Time to Stop Using Myers-Briggs at Work
I am an ISFP according to the test I took this morning. Or, following what I did a few years ago, an INFP who is “restless” and may get different results every time. The Myers-Briggs Test is a fun way to spend an hour in self-excitement, but a terrible way to make decisions that affect someone’s livelihood.
However, this is exactly how many employers want to use it. Companies talk about using test results to group people into teams or to select candidates for a job . If people are overlooked because of what they typed in a stupid quiz, it’s moody and unfair.
Companies also use this test to encourage employees to talk about how they prefer to communicate or what kind of work they find satisfying. Honest communication is good! But Myers-Briggs will have no more understanding than conducting a team building workshop where an employee reads their horoscope aloud or draws tarot cards.
The test can include dozens of questions (an unofficial version is here ), but the quick version should decide where you think you fit the four characteristics it measures:
- Do you feel energized when you interact with people (E for an extrovert), or does it make you feel drained and need to be alone to recharge (I for an introvert)?
- When you gather information, are you focusing on detail and practicality (S for feel), or are you thinking about the “big picture” and what you dream of is possible (N for iNtuiting)?
- When making decisions, do you emphasize logic and fairness (T – thinking) or compassion and personal values (F – feeling)?
- When you look to the future, do you make detailed plans and stick to them (J for evaluation) or open it up and look for additional information along the way (P for perception)?
The result is a four-letter code, and you can google endlessly what your personality type supposedly says about you.
What you can actually use Myers-Briggs for
I take it seriously that Myers-Briggs are like tarot cards. Let’s say you ask the deck for advice on a problem you are having. You draw one of 72 cards – all of which contain deep layers of symbolism, illustrated on the card and explained to you by the reader – and then you ponder how the card applies to your situation. The magic is not in the card because it is just a randomly selected piece of paper. But when you start thinking, “How is my relationship with a soulless roommate like the Wizard?” you can see aspects of your problem that you have not thought about before.
Any personality test can work this way. “I’m an ISFP,” you can tell your colleague who has just passed the same stupid test. And then you can combine the similarities or embrace the differences. In the process, you will certainly talk about which parts of the description suit you, and which seem to be stretched.
For example, the first letter of your Myers-Briggs code is an I for an introvert or an E for an extrovert. Few people fall firmly into one thing or the other , so labeling someone for all eternity is pointless. But when you discuss your “type,” you can understand that in some scenarios you find interacting with people tiring, and in others you find it cheerful. It’s good to know and communicate with the people you work with.
Why Making Meaningful Decisions Is Awful
For anything other than starting a conversation, personality tests are not a good tool. Even the CPP , which sells Myers-Briggs-related services to companies, warns that “the MBTI should never be used in hiring or selection because it does not measure a person’s skill or ability, only personal preference.”
If an ENFJ turns out to be the right person for the job when you are looking for an INTP, it is usually perfectly legal to reject or fire him based on this test. But this is a silly move, as if you fired them because they are Virgo, and for some reason decided that you are looking for a Leo.
And because the test is so diverse and provides little to no information about future performance , it can seem like a waste of time and resources. If you want your employees to talk about how they enjoy communicating and solving problems, why not skip the test? Instead, you can have a good old conversation without any bullshit.