When I was working at NCAR, we were offered seminars of interest to us, and one I took long ago was the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). (The link takes you to Wikipedia.) After we signed up, we were sent questionnaires of 180 questions to answer a week before the day-long seminar, and I filled it out thinking this would be an interesting day. It was.
The premise is that people basically have two opposite ways of viewing the world in four categories: introvert/extravert, thinking/feeling, sensing/intuition, perceiving/judging. Here is a graph showing how people line up up in 16 categories:
The room was filled with around 50 people who had also signed up, and a facilitator. The first thing she did was hand us a sheet of paper with a few questions on it, and she encouraged us to think of where we ourselves thought would be on the graph. I guessed that I am an extravert (obvious, that one), that I am a feeler rather than a thinker (although I really hoped I would be a thinker), intuitive, and the last one I had the hardest time with but finally put myself into the perceiving category. This made me, at first blush, an ENFP ("giving life an extra squeeze").
The she gave us back our long questionnaires, and guess what? ENFP. Most people are not all the way one direction or the other, but I was way out on the extraversion side, and also moderately strong on intuition and feeling, and pretty balanced, but still a perceiver rather than a judger.
The Myers-Briggs
website gives YOU a chance to find out where you fit into this typology, if you're interested. I have used it to find out why I have such a hard time with some people. I have a hard time with strong sensers, and I am attracted to introverts (they are a great audience!). Enjoy!
:-)
I had this done at work ages ago (when I actually had an outside job) and I wish I could remember the results. I want to say INFJ, but that could be wrong...
ReplyDeleteIt fascinates me though. I love to learn more about myself (narcissism?). Fun post!
Very interesting! I have always wondered about this personality test. I'll check it out. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWe had one at my work several years ago which was similar. Only it was geared around people's strenghths and weaknesses. I came out very yellow (which was the big idea person), sociable, and something else. The bottom line was that some people worked best in a very structured way - they want to put their heads down and work. Some people worked best when they were given tasks and it was very structured. Me? I was not good in structure, follow-thru, or anything boring. That was left to other team members if you put together a good team. You always need someone to move the team forward (me) and others to get the work done. I find it was very true to how I really tend to be. Our director had us post the results on our doors so that we were reminded of the person's basic personality while working together. People started coming to me when they needed to come up with new ideas, and I went to them when I needed something structured in the most efficient manner. It worked!
I took this test back when I was a teacher and had the same results as you. I was way out there on extrovert, high in feeling, and nearly even on the other two!
ReplyDeleteI did this test at the church when I first got to America. Larry and I did it together. I came out as IFIP, which seemed right to me. Fascinating exercise. I wanted to do it to learn how to get on with people at work who were not like me. I have a hard time understanding the E type people!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Star
I took this years ago!!! Can't remember all the outcome...but I will say one thing, I know without doubt that you certainly are a great friend to introverts...because guess what? I'm an introvert!!!! I've ALWAYS admired extroverts...so there you go! We're a perfect pair!!! Fun post, dear DJ!! Love you! Janine XO
ReplyDeleteI was sent to tons of those improvement seminars and I always looked forward to them for the food!
ReplyDeleteA part of each seminar was always a 'bonding' session which I never much enjoyed, but I always took something away which helped me Sell! Sell! Sell!
I am going to have to check out the website. I know it will show that I am an introvert. I used to have to attend seminars when I worked and I hated everyone of them. I always seemed to attend the ones that required participation - which is hell for an introvert.
ReplyDeleteI have taken this a few times during my career life.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about it, because the corporations I worked at used it against staff. They truly did. They manipulated staff and I would be in meetings where upper management said that and plotted with it. And of course it was mandatory that staff was made to take it first.
And, the two times I took it, I got different results. Not real different, but different. I don't think I changed that much between taking it, either.
Categorizing people to me is dangerous when mis-used, as I unfortunately witnessed.
And I left those organizations, because they just weren't caring or ethical places to work.
I am like the Retired One, we took the test at work but our manager never gave it back to us. She wanted to know to see how we would respond. I don’t think it was the fault of the corporation – I am sure there were good managers – she just was not one of them – most managers were men, and as a woman she was very insecure and scared so she always needed to show us that she was the boss – so she decided that we did not need to know the results – so I never knew what I was – maybe it’s better that I never did know!
ReplyDeleteWe've done this with friends and I am an ENFJ which I wasn't all that thrilled about - "Smooth Talking Persuader?" - makes me sound like a smarmy used car salesman! lol But I took it again and it came out the same. I think "giving life an extra squeeze" is WAY BETTER! Nice to see you, friend!!!
ReplyDeleteMy license plate says MS INTJ. When we did the MBTI at work 20 years ago, we had a half-day workshop by a presenter who helped us understand our own work styles and how to work with people of other types. I learned a lot! Work styles can change as work or personal situations change. Recently I took a short version of the quiz and came up with a different profile; I think it was INFJ. Apparently now I make more judgments based on feeling instead of thinking. Not gonna change my license plates though.
ReplyDeleteI did this at work many years ago...Love this type of thing
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling you were an "E" :) When first tested in 1999 i was an INTJ then a few years later after a bad breakup and some self-renewal I retested as an ENTJ. It's such a fun test! I should do it again soon to see what I am now that I'm a mom...
ReplyDeleteI've taken this test too but can't remember much except that I'm an extrovert. I remember enjoying the test so I think I'll go check out the website! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI think this is one I did years ago but there were many along with all the seminars and conferences. I do remember testing as an extrovert which was good since I was in sales and marketing.
ReplyDeleteI am an ISTJ..always doing what is right..how boring is that...I looked at all this info the other day and didn't leave a comment..I had to think about it..I guess I have a problem trying to put people in their spots..I want to break out of my space!! :)
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