How Can The MBTI Help Me Work With Others?

One example is when you consider people who have opposite preferences but need to problem solve.

ISTJ
Introversion
Sensing
Thinking
Judging

ENFP
Extraversion
iNtuition
Feeling
Perceiving

Understanding these preferences is very helpful when problem solving with co-workers. Each of the above preferences approaches problem solving from a different ‘place’ and understanding this means that you can reduce the noise in problem solving and recognize that each person will make a valuable contribution but will begin and end from different places.

So, ISTJ will “Look at Facts” then "Apply Logic” then "Consider People” then "Look at the larger picture."

And, ENFP will “Look at the larger picture”, then “Consider People”, then “Apply Logic”, then “Look at Facts”

Each person proceeds through the process from different places. What often happens when we don’t understand preferences is that the ISTJ makes a statement that the ENFP takes exception to, certain that they are missing the people aspect, or the ISTJ thinks the ENFP is 'too' focused on feelings. Yet if each person understood that it is simply where we start from they could have the conversation stay on track. Let each person make a contribution and then make a decision based on the information provided.

More About Tests and Assessments

Following up my post on assessment and tests in the workplace I thought I would talk about the MBTI ® specifically today. Partly because this instrument is so widely used but also because it is subject to a fair amount of inappropriate use and misunderstanding. Note: I am putting up two posts today-one on appropriate use of the MBTI and the second with a little example of how it can help us work with others.

When we take the training to become certified to use the MBTI we receive an Ethical Guidelines document that reiterates the appropriate and inappropriate uses of the instrument and are expected to comply with these guidelines.

You may have noticed:

There are several questionable sites on the internet that pretend to provide a ‘free’ MBTI questionnaire but it is important to know that you are not getting the full questionnaire and that the results are most often wrong.

In addition the proper use of the MBTI requires that the certified practitioner provide a consultation or debriefing on the report-both to verify the results, explain what the results mean and provide some tips on how to use them.

There are some websites that offer the full version of the MBTI for a fee (usually between $79-99) but either do not offer the consultation or make the consultation optional. This means that they are purchasing the online questionnaire and charging a fee for providing you access and the report. Both practices are considered to be inappropriate uses of the instrument and you will not realize the potential of the report by using such services.

Most practitioners that are using the instrument appropriately will offer access to the questionnaire and the consultation for a range of costs between $125-$400. Each offers a different level of consultation so it is up to the client to determine what they want to achieve.

There have also been many reports of companies using the MBTI for hiring purposes. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is not approved for use in hiring as it details preferences but does not tell us anything about individuals’ abilities. It is also true that it is possible for someone with one specific set of preferences to utilize the other preferences when appropriate and often simply need guidance on how to do so.

Performance Reviews, 360's, Personality Tests-What Is Really Happening?

Managers in organizations seek out ways to measure and improve the performance of employees and develop "high potential" employees for placement in the company succession plan. You likely have experienced some or several versions of performance reviews, perhaps participated in a 360 Review process or been asked to complete an assessment such as the Myers Brigg Type Indicator (registered trademark) or the Emotional Intelligence/Quotient questionnaire. So what do these have in common, how are they different and how are they intended to be used?

Traditional forms of performance review focus on the past, the manager completes a form that assigns a rating on some type of scale. Most of these reviews have a mid-year assessment and a year end assessment and some will include areas of development for the future. Critics of such reviews point out that regular feedback throughout the year has a greater impact on performance than simply completing a form twice a year  that focusses on events that are too far in the past. Another common complaint about this process is that managers use these forms as the only method of communicating problems with an employees performance, often blindsiding the employee at review time. Organizations will also use the ratings from these forms to determine pay increases where merit increases are in place and in some programs they will also use them to determine year over year performance for promotion or termination purposes.

360 Reviews are best used for development purposes and not intended to be used as performance reviews or for determination of pay or promotion. 360 reviews can provide valuable information to the subject of the review as to how peers, direct reports and their managers view their performance and cultural fit. They are however, subjective reviews and can be affected by recents events around the person being reviewed. Employees that do receive 360 reports should have allocated coaching time to help them determine what to focus on and how to write a development plan for competency areas that will affect their career.

Myers Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) groups respondents into 16 different types (self-report style) which are made up of people's preferences for four mental processes and the tendency to focus more on the outer or inner world. It is important to remember that these types are preferences and do not provide any information regarding ability. The MBTI-Step II includes 40 additional facets which further identify individual preferences. This type of information is very useful for team development purposes, developing interpersonal skills and as one aspect of career planning. The MBTI is not to be used for hiring purposes as it does not provide information about ability but it is useful during employment in helping employees work effectively together. It can be used in career planning as one aspect of helping people identify what they enjoy doing and researching careers that will include those activities.

The Emotional Intelligence report reflects, in simple terms, an individuals self-report on how they manage their own emotions and respond to those around them. This instrument can be a useful starting point for people who would like to improve their relationship building skills and can be valuable in an organizational setting where one will be working with a diverse range of people.

All of the above assess an individual in some way and provide opportunities, if used effectively to improve skills or recognize when it is time to take on a new challenge or consider a change in a career path. Managers in organizations often bring such assessments into the workplace in an effort to improve productivity, reduce turnover, increase their competitive edge-all great goals.

It is important to ensure that you are choosing the right instrument, that you understand that each instrument has limits to what it can accomplish and that any instrument can only accomplish the desired goals if used effectively and if it fits into other initiatives within the organizational strategy.

I will be talking more about some of these instruments over the next few weeks, the good, the bad and the dusty shelf syndrome included.

What experience have you had with any of the above? Please share your anecdotes and what you learned from the experience. I look forward to hearing from you.