MBTI

Over the past few years I have heard people comment “I am Type A, so you know what that means…?!” and apparently that should excuse whatever it is that they just said or did.  My basic understanding of this concept is that Type A individuals are highly strung, while type B are more laid back.  That is an over simplification but in some ways this is very black or white.  Where are the shades of gray?

Many moons ago at the National Postdoctoral Association annual meeting, I participated in an MBTI assessment.  This is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator evaluation and allows (in my opinion) for the various shades of gray.  Through a series of questions your responses indicate your preferences between four dichotomies, when you combine your four answers you know your personality type.  There are 16 personality types so clearly there is much more variation than either type A or B.

The assessment revolves around 4 dichotomies.  When you chose one or the other it doesn’t mean you can’t do both, just that you usually prefer one over the other.

1.  Do you focus on the outer world or on your own inner world?  This is divided into Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I).

2.  When you consider information do you focus on the details and facts provided or do you focus on the big picture?  You can be classified as either Sensing (S) or Intuition (N).

3.  When making decisions do you prefer to consider logic and consistency or people and special circumstances?  This separates you into Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).

4.  When you deal with the outside world do you prefer to get things decided and scheduled or do you stay open to new information and options?  This final category splits into Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).

Once you know your four letter code there is a short description of your personality type which results from the interactions among your preferences.  Knowing what others personality type is would certainly help any interactions.  You could predict how they would respond in certain situations and plan appropriately.  It is unlikely, however, that you will ever know another individuals type.  It is an intimate and personal detail after all.  Therefore the goal of knowing about these personality tests has to be to understand and appreciate the differences between each group and use this to inform your own actions when interacting with others. 

Since becoming an MBTI practitioner I appreciate that there are multiple levels of assessment.  What I have currently described is step one.  However, when I discuss results with individuals sometimes they are torn between two dichotomies and have great difficulty choosing one.  Going to step two is often beneficial in these cases, and even if you can choose step two is always enlightening!  For the next level each of the dichotomies is further broken up into five facets, therefore for each dichotomy there are now ten facets to add more information to your typical responses.  It is likely that when individuals have difficulty choosing that they have facets on each side of the dichotomy.  Let me give you an example.  I have a preference for introversion however I have two extraversion tendencies, expressive and active.  That explains why occasionally when people discover my introversion that they are surprised. 

One of the great things about this assessment is that all types are considered equal.  Everyone should be able to honestly answer the questions as there are no negative connotations attached to any type.  Knowing your type may help guide your interactions with others and career decisions.  Can someone who prefers introversion be a successful doctor meeting many individuals on a daily basis?  Can someone with a preference for spontaneity (and therefore judging) be successful as a scientist performing repetitive and planned experiments?  Understanding your preferences doesn’t affect your career but it may help you understand potential challenges you may face.  I don’t use my introversion as an excuse not to network or do public speaking.  I can do them, it just means that I may need some quiet time at the end of the day.

Do you wonder what your MBTI type is and how understanding it could benefit you?  Contact me to discuss the assessment and we can discover your strengths and challenges together.