MBTI

Yet again, I am the same Myers-Briggs type. Yet again, no change in my type since I first took it 16 years ago. Seriously? (I’ve taken it 4 times ‘officially’ (either with the official-official test, or a very good summary one ; and several times, as today, with a 70-question test from a book I have on the subject.)

I thought people were supposed to change? I thought I had. While answering the questions I thought that I certainly had changed, or was close to changing in two categories. Or at least I figured I had since living in Paris as everything is so crazy and I’m doubting so much about myself. But even if I alter my score based upon the questions next to which I put a question mark, my results barely change.

When at Thunderbird, my professor of Supply Chain Management took one day to give us a version of the test and show us ways to analyse results in the context of an organisation. For example, showing us that all types are necessary for successful project implementation and what types of people to employ on projects at what time ; how to balance one type with another ; what questions to ask when hiring to help determine one’s type ; etc.

My results, this and every time, are that I’m the dull one who likes thinking ‘how can we do it within this organisation’ and ‘what needs to be done’ àI’m management, not leadership.

I’m to like factual details, micro issues, control and certainty, work roles and organisational goals. I like goals that are realistic, down-to-earth, and based upon efficiency (all true). I should value ‘tough minded people who can get others to accomplish the job.’

This last part troubles me ... when I read books where characters are like this, I love them, want to be them. But when I’m confronted by such people in real life, I see them as cold, unfeeling, mean bitches/bastards and I just want to crawl back into the cave from whence I came.

It’s just when I read over the descriptions and differences for Extrovert/Introvert, Sensing/iNtuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perception, I know what I am for E/I, but for the others I think I could be in either category, have a bit of both ; but then my results are usually 80% in one box. And when I think on conversations I have, it seems to me others might perceive me as being different from my results ; or is that just wishful thinking on my part? Am I really as cut-and-dry as 16 years of taking this test has determined?

I guess I’m just one of ‘life’s natural organisers’ and partly ‘committed to getting the job done.’ Me and Harry Truman and QEII.

It’s good to remember, as I learned at T-bird, ‘type watching is only an explanation ; it’s never an excuse.’