As far as group dynamics, team projects have always been
difficult for me. I’ve normally been one of the people on the sideline that dances
around waiting for someone to take the lead. Then I wind up being more like the
secretary that organizes everything, and get frustrated with lack of
leadership. So I’ve started trying to step out of my comfort zone and take on leadership
roles, even though I don’t like steamrolling others, or being labelled as the “leader”
necessarily. Since I tend to be very organized with projects, and think in a
very organized way, being the leader tends to make sense for me, even if it
makes me slightly uncomfortable.
Group projects are also difficult because of the broad array
of experiences and skills everyone brings to the table. When Dr. Bonnici first
announced that we would be allowed to choose our groups I immediately began contacting
people that I knew would get along, and that have widely different skill sets
from my own, so that we can complement one another. I especially wanted those
with good people skills. While interacting with the public is something that I
can do, it is not especially close to my comfort zone, and not something I am
particularly good at. I tend to either be too formal or too casual for any
given interaction, and I tend to give off a creepy vibe at times, because of my
anxiety with social interaction. So I figured if I was going to step out of my
comfort zone in one area, I should have a team to help me for another. I’m
great with organizing, however, so I volunteered to write up documents for the
study, and organize everyone’s input into the documents we need.
I was rather disappointed when I saw the information about
group dynamics in the class modules when I saw that we needed to take and
discuss the Myers-Briggs personality test. This is because I have had previous
strong negative experience with this particular test. I had a manager that made
every one of his employees take this test. Many of the employees did not
understand the vocabulary of the particular test he had chosen, and I had to
assist at least one in identifying key parts of the test. I fear for the others
that did not request my assistance.
The test was extremely biased against those who speak
English as a foreign language, or who have limited educational background,
which in the restaurant industry was most of the staff. This manager then
proceeded to evaluate each individual based on their personality scores, and
tell them what their strengths and weaknesses were, and where they fit into the
business model. I was denied a promotion because according to him my test
results indicated that I was not suitable for any leadership or training positions,
even though I was already performing well in such a position, without the
official title or pay raise.
My negative experience is of course not generalizable to the
entire system, and despite my preconception, I do admit that the Myers-Briggs
has a certain limited usefulness. However, I believe that it can be overused
and valued beyond its potential as a tool. The potential biases are rampant in
various versions of the test, and that any universal scheme to categorize
people is a flawed premise. My opinion may be because I am within a single
question of the center on three out of four metrics, so my “personality type”
can change from day to day, based on my current daily abilities and feelings.
In other words, since I’m someone who falls through the cracks of the metric, I
can see the cracks more clearly. I’m sure for most people, the personality
tests are accurate and useful. However, the metric is not scientifically
vetted, and should not be purported as scientific fact, but many people do. I
hesitate to call it pseudo-science, because it does have some scientific
foundations, but it certainly comes close to that line.
Despite my reservations about the Myers-Briggs, it can be
useful, and I have posted my result in the group discussion board. My
experience with it notwithstanding, it can be useful for elucidating potential
niches for team members. So far I believe we have fairly well established our
niches in the group, and the study is moving along.
