As you can probably guess from the title of this blog we've been studying Meyers Briggs this week. I'd never heard of the Meyers Briggs test, but as I mentioned the topic to others around me they would list letters saying, "I'm an ESFP," or something like that. It wasn't too long before they explained this was a personality test. As the week started I was very skeptical of the topic, mostly because I felt like personality tests put people in boxes that define who they are and then tell them how they should act. Usually they will tell you your strengths and weaknesses, which are very helpful, but I don't think those things should define your identity or how you treat others.
As the week got started it seemed my conclusion was correct, we were slapping a label on every person in our class, with labels such as "ESTJ" (Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging). When they would start to explain each letter and what the combinations meant and how certain combinations would act in daily life I thought I had this thing figured out. I started to assume there was a ranking system and each type was better than another, like rock paper scissors. I realized there wasn't a “best” one but they each compliment the other. Just as I thought I had this whole test thing figured out, the speaker said something that will stay with me forever, "Meyers Briggs doesn't put you in a box, but takes you out of one." What?!?! That completely went against everything I ever thought about personality tests.
Let me explain what he meant in this statement. Many people put themselves in boxes because they think others should act the same way as them, make decisions the same way, or look at things the same way. What the Meyers Briggs test is designed to do is to take people out of that box and to show you there are different personality types that look at things differently and makes decisions different, etc. Now many people think when they give the traits of your personality type you must act that way and fit into that paradigm. But our speaker also explained many people operate all over the board in the different personality types and you can fix very few people to one set of letters. We also found out almost all of the letters are split evenly in the USA, meaning half of the people are extrovert and half introvert. This week of class totally changed my view of personality tests and how they help and teach people. I'm very excited to help people come to the same revelation I did about these tests. Most of all, I'm looking forward to using this tool in all the different types of ministry I work in throughout my life. It truly helps me to know how to relate and treat those around me like they should be treated, like Jesus would treat them. If you would like to learn more or chat about this week’s topic you can email me at Christerbergus@gmail.com.
