Thursday, October 29, 2009

Myers Briggs Non-Test

Have you ever taken the Myers Briggs assessment…the so-called personality test? It’s designed to measure psychological preferences. After answering a series of questions…you are given a combination of 4 letters which stand for different traits…like “I” for introvert, “E” for Extrovert, “N” for iNtuition, “J” for judging, “T” for thinking…there are 8 all together. (Sorry, for all the boring background info…that’s my personality disorder.)

“They” say it’s not a test...and that there are no right or wrong answers. I’m not so sure about that. I have taken the non-test and there are definitely some answers that just seem WRONG. Case in point.

Sample Personality Question.....
If you’re at a party, would you:
a. enjoy meeting new people.
b. despise meeting new people.
c. despise meeting all people and prefer facing the wall.

If you’re going for a sales job…maybe you should think about choosing “a”.

If only the people who employed Bernie Madoff, Michael Vick, and ESPN Steve Phillips had given them the Myers Briggs test. It would have saved many people a lot of grief.

Sample Personality Question for Bernie Madoff.....
If you were given a large sum of money to invest for clients, would you……..
a. “prudently” invest their money in conservative markets.
b. say you “prudently” invested their money in conservative markets, and then buy your wife a fur coat.
c. say you “prudently” invested their money in conservative markets, and then steal every penny you can get your grimy hands on.

Sample Personality Question for Michael Vick…..
If you owned a dog, would you:
a. take him on a walk to the park.
b. take him on a walk to the park to watch a dog fight.
c. take him on a walk to the park to watch him fight other dogs in a dog fight.

Sample Personality Question for ESPN Steve Phillips…..
If you had a young intern working for you, would you:
a. Expose her to the business and then go home to your wife.
b. Expose yourself to her and then go home to your wife.
c. Expose yourself to her and never go home to your wife.

The test might have helped to reveal their personalities.

I particularly wouldn’t want to take a personality test geared towards Bloggers. I might be labeled: “WWDR” …or in layman’s terms…Wringing Wet Dish Rag…not to be confused with the personality label- “VDDR”… Vapid Dry Dish Rag.

Unfortunately, my personality is just not as absorbent at mopping up spills.

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