Yesterday I attended what was supposed to have been an advanced workshop on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality inventory I often use in my career counseling practice to help people establish a good fit between who they are and what they do.

While I was disappointed with the slow pace of the presenter and rather basic concepts he addressed, I was glad to connect with old and new colleagues from a variety of professions who use the MBTI in their work. Even though over 2 million copies are sold annually and it has been translated into 37 languages, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator is not always well understood for its depth and usefulness. To some people, unfamiliar with Carl Jung's personality theory upon which it is based, the MBTI is nothing more than a parlor game that "types" people into categories and invites judgments about others different from them. Even though a person ends up with a four-letter "type" after taking the MBTI, judgment of self or others is the exact opposite of Jung's intent in creating this inventory. Rather, the MBTI is meant to be a way to better understand ourselves and develop greater appreciation and tolerance for other's differences.

Because the Myers Briggs Type Indicator is so popular and applied in many contexts from marriage counseling and college roommate matching to management team building, I routinely ask my clients if they have ever taken the inventory. It is not uncommon for someone to say, "Yes, I've taken it, but I don't remember my type", or "My score was 'in the middle' and I was told that I'm part one type and part the other", or even "I've changed type every time I've taken it". Those responses most likely reflect a lack of knowledge of the person who administered and explained the inventory. According to Jung, a person is born with a certain type and that type does not change over time. However, a person's score, which measures the development of certain preferences, may change. While the MBTI is a reliable instrument, it is not foolproof and therefore needs a well-trained professional to discuss the outcome and help the individual come to a decision about their "best fit type".

The context in which I use the MBTI is work and career, and I consistently find it to be a useful and practical addition to the career counseling process. Some of the positive outcomes I've noticed include: increased understanding of the significance of the person's "type" in past jobs that were negative experiences, a greater appreciation of personal characteristics and traits once seen as "less than", an acceptance of personality differences between co-workers and supervisors, and insights into more effective communication strategies to try at work.

For those who have taken the MBTI and want to explore its relevance to work, read Do What You Are, by Paul and Barbara Tieger for an in-depth view of how knowledge of one's type can help clarify appropriate options and shape career decisions.

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