I have administered the Myers Briggs Type Indicator to over 10,000 attorneys and law firm professionals. Participants have found the assessment to be an extremely valuable tool for understanding how to work and communicate with team members and clients.
Why are personality assessments, like the Myers-Briggs, valuable?
Here’s are the top three benefits:
Increasing self-awareness
Knowing how we score on the MBTI makes us even more aware of our preferences. It provides us with insights into how we communicate and work with others. I believe that one of our biggest challenges as human beings is that we often assume that everyone processes the way we do. Being keenly aware of your natural preferences and how they are different from others’ can make for much better working relations!
Different often feels difficult
Have you ever worked with a difficult colleague? Often “different” feels like “difficult.” The MBTI gives us a vocabulary to understand how others process, make decisions and operate at work. Understanding why others behave the way they do increases our tolerance for their behavior and makes it easier to collaborate.
Bridging the communication gap
The MBTI provides us with tools to better control how our communication is received by speaking in the language that the person we are dealing with understands best. Have you ever said A, B, C to someone and they heard X, Y, Z? By having a better grasp on their preferred ways to work and communicate, you will have the tools and power to bridge the gap and build trusted work relationships.
Today’s hybrid workplace, which is filled with different communication styles, can be challenging. Training both your attorneys and professional staff to communicate in the preferred style of their colleagues will help create a more collaborative workplace.