For quite a long time I struggled to understand some coworkers. Despite working on the same goal I did not feel comfortable with the way they handled things – and this discomfort came from different perspectives, with a (post-factum) common denominator – they were focused on many different aspects and the goal itself was secondary. I suspect the same problem my coworkers had with me.
Discomfort changed into routine and the days passed; difference in priorities remained and I was still missing bits to bridge the gap in a better way.
I was aware of difference in personalities and some theory, especially Belbin Team Role Inventory concept, however from a post-factum perspective this concept did not address my concerns – it describes roles inside a team but does not help with intra-team cooperation, or inter-person in general.
With this background reading of “Gifts Differing” book was an enlightening experience. Book in general describes background of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, how it was created and what are consequences of being of a particular personality type. It is not limited to presenting only what are strong points of a particular type – matter of cooperation with different types – and points for improvement – are treated with the same importance. I really recommend this book to anyone that is looking for better understanding of others and self.
The MBTI test itself, and quite extensive explanation as for free version, can be found in many places. I checked https://www.16personalities.com/ and it works fine for me. The book is a bit better but this site is more than enough to start with.
Last, but not least – knowing what stands behind four letters describing a particular personality type it is required to understand some memes.
