The Best Personality Test You've Never Heard Of: CVI vs. MBTI, CliftonStrengths, and DISC

Which Personality Assessment is Best?

When it comes to personality assessments, most people are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)™, CliftonStrengths™, or DISC™. These tools are widely used in personal development, hiring, and team dynamics. Yet, there's one personality test with unmatched repeat reliability and real-world accuracy that often flies under the radar: the Core Values Index™ (CVI™).

Developed by Lynn Ellsworth Taylor, the CVI is gaining attention for its remarkable 97.7% repeat score reliability—the highest of any psychometric assessment on the market¹. If you've been searching for a personality test that delivers consistent, actionable insight into who you really are, it's time to consider the CVI. You can take the CVI at erep.com/core-values-index/.

The CVI is gaining attention for its remarkable 97.7% repeat reliability score.

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Personality Test Shoot-out

Here's a shoot-out comparison between the Core Values Index (CVI), MBTI, CliftonStrengths, and DISC across five categories: Core Philosophy and Framework, Accuracy and Reliability, Application in the Workplace, Ease of Interpretation, and Psychological Depth.

Core Philosophy and Framework

CVI

• Foundation - Unchanging core values (Builder, Merchant, Innovator, Banker)
• Focus - Innate motivational energy & contribution potential

MBTI

• Foundation - Jungian cognitive functions (Introversion/Extraversion, etc.)
• Focus - Preferences in behavior and perception

CliftonStrengths

• Foundation - Positive psychology (Gallup)
• Focus - Identifying top strengths for performance

DISC

• Foundation - Behavior types (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness)
• Focus - Observable workplace behavior

CVI Strength: Measures what is innate and unchanging about a person, not just behavior or preferences.

CVI Weakness: Less recognized in academic psychology due to its business-origin focus.

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Accuracy and Reliability

CVI

• ✔ Repeat Reliability - 97.7%
• Scientific Validity - High internal consistency

MBTI

• ✖ Repeat Reliability - ~50%
• Scientific Validity - Often criticized for test-retest inconsistency

CliftonStrengths

• ✖ Repeat Reliability - ~70%
• Scientific Validity - Moderate stability, strength-based focus

DISC

• ✖ Repeat Reliability - 60-70%
• Scientific Validity - Behavior-driven, varies with context

CVI Strength: Delivers consistent, reproducible results over time, even when retaken years apart.

CVI Weakness: May be seen as overly deterministic by those who prefer models showing personality fluidity.

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Application in the Workplace

CVI

• Hiring - ✔ Excellent for job alignment & role fit
• Leadership Dev - Clear value-based leadership strategies
• Team Building - Core contribution profiles aid team synergy

MBTI

• Hiring - ⚠ Not recommended for hiring
• Leadership Dev - Self-awareness tool
• Team Building - Helps surface preferences

CliftonStrengths

• Hiring - ⚠ Avoid for hiring decisions
• Leadership Dev - Strength-based coaching
• Team Building - Promotes value-driven collaboration

DISC

• Hiring - ⚠ Use with caution in hiring
• Leadership Dev - Good for management style profiling
• Team Building - Practical team behavior analysis

CVI Strength: Offers direct alignment between a person's innate strengths and job roles.

CVI Weakness: Less emphasis on soft skills training or development pathways compared to CliftonStrengths.

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Ease of Interpretation

CVI

• Simplicity - ✔ Clear, four-quadrant structure
• Self-Explanatory? - ✔ Core values are easy to understand and apply

MBTI

• Simplicity - ⚠ Complex 16-type coding
• Self-Explanatory? - ✖ Interpretation often requires certification

CliftonStrengths

• Simplicity - ⚠ Requires coaching to implement
• Self-Explanatory? - ✖ Strengths are not intuitive for all users

DISC

• Simplicity - ✔ Simple quadrant style
• Self-Explanatory? - ✔ Widely recognized terms help understanding

CVI Strength: A user's profile immediately points to their "highest and best contribution," with straightforward core value definitions (e.g., Power, Wisdom, Love, Knowledge).

CVI Weakness: Less nuanced than MBTI in cognitive processing styles.

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Psychological Depth

CVI

• Depth of Insight - ✔ Profound insight into purpose and motivation
• Personal Growth - ✔ High growth potential through Core Values Consciousness™

MBTI

• Depth of Insight - ⚠ Offers descriptive but static traits
• Personal Growth - ⚠ Often misused as identity labels

CliftonStrengths

• Depth of Insight - ✔ Strengths discovery leads to engagement
• Personal Growth - ⚠ Less focus on internal change

DISC

• Depth of Insight - ✔ Surface-level behavioral patterns
• Personal Growth - ✔ Limited emotional depth

CVI Strength: Anchored in Maslow's concept of the "Real Self" and dedicated to unlocking an individual's meaningful contribution in life.

CVI Weakness: May be initially viewed as more superficial than an in-depth psychological tool.

Why the CVI Might Be the Best Personality Assessment for You

If you're looking for a personality assessment that:

• Reflects your true, unchanging self
• Delivers ultra-reliable results
• Aligns people with purpose-driven work
• Empowers leadership with innate clarity

...then the CVI deserves your serious attention.

Unlike MBTI and DISC, which often fluctuate depending on mood or role context, the CVI identifies the core energy that drives every decision, action, and emotional state. Whether you're an Innovator with a cornerstone of wisdom or a Builder powered by the desire for tangible results, the CVI helps you and your organization thrive by leveraging these insights with clarity and confidence.

And the best part? The CVI takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Get started at eRep.com/core-values-index/.

Final Verdict: The CVI Wins for Accuracy and Utility

Accuracy & Reliability

WINNER: Core Values Index (CVI)

Personal Development

WINNER: CVI / CliftonStrengths

Workplace Utility

WINNER: CVI

Simplicity

WINNER: CVI / DISC

Scientific Depth

WINNER: CVI / MBTI (tie)

In the expanding world of personality assessments, the Core Values Index may be the most powerful tool you've never heard of—but it won't stay that way for long.

NOTES

[1] Source: Seattle Research Partners, 2014 [PDF]

Core Values Index™ and CVI™ are trademarks of Taylor Protocols, Inc. Other copyrights are held by their respective owners.