Sensing and Intuition Perspectives while Flying

On the way to Idaho last week, I had a "MBTI moment" on the plane.



My dad (ENFP) was sitting in the window and started talking about how beautiful the landscape was from the plane. He found art in the twists and turns of the rivers and mountain ranges. He thought the different shades of green in farming areas looked like a beautiful patchwork quilt. He wondered how the terrain looked a thousand years ago and wondered if anyone had ever walked up and down the valleys.

As he went on and on and on with his abstract chatter, I couldn't help but notice a house all by itself in the middle of NOTHING (it was literally hundreds of miles from civilization).

I immediately began asking a million questions:

• Where do they go for groceries?
• What happens if they run out of milk while making a recipe?
• What happens if there is a fire?
• Do they lock their doors?
• Where do the kids go to school?
• How would you date if you lived there?
• Where are the closest neighbors?
• Does FedEx deliver there?
• How often does the mailman visit?
• Does Pizza Hut deliver?
• How do they live without Target, Best Buy, Old Navy, The Limited, Borders, etc?
• Do they have WiFi or cell phone coverage?
• Have the Verizon guy visited the house and said "Can you hear me now?"
• Where is the closest hospital?
• Do they have a choice of doctors and dentists, or do they just go to the closest one?
• Do the children have any friends?
• Where do the women go to have their mani's and pedi's?
• What do they do for a living?
• What do they do for fun?
• Do they have neighborhood parties?
• Do they know about Taco Bell, McDonald's, or Starbucks?
• Where do they bank?
• Where's the nearest ATM?
• Where do they get gas?

I could go on and on and on!!!

My dad's Intuitive preference led him on a journey of imagery, symbolism, and abstract thoughts. My Sensing (ISTJ) preferences took me down a path of "reality." I genuinely want to know how it all works when you live in the middle of nowhere.

Has anyone had a similar experience? What do you think about when you fly across the U.S.?

Why use the MBTI Step II (Form Q)? Video Blog

Welcome to my first Video Blog!

I write a lot about how much I prefer the MBTI Step II (Form Q) over Step I (Form M), because of the depth of information provided in the Interpretive Report. In this Vlog, I will walk you through an overview of my personal MBTI Step II report.




Please email me with your questions, and I will be happy to answer them here!

What Would Jung Do? (ISTJ In the Grip)

If you've been following me on Twitter, then you know I've been visiting family in Idaho for the past 5 days. I've never been to Idaho and I've never met this part of my family, so I was already under stress before the trip started. Plus, we were going many places I don't usually go (rodeos, state fairs, etc).

Traveling is stressful for most people, and people with J preferences try their hardest to plan for every possible worst case scenario. There is no way to control flying these days. Flights are delayed. Weather causes delays. Flights get cancelled or overbooked. Security lines are unpredictable. Bags get lost or stolen. The whole process of flying can throw a J preference for a loop.

I was "In the Grip" within hours of arriving in Idaho because I met EVERYONE at once at the airport, which I wasn't prepared for. There was no plan whatsoever for the entire weekend, and we decided what to do/where to go on a minute-by-minute basis. As someone with Introversion and Judging preferences, that was a lot to handle.

I did my best to cope throughout the trip (which was actually very fun). I took time to walk away from the group occasionally to regroup and recharge. I worked hard to remind myself that I did not need a plan for the weekend, and everything would be fine without a schedule/routine.

However, my stress peaked on Sunday when I realized I hadn't heard from my significant other for 24 hours, which is VERY unusual for us (5 hours is a long time for us). He was out of town also with some friends, and I had no idea what HIS schedule was. By 4am I hit panic mode. I began calling the hotel to dial directly into his room. I checked the news to see if any disasters happened in Chicago. I checked the local jail to see if his name was listed (yes, I was that freaked out!).

ISTJ's tend to catastrophize when they are "In the Grip." They will go a step further by planning for the catastrophe. It sounds very sick, but I was rationally thinking through what the next steps/process would be if something happened to him. How would I get to Chicago? How would I hear if something horrible happened to him? How would I tell his friends? Where would he be buried? Would the dogs be traumatized when he didn't return home? There were many many more thoughts...but you get the point.

I used to worry that this thought process was sick or unhealthy. I felt as if I was wishing for something bad to happen since I was planning for the result so much. But this is just a symptom of the In the Grip response to stress for an ISTJ.

I arrive back in Kansas City last night and took a day off today to recharge my batteries (which I do after every vacation). My ENFP father doesn't understand why I needed the day off. If anything, he was depressed today because he wanted to stay in Idaho with the family for the rest of the week. Just another example of MBTI personality perspectives in action.

Have you ever had a similar In the Grip experience?

As a side story: when I finally got a hold of my significant other (and gave him an earful about not contacting me) he said, "You know this is less about me not calling you and more about you being under stress from Extraverting and not having control all weekend, right?" Classic.

It all depends on how we look at things, and not how they are in themselves. ~ Carl Jung

Trainer Resources applied to the MBTI

I get a lot of junk mail...A LOT!!!! But some days I get a refreshing little surprise in my mailbox.

Today I received a catalog from Trainers Warehouse that I LOVED. It's full of the usual training fun stuff like throwables, fiddles, and chotchkies (I hate that word). In general, I try to bring some sort of throwable/stress relief item to training sessions because I always like to have something in my hands while I'm working. I have a short attention span as a "learner" and need to have something to help me keep express physical energy while learning (even if it's just squeezing on a stress ball).

There were a few items that stood out in my mind as being useful for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator workshops and training activities:

Game Show tools.


This light up indicator tells which person/group buzzes in first during a quiz. I love showing descriptions of type and having groups guess the type based on their new knowledge.

Brain Booster Lollipops.

As a caffeine/energy drink junkie, I can see lots of people enjoying these lollipops. A little sugar never hurts a training activity!

Whiteboard paddles.


These could be useful for group activities where you ask individuals to report out their response. I can also see people writing their MBTI type on the board and holding it up during a team-builder to share their type preferences.

Last, but not least, my personal favorite is:

The Community Puzzle

This large 48 piece puzzle is made for individuals to decorate. I can imagine asking members of an MBTI workship to take 16 of the pieces and ask them to illustrate each type on a puzzle piece. You can just imagine all of the symbolism you can create when you put the puzzle together and talk through how we all work together to make a masterpiece!

I can also envision using this with new teams. Each individual could take a piece and make an illustration that represents themselves. It can be put together as a visual recognition of their community and what they represent.

You could also use the same process for illustrating team challenges, goals, visions, mission, etc. The possibilities are endless. I've been wound up ever since I saw that product because I am designing tons of ways to use the puzzle pieces.

Can you imagine using any of these tools in your training sessions? What works best for you?

Are there any other trainer's resources that you would suggest to others?

MBTI and the Debate over Labels

I have recently become a fan of Hunter Nuttall's blog. Two of his most recent posts caught my attention (Introverts And Extraverts: Can’t We Just Get Along? and Don't Label Me!).

One of the most common complaints I hear from people who don't truly understand the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or Jungian concepts, is that they do not want to be labeled or "put in a box." This is my pet peeve as an MBTI practitioner.


What do we have against labels? The reality is that we only dislike labels when they are negative. Have you ever heard someone say they don't want to be called talented, driven, supportive, dedicated, or helpful? How angry do you get when someone labels you left-handed or right-handed?

The reason the MBTI names the personality types is to create a description. There is nothing wrong with describing preferences in order to promote understanding. In addition, there is NO negative description in the MBTI. I'll repeat that- there is no BAD personality type in the MBTI. All personality types are equal. No one type is better than another. So, why wouldn't a person be comfortable being described by the MBTI?

As Hunter Nuttall correctly notes, people react negatively to the Introvert/Extravert label because society has created a negative (and inaccurate) stereotype for these words. Introversion/Extroversion ONLY deals with where you receive energy. Therefore, you can be a socially adept introvert or a relatively quiet extravert.

While we're on the topic of labels, it is also important to remember that each person is still an individual even within their personality type. All ENTPs are not alike.

The MBTI Step II breaks each dichotomy down further into 5 facets that provide deeper descriptions about how your personality preferences affect your behavior.

As an example, I prefer Introversion, but am "Out of Preference" in 2 areas: Gregarious and Enthusiastic. This means that I am unique in comparison to other Introverts because in some situations I behave in a way that is "extraverted." I have posted my personal MBTI Step II report to show how the MBTI does NOT limit your type description to just one of 16 types. There are millions of different permutations of types when you consider the facets that further describe your overall type.

In the coming weeks, I will post three new topics (maybe as video blogs) that cover:

1. The benefit of using the MBTI Step II
2. Why your personality preferences do not "change"
3. The importance of understanding "Whole Personality Type"

So, check back often (or subscribe via email or RSS reader) for the new posts. Feel free to submit question to me about the MBTI and personality type as well.

Who knew Carl Jung was funny?

I love reading quotes from Carl Jung. They are interesting, insightful, and many times humorous. Here are some of my favorite funnies...



I have always been impressed by the fact that there are a surprising number of individuals who never use their minds if they can avoid it, and an equal number who do use their minds, but in an amazingly stupid way.

Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.

Masses are always breeding grounds of psychic epidemics.

People cannot stand too much reality.

Thank God I am a Jung and not a Jungian.

You might be an Introvert....

Drumroll please.....

This is the last of the MBTI dichotomies, friends!

Here is Part 8 of the 8 part series: "You might be a..."

Be sure to check out the other 7 posts for signs of Sensing, iNtuition, Judging, Perceiving, Thinking, Feeling, and Extraversion preferences.


You might be an I (Introvert)…

• If you often pause to formulate your response before speaking…you might be an I (Introvert).
• If you get frustrated when others (extraverts) try to finish your sentence during those pauses…you might be an I.
• If you get an invitation for a party that says it will last “from 8pm till the sun comes up” and immediately think to yourself “Okay, I’ll be done with that by 10:30pm”…you might be an I.
• If you return from a family vacation and feel like you need an extra few days of vacation to be alone and re-charge…you might be an I.
• If you’ve ever had someone say “I can tell you’re thinking something…what’s going on inside your head.”…you might be an I.
• If you have a small, very tight circle of friends and consider everyone else acquaintances…you might be an I.
• If you LOVE the day before a holiday when most of the office is on vacation and everything is quiet…you might be an I.
• If the idea of working from home…alone…makes you giddy…you might be an I.
• If it annoys you when someone pops by your cube to get your opinion on a brand new project…you might be an I.
• If you regularly follow-up meetings with an email to everyone saying “I was thinking about what we discussed in our meeting today and I wanted to add that….”…you might be an I.
• If your teammates regularly have to ask your thoughts during a meeting and you realize you’ve been having your side of the conversation in your head…you might be an I.
• If it shocks you when random strangers share aspects of their personal lives…you might be an I.
• If you decide whether or not to go to a party based on which specific people will be attending…you might be an I.
• If doing group activities like team-builders make you cringe…you might be an I.
• If you get frustrated or annoyed when someone “calls you out” in a meeting and asks your opinion without warning…you might be an I.
• If the phrase “Think out loud” makes no sense to you…you might be an I.

You might be an E (Extravert)…

We're almost through all of the MBTI dichotomies, friends! Here is Part 7 of the 8 part series: "You might be a..."

This week, the wonderful Linda McKenna and I collaborated on the signs of an Extraversion preference (MBTI). Be sure to check out the other 6 posts for signs of Sensing, iNtuition, Judging, Perceiving, Thinking, and Feeling preferences.

You might be an E (Extravert)…

• If you start to say something and cannot figure out where the thought is going…you might be an Extrovert (E).
• If you’re the first person to say “So, where’s the after-party?” when the lights come on to signal that the bar is closing…you might be an E.
• If you can’t go anywhere without making a new friend…you might be an E.
• If your “I” partner gets frustrated with you because you keep interrupting him in the middle of his statement…you might be an E.
• If the idea of working from home (alone) makes you nervous…you might be an E.
• If you have no idea what the phrase, “I’m speechless” means…you might be an E.
• If long pauses in a conversation make you extremely uncomfortable…and you HAVE TO fill the pauses with SOMETHING…you might be an E.
• If everyone recognizes who you are by your loud laughter…you might be an E.
• If no one has ever had to ask your opinion on anything because they already know…you might be an E.
• If you’re more likely to drop by someone’s office than email them…you might be an E.
• If you find yourself revealing personal information to people who you’ve just met…you might be an E.
• If you find yourself with the most turns at the Karaoke mic…you might be an E.
• If you’re fond of the phrase “the more the merrier,”…you might be an E.
• If you’ve ever felt the need to “talk something out” or “think out loud” to decide how you feel…you might be an E.
• If you enjoy making eye-contact with complete strangers at the store, etc., and making them smile back…then you might be an E.
• When your partner keeps nudging you and whispering “keep your voice down,”…you might be an E.
• If you call to order Chinese take-out and identify yourself as “Hi, it’s me!”…you might be an E.
  

Thank you, Linda, for sharing your ENTP perspective! I love collaborating with other phenomenal bloggers!

On the topic of Introversion and Extraversion, check out this article that is making the rounds on Digg. It's quite popular these days: Introverts and Extraverts: Can't we just get along? by Hunter Nuttall

You might be an S (Sensing)...

We're almost through the 8 MBTI dichotomies folks! There are only 2 left in the "You might be a..." series. We've covered Judging, Perceiving, Thinking, Feeling, iNtuition, and now Sensing.



Without further ado, here is "You might be an S..."

· If you often start an argument by saying “The fact is…”…you might be an S (Sensing)
· If people accuse you of being unable to see the “big picture”…you might be an S.
· If you find yourself asking people’s MBTI® preferences to gather more information about them…then you might be an S.
· If you drive the same way to work every day (after calculating the best route based on fewest stop lights, least traffic and shortest distance)…you might be an S.
· When someone asks you to describe someone, if you give a details that sound like a police description of a suspect (5’4’’, brown hair, scar on right cheek, blue-green eyes, red shirt with pocket on left side…)…you might be an S.
· If it annoys you when someone says something like “It will all be alright” because there’s no evidence to support that statement…you might be an S.
· If you take notes during every call with a customer service representative in case you need to refer to it later…you might be an S.
· If you constantly find yourself writing emails using bullet-points…you might be an S.
· If it annoys you when a sales person tries to convince you to purchase an item by giving their personal opinion instead of technical specs, warranty info, and sale price…then you might be an S.
· If you endlessly research everything on the internet before you buy…you might be an S.
· If you’ve ever through to yourself “I’d be a GREAT crime scene investigator, private detective, or criminal profiler”…you might be an S.
· If you never go anywhere new without directions or a GPS…you might be an S.
· If a recruiter loses your attention by talking about things like work/life balance, 5 year plans, and the fun work environment…then you might be an S.
· If you’ve ever been asked a question like “If you were a cereal, what kind would you be?” and wondered about that person’s mental health...you might be an S.
· If you’re fascinated by shows like “Trading Spaces” where the decorators frequently find unconventional ways to use every day items (because your mind doesn’t think that way)…you might be an S.
· If you use phrases like “The bottom line is” and “It is what it is”…you might be an S.
· If you’ve turned down an idea by saying “we’ve tried that already…it won’t work”…you might be an S.
· If you’ve felt (or been told) you have a photographic memory…you might be an S.

Do you use the MBTI in a virtual setting?

MBTI Practitioners:

Do you use the MBTI in a virtual setting?

Have you ever conducted an MBTI team builder through WebEx or similar technology?

If so, I would love to hear from you.

I am working on a project right now and need some expert advice on how to maintain the integrity of in-person MBTI activities while delivering content to individuals in different locations.

Any advice you have about e-learning, virtual teams, and MBTI activities would be helpful! Thank you!

MBTI: YOU MIGHT BE AN “N” (iNTuitive)…

You asked for it...here it is. Part 5 of the 8 part "You might be a..." series. This week, Linda McKenna and I collaborated on the signs of an iNtuitive preference (MBTI). Be sure to check out the other 4 posts for signs of Judging, Perceiving, Thinking, and Feeling preferences.

YOU MIGHT BE AN “N” (iNTuitive)…

· If you often start an argument with “What exactly did you mean by that?” …you might be an iNtuitive (N).
· If people often accuse you of “what if’ing” everything to the extreme…you might be an N.
· If you can find a way to use the MBTI in every single part of your life… you might be an N.
· If you have ever thought to yourself “I wonder what’s down that road?” and then actually driven down that road…you might be an N.
· If you can write a haiku about a fly in your soup…you might be an N.
· If you’ve never ordered the same thing twice at a restaurant…you might be an N.
· If you’ve ever asked a waiter “What’s the best thing on the menu?” and then actually taken his advice…you might be an N.
· If random objects often lead you to say, “That reminds me of a story about…”…then you might be an N.
· If you get ripped off by a vendor and you are awed by the brilliance of their marketing strategy…you might be an N.
· If you can easily finish the sentence – “If I were a ______, I would…” …you might be an N.
· If you can find a reason to feel bad for Saddam Hussein…you might be an N.
· If someone (an S) asks you “What in the world led you to that conclusion?”…you might be an N.
· If you believe that stopping to ask directions ruins the adventure…then you might be an N.
· If you can easily look at a blueprint design for a house and imagine everything from the carpet and wallpaper to the dining room place settings…you might be an N.
· If you can see the potential in everyone you meet… you might be an N.
· If job postings that only give short term information like job title, major job tasks, and salary information make you crazy…you might be an N.
· If you have a “theory” for just about any subject you talk about…you might be an N.
· If you find yourself people-watching and day-dreaming about what they do for a living, what brought them to this location, and what they plan to do next…you might be an N.

And lastly but not leastly…

· If your “spidey senses are tingling” as you read this…you might be an N.

What did we miss? What signs do you see for iNtuitive preferences in yourself or others?

You might be a Thinker (MBTI)

We've covered signs of Judging, Perceiving, and Feeling (MBTI), so now it's time for the 4th part of the 8 part "You might be a..." series.



You Might be a Thinker….

• If you hear about a problem and spend time trying to diagnose WHY it happened….you might be a Thinker (T).
• If you make decisions and THEN ask how people will react…you might be a T.
• If you strive for fairness and equality over all else…you might be a T.
• If you frequently ask “How will this affect the bottom line/budget/deadlines, etc?”…you might be a T.
• If you often say “Why are you getting upset, we’re just having a debate?”…you might be a T.
• If you have trouble making decisions without a notebook of pro/con lists…you might be a T.
• If you believe that there are always winners and losers (and you always strive to be the winner)…you might be a T.
• If you believe ALL you need to know to start working on a new team is everyone’s names…you might be a T.
• If you decide where you and your friends should meet for dinner based on quality of food, quality of service, cost, and specials…you might be a T.
• If you responded to the on-site Day Care proposal with questions like: How much will it cost? How many parents will sign up? Where will it be located? How much is the insurance? What will the operating hours be?...you might be a T.
• If you get annoyed when someone gushes “GREAT JOB” after everything you do…you might be a T.
• If you despise “Getting to Know You” ice breakers when a new team is formed…you might be a T.
• If you think of most conflict as a healthy debate…you might be a T.

What did I miss? What are the signs you see for the Thinking preference?

Signs of a Feeling Preference (MBTI)

We've covered the signs of the MBTI Judging and Perceiving preferences, so now it is time for Part 3 of the 6 part series:



You might be a Feeler….

• If you spend most of your time trying to make people happy…you might be a Feeler (F).
• If you strive for unanimous/cooperative decisions that everyone is pleased with…you might be an F.
• If you find yourself asking “How will this impact the team?”…you might be an F.
• If you have no idea what it means when someone says “why are you getting upset, this is just a debate?” means…you might be an F.
• If you can’t make a decision about something without gathering the thoughts/perspectives of everyone who will be influence…you might be an F.
• If your goal in negotiations is “win-win”…you might be an F.
• If you believe business negotiations can only begin after everyone has built rapport…you might be an F.
• If you decide where you and your friends should meet for dinner by considering how far everyone will have to drive, food preferences, allergies, etc…you might be an F.
• If you’ve spent hours creating a proposal for an on-site Day Care Center facility that focuses on real stories about moms/dads who have trouble finding adequate/affordable childcare…you might be an F.
• If you think there is no such thing as too much positive feedback….you might be an F.
• If you are the “go-to” person for designing “Getting to Know You” ice-breakers…you might be an F.
• If you hate/avoid conflict…you might be an F.

What other signs are there for a Feeling preference?

Check back tomorrow for the "Thinking" rebuttal!

You Might be a "P"....

In response to my last post about signs of a Judging Preference, one of my favorite bloggers (Linda McKenna at In the Blink of a Mind) wrote a hilariously insightful rebuttal. Enjoy!



You might be a P…
· If the top of your desk has not been seen in many months but you still know where everything is, you might be a P.
· If there is never any memory left on your TiVo to record more shows, you might be a P.
· If you can never find your cell phone in your purse in time to answer it, you might be a P.
· If you’re open to the possibility of Plan B, C, or D (and even E, F, or G) for every situation, you might be a P.
· If you set out to find out the location of your interview the day before, but find a great shopping mall on the way and stop to buy some new shoes instead, you might be a P.
· If Spring Cleaning of your house always gets put off until “next” spring, you might be a P.
· If you spend the first couple of days of every family vacation in a local Wal-Mart store shopping for items forgotten or left behind, you might be a P.
· If your philosophy is “Deadline is not ‘dead’ until you’ve passed it, and even then there may still be some life left in it,” you might be a P.
· If your friends are wildly surprised to see you arrive on time, you might be a P.
· If you often end up assembling things twice because you failed to read the instructions, you might be a P.
· If every part of the day (even work) is potentially free time for you, you might be a P.
· If the closet organizer you bought three years ago is still sitting in the corner of your closet unopened, you might be a P.
And… the most embarrassing P moment:
· If you get on a plane to fly to California and realize that you’re wearing your house slippers, you might be a P.

I often have to fight my extreme P preference in order to get through a project. For instance, if I’m in the middle of doing something and walk away before finishing, there’s a very good chance that it will be forgotten. My husband, at the opposite end of the spectrum, has a strong J preference. He’s never been late to work in the 30+ years of his career. Now, THAT deserves an award…

His motto is, “If you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late.” My motto, on the other hand, is, “You can squeeze in something in those 15 minutes… why waste the time?” Needless to say, I’m always rushing in at the last minute explaining how the 15-minute thing turned into 25 minutes. After 20 years of trial and error (and many less-than-loving moments), and thanks to the MBTI, we have learned to recognize the positive contribution by each preference to any situation. He makes the lists and I (try to) follow them. He reminds me several times in case it slips my mind, which often happens. When a decision has to be made, I suggest the acceptable options and he makes the decision. If it doesn’t work out, I come up with more options. He appreciates my creativity and my ability to work best under pressure, and I appreciate his decisiveness and his efficiency.

We can learn so much from the things that used to irritate us. When there is a need to operate out of my preference to get a job done, I ask myself, “What would _____ do?” (Fill in the blank with your own opposite counterpart.) It works for me!

And the following are some thoughts from a male P perspective (sent to me by a good friend at my request):
· If your garage has never had a car inside because it’s filled with unfinished projects, you might be a P.
· If you take your pickup truck full of junk to the junkyard but come back with the truck bed full of “really useful stuff,” you might be a P.
· If you consider assembly instructions to be just part of the packing material, you might be a P.
· If the top drawer of your filing cabinet is labeled “stuff to be filed” and the drawers below are labeled “more,” you might be a P.
· If you have a box in your office titled, “The I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-it-but-I-don’t-want-to-throw-it-away-so-I’ll-put-it-in-here-and-forget-about-it-box,” you might be a P.
· More of those boxes mean you’re more likely to be a P.
· If your home office looks neater after an earthquake, you might be a P.
· If your boat sinks 400 miles up the Amazon river and you say “Well the travel brochure did say it would be an adventure,” you might be a P.
· If you know all the lyrics to “Que Sera Sera,” you might be a P.

I have some very funny (and fun) friends. Dare I say…P’s have more fun?? Just kidding, Breanne!

Using Personality Assessments in Organizations the Right Way

A colleague just sent me a great article about a company who is using personality assessments the RIGHT WAY.

Edward Jones, uses assessments for both selection and development. The assessments they use for selection have been validated over the past 7 years. That's doing it right!

I recently discussed how the MBTI should never be used for selection, and this article points to another reason. The MBTI is only as valid as you are honest. If you play a role in your mind, and answer the way you WANT to look, as opposed to who you really are- the results will be inaccurate.

In a selection setting, applicants have incentive to "look the part," which can lead to invalid results on a personality assessment. This is why any assessment must be validated for the job itself and in both a selection and non-selection environment to ensure accurate results.

The article discusses a variety of assessments including the MBTI and DiSC.

Check out the whole article from trainingmag.com here.

Signs of the MBTI Judging Preference

Borrowing from Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck" comedy style, I present "You might be a J..."

• If your desk has more post-it notes than work space- you might be a J.
• If you view the "Now Playing" list on your TiVo as a to-do list and race through the programs to watch and then delete them- you might be a J.
• If your purse/briefcase looks like a survival kit (Tide to-go pen, post-its, emergency contact info, band aids, neosporin, and everything else you might need to be prepared for)- you might be a J.
• If you have a Plan A, B, C, and D for every situation- you might be a J.
• If you drive to the location of your interview the day before (so you know the route perfectly and there won't be any surprises)- you might be a J.
• If Spring Cleaning in your house is planned out with Microsoft Project- you might be a J.
• If a family trip to Disney World takes as much planning as a typical wedding- you might be a J.
• If you automatically set your personal deadline one week (or more) earlier than the "real" deadline- you might be a J.
• If your friends can imitate the structure of your daily activities with eerie precision- you might be a J.
• If you sit down and read ALL instructions before beginning a an assembly project (and lay out each necessary tool, separate and count the parts, etc)- you might be a J.
• If you schedule free-time (but feel uncomfortable having free-time in the first place)- you might be a J.
• If the best gift you ever received was a Label-maker- you might be a J.
  
  
  
  

As someone who is at the extreme on the Judging preference (scoring 5 on ALL facets), I can relate to all of these comical representations of the judging preference!

I am typically quite fond of my J-ness! My coworkers rely on me, knowing that given a task, I will complete it ahead of schedule and without surprises. I dislike surprises, but when they occur, I am usually prepared for them. I am the queen of organization, and can find anything within seconds- thanks to my label-maker!

However, I also believe we all need balance. I am really conscious of the fact that I have to work hard not to let my Judging preference run my life. Thankfully, my partner has strong Perceiving preferences. It took many years of learning to appreciate our differences, but now I rely on him to balance my J-ness! I used to think he was trying to make me crazy. In my mind, if I am supposed to be somewhere at 10:00, then I think I am late if I arrive after 9:45. Whereas my partner thinks 10:00 is more of a suggestion- arriving anytime between 10:00 and 11:00 is in the range of acceptability. As a result, we are often late in spite of my preferences.

When he does the dishes he typically leaves one pan in the sink, where I don't believe the job is done until every last dish is in the cabinet (and the sink is cleaned...and the counter is wiped off...etc, etc).

We also differ in our beliefs about when working and playing take priority. I have always tried to live by the "Work Hard, Play Hard" philosophy (one of my dad's famous phrases), however I also live by "You cannot play hard until you've worked hard" philosophy. My partner can alternate between work and play on a minute-by-minute basis. In the early years of our relationship, this caused considerable conflict. When we would be cleaning the house, he would get distracted easily. While I was cleaning, I'd look in our office and see him sitting at the computer. I would get furious that I was the only one working, and he would calmly explain that he was just downloading music to iTunes so we could have "cleaning" music playing in the background. I was convinced this was just one more way for him to avoid working, but in reality, he thought he was facilitating a positive work experience.

While I will never be able to have his level of spontaneity, acceptance of change, or appreciation for open-ended plans, I am grateful for the balance he brings to the relationship. It takes a lot of effort to reserve my Judging preference. I have to actively think to myself "Is this a critical issue? Do I need to be upset that we are not on my schedule? Do we really need to plan this out this thoroughly?" It is uncomfortable for me, but I actively choose my battles now by knowing that my extreme J preference is not always a positive aspect of our relationship. I still feel internal stress when I believe we are showing up late, but I stop and literally ask myself "Is this a critical moment?" and typically I calm myself down and go with the moment (as much as a strong J can).

I'd love to hear from other individuals with a strong Judging preference. Do these stories resonate with you? Please share your own experience. Or, are you a P who is in a relationship with a J? How do you both compromise?

MBTI preferences of famous people

There's a common saying in the Myers-Briggs world:

"If you don't know what an extrovert is thinking, you haven't been
listening...
If you don't know what an introvert is thinking, you haven't
asked."

I've always loved that quote.

I'm taking that saying to heart today. If you read my last post on introverts in a CEO role, you know I was quite surprised when I sent a twitter message to Tony Hiseh (CEO of Zappos.com) asking his MBTI preferences....and he responded (INTJ)!!!

Now I'm wondering who else would answer that question if asked. So, I'm starting with the current presidential candidates, and working my way through a list of well-known CEOs. Let's see how many famous people will respond with their MBTI preferences. I'll post the responses as I receive them.

Whose personality type would you like to know?

Can an Introvert be a CEO?

I'm a little behind on posting this article, but this is still worth discussing.

The USA Today featured a compelling article about famous Introverts who are phenomenally succesful CEO's (Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, etc).

According to this article, 4 out of every 10 top executives prefer introversion. The article also mentions research CPP plans to release showing that younger generations are displaying an increase in Extroversion (perhaps due to S