Does Knowing Your MYERS-BRIGGS Personality Type Help at Work?
During your career, you may have heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality assessment used to help people improve the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) by understanding their preferred communication styles and how those preferences impact teams.
Do you know the history behind MBTI? Here’s the quick version: Katharine Cook Briggs wanted to help women identify the types of professional jobs they could fill as their husbands, brothers and fathers enlisted and fought during WWII. Now, many years later it has become a powerful tool that organizations, universities and governments use to measure 16 personality types across 4 categories:
- Introversion vs. Extroversion
- Sensing vs. Intuition
- Thinking vs. Feeling
- Judging vs. Perceiving
However, many scientists question MBTI’s validity due to its humble beginnings and lack of published research on its methods. Some scientists and psychologists find more validity behind the Five Factor Theory (OCEAN) centered around:
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Extroversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
Employers Use Personality Tests During the Hiring Process
Why are these tests important?
- Employers often use these types of tests in the hiring process to determine if and how potential candidates might fit into the current workplace culture, and whether they would succeed according to the demands of the job.
- Employers and project leaders assign team roles using personality tests.
- Knowing how employee communicates is crucial to facilitating effective team dynamics.
- Knowing your personality type may also help you tailor presentations or prepare yourself for the type of questions you may receive after a presentation.
Though the article spins off on the future of the MBTI, I think the more relevant question is: how do these indicators help you improve your organization?
These personality tests are useful in solidifying the value of organizational talent as an asset. The importance of understanding your employees is tantamount and even precedes understanding workplace culture.
“A common line from [MBTI] supporters is that the test starts an important dialogue around who we are and how we interact with others.”
These tests aren’t the only solution, but they are the beginning of an organizational conversation about strengths and potential gaps in leadership or communication. Now that’s a conversation worth happening!
I’d like to hear from you. Do you know your personality type? How has it helped you at work? Leave me a comment below. Or tell me on Twitter.
