the codes for personality, task, and style align, the individual is well-suited for their role. For instance, an entrepreneurial personality thrives in marketing but not in accounting, where a detail-oriented risk-minimizer (an "A") would excel.
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• If the task matches the personality but not the style, it indicates a relational issue within the organization.
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• If the task and style align but not the personality, there’s a staffing issue—essentially, the wrong person is in the role.
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• If the PAEI codes for the task, personality, and style all differ, this signifies a structural problem, necessitating organizational restructuring rather than merely changing personnel.

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To the best of my knowledge, no suite of tests like this exists beyond our ALIS.

For more information or to take the test, please contact Rodrigo Sahagún at rodrigo@adizes.com.