Myers-Briggs® Tool in T+D Magazine - “Taking Inventory of Myers-Briggs”
posted by agammy
I wanted to share an article I just saw that was published in T+D Magazine about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in April. The article discusses how the assessment is used by the learning and development community to provide insight into personality as it relates to employment. The article has a bit of controversy, as apparently there are some in the learning field who feel that the instrument “lags behind its competitors in efficacy.” This article explored both points of view.
Bruce Roselle…founder and principal of Roselle Leadership Strategies…thinks that part of the perception problem rests in the age of the inventory. Bruce says, “There is a tendency for people to gravitate toward the new and exciting.”
I think Bruce makes a good point, but I think the age of the MBTI is actually one of it’s strengths. There has been so much data collected toward the validity of the assessment (which you can see at www.cpp.com/mbtivalidity) which wouldn’t be possible with a newer instrument. And as the article points out, Myers-Briggs does in fact correlate in line with other instruments including the Birkman Method, the CPI 260 assessments, and others. Additionally, CPP regularly releases new products that address today’s business issues, so there is that element of “newness” as well.
The article also correctly mentions that the goal of the MBTI is to provide insight, and that improved understanding of the MBTI’s strengths and proper application is critical to not only more appropriate usage, but better user outcomes.
If you haven’t read this article, take some time to check it out.
