So, there is a sense that teamwork isn't what it was because everyone is working from home. So the boss had a 'great' idea: Let's take the Myers Briggs test, share our 4 letter results and see if this helps us work better 'together' remotely.

Briefly this is what Myers Briggs is... It's a personality test...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...riggs_Type_Indicator

I don't know much about the Myers Briggs test other than I took the thing about 20 years ago and I thought it was a bunch of junk science at the time. I can't even recall my 4 letters, but it seemed like the categories could change depending on the social setting, who you are with, etc.

My fear is once everyone's letter results are posted, people will look at one another differently. As in, "Oh, well, you're a strong Perceiving/Thinking person, so therefore I know why you're the way you are."

Am I just paranoid? Is there any science behind this Myers Briggs stuff which could actually help people work together?

Is there any benefit in faking the results to make me look strong where I am weak, and weak where I am strong? (thinking outside the box here)

aaarrrggg!!!!

Who has taken the test? Did it provide any useful information which improved your life? Do you wish your letters were different?

Concur, junk!
The ones that need teamwork reminders don't listen, and it irritates the others!

I've taken it along with a few others like Clifton for business school. It's just a test don't freak out.

https://www.16personalities.com/

Take a trial run if it makes you feel better. I found the results to be interesting and pretty on point.

It's a test designed by two liberal California chicks. All you need to know.

That is a misuse of that test. Is there going to be a clincal psychologist interpreting the results?

How about some lab work to go along with that to be interpreted by a nonprofessional??

Perhaps an IQ would be in order for whoever wanted to use that test.

Psychological tests are to be used in a clinical setting, not by some nonprofessional in the business world.

I recommend Strengths Finder...

We had to post our top 5 strengths outside out offices.

I was skeptical...but it really helped. Especially when you think someone is just being a dick...then you read their strength traits and the lightbulb goes off.

It changed how I approached and interacted with people...

More feel good shit from the nothing to contribute section.

How did we manage to defeat the Axis Powers in WWII without such a valuable tool?

They were big when I was in college and wen I first started into the job market after college. I always thought they were junk science myself, but I never had any negative repercussions from management due to the results. The most annoying thing about them is the folks who take them, then forever use their results to categorize themselves and make excuses for shortcomings in their work or their ability to function with co-workers.

IMO , if the thing isnt junk science (which I kinda believe it is), the whole point should be for the individual to identify areas of their personality where they need to exert extra effort to overcome natural difficulties...kind of a roadmap to self-improvement if you will. Instead, I typically hear millenial college grads using is as a lifelong excuse "oh, I can't be expected to meet directly with customers because I'm an introvert," or "I couldn't come up with a solution to the problem I was assigned to work on becase I'm a perceiver and I just dont think that way". That kind of crap.

A better idea would be to PAY a consulting psychologist to help them with team building.

quote:

It's just a test don't freak out.

Agreed. This and the DiSC are two popular ones. Take it and let it roll. I suspect that once you see the results you may be surprised at how well it matches up with how you perceive you. And if y'all have any sort of discussion/sessions after it will almost certainly be how others perceive you in many instances.

I took the DiSC three times spread out over about 10-12 years. The consistency was remarkable including the middle instance where I attempted to create a "lean" in the results without just being pure contrarian.

quote:

Is there going to be a clincal psychologist interpreting the results?

Oh come on. Well, maybe for the ones that flag as a closet homicidal maniac!

The “personalities” defined. ISTJ myself.

The episode of Adam ruins everything regarding these tests was pretty good IMO.

Link to < 3 minute vid

I wouldn't worry about it. I did it years ago and can not remember what I was.

I never have been and never will be accused of being a touchy-Feeley, yea team, lets go type of person. Not big on the emotional sharing and kum ba yah approach that some companies try to bring to the work pace.

That said, I have taken MB as well as other similar “tests” and they have some value. They are not “tests” as much as they are personality assessments/evaluations. No right/wrong answers or pass/fail results. They just help identify peoples traits and identify/label them into one of four to sixteen “types” depending on which assessment is used.


No one is better or worse than the other, that is a value/judgment one type puts onto another type based on their history and experiences. A strong analytical person may feel superior to an emotional person but they aren’t. An emotional person may feel superior to a driver, but they aren’t. There are times when analytical is good, there are times when emotional is good. Each type has strengths and weaknesses, the benefit of these assessments is using them to identify types and using staff where they can put strengths to their best use, working around the weaknesses, and bringing a balance to achieve the team or company goal.


Most people already “know” what type of person they are even if they have never heard of the “types” the MB or other assessments use.

Will they increase teamwork? That depends on your team and how they results are used. I think the real value of these is helping to understand the differences and get a better idea of how to deal effectively with someone of a different type.


As an “Analytical/Driver” personality in a supervisory capacity my default style is no-nonsense “Do this” directive type of input. My style will be well received by some and off-putting to others. This can lead to inefficiency, friction in the workplace, or even animosity.

By recognizing my workers styles, I can tailor my supervisory input so it is effective across all of the different styles. Same “direction” but packaged differently so it is more readily accepted, understood, and followed.


Think of it as a tool that helps to manipulate others to get them to do what you want or give you what you want in a more efficient manner. Mind you “manipulate” others isn’t necessarily bad, it is just presenting something in a manner which will get their buy in and cooperation by presenting in a way that appeals to what is important to them as a result of their personality type.

Taking the assessment is the first part. The important piece is learning the differences between the styles and how to work effectively with those who have a different style than you. If you don’t do that part, no point in doing the assessment.

Former employer was huge on that, started in the Clinton administration. If nothing else, it was a good team building thing, but otherwise....
I'm an ISTP. Actually preferred the personality test that told me what breed of dog I would be if one.

Some of you guys are awfully uptight about these tests. We used MB and True Colors when I was in the corporate world. If you give them a chance, you can learn a lot about yourself and other people. You really need someone trained and skilled in interpreting the results to help you get the most out of it, though.

Trying to fake the results won't hurt anybody but you, and it certainly won't help anything.

Good grief...just throw the money in the trash can.

Occasionally helpful.

Here is an example. I worked for a VP that was a down to earth and likeable guy. Every time I went to his office he agreed with me, and as I was walking back to my office I'd realize he never answered me but merely understood/empathized with me.

We did one of these tests at a Corporate retreat, and the VP fell perfectly in the middle on everything. In other words, he was empathetic with all personality types and didn't have a conflicting personality type with anybody. When I needed a decision, I began repackaging my questions to draw him out to a decision rather than understanding.

quote:

Originally posted by jaaron11:
You really need someone trained and skilled in interpreting the results to help you get the most out of it, though.

We had this at that Corporate retreat and I'm certain it was a driver in me actually getting something out of it.

If boss doesn't have a sense of what his employees are like and their personalities already, then boss is a failure and should probably quit because he's not qualified.

quote:

Originally posted by bobtheelf:
If boss doesn't have a sense of what his employees are like and their personalities already, then boss is a failure and should probably quit because he's not qualified.

This...

And I would take it as a sign that it might be time to look for another place to work.