[Ailist] Efficacy of the MBTI

[David J. Snider]

Hi Sandy

I love your stories of using a variety of assessments.  The theme I  
hear from you is that the context or "frame" within which we use an  
assessment shapes whether it is a creative or destructive experience  
for people who use it.

One of the reasons I start my workshops with leaders and their teams  
with Appreciative Inquiry interviews is to let them know that we are  
framing their concerns in an appreciative way.  I schedule the  
interviews before we get into their MBTI preferences.

I have been in settings where the MBTI has been used in ways that  
invited people of different types to look for negatives in those with  
different type preferences.

I find AI helps me select, create and use MBTI activities in a way  
that focuses on the strengths of differences rather than encouraging  
a "fun" food fight - that often is neither fun nor useful.

Good luck in developing your own assessment.

Best to you,

David

David J. Snider, Ph.D.
David Snider Associates
   Consultants On Personal and
   Organizational Development
17214 Wildemere
Detroit, MI 48221
O: 313 342 8060
Fax: 313 342 8650
davidsnider at mindspring.com


On Mar 16, 2007, at 1:56 AM, Sandy Weiner wrote:

>
>
> Greetings, David your  note resonated with my feelings. IN 70's I  
> was a
> special education teacher and as such was certified in many  
> assessments, a
> broad range of psychological and personality assessments that we  
> used to
> call tests. In time, I grew to hate these, as they put my students  
> into
> little boxes that many believed that were to live in for the rest  
> of their
> lives. Apparently, there wasn't much appreciation going on there.  
> Yet, I
> found that when these instruments were used to appreciate our  
> strengths and
> to find ways to compensate for and improve our weaknesses (I am  
> referring to
> IQ tests at the moment), these kids would sour. First of all, they  
> grew to
> understand their frustrations and where they excelled... Students  
> from 5
> years to college students benefited over the years. Students who  
> previously
> couldn't read in the 11 grade would learn to read in a short period  
> of time
> (of course, finding their motivation, personal vision and integrating
> supporting  its realization was part of hteprocess, too). But, the  
> important
> thing was that when they were appreciated for their strengths and  
> understand
> their weaknesses they soared.
> In the early 80's I became certified in the Meyers Briggs and grew  
> away from
> using it, not because the of its value, but because of its abuse. Many
> companies were using it for screening purposed and abasing hiring  
> and career
> decisions on it. It was being used as a test with right or wrong  
> responses
> in essence. That is not the intent of the assessment. Until last  
> year, I
> found myself shying away from all formal assessments because of  
> this reason.
> Early last year, I was asked to speak at an International  Women's
> Organization Conference at the Key Note Speaker. They chose the  
> top, MBTI
> and the conference title was Tearing Down Walls.. I gave it much  
> thought and
> then realized two things bothered me... The box that  the MBTI  
> could create
> if used in that way and The Feeling the Conference theme gave me. I
> expanding the theme to building bridges and spoke and facilitated  
> exercises
> around the value of difference. All approximately 140 women had  
> taken the
> MBTI before the conference via the web. They walked away with a  
> stronger
> sense of what they each need to enjoy their lives, work and  
> interactions
> more AND the value of differences and how these differences create a
> healthier, more creative, productive, enjoyable whole. Can you  
> imagine what
> it would be like if EVERYONE were the same?
> So, like you, I too, have  grown to  value the MBTI (and other  
> assessments
> and have let go a long standing prejudice to the point that my  
> partner whose
> expertise is in assessments and I have been developing our own). To  
> me it is
> not the assessment that is the problem, it is the application or  
> frame from
> which it is used.... Appreciate the differences, value them and you  
> have one
> result... Oust people for being different and you get a different  
> one....
> 'wishing you a wonderful weekend, Sandy
>
> Sandy Weiner, Master Certified Coach, Systemics Organizational  
> Consultant
> Managing Partner, 1-Focus International       "Where Passion Creates
> Results"    www.1-focus.org
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