2 hours ago, CharonY said:

I am not sure whether it really matters how your personality is categorized, but it seems to me (again, from a layperson's perspective) that the introspection part is what is helpful.

No, I wasn't referring to the result of the test being useful, but to the very taking of it, individually can lead into unaccustomed introspection (It's not generally encouraged or facilitated by corporate culture, or mainstream culture, for that matter.) Taking it as a group, it can serve as a starting-point (and excuse) for a discussion, which then reveals facets of people that their family, classmates, teammates or colleagues had not considered when dealing with them. The test is neutral; nobody has to feel like they're in the searchlight, if you see what I mean. 

I have not experienced any of this myself. My work environment was quite different from an office; though equally hierarchical and rule-bound, a different kind of organization. I get the business information from friends who spent their working lives in office culture (in tech and clerical positions) and some understanding of the trend-cycle from handling many of these "successful -management-through-7-sure-fire-tricks" books.

3 hours ago, Peterkin said:

No, I wasn't referring to the result of the test being useful, but to the very taking of it, individually can lead into unaccustomed introspection (It's not generally encouraged or facilitated by corporate culture, or mainstream culture, for that matter.) Taking it as a group, it can serve as a starting-point (and excuse) for a discussion, which then reveals facets of people that their family, classmates, teammates or colleagues had not considered when dealing with them. The test is neutral; nobody has to feel like they're in the searchlight, if you see what I mean. 

Well that is what I said, it is the act involving introspection rather then the method itself. I referred to that as a placebo as arguably other introspective exercise could have a similar or even more pronounced effects.

This is the aim of many group activities (that do  not involve personality tests), for example.