Discover Your True Self with the Core Values Index™
Unlike personality tests that change over time, the CVI measures your innate, unchanging nature—the fundamental drivers that shape how you think, act, and contribute to the world.
Why the Core Values Index is Different
Most assessments measure personality preferences or behavioral styles—things that naturally change over time. The CVI measures something fundamentally different.
The CVI identifies your innate core values, which Abraham Maslow called the “unchanging real self”—the part of you that remains constant from childhood until death. That’s why your results stay the same whether you take the CVI today or ten years from now.
Taylor Protocols is the creator and sole owner of the Core Values Index. Our assessment is backed by decades of research and real-world business applications, not academic theory.
The Four Core Values
Every person possesses all four core values in unique combinations. Your dominant core value shapes how you naturally contribute to teams and organizations.
Builder
Power
Builders invest personal energy to make a positive difference. They value action and results, using straight-forward speech and bottom-line thinking. When charged with a mission, builders create an irresistible force.
Learn about Builders →
Banker
Knowledge
Bankers know the facts through research, measurement, and careful analysis. They are committed to accuracy and fairness, making decisions based on verified data and sound principles.
Learn about Bankers →
Innovator
Wisdom
Innovators see how things work and find better ways to do them. They excel at breaking down complex problems, spotting patterns others miss, and designing elegant solutions.
Learn about Innovators →
Merchant
Love
Merchants build meaningful connections and inspire others toward a shared vision. They see the potential in people and nurture it, creating trust and bringing teams together.
Learn about Merchants →Discover Your Unique Profile
When you take the CVI, you’ll receive a detailed profile showing exactly how the four core values combine in you.
- Your Dominant Core Value — The primary energy that drives how you naturally contribute and find fulfillment.
- Your Secondary Core Value — The supporting value that balances and complements your dominant style.
- Your Unique Proportion — The specific combination of all four values that makes you unlike anyone else. No two profiles are exactly alike.
Your CVI profile is more than a personality type—it’s a precise measurement of your core motivations that remains stable throughout your life.
Example CVI Profile How the Core Values Index Works
Take the Assessment
Complete a series of simple word choices. From groups of four words, you select the two that resonate most with you. There are no right or wrong answers—just your authentic preferences.
Receive Your Results
Get your detailed CVI profile showing your exact scores for all four core values. The full assessment includes a comprehensive 17-page report with graphs, insights, and personalized guidance.
Apply the Insights
Use your CVI to understand yourself better, improve relationships, find roles where you’ll thrive, and contribute at your highest level. Your core values are the key to authentic success and fulfillment.
How the CVI Transforms Lives & Organizations
For Individuals
Gain profound self-understanding, discover your ideal career path, and improve your relationships.
Take the CVI →For Coaches & Consultants
Become a certified CVI practitioner and bring powerful insights to your clients and organizations.
Get Certified →For Businesses
Build high-performing teams by understanding each member's core strengths and contribution style.
Business Solutions →For Hiring
Match candidates to roles with scientific precision. Companies using CVI report 95% successful hires.
Hiring Solutions →Who Uses the Core Values Index
Individuals
Discover your true nature and find your path to authentic success and fulfillment.
Hiring Managers
Make data-driven hiring decisions with 95% successful hire rates.
Teams
Improve communication, reduce conflict, and optimize collaboration.
Coaches & Consultants
Provide clients with highly reliable, actionable insights.
Leaders
Understand and effectively lead team members with different core values.
Organizations
Build cultures where everyone can contribute at their highest level.
Created by Lynn Ellsworth Taylor
The Core Values Index was developed by Lynn Ellsworth Taylor through over three decades of dedicated research into human nature and performance. His groundbreaking work identified the four core values that exist within every person and created a reliable method to measure them.
Lynn’s vision was simple yet profound: when people understand their core values and work in alignment with them, they become happier, more productive, and more successful. Taylor Protocols is the sole creator, owner, and developer of the Core Values Index—the official home of the CVI.
Learn more about our story →Discover Your Core Values Today
Join over 1.3 million people who have taken the Core Values Index
The complete CVI includes your full scores and 17-page report