I have been certified to facilitate the MBTI assessment for 16 years, and every time I lead a seminar, I’m confronted by naysayers. “I’ve heard that thing isn’t accurate,” or “Test??? I’m not taking a personality test! I don’t need that. I know who I am!” Every. Single. Time. Here’s the thing: MBTI has been repeatedly researched and is proven to be both reliable and valid. MBTI isn’t a test. Not even close. Allow yourself to be open-minded for the next three minutes, and I’ll tell you what MBTI is.
MBTI stands for Myers Briggs Type Indicator, a personality assessment aimed at providing the taker with insight about their natural and authentic preferences. The assessment was created by a mother/daughter team – Katherine Briggs and Isable Myers – who were students of Carl Jung’s theories of psychological type. During World War II, Briggs and Myers developed the assessment in order to help women entering the industrial workforce while their men were fighting overseas. The goal of the duo was to offer understanding of people’s natural differences so that teams could function more comfortably and effectively.
Since its introduction, MBTI has been researched, updated, and republished. It has been translated into 29 languages, delivered to over 3 million people every year, and is used by more than 88% of Fortune 500 companies in 115 different countries. Because of the nuances involved, facilitators of the assessment are required to be certified in administration of the tool, assuring that results of the MBTI are presented accurately with positive intention. That’s where I come in.
I have delivered MBTI seminars for hundreds of people over my career, so let’s be clear about what the MBTI is: a tool that shines a light into the taker’s natural preferences for communication, decision-making, and navigation through our personal and working environments. It is not a test – there are no right or wrong answers, no score, and no failures. The results provide a four-letter type, made up of four opposite pairs. This type indicates a person’s authentic inclinations, while taking into account that that person may behave within or out of character, depending on the circumstances. In addition, while MBTI can provide guidance on careers that may be suitable for a particular type, people of all types are successful in all fields and all jobs.
Even those of us who are self-aware can benefit from the unique insight that MBTI provides. Want to know more? Email me at noelle@tri-skillconsulting.com, and I’ll share how the assessment can strengthen both individuals and teams. Aren’t you a little curious what your report would say about you?
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