The Power of Personality in Coaching
by Martha Kessler
A fundamental part of coaching is helping people understand how they think, make decisions, and relate to others — in other words, what drives their natural behaviors. Decades of applied psychology and psychometric research demonstrate that personality provides one of the most stable, evidence-based foundations for development.
Ian Florance, Executive Director of the European Test Publishers Group, is known for translating complex psychometrics into practical, human-centered insights. He has long emphasized that well-designed assessments help people “see themselves in the data.” His perspective, reflected in his presentation for the March, 2025 TCC program, reinforces how personality frameworks support clearer, more compassionate self-understanding.
Like many coaches, I use a variety of tools in my work, and the right instrument can truly catapult the conversation. What matters most is having an assessment that is easy to understand, uses common language, and translates quickly into actionable behavior shifts.
Why Evidence-Based Matters
The coaching space offers many tools, but evidence-based instruments consistently deliver deeper and more enduring outcomes. Research-backed models — validated through psychometrics and ongoing population studies — offer several advantages:
Reliability: Insights reflect genuine patterns rather than intuition or trends
Predictive value: Data connects meaningfully to real behavior
Consistency: A stable framework deepens development conversations
Actionability & endurance: Clear next steps that support long-term growth, not just momentary insight
As Ian Florance notes, personality instruments are most effective when they blend scientific rigor with everyday usefulness — creating insight that feels both accurate and applicable.
This combination of research, clarity, and practical relevance is what makes a strong personality model such a powerful ally in coaching and leadership development.
My go-to instrument is Facet5.
More about Martha Kesler
Martha is a certified Facet5 instructor and practitioner. Through her company, Congruism, Facet5 is one of the tools she uses in executive, team, and recovery coaching. You can connect with Martha through her TCC Directory listing or her company.