Inamori
International Center for
Ethics and Excellence

I have been fascinated by the consistency with which I have had the same score over decades when I have taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI is a standardized personality test that attempts to measure preferences in thinking and behavior along scales that depict the extremes at each end and thus allows you to understand your preferences in dealing with people and situations. Do you renew yourself internally or by interaction with others? Do you take in information through the senses or do you use a "sixth sense" of intuition? Do you make decisions in a logical, objective manner or in a personal, value-oriented way? Do you like life to be organized and predictable or spontaneous and flexible?

Even though individuals prefer to think or act in a certain fashion, many people can override their preferences and choose to think or behave in another way. This is easier when the preference is not so strong. For example, some people are very extroverted, some very introverted, but most are somewhere in between, with a preference one way or the other. A leader who is only slightly introverted or extroverted has an easier job of behaving in the complementary manner, which may be required on the job, than someone who is at an extreme. My guess, from observing how leaders think and behave, is that many leaders would score near the middle of the various scales of the MBTI or similar evaluations and do not have strong cognitive or behavioral preferences one way or the other. I think this is because leadership often requires one to move flexibly in different environments, sometimes against a preference, and it is an advantage not to have to overcome a strong behavioral or cognitive preference.

Tests of psychological type, personality, or leadership style clearly are limited in their application. However, I think it is helpful for leaders to understand their own preferences and be able to behave in nonpreferential ways or compensate in some appropriate manner as situations require. For example, because leaders typically must interact with many other individuals professionally and socially, and to be effective must be outward directed much of the time, if you are a person who re-energizes yourself on the internal landscape, you may need to take time for reflection alone or with people close to you. Or, if you are a leader who thinks in broad concepts and sees the "big picture" but tends to neglect detail, you should be aware of that and may need to pay more attention to the fine points when appropriate, and for good measure select associates who can complement your abilities.

Here are some questions I developed for thinking about this and perhaps discussing it with others.

1. How important is it to you to see yourself as others see you?

2. How accurately do you think you see yourself as others see you? Can you remember instances when you misjudged? When you got it right?

3. Have you changed your thinking or behavior in accordance with what you have perceived others think of you? Were there instances when such “corrections” were helpful? Are there instances in which you would not want to change in accordance with what others think of you?

4. Have you had to think or act against your preferences? If you did, what was your experience?