The Year Zero

So we’ve recently been taken through personality profiling at work, to get us working better in our respective teams.

I should say at the outset that if you’re unfamiliar with Myers Briggs Type Indicators (it is not the same as psychometrics), you may look at the stuff I post below and think “it’s a mumbo jumbo horoscope” type thing. It’s actually nothing like a horoscope. It’s based on detailed self-assessment and questionnaire-based profiling, undertaken over a 2.5 hour session. It first came about in WWII and is based on the work of psychologist Carl Jung.

It is the most widely used personality profiling test system in current usage and about 2 million people, mostly in business, go through it every year. Why? Because by knowing your type and by knowing your colleagues’ type – you’ll better understand their needs, values, motivations, work styles, etc. This, unsurprisingly, is likely to get you working better and more effectively as a team.

You end up in one of 16 personality types and I have to say – it’s basically spot on for me. Both my self-assessment and questionnaire both tallied that I am an ENFP.

Myers-Briggs description: ENFP

ENFPs are initiators of change, keenly perceptive of possibilities. They energize and stimulate others through their contagious enthusiasm. They prefer the start-up phase of a project or relationship, and are tireless in the pursuit of new-found interests. ENFPs are able to anticipate the needs of others and to offer them needed help and appreciation. They bring zest, joy, liveliness, and fun to all aspects of their lives. They are at their best in situations that are fluid and changing, and that allow them to express their creativity and use their charisma. They tend to idealize people, and can be disappointed when reality fails to fulfill their expectations. They are easily frustrated if a project requires a great deal of follow-up or attention to detail.

Keirsey descriptions (ENFP equivalent – ‘Champion’)

Champions delight in novelty. They are optimistic, enthusiastic, and vivacious, craving expressions of strong emotion. With a dramatic flair, they share their experiences with others, hoping to reveal some universal truth or win others over in support of a cause. Attuned to possibilities, Champions scan their environment, probing the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. This sensitivity sometimes conflicts with their intense drive for personal authenticity. Spontaneous and personable, they attract others to their company.

Looking at the above – you may recognise my endless search for ‘conviviality’ and of my always burning desire for change.

It is very accurate. If you want to read a more detailed profile of ENFPs, look here.

PS Sheridan underwent it last year with work and he is an ISTJ which absolutely 100% matches his personality.

Myers-Briggs description: ISTJ

ISTJs thrive on organization. They keep their lives and environments well-regulated. They bring painstaking attention to detail in their work and will not rest until a job is well completed. They are often dissatisfied with unresolved issues, whether in life or in fiction.

ISTJs are faithful, logical, organized, sensible, and earnest traditionalists. They earn success by thoroughness and dependability. Shutting out distractions, they take a practical, logical approach to their endeavors. Realistic and responsible, they work steadily toward their goals. They enjoy creating order in both their professional and personal lives.

Despite their focus on their internal world, ISTJs prefer dealing with the present and the factual. Keen observers of life, they weigh various options when making decisions. ISTJs are well-prepared for most eventualities and have a good understanding of most situations. They believe in practical objectives, and they value traditions and loyalty.