MBTI as a Management Tool Part 3: Facing Resistance
I don’t want to take this assessment. It’ll just put me in a box and pigeonhole my creativity!
While the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a powerful tool for leaders to increase Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and build high-performing teams, as you can see, it can sometimes be met with resistance!
In part three in my four-part series on MBTI, we will discuss what causes employee or team resistance to MBTI, and how to deal with that resistance.
If you need a refresher on what MBTI is, or a brief overview of the personality types, please see my first blog on the topic, “MBTI as a Management Tool Part 1: Form More Productive Teams.” Also available is part two of the series, “MBTI as a Management Tool Part 2: Build High-Performing Teams and Increase EQ”
For this post, I asked certified MBTI practitioner, Freddi Donner of Business Stamina to specifically discuss what might cause an employee or team to resist the MBTI assessment, and what can be done to manage that resistance.
Basic Resistance to MBTI Assessment
The most common reason for resisting the MBTI assessment is that the team member doesn’t want a “type” stamped on his forehead, which he perceives will leave him with little opportunity for development.
To address this concern, communicate clearly that MBTI is not a qualification exercise; it is an assessment exercise. Further, be sure to let the team know that every single personality type is equally valuable in your organization.
In fact, Donner explains that it is not uncommon for a couple of letters of the personality assessment to change throughout life. Many people work in jobs or careers that are outside of their personal preferences. As we grow and adjust to those jobs or careers, our preferences and behaviors often adjust as well.
More Complex Resistance to MBTI Assessment
Unfortunately, more complex resistance to the MBTI assessment tool often signifies deeper organizational problems. An employee who still doesn’t want to participate in an MBTI assessment may not feel safe or secure within the organization. That is a much bigger issue than not complying with an assessment test.
Using MBTI to improve teams is not going to work if the employees don’t trust the people at the top. So before MBTI can be used successfully, an organization must examine the root of what is truly causing the resistance.
To do this, leaders, managers and human resource professionals need to ask themselves why an employee may not feel safe at work. Is it because of the organizational culture? Or due to a poor performance review? Does the employee feel like her boss is horrible and has no interest in accommodating her needs? Leaders should ask open-ended questions to learn more from their team. Once the root cause is discovered, it will then be possible address the problem before giving the assessment.
High Level Resistance to MBTI Assessment
Resistance to the MBTI assessment at the senior levels could mean the team is dysfunctional. Dysfunctional teams can suffer from lack of commitment, absence of trust, avoidance of accountability, fear of conflict, lack of focus on results, and more.
The irony is, often MBTI is suggested in the first place is to find ways to improve a dysfunctional team. However, in this case, using MBTI is addressing the wrong problem and these team issues will not be solved by simply identifying personality types. Instead, as a first step, use MBTI at the leadership level to enhance EQ.
Stay tuned for part four of our series where we will provide practical tips for using MBTI into organizations.
Have you met resistance to the MBTI assessment in your organization? Were you able to assess the root cause of that resistance? Your input is valuable to me. Leave a comment below, send me an email or find me on Twitter.
