To truly grasp the essence of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment and unlock its potential, it’s crucial to understand the criticisms and misconceptions surrounding it. In this article, we embark on a journey to provide you with a clearer understanding of the MBTI’s purpose and validity.

1. Briggs and Myers were not psychologists.

While it is true that Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers were not formally trained psychologists, they embarked on an extensive study of Carl Jung’s ground-breaking theory of psychological types, which serves as the foundation for the MBTI assessment. Notably, numerous individuals without formal academic credentials, such as Thomas Edison, Jane Goodall, and Steve Jobs, have made profound contributions. In a similar vein, Briggs and Myers’ enduring work has left lasting impacts on our understanding of human personality.

2. MBTI assessment uses artificial binaries.

Contrary to popular belief, the MBTI assessment does not seek to confine individuals within artificial binaries. Instead, its purpose is to identify one’s preferences in personality, delving into how individuals tend to utilize their minds in distinct ways. Extensive research has revealed consistent correlations aligned with the preference pairs proposed by Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types.

3. Jung refuted the idea of pure extraverts or introverts.

Let’s debunk the misconception that Carl Jung dismissed the notion of pure extraverts or introverts. In fact, he emphasized the vital importance of individuals embracing and engaging both their extraverted and introverted functions. The quote often cited to support this misconception actually aligns perfectly with Jung’s theory of psychological types, where individuals harmoniously integrate their outer and inner worlds to thrive.

4. Every individual is an exception to the rule.

Carl Jung recognized and celebrated the complexity and uniqueness of each individual’s psyche. It’s important to understand that no single type description can capture the entirety of a person’s being. Rather than refuting Jung’s theory, this notion reinforces the need for meticulous observation and a profound understanding of psychological types. By embracing this approach, we can better appreciate the rich tapestry of human personality.

5. Psychologists don’t use the MBTI assessment.

Contrary to some criticisms, psychologists frequently employ the MBTI assessment for appropriate nondiagnostic applications. Any concerns regarding its limited use in certain research studies often stem from a misunderstanding of its intended purpose and the distinction between diagnostic tests and personality assessments. The MBTI assessment holds its ground as a valuable tool in the psychologist’s arsenal.

6. The MBTI assessment just flatters you.

It’s essential to dispel the notion that the MBTI assessment merely seeks to flatter or inflate egos. On the contrary, its purpose lies in identifying one’s unique personality preferences and describing typical behaviours associated with those preferences. The MBTI assessment offers individuals profound insights into their preferred ways of perceiving and interacting with the world, guiding personal growth, and fostering a deeper understanding of oneself.

Despite Briggs and Myers not being psychologists, their work built upon Jung’s ground-breaking theory and has stood the test of time. The MBTI assessment remains a cherished and valuable tool for exploring personality preferences. Its consistent use by psychologists for appropriate purposes further validates its enduring validity and relevance in our ever-evolving understanding of human nature.

Original Article: Addressing misconceptions about the MBTI^® assessment

There is no week like the one between Christmas and New Year’s. The world seems to move simultaneously at a slower and faster pace between closing the current year, recovering from the holidays, or setting the stage for the next twelve months.

Often, this can also be a stressful time amidst drafting goals and resolutions for the new year we are not too sure to keep. Not seldom, though, do we avoid looking back at the year that has passed and take pride in all we have accomplished. Sometimes due to the perception that we have not met our expectations and others, due to the celerity with which the new year approaches, which leave us no time to celebrate the victories of the year that ends.

This time around, before jumping on the 2023 train, we invite you to recognize and celebrate your 2022 accomplishments. Gather your team, family or yourself and write 5 to 10 bullet points. We have asked our team to do the same. Take a look below!

Our Year in Review

1. We broke into new business areas.
2. We continued to nurture and consolidate relationships with customers and partners.
3. We watched people grow and venture onto new paths.
4. We faced new challenges introduced by our clients and looked for different approaches and solutions.
5. We made mistakes, learned from them, adjusted our strategy and did better.
6. We added new tools to our portfolio.
7. We welcomed new people to our team.

Look back at 2022. Take pride in your journey. Honour the love and effort your team has poured into common goals. Recognize the positive changes your organization has undergone.

Perhaps then you’ll feel better equipped to foresee 2023.

After all, 2022 isn’t over yet. Pick up a pen and start writing!

Article: P4S – People For Success

Every so often, we hear that superior decision-making comes from shutting out our emotions and letting our rational brain prove why we are different from other animals. However, concerning emotions, our brain functions like a reptile’s. The sooner we understand we cannot dissociate emotions from decision-making, the sooner we can use them to our advantage.

Our lizard brains: name and manage your emotions

Emotions are information: signals sent to our body before our rational brain can even assess a situation. If you ignore yours, you miss a part of your decision-making picture. At every moment of every day, we function in an emotional state. Usually mild enough not to disturb our performance.
Nevertheless, emotions are ever present in each decision we make. Name how you feel and look out for disruptive emotions – such as anxiety, shame, fear, and anger – that may cloud your judgement. Listen to your emotional cues, understand what lies behind them, and use this data to inform your decision – just like you would with any other data set.

Impulse control and why you should still listen to your gut feeling

Impulse control is the ability to delay response when presented with a stimulus. If someone in your team has just made a significant mistake with one of your main clients, your immediate reaction might be to shout at the person and fire them on the spot. Perhaps letting your employee go will be the right decision in the end. At that moment, however, you do not have enough information, nor are you in the right mindset to make that call. Delaying your behaviour allows you to check in with your emotions, manage them and assess reality objectively before proceeding.
On the other hand, impulse control is not a synonym for ignoring your “gut feeling”. Humans are experts at detecting and understanding patterns of sensory information. These patterns are based on experience and beliefs, drive quick decision-making and can be exceptionally accurate and helpful. After all, it is not seldomly that we have seconds to read the room and decide how to act. However, gut feelings are also permeable to biases.

Reality test yourself: identify biases, read the situation objectively

When making decisions such as hiring or promoting, it is indispensable to take a step back and debate our “gut feeling”. Am I being biased towards this person because they often remind me of my younger self? Am I passing on someone else for the position due to limited interactions in the past? Or am I painting an accurate picture of the role, team and organizational needs based on experience and vision?
When you become aware of your emotions and biases, you are more likely to consider all relevant data points and objectively assess reality. These will not only result in a well-informed decision but will also inject confidence into the decision-making process.

Embrace your emotions or watch them compromise your decisions. They sit with you at the table, but you have the upper hand. Play them to your advantage and make the most out of every decision.

Sources:

The EQ Edge: Emotional Intelligence and Your Success by Howard E. Book & Steven J. Stein

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Providing constructive feedback can be stressful, as most leaders don’t want to deconstruct the spirit of their employees.

A job shift from the on-site to the remote location removes the nuance that can help soften the blow of “bad” news.

Negativity shapes the way people listen to feedback. As Roy Baumeister and John Tierney explain in The Power of Bad, the “universal tendency of negative events and emotions affects us more strongly than positive ones”. In other words, we tend to ruminate on criticism and ignore praise.

The presence of negativity can be a challenge in any conversation where feedback is given, however, it becomes particularly problematic these days due to the stress that many people are facing due to the current pandemic context. Right now, in what has been a difficult time for so many people, employees may be even more likely to focus on the negatives. For example, if you say, “I need you to redo this report,” they might interpret it as, “Your work sucks.”

Some managers report that when they give feedback in person, they are able to adjust the context to communicate the severity of the news. They choose a room with comfortable, colorful chairs and a low coffee table if they want the atmosphere to feel relaxed and casual, or a meeting room with chairs around a large formal table if they want to communicate a more serious matter.

Stress is increasing levels of negativity. Practicing some strategies for conveying constructive feedback can help prevent negativity and the digital workplace from distorting how your employees receive their feedback.

Make questions

Start your constructive feedback conversation by asking the other person for their perspective on a particular topic. You can ask: “What did you think of this report?”. You should understand their experience and what they think about their work – perhaps they have never worked so hard on a three-page document.

What if they say they thought everything went well and don’t express any concerns? You may be dealing with an “unnoticed performance”. If you observed the problem directly, you can say, “I ask because I noticed X” and, if you did not observe the problem, ask: “I ask this because I heard X”. In either case, you should expect the employee to be willing to think of different ways to handle the situation. Make it clear that they are being judged on results, not effort.

Give an appreciation before making criticisms

Individuals are more receptive to constructive criticism if they are first explained what specifically they did well. If there’s not much you can praise about their work, praise their willingness to continue to improve and progress.

Show your good intentions

Explicitly showing your good intentions goes a long way in improving the way the other person hears negative news.

Clarify and contrast

Contrasting statements can bring clarity. After you voice your concern or suggestion, follow it up with “What I mean is X. What I don’t mean is Y.”

Ask the person to state their main conclusions

Save your time so that at the end of the conversation you can ask: “What are your top three conclusions?”. When you give feedback remotely, it’s much easier for the other person to end the call abruptly than you would in person. It’s better to correct any misunderstandings in the moment than to let them ruminate overnight or over the weekend.

While the ongoing stress caused by the pandemic can make it harder for your employees to receive constructive feedback than usual, conveying it with clarity and sensitivity will help them focus on the reality of your message, even in a context remote.

Original article: Giving Critical Feedback Is Even Harder Remotely