Explain the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Cook Briggs to help people understand and appreciate differences in each other’s personalities and to thereby increase productivity of teams comprised of diverse people. According to Isabel Briggs Myers, when people differ, knowledge of the ‘type’ of each of them reduces the friction between them and thereby eases the strain in interpersonal relationships. She adds that it reveals the value of differences. To her, no one has to be good at everything. According to Isabel Briggs Myers, “it is up to each person to recognise his or her true preferences.” She says that people can develop themselves at any age by understanding their ‘type’ and by making appropriate use of their gifts.

MBTI instrument is the most widely used personality assessment instrument. It assigns people to one of 16 personality types based on four bipolar dimensions: extroverted (E)–introverted (I); sensing (S)–intuitive (I); thinking (T)–feeling (F); and perceiving (P)–judging (J). The instrument helps one to become aware of one’s personality preferences. A preference is what one likes. You may prefer tea to coffee. But that doesn’t mean that you will never have coffee. Similarly, on being pressurised, you may go out on a picnic even though you would have preferred to stay back home. A preference is not what you actually do, but what you want to do.

Extroverts look outward and find energy in interaction with others. By contrast, introverts turn inwards and find energy by spending time alone. Sensors use as-is data: they are concerned with actual physical reality that they experience through their five senses. Intuitive people use their hunches. They recognise patterns in what they see, they read between the lines. Thinkers make objective decisions based on logic. Feelers are subjective and tend to consider the people involved and the circumstances while deciding. Perceivers are flexible and they remain open to options while dealing with the outside world. Judgers want to get things decided and closed.

One needs to ascertain one’s preference in each of the above mentioned categories. This will reveal the personality type, which will be one of the sixteen types shown below:

Each of the above refers to one of the ‘types’. ISTJ types are quietly systematic and logical, ESTJ types are active organisers and logical, and so on. Once you know your type you can decide which career will suit you best, what your gifts are and where your talents lie. The MBTI instrument is used by top organisations like APPLE, AT & T etc. Even the US Armed forces make use of the same. It helps the organisations to put the right person on the right job. 

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