Personality tests are not only a fun distraction, they can also offer you some helpful insight into who you are and how others see you. While some tests such as the Meyers-Briggs version take a long time to complete, others can be done in ten minutes with great results.

One such test, known as The Birkman Method borrows from the Meyers-Briggs style. This test offers a short series of questions where you must choose between two options. At the end of the test the results are calculated and you are assigned a colour that describes your personality.

Take the test to find out what colour you are: http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/quiz/career_quiz1.asp. (You need to register, but registration is free.)

Here's a description of each personality quadrant:

Red
If you fall into the red quadrant, chances are that you're the kind of person who likes to be in control. You like to be at the front of the action organizing and delegating others through their own tasks. In fact, the tasks you're delegating are usually for ideas and concepts that you have built in the first place. These qualities could make you a successful small business owner.

As a leader you enjoy a quick work pace, and would likely be happiest in an environment where your straightforward and direct attitude leads to the results you want.

Green
Do you thrive on making a sale, or enjoy persuading others to agree with your opinions? Then you are likely a green. These are outgoing people who enjoy working with others, and have a knack for sales and promotions. Their risk-taking attitude, and love for an ever-changing environment make greens successful business owners.

People with green personalities would also make a good addition to a small business team, as they like to in a work team-oriented, informal environments. However, they don't enjoy spending a lot of time analyzing their work before moving onto the next project.

Blue
Blue people prefer to work quietly in the background lending support so that everyone is satisfied. You will often find these people on the creative end of things, such as writing and designing. From a small business perspective these people enjoy the inventing side of things as it allows them to exercise their creativity.

Blue personalities fit into a team environment as well. If you are a red or a green personality who is ready to jump into things, a blue can be a calming influence who keeps you from making hasty decisions. These people like to take the time to think things through before taking action. That being said they are often found in environments that emphasize forward thinking and future oriented goals.

Yellow
If you fall into the yellow category you are probably the type of person who is good with systems and numbers. These are people who prefer to wake up each morning knowing exactly what to expect, and are not fond of unexpected changes. Their understanding of fine details within these systems makes them excellent finance people.

Their distaste for change may not make them the best business owner. However, yellow personalities are a definite asset to the team as they will always know how things are running in the operation. Yellows also thrive on sticking to the schedule and meeting deadlines.

What these tests can mean for you

Once you have taken this test and determined your colour you can use this insight in all of your business dealings. So if you are a red personality and you find that your client seems to be a yellow you know that they would be happiest if they knew exactly what you are planning to do for them, and each of the steps that will be taken to achieve that.

These tests can also give you a good indication of what kind of people you may want to hire and work with. While you may thrive on making the sales pitch, meaning that you're a green, a blue type employee can be a calming influence who makes sure that all of the details and presentation work is ready, while you're running off to make the next sale.

You can also use this knowledge to think about how to deal with personality conflicts, such as when one employee or client is particularly stubborn and wants things a certain way. Stop and consider what you know about these kinds of people and try to find ways to work with them so that both parties are satisfied.