Personality is a wondrous thing. It is what makes a human or an animal liked or disliked by those with whom he or she comes in contact.
What exactly is personality? A simpified definition of the word could be a collection of qualities of behavior that makes an individual just that – an individual. It has a direct affect on how a person acts and reacts.
How do we identify personality traits? For many years there have been tests that supposedly gauged personality. Thirty or forty years ago these tests were considered novelties. Since recent testing methods are much improved and we have come to understand the importance of personality in the workplace, these tests are accepted as viable and useful to employers and even in screening potential students for entrance in elite private schools, colleges and universities.
Personality profiling of employees is a tool that is becoming widely accepted in the workplace. The goal is to promote better understanding among employees and employers, to provide a compatible work environment, to encourage incubation of new ideas, to approach problems in varied ways, to enhance communication and to aid in conflict resolution.
There are numerous personality profile analyses available, but the most widely used is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It is based upon four sets of opposing types and is calculated largely by the testee selecting words from multiple choices sans contemplation. The results assign to a person four characteristic types indicated by initials; for instance, I am an ENFP – extroverted, intuitive, judging, and perceiving.
Certainly, if the goals mentioned earlier had not been accomplished more often than not, profiling would not be catching on so quickly. Some of the recent hirees at a local manufacturing plant have told me that these profile analyses were administered to seniors in their universities so that graduates’ results could be included with their resumes.
Still, few things are perfect, and profiling is no exception. There is plenty of room for abuse. Some supervisors could use a profile to manipulate a person during a disagreement or conflict or might intentionally hire docile people who he/she could control. An unscrupulous employer could use a personality type who is devoted to meeting obligations and is attentive to details to get extra work for no extra compensation. Employees who are diametric opposites may not work well together and could inhibit company teamwork. These are but a few of the potential liabilities of personality typing.
It is important for a person to know his or her own personality type, understanding that it is not an exact science and that types can spill over onto each other. As I mentioned earlier, I am an ENFP, an extrovert, yet sometimes I want to be alone. I enjoy reading and working word puzzles, and write – whether for Helium or just journaling. I love to help people with their problems but do not want them to depend on me for all problem solving. I improvise well when necessary but appreciate good planning. This is true of many people. They have character traits that stand out and are usual, but they sometimes behave in such a way as to seem to have an opposite trait.
Personality typing is generalization; yet, having learned my tendencies, I try to use the positives to accomplish tasks at work and for organizations to which I belong, while diminishing the liabilities. For instance, I might have a tendency to put off a task that is somewhat urgent in favor of socializing. Being aware of this has led me to prioritize better and postpone chit chat. I try to plan regularly rather than improvising under pressure.
I would say that the positives outweigh the negatives of personality typing. The more we know about ourselves and each other, the better we can communicate and cooperate to a mutual end. This would apply in business, study groups, church and civic committees, and even families.
