Personality Indicator

pattim · December 2003

I am a HR Supervisor for a medium size municipality in Illinois, our administrator wants me to research the Meyers, Briggs Type Indicator, it is a personality indicator test, which I have not heard of. Can anyone point me in the right direction for this information?

POPEYE · December 2003

If you will do a web search with either Google or MSN looking for "Myers-Briggs personality tests, you will get several hits with good information and contacts.

ray a · December 2003

Look for a trainer who is certified with this instrument. They would be able to give the exam and give excellent feedback on the results.

marc · December 2003

Just as a heads up, this process can be time consuming and expensive. Some follow-up training is required to really get the bang for your buck, but if your municipality is ready to step up to the plate, it can be enlightening and fun.

Pork · December 2003

PATTIM: search out HIGH PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS, A MBTI COMPANY that has dealt with many a govenment agency. Dr. Dick Thompson, 1-706-769-5836 and FAX 1-706-769-9104 can provide you with all the information you need in making a decision to set up a program for the use of MBTI in the forward movement of the organization and the individual players. 1-800-535-8445 is a number I have on my rollerdeck, but I am not sure if this is his personal or the office number for established customers/clients. The MBTI with a trained trainer and committment by the organization for positive change is highly recommended. I am a personal witness to both it's positive effect and negative effect. Once committed to use this instrument for the betterment of the company the organization must be willing to go all the way and in act the outcomes. Failure of the organization is predictable when the organization begins the process and deep revelations come up that the organization does not care to hear or see, and refuses to make the appropriate changes to effect good. I have seen it happen!!!

Tell them PORK sent you!

PORK

SMace · December 2003

Myers-Briggs is fantastic information and if used correctly can imporve not only your business but your personal life. I highly recommend using it.

Margaret Morford · December 2003

I have used both Myers-Briggs and a behavioral instrument. I like the behavioral one better. Myers-Briggs assesses how you process information (how you think), but doesn't address how you act. Most people in the workplace react to you based on what they see to do and what they hear you say. I think a behavioral instrument (like the DISC profile) is really more helpful and less limited. Call me if you want more information on behavioral instruments and I'll try to help you. I can also refer you to someone who administers Myers-Briggs. It costs about $300 per person.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

SMace · December 2003

But people act based on what they think. I use Myers-Briggs more as a communication tool than anything. Since people process information differently, you have to communicate with them differently. There is a great book called Work Types that applies Myers-Briggs indicators to work settings and shows both how people think and act in work settings based on their Myers-Briggs indicators.

Don D · December 2003

Not to offend, but is it also true, then, that people post based on what they feel will get under the patrolman's radar? Or that if they feel the radar may be focused in their direction, their bahavioral bent is toward beginning their post with an apology or genuflection? This may be an opportunity for a whole 'nuther' type of communication study. Oh, I almost forgot...x:-)

SMace · December 2003

Wow, this is a first. I'm offended but I don't know why. x:D

Don, don't think that speaking in tongues will get you under Patrolman James' radar. x;-)

Don D · December 2003

Since people process information
>differently, you have to communicate with them
>differently.

Differently from what? Other mammals? Invertebrates?

sonny · December 2003

Other people.

SMace · December 2003

I'm guessing you are a Thinker. A thinker processes info on what is fact and what is rational. I can understand why you would think there is only one way to communicate with people. You tell them what is real and what is rational. However, some people don't care what is rational. They process info on how it affects them and others. They don't care about what is fact and what is rational. Don, I bet you know some of these people. These people are called Feelers. It can be helpful to present info to a Feeler one way and a Thinker another way. You could communicate the same sentence to these two personality types and they will hear two different things.

ray a · December 2003

"They don't care about what is fact and what is rational."

We do care about facts and rationality. We just perceive them differently than the "thinker".

SMace · December 2003

Ray's response is exaxtly my point. I bet Don and Ray perceived what I said differently, beacause Ray is a Feeler and Don is(most likely) a Thinker.

Sorry Ray, I didn't mean to portray Feelers in a negative way. One thing I learned very quickly in my training is there is not a correct way to process information. My Thinker bias, however, has shown through.

Pork · December 2003

And I are one and off the scale as a feeler, but I have had to learn to deal with the thinkers and outgoing personalities, even when deep down I really know they do care but their temperment covers up their feeler instinct and lash out at the "feeler" up is nothing more than a hinderance to getting the "D___ Decision made based on fact", "to heck with how it might impact our people, we pay them to do what we tell them to do"! By the way Hilter was an ESTJ! How do you like those apples!

PORK, the feeler

SMace · December 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-11-03 AT 02:41PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Leave it to a thinker not to know what a can of worms I opened with the feelers. I need more training.

I'm an ESTP, so I'm not organized enough to be Hitler.

MY APOLOGIES TO ALL FEELERS!!!!!!!!!!#-o

Pork · December 2003

There is also a pocket book titled "Please Understand Me", which will be able to make one knowledgeable of the potential. Every professional HR should read and understand their own personality profile and temperment, once you understand it will allow you to turn on the appropriate listening ear for the transmitting person and will allow you to then communicate forward in the right temperment so that the unknown are amazed at how good you are at reading people.

PORK

sonny · December 2003

I like the DISC as well but also "Please understand me" Keirsey Bates that is based on Myers Briggs. Excellent stuff that saved a former management team of which I was a member.

Rodney · December 2003

I am a DiSc distributor & agree with Margaret. It is simpler so therefore, in my opinion, more useable. You can use it to learn not only about your behavior but what you need to do to adapt to others & therefore be more effective.

I am in IL. Feel free to give me a call to talk further. 630-653-1933

Don D · December 2003

>I can understand why you would think there is only one way to communicate with people. You tell them what is real and what is rational. However, some people don't care what is rational. They process info on how it affects them and others. >They don't care about what is fact and what is rational

I don't think I hold that attitude. Possessing, understanding and tuning to the frequency of the receiver enables the transmitter to send signals that can be interpreted. That holds true in short wave radio as well as personal communication. A man with a short wave radio can send (his) fact and reason all day long. However, if the transmitter is HAM and the receiver is CB, there is no interpretation or recognition. Rational, in your example, is up for interpretation. It's not that others 'don't care what is rational'. Everybody cares what's rational. Our mistake is in thinking others should find our interpretation of rational to mirror theirs. The same with fact.

For several years I taught 'Orientation To The World Of Work' classes to disadvantaged people with farm backgrounds. During those days, all of us Department of Labor types mistakenly believed we could peddle our version of fact, reason and values to our students, and have them magically, at the end of two weeks, emerge prepared with proper work ethic and middle class values. Millions of dollars were squandered but we felt good about our efforts. It was not that 'they' did not care. It was that their perceptions, values, objectives and hunger levels were different from ours. We were in a way, teaching them about double insulated aluminum framed windows and all they wanted was a screen.

SMace · December 2003

I hear you Don. What I was referrring to was your statement "Since people process information
>differently, you have to communicate with them
>differently.

Differently from what? Other mammals? Invertebrates? "

Obviously it was tongue in cheek and I took it as literal. I'm done stirring up trouble here, I'll go elsewhere. As Pork would say, James,PULL THE PLUG I'M DONE!

ray a · December 2003

Actually SMace, I've enjoyed this thread and your insertion of Feelers vs Thinkers. No need to apologize and I didn't take your comments about Feelers as negative. I believe there is value in understanding how different people approach communication, rationality, and facts. First hand experience has shown me that when we understand how the other person "thinks" it is easier to communicate. I had to dig out my results from these instruments from several years ago to refresh my memory.

mwild31 · December 2003

I've taken the MBTI several times & it's a bunch of bunk. The scores can be easily manipulated by the user. Better assessment, that I firmly believe in, is Profiles International. Much better & the scores reflect how consistently the user answered the questions. I was very skeptical of these types of assessments - but now, I don't know what I would do without them.

Pork · December 2003

MWILD31: "I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU" AND I WOULD OF COURSE ASSUME YOU TO BE A THINKER AND PROBABLY OFF THE SCALE IN TEMPERMENT! You see one who would take the time to analysis the testing instrument to figure out how to manipulate the scores is a NT action. If you just respond to the long form as it comes from your feeling "mind and heart" you'll register, and be taged as an E or INT every time. I too was concerned about the reliability of the MBTI until I worked with "Dr.Dick Thompson, Major, US Army" while we were on active duty and testing the senior leadership with the MBTI instrument for well over 5000+ senior leaders & their spouses, who have since risen, several different times to become the Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Chairmens of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and now the current, Secretary of State. The study was set up to figure out the personality profiles of senior leadership, to find out how these individuals who follow similiar paths of leadership, COMMAND, and training opportunities and yet emerge to the highest levels of authority. MBTI was the primary instument with several other evaluation instruments, previously mentioned used at the time.

All of you reading these treads must not allow anyone of us to push you one way or the other, just read and research like all great HRs every where and come to your own conclusions. I, too, could think about the instrument questions and items of interest and figure out what responses I need to have to come out as a registered "XXWZ". It is only a tool and the valitity of the matter pertains to the person responding without 2nd quessing the responses. I have been testing 4 times and ever time it tells me I am an Intervert, Feeling, Sensing, and Judging my temperments would tell I am off the scale in high probable strengths as a: INTERVERT, FEELING, AND JUDGMENTAL arenas. I register average as a sensing person and could from time to slide into a thinking posture, which you'll witness almost daily in my posting with details and points of interest that might just impact on you my readers. Respond as you may but you are mine as long as I can keep you interested. I read every word written by "Dandy Don"; why, because he as gained my respect fot the depth of his knowledge and his ability to articulate logic and fact.

Enough of this one and "James, at least tell me how to pull the plug, I'm addicted and I need to give my company some personal attention, but I can't because the "GONG" KEEPS PULLING ME BACK! I have tried the "DELETE" BUTTON. That doesn't work, my inner self stops me just for one more peek.

PORK
PORK

Don D · December 2003

It's like 'making love' Pork. Once you....But wait, I can't continue my thought. It will offend. Have a good one.

mwild31 · December 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-16-03 AT 02:17PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Pork - just getting back to work after a couple of days off & saw your reply. The Myers Briggs Indicator, in my opinion only, is a bunch of junk. I too was in the military when I had to participate, I too went through a 3-day training on the MBI & in the course of my 5 year stint in the Air Force (had to sign up for an additional year to stay in Europe) took the assesment 4 times. Each time the results were different & it was not due to me trying to manipulate the test - the best that I can think of was that each time I was in a different state of mind (not drug related). When I spoke with our instructor about my varying results on the 2nd day of training, he told me that a person's environment/state of mind (yes, manipulation of the test) can affect the outcome - things may have changed since 1990-1995 - but that's the way it was then & until I became familiar with Profiles International - I was extremely skeptical of any assessments - in fact if it wasn't a condition of employment with my current employer, I wouldn't even have taken the Profile in the first place. I'm glad I did - I'm a true believer.

Dasher · December 2003

NO, NO -- NOT YET! I have something to say.

I am an ISTJ (well, perhaps an ESTJ, according to the results -- because the I and the E were about equal). I took that to mean I can go either way, which is about right to tell you the truth.

Good thread.

Now you can pull the plug.

Personality Indicator

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