Who uses The Personality Puzzles?
People who use The Personality Puzzles are those who want a simple and effective way to explain Type whilst engaging in an interactive conversation that is both enjoyable and valuable. They are currently being used in so many environments from the business world to family settings and everywhere in between:
- Small Businesses
- Corporate HR departments
- Government departments
- The military
- Faith ministries
- Schools
- Families
- Youth groups
- Missions
- …and many more
It is tempting to think that all resources these days should be on-line. However, no computer in the world is as yet able to answer a personal question. What people need are conversations with people who care.
The Personality Puzzle Classic is ideal for coaching adults. It is used by counsellors, life coaches, therapists, psychologists, career practitioners, human resources personnel, organisational development trainers, business managers, health practitioners, parents and leaders. The 16 whole type descriptions relate to the application of type in regard to teams, change, leadership, challenges and also how they parent. I included the parenting section as I believe it is very important to realise that personality type influences all parts of our lives and not just our work. When coaching in businesses I invariably speak to clients about their home lives and this adds relevance and motivation to understand more. 
The Personality Puzzle Type for Teens is ideal for coaching young people and for anyone who is caring for them or working with them; parents, educators, youth workers, social workers, health workers, counsellors, career practitioners and many others in this line of work. The 16 whole type description cards that come with this puzzle are more general and personal. Although written for teens they actually suit all ages and I use these in anything other than a corporate setting. It is also possible to mix and match the card sets, for example using the preference cards on the Classic set, to verify Type, and the whole type descriptions from the Teens.
The Learning Puzzle can be used by all educators and learners. It is a simple resource that delivers a complex analysis of how personality influences both teaching and learning. The Type Triology card set is for in-depth Type coaching. Taking clients from knowing their preferences to really understanding the implication this has for them. I also find them to be extremely helpful when a client is struggling to find their best-fit Type. 
Taking them through the lenses of Temperament, Interaction Styles and/or Cognitive Processes can bring them to a deeper level of self-awareness and from there the decision is often easy; from indecision and confusion to decision and conclusion in a very short space of time. If your client is unaware of the eight preference model and their 4 letter Type code the Type Trilogy can be used to identify this. A combination of one of the four Temperaments and one of the four Interaction Styles leads to discovery of whole type. It’s a simple and effective alternative path.
Taking them through the lenses of Temperament, Interaction Styles and/or Cognitive Processes can bring them to a deeper level of self-awareness and from there the decision is often easy; from indecision and confusion to decision and conclusion in a very short space of time. If your client is unaware of the eight preference model and their 4 letter Type code the Type Trilogy can be used to identify this. A combination of one of the four Temperaments and one of the four Interaction Styles leads to discovery of whole type. It’s a simple and effective alternative path.Can I buy The Personality Puzzle if I am not trained?
Yes you can. It is a great resource to introduce you to personality type and help you understand more. If you wish to use the product in a professional capacity it is very important to take one of the many training courses that are available.
Should I still use a questionnaire?
The Personality Puzzles can be used both with and without a questionnaire. The MBTI questionnaire is very widely used and can be an important data point to collect. Other questionnaires are also now available and their suitability, reliability and validity are mixed. As a general guideline ‘you pay for what you get’ and the on-line freebies are not always ideal. As professional training in this model explains, any questionnaire indicates your, or your clients personality preferences. This should always be confirmed by dialogue with a trained professional to verify true ‘best-fit type’. The Puzzles provide an excellent means by which to do this.
If a client has completed a questionnaire I would suggest that you have an interpretation session before they are given their results. Often this process confirms the result from the questionnaire. There are also times when these results differ. In this case, the correct preferences are those decided by your client, with your support and guidance, and not as indicated by the questionnaire. This method demonstrates correct, ethical use of the Myers-Briggs model.
The Personality Puzzle can also be used on it’s own with great effect. There are many circumstances where there is no time, opportunity or funding to use a questionnaire. This product gives Type professionals an effective alternative to work with clients in all settings, and can be a vital tool when working with not-for-profit or low income situations.
Can I use the cards with groups?
Absolutely. I would suggest you have a set of cards between three to four people. Take the group through the preferences one at a time and only hand-out those cards that are relevant to the preference under discussion. If you hand out whole sets they will be all over the place within minutes! There are some great group exercises to do and the cards provide a tactile resource that encourages participation and creates engagement.Please be in contact if you wish to know more.
Can I sell a set of cards to clients?
Yes you can. Extra sets can be purchased from the web site. Often it helps clients to fully understand the model as they have the opportunity to work with the cards independently following a coaching/therapy session.
At what age can you start using the Type for Teens cards?
The best answer for this is “it depends”. I typically work with young people from age 14 onwards but have had some great conversations with children of age 8!
This product was designed for teens however the cards have a much wider use. Adults also relate very well to the type descriptions and it really depends on the reason for using personality type with your client which determines which set of cards you use. If you are not in a business setting it may be better to use the Type for Teens cards. The Teen cards also use simpler language which may suit some adults. Where a client or student has a problem with reading, the preferences can all be explained by using the symbols alone. This widens the audience for those able to gain some understanding and self awareness around personality preferences and enables some rich and valuable dialogue.
I work frequently with families in family coaching situations and ask parents to select what they believe their child’s preferences are. The results are frequently accurate and provide valuable insights into behaviours and potential sources of both connection and friction. The children can be as young as two or three.
How have you used The Type for Teens cards with teens?
I personally use them in 3 different situations but there are many more.
Firstly in family coaching with teens and their parents. There doesn’t need to be any element of dysfunction for the Puzzle to be helpful. Sometimes all can be going well and this information adds to the family’s knowledge of each other and can enhance communication and support. Where there is an issue to address, a session with the Puzzle creates an opportunity for discussion which can be very revealing and helpful.
Secondly, I run workshops for large groups of teens and use the whole type description cards for the teens to verify their type before we do various type-alike activities. These workshops have a focus either on leadership or career direction.
Finally I have introduced them to small groups of teens to work on the connection between who they are and what career may suit them best.
Interestingly schools are now asking for this to be available for students from Year 9 (age 13/14) onwards. From this age they are already making subject choices that will effect their career paths. By giving them this understanding early on in their lives we are giving them some important data to make informed decisions. Please contact me for more details if you would like to work in schools using the puzzles or if you are interested in using The Personality Puzzle Box for school groups.
The Type for Teens cards are an ideal addition to resources used by Careers Practitioners.
Clearly there is wide scope for the Puzzle to be used for youth in all situations. I would love to hear your stories!
Are the cards translated into other languages?
Currently they are only available in English. I am happy to give permission to translate for personal use only. This has been done already in Spanish, French and Norwegian. Please contact me if you wish to do this. If you would like to translate the cards for commercial purposes this is also possible, however, please contact me so that we can agree terms. If you are interested in either of these opportunities I would love to talk with you.