Strengthz-bassed.

Well. My results for the Myers-Briggs test came out INTJ, so according to the MB website, I...

Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance – for themselves and others. (I promise I'm not just trying to fill space here. And please ignore the inconsistent grammar...)

Unlike most of the people in our section, I didn't really feel that this description described me perfectly; rather, it seemed to depict a very harsh version of me. That was rather disconcerting, so I looked a little deeper (or, farther down the page) at my interpretation and realized that I fell almost exactly half-way between the Thinking and Feeling preferences--there was only a one-point difference in favor of Thinking. Taking that into consideration, I could just as easily be type INFJ:

Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. Want to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common good. Organized and decisive in implementing their vision.

That really feels a lot more like me. However, since I do fall half-way between the two, I probably behave like an INTJ half the time, so I may as well take the results I received as legitimate.

In doing so, I had some really interesting discussion with my friend Madeleine, whom I mentioned in a previous post. She helped me recognize some strengths ascribed to me by the test that I didn't think I had, such as skills in "innovative problem solving," by pointing out how I help her to focus the stories that she writes. It's good to think about these strengths, and also the weaknesses that come with my type. Being aware of them will help me monitor my own actions and decisions as I work, teach, and build relationships. Additionally, I hope to learn to think about others in terms of their strengths so that I can best encourage them to reach their goals.

One place to start is, again, with Madeleine and her stories, because we're making a pretty good team. She tells me, "You are an enzyme for storytelling. We should call you Emilase."

EYN