How Understanding Personality Type Can Propel Your Business- March 30, 2009
Myers Briggs Type Indicator
Embracing diversity in the workplace allows people to work together more effectively and better understand strengths and weaknesses of co-workers, according to J.R. Keller, a faculty member at the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis and keynote speaker at the latest Main Street Institute.
Keller, an adjunct faculty member, explained to a group of about 40 Main Street Institute participants on the value of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, a widely accepted personality assessment tool designed to help co-workers build better teamwork and maximize productivity.
“You want to understand yourself and you want to appreciate what other people have,” said Keller, who is certified to administer and analyze the MBTI.
The topic of the March 30th event was, “How Understanding Personality Type Can Propel Your Business.” It was the latest Main Street seminar held as part of an ongoing series of workshops and training providing continuing education for small business owners in the region. The Main Street Institute is a partnership between the IU Kelley School of Business Indianapolis and the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce.
The MBTI is based on eight personality indicators, all of which are shared by the entire population. Keller stressed that none of the indicators are better than the others, only that they help “present a framework to have the types of discussions that we don’t normally have.”
The indicators include extraversion and introversion, sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and judgment and perception. The indicators measure how people process information and deal with tasks as well as individual preferences, tendencies and characteristics.
Each preference is determined by how a person deals with conflict and reacts to stimulation—not only at work but in their everyday life.
Those attending Keller’s presentation participated in a lively discussion about how the MBTI can help not only managers and supervisor deal with employees but also how all staff members interact and work with one another.
“This event was eye-opening and instantly enabled an understanding of how I can more effectively optimize my interactions with different personality types, both at work and at home,” one participant said of the discussion.
Successfully working within the MBTI framework can help employee groups improve communications, foster teamwork, solve problems and resolve conflicts and appreciate different work and leadership styles.
While MBTI can help improve workplace harmony, Keller said it is widely discouraged to use the MBTI in the hiring process. When used improperly, the test can foster stereotypes and lead to unfair treatment of others. However, the proper use of MBTI can help your organization grow and find success.
“There are all sorts of contributions (all) types can bring to the organization. One is not better than the other,” Keller said. “But, you’ve got to recognize those instead of looking at them in conflict with each other. Look at them as how we can bring them together.”
For more information, please contact Dave Hosick, coordinator of communications and media relations with the IU Kelley School at Indianapolis.
