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  • #2087251

    Personality Types in Technical Teams?

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    by atlantatrainer ·

    Any opinions on evaluating personality types (specifically, using the MBTI) in technical teams?
    I’m specifically interested in how the different types within my group can be utilized to create and facilitate effective technical training – for example, if I’ve got a trainer who is more Sensing and Feeling, that person may be less able to get a technical point across to an end-user who is more Intuitive and Thinking.

    My group is small, and is focused on IT training, so we are technical in background, but can be “touchy-feely” in our delivery & communication.

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    • #3757914

      “Please Understand Me”

      by raymond.leone ·

      In reply to Personality Types in Technical Teams?

      My favorite book on personality types is “Please Understand Me” by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates. I think you are already a little ahead of the game, since you are actually concerned with identifing what you have in your group. The key is to trainer your trainers to be as aware of the different personalities they are encountering as you are. Do some role playing within your group and concentrate on how different responses can be interpreted by the different personality types. If you haven’t read the book, I strongly suggest you do. It’s in paperback and he even wrote another on but I like the first one the best.

    • #3876356

      Personality/MBTI Training for IT

      by jdesouza ·

      In reply to Personality Types in Technical Teams?

      The consulting firm I work with does this exact type of training for my clients — including IT departments and IT firms. In fact, I am currently conducting such a session for consultants at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Firms large and small have foundthe value in having their people be able to use this information in their daily work.

      In our experience, this type of training improves many client/consultant interactions, improves employee satisfaction/retention, and allows teams to really understand the value of their diversity.

      Properly explained — and that is a very important caveat — the MBTI can be a very important tool for anyone, and particularly for those in IT due to their jobs. Trainers, as you mentioned, have to first understand their own preferences, then understand the preferences of their participants, and then craft the training experience (materials, format, method, etc.) to best match their audience. That Sensing-Feeling trainer you mentioned needs to understand that they can adjust their training behavior to best reach an “opposite” audience such as iNtuitives-Thinkers.

      I would be glad to discuss this topic further with you or anyone else interested.

      John De Souza, jdesouza@interaxcorp.com
      http://www.interaxcorp.com

    • #3864009

      Personality isn’t enough

      by bob gately ·

      In reply to Personality Types in Technical Teams?

      We use the concept of job fit since there is more to predicting job success than personality alone. We assess for behavior, thinking styles and occupational interests.

      BOb
      gately@compuserve.com

      • #3863853

        Beyond personality

        by jdesouza ·

        In reply to Personality isn’t enough

        I would agree Bob. Although I am a big proponent of understanding everything that revolves around personality, it alone should not be THE deciding factor. As you mention, occupational/professional interets, technical skills, and other factors are also very relevant.

        In my experience, though, many IT managers are inexperienced in dealing with the “soft” or human issues, and therefore tend to ignore and avoid them.

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