If you’ve ever wondered what really makes you tick as a leader — what drives your best moments, motivates your decisions, or helps you connect with your team — the VIA Character Test is a great place to start.
This simple, science-based tool helps you identify your core character strengths — the positive traits that define how you think, feel, and act. And once you know what they are, you can use them to lead with more confidence, authenticity, and impact.
What Is the VIA Character Test?
The VIA Character Strengths Test was developed by positive psychology researchers to measure 24 universal strengths — like honesty, curiosity, perseverance, kindness, and leadership.
Unlike personality tests that tell you “who” you are, the VIA test reveals what’s best about you. It focuses on your inner resources — the traits that already help you succeed and can help you go even further when you use them intentionally.
In short, it’s not about fixing weaknesses — it’s about building on your natural strengths.
Why Leaders and Managers Should Use It
For leaders and managers, the VIA Character Test can be a game changer. Here’s why:
It builds self-awareness. You’ll understand your top strengths and how they show up in your leadership style. It improves team dynamics. When everyone knows their strengths, collaboration becomes easier and more natural. It boosts motivation. Matching people’s strengths to their work keeps them more engaged and productive. It creates a positive culture. A strengths-based mindset helps leaders recognize and appreciate what’s right with people — not just what needs fixing.
When you lead with your strengths, you bring out the best in others, too.
How to Use the VIA Character Test in Leadership
You can start using the VIA Character Test in just a few simple steps:
Take the test yourself. Identify your top five strengths and think about how you use them day to day. Encourage your team to take it. It’s a great conversation starter in team meetings or development sessions. Use strengths in everyday leadership. When assigning tasks, giving feedback, or tackling challenges, think about how each person’s strengths can help. Reflect regularly. Keep notes on when you used your strengths effectively — and when you didn’t.
Over time, this builds a shared language of growth and appreciation — a huge win for any workplace.
Learn More in My Course: Foundational Leadership and Management Skills
If you’d like to go deeper, I cover the VIA Character Test in detail in my Foundational Leadership and Management Skills Course at MTS Academy.
In the course, I guide you through:
Interpreting your VIA results Applying them to real leadership challenges Building personalized growth plans based on your strengths
It’s all about turning self-awareness into practical, everyday leadership — the kind that inspires trust, engagement, and results.
The Panda VIA Notebook: Your Everyday Leadership Companion
One of my favorite tools to pair with the VIA Character Test is the Panda VIA Notebook.
It’s perfect for everyday note-taking, goal tracking, and professional development. What makes it special is how it helps you stay intentional — you can use it to reflect on your strengths, plan your day around them, and track progress over time.
Think of it as your personal leadership coach on paper — a simple habit that keeps you growing, focused, and grounded.
Final Thoughts
Leadership starts with knowing yourself. The VIA Character Test helps you see your strengths clearly so you can lead from them every day.
If you want to take your leadership to the next level, combine three things:
The VIA Character Test — to understand your strengths The Foundational Leadership and Management Skills Course by MTS Academy — to apply them The Panda VIA Notebook — to keep your growth visible and consistent.
Together, they form a complete system for strengths-based leadership — practical, personal, and powerful.
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