Today is one of those days when the gift industry does well and florists do even better. Yes it's Valentines. It seems this traditional day for lovers goes back rather a long way, beginning as a widespread celebration as long ago as the Middle Ages with even Chaucer helping to popularise the feast.
I am not in great shape today - something bad, eaten last evening, has laid me a little low. This blog is replacing medication and maintaining my consciousness.
A couple of days ago I had a discussion with my Chief Cabinet Maker or Head Carpenter (HC) in Paris. We were talking about MBTI - indeed my MBTI. There are those who enthusiastically support Myers&Briggs and the statistics (at least the numbers) are pretty impressive with many millions of evaluations having been undertaken since it was first published in the early 1960's.
It is a very long time since I did an MBTI - remembered my original letters OK but had long since forgotten the nuances. They all came back. And with the distance of years, those letters have indeed proven to be pretty accurate! This should in fact be the case as most fundamental traits and notions of self are seemingly developed relatively early in life (chapeau to Carl Jung's work).
The test is all about types and about likely preferences. Mine are quite pronounced and the objective of my discussion with HC was to see how these preferences would likely impact me and those around me. But it was importantly also about developing appropriate mitigation/learning strategies.
In doing this, I was reintroduced to The Conscious Competence Matrix , although most often drawn as a ladder. I do prefer the matrix representation, as it does allow a better discussion about moving around the matrix and not getting trapped with the notion of it all learning being about a straight-up climb. We have all fallen off quite a few ladders, learning new skills. My second small recommendation is to take a look at this technique and to see if it can be of use for you. It has helped me already.
My son is on the verge of (fingers crossed) his first post-college career opportunity. He likes life-algorithms a lot. We did quite a lot of practice before his interviews, working on likely questions but also on likely interviewer reactions.
To be able to explain the universe, and the people in it, in just 4 letters would be great.
Forget identity cards. Make everyone carry their Myers/Briggs with them. Not ideal perhaps, but it might just stop a war someday. Or very importantly, get you that perfect Valentine's date!
If during your transitions or next-step career planning you get the chance to have a coached MBTI, grab the opportunity. Even seek one out.
Staying with abbreviations: Describe a hungry horse in 4 letters - MTGG. Do you have a funnier one? Does it work in French or other languages?
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