August 20, 2019
By Madison Howard
Who doesn’t like a little adventure? When it comes to event planners, turns out most do! This year, Cvent launched a Planner Personality Questionnaire and the results are in. But first, in the world of event planning, why does personality matter?

Personality Impacts the Way You Manage and Accomplish Tasks

Your personality is who you are. As unique as you may be, all individuals are motivated by a unique mix of six fundamental human needs (outlined below). When you understand the mix that drives you, you get a better sense of your strengths and weaknesses - which translates directly to the workplace. If you seek connection, you’ll flourish in a job where you meet and get to know different people. If you are driven by variety, you won’t want to pursue a job where you do the same thing day in and day out.

Six Fundamental Human Needs

Certainty Certainty that you can avoid pain and gain pleasure, safely and securely. Uncertainty/Variety The need for the unknown, change, new stimuli, adventure Connection/Love A strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something Growth The expansion of capacity, capability, or understanding. Significance Feeling unique, of value, important, special or needed, independent. Contribution A sense of service and focus on helping, giving to, and supporting others.

How the Planner Personality Questionnaire Works

Results are based on the participant’s responses to a set of nine event planner-specific questions and highlight the strengths and weaknesses attributed to six key core planner personality drivers. Each result provides a personalized ‘Year of You’ answer, explaining how the planner personality, and its fundamental needs, can impact their career and general approach to event planning.

Six Planner Personality Drivers

Contribution = Year of Personal Power The giver, with a focus on helping, giving to, and supporting others. Connection = Year of Belief The friend. Characterized by a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something. Significance = Year of Magic The star. These people feel unique, of value, important, special or needed, and are independent. Growth = Year of Fearlessness The learner. Driven by a need for an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding.  Certainty = Year of Action The planner. Known for their reliability and organization skills, these people always have a vision and a plan. Variety = Year of Adventure The idea factory. These individuals are okay with the unknown, like change and new stimuli, and seek adventure.

Planner Personality Results

Planner Personality  
Results Percentage
Adventure 882 24%
Personal-power 841 23%
Action 722 20%
Magic 557 15%
Fearlessness 440 12%
Belief 223 6%
Total Respondents 3,665 100
 

The Most Common: Adventure

Initial results show that the most common personality is adventure – where energy, adaptability, and an appetite for risk are highlighted as key strengths. Meanwhile, unpredictability, being plan-averse, and feeling overwhelmed were discovered as key weaknesses. Planners tend to work long hours, need to be ready to change their plans on a dime when something goes wrong, and be ready for a challenge. It makes sense that most planners would be driven by variety, as no two days look the same in the world of event planning.

The Least Common: Belief

Belief is the personality defined by the drive for connection and was the least common planner personality. Their secret weapons are empathy, commitment, inspiration, and team building. Their pitfalls? Self-sacrifice and the tendency to be pulled in too many directions.

What is Your Planner Personality?

The question remains, what is your planner personality? If you haven’t taken the quiz, take it now! Each result comes with an outline for how to create goals, what to focus on, and how to avoid hidden pitfalls. Year of You Quiz

Take the quiz and discover your Planner Personality

Madison Layman

Madison Howard

A graduate of the College of William and Mary, my passion for writing began before I could read, with a nightly verbal diary dictation transcribed by my obliging parents.

When I'm not writing, you can find me binge-watching TV shows, baking elaborate desserts, and memorizing pop culture facts.

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