He walks into my office and takes a chair. I turn away from my computer, kick off my shoes, and settle in for what, I know will be, a long conversation. The conversation began with a request for documents and ended up with a discussion on personality and professional tests etc.
"You have done Meyers Briggs?"
"Yes" (Among many others.
"I was talking to J about it and suggested that she take it. She had never heard of it. I guessed what she is."
To many, such tests are a jumble of letters thrown together. I find personality tests fun and interesting. I am as honest on them as possible, but yes, I have gone back and changed a "close" answer if the first set of results didn't seem to ring true.
Through such tests I have learned that, I am most similar to Phoebe on the friends (which surprises no one who knows me).
Were I to attend Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat would place me in Gryffindor. This actually surprised me as I would have thought myself to be in Ravens claw. What amazed me more was that my mom was placed in Ravens claw when I figured her for a hufflepuff. Anyway, the reasoning was, according to the site, that I tend to do what I believe to be right or just even if it means breaking the rules. I can see that.
In a team environment (and in life generally), I am the V (visionary). Meaning I come up with plans and concepts and ideas and then must be forced to let go of the idea as I will continue to refine the concept while the rest of the team is trying to get it done (thereby driving everyone crazy).
As a manager I am a D. (direct ) do not clutter my in box with unnecessary information to minute details. We all know what needs to get done; let's get it done.
At work and in my personal life I crave change and dynamic environments. This means my S was very high on one test. I do not like stability. The echo of this reverberates throughout my life. I have had to force myself to be "okay" with stability for my daughter and to be involved in her life as a parent, but... she is getting older and I am getting anxious. Change is coming and I can't wait!
Still another test illustrated my climbing mentality, which kind of goes with the finding above
And yet another attests to a personality trait that can drive me crazy from time to time - I am a person who will hear about a situation and immediately start generating ideas, suggestions, solutions. This can be anything from a serious problem to something as simple as "I would like my son to be in martial arts this summer." Such a statement will have me sending this parent links to martial arts programs in the area within a matter of minutes. I am not a busy body, I like problem solving. I like helping. I like ensuring that people have the information that they need in order to make decisions. And yes, it can annoy me from time to time. Is my life so stable that I create my own dynamic environment by trying to help people even if the help is not requested? (I am a Virgo though and have noticed other Virgos that do this as well. Perhaps it is a Virgo thing?)
Personality tests can be fun, interesting, and insightful.
The one thing I have learned, above and beyond everything else is that I am just a bowl of Alphabet soup.
8 comments:
I remember taking the Meyers Briggs test, it only made me see I was more anal than I thought I was. Ha ha.
What is wrong with stability?
Eric - there is nothing wrong with stability. I am a stable person and create a stable loving home for my daughter. I simply like a dynamic work environment and a personal life that involves travel and opportunities for growth and exploration/discovery.
I see. I am one of those people who HATES change. I am set schedules and live by them religiously. Dynamic never works for me.
I figured you had a stable enviornment for your child, I just was wondering why you did not like stable.
Oh we could be friends! I totally identify with your results except for the change thing...I love and crave adventure and new experiences and yet I also have a VERY hard time with changes. Creates a dichotomy that's well...a pain in the arse.;)
I haven't taken one of those in so long. I remember them being so easily manipulated which sort of removes my faith in them. I'm such a skeptic... yikes!
I love personality tests too, but I am bad at taking them because I want to "come off" a certain way. Harumph!
I'm in the same boat as Bre- I always put down what I think an ideal person would select, not what the actaul true-to-me answer is.
LeiselB - I can see that it would be a pain. I love change, so the challenge, for me, is allowing life to unfold over forcing change!
Just Run - I don't put a lot of stock in them but take them occasionally for fun. It is interesting to see what they say and whether or not I agree.
Bre and Beth - you both cheat!! ;) (As have I) I took one in a European magazine that consisted of a series of pictures. You picked the picture you liked best and it told you the fragrances that you would find most appealing or which would suit you to wear. Quite interesting results on that one. I mean, you could just pick pictures until you found the fragrance you liked best, I suppose. It pegged me with my first choice. Crazy how they work.
5/6/07
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