Guest Appearances

At her request, I recently submitted a guest post on Breanne Potter's The MBTI Blog.

To get a more well-rounded perspective, I solicited the help of a good friend, the hilarious Richard Wade. He added the following section to my "You might be a P..." post to give it a touch of testosterone. :-) Thanks, Richard!

• If your garage has never had a car inside because it’s filled with unfinished projects, you might be a P.

• If you take your pickup truck full of junk to the junkyard but come back with the truck bed full of “really useful stuff,” you might be a P.

• If you consider assembly instructions to be just part of the packing material, you might be a P.

• If the top drawer of your filing cabinet is labeled “stuff to be filed” and the drawers below are labeled “more,” you might be a P.

• If you have a box in your office titled, “The I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-it-but-I-don’t-want-to-throw-it-away-so-I’ll-put-it-in-here-and-forget-about-it-box,” you might be a P.

• More of those boxes mean you’re more likely to be a P.

• If your home office looks neater after an earthquake, you might be a P.

• If your boat sinks 400 miles up the Amazon river and you say “Well the travel brochure did say it would be an adventure,” you might be a P.

• If you know all the lyrics to “Que Sera Sera,” you might be a P.

I plan on asking him to write more thoughts from his perspective for this blog as an occasional guest, so you can expect to see more of him.

His self description:

"He has two Master’s degrees, the first in Art and the second in Educational Psychology. He has worked as an artist and as a Marriage and Family Counselor with many years in the specialization of addiction medicine, counseling more than ten thousand patients. He is now retired."

He lives in California and when he is not erasing wrinkles and blemishes from his self portraits he enjoys amateur astronomy with his big, manly telescope, hiking in the Sierras, fossil hunting and making figurative sculptures."

His motto is In Festivitas Veritas, or “in humor is truth.”

You gotta love that!

Zits as ESTP?

This was brought to me by one of the participants in my workshop: Does it depict Zits as ESTP? What do you think?

The Way I Am

This may be out of my T (thinking) preference [yes, it can happen], but I think it definitely is within my N (iNtuition) preference. I posted this song on another blog a few weeks ago: It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside because it reminds me of MBTI. :-)

The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson)

If you were falling, then I would catch you.
You need a light, I'd find a match.

Cuz I love the way you say good morning.
And you take me the way I am.

If you are chilly, here take my sweater.
Your head is aching, I'll make it better.

Cuz I love the way you call me baby.
And you take me the way I am.

I'd buy you Rogaine if you start losing all your hair.
Sew on patches to all you tear.

Cuz I love you more than I could ever promise.
And you take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.

A Day in the Life of a "P"

I have a P (perceiving) preference. Very clear. No question.

The following is a perfect example of what happens when I let my P-ness go unrestricted. I occasionally allow myself to have days like this and let the "P" go wild. Remember Risky Business?... "Sometimes, you just gotta say..." :-)

A detailed account of a day in the life of me:

I am in the process of setting up shop (my desk) in the guest room, since I've decided I'm spending way too much time at my desk to be stuck in the basement. As I was making great progress organizing my "stuff" scattered in four different places in the house, I suddenly realized that my office chair is not at all comfortable for sitting in it for longer than two hours at a time. I remembered being impressed with a chair at Costco the other day, so I dropped what I was doing and headed out on my mission.

While I was there, on the spur of the moment, I started looking at printers and decided to pick up a new (fast) printer so I don't have to keep running to Staples (although I've made friends there) to make prints and copies for my clients. [My current printer is slower than _______ (insert your own slow word here)].

Then as I walked by the next isle, I saw a mop that weighs less than 3 pounds and cleans the floor with "steam and no chemicals" "quick and easy". Brilliant!! Anything that will make the chores easier... and on top of that, NO CHEMICALS! (I'm a tree hugger at heart.) I immediately put one in the cart.

As I was checking out, I muttered under my breath, "I ban myself from this place for at least three months..."

I came home and unloaded, temporarily placing the box containing the mop on the kitchen floor. I proceeded to continue working on organizing my new office and saw the picture I had leaned against a wall earlier which I wanted to hang. I headed for the garage for a hammer; and on my way out through the kitchen, I saw my new Steam Mop in the middle of the floor. I suddenly got the urge to mop the kitchen floor... (A new toy, etc.) I opened up the box, quickly assembled the mop, and Voila! It works! What will they think of next? I was half way through mopping the floor when the phone rang. I went to go answer it in the music room and remembered I had to finish getting my scattered books out of there.

While I was throwing the rest of my MBTI materials into a box, I found a song sheet (from my voice lessons) that somehow got mixed in with my work stuff. I remembered that I really need to practice, as my voice teacher didn't seem too pleased last time I was there. While I was singing, my husband came home, and it was time to start dinner.

After eating dinner, I showed him my new mop which will keep my kitchen floor nice and clean "because it's so easy to use," my new printer which will save me so much time and money "in lieu of going to Staples," and my new chair which was a bargain for how nice it is and "approved by the American Chiropractic Association!" He patiently listened with a raised eyebrow. Coming up with evidence to justify my "P" behavior to my husband's ISTJ preference often requires great creativity and skill, mind you. ;-)

"Come and see what I have done with the office so far," I proudly announced; and as we walked into the room, I remembered I was on my way to get a hammer...

________________________
Image: Romance-Fire

MBTI-isms

Ever since I have been studying the MBTI, just about every conversation I have with my 16-year-old daughter involves type watching. Today, we came up with some MBTI-isms:

1. If your results show ESTJ preferences and find yourself rebellious and non-conforming, you should also look at ENTJ.

2. If your results show NT preferences and find yourself overwhelmed by too much studying/learning, you should also look at SP.

3. I's like to finish their statements without interruption; E's like to finish each other's sentences.

4. Both J's and P's can be spontaneous, J's just have a clear direction where their spontaneity will take them.

5. Along that same line, both J's and P's know how to have fun. The only difference is we want to follow the J's. We just like to watch the P's. (oh, wait... I'm a P...)

The Fear Overtaketh

I've been spending a lot of time over at CPP ICON Success site in the last few days, and I have to admit... I'm thoroughly intimidated.

I have come to the conclusion that it takes a certain type of an overachiever to keep up with the blogging world. "Am I up to par with these folks?" is the question that keeps swirling around in my head. Ever since Mike Shur, the administrator of the site, wrote an extremely encouraging post about me a few days ago, I feel myself pushing harder for... um... what exactly am I pushing for?

I've decided it's time to re-evaluate my vision and my goal.

Question #1: What is my main objective as an MBTI Practitioner?

It has never been about the money with me. If there was no money to be made, I would still do it. I love it that much. However, the sad fact is that people generally do not appreciate what they don't pay good money for. Free or minimal fee usually translates to "no need for commitment." Why is that? And not only that, my ISTJ husband would like to see some sort of a positive cash flow, however miniscule it may be. He basically lost his wife to MBTI in the recent months; and a slight financial gain would make the pain more bearable, I'm sure.

I would like everyone I consult/work with/help (whatever the lingo is) to learn how to maximize their gifts and begin to live their lives fully. I strongly believe that having an outlet to express/use our unique talents and be appreciated for them is vital in getting the full enjoyment out of life. We were created to create. We were created to BE and DO what we're good at, no? People often tell me, "Not everyone has that luxury." But I believe success automatically follows people who are passionate about what they do, not the other way around. Call me a dreamer.

Question #2: What should my focus be with the MBTI?

I've only conducted two real workshops (currenly on my third one), but I already know that I want to take it further than just the basic "What's my type?" stuff.

Will it be with career counseling? Should I concentrate on team-building? Marriage and family counseling appeal to me as well. I don't even know what I'm qualified to do, or how far I can go with this. I would also love to investigate the possibility of cross-cultural work. I have a good friend who is a retired high school counselor and a part-time MBTI practitioner in South Korea. But he doesn't speak much English, and I'm not good with Korean business lingo. hmmm... ideas explode in my head like fireworks...

Will everything just fall into place if I just relax and slow down my pace? But how can I, when I see people like Breanne and Mike, who seem almost superhuman to me.

Question #3: What if I don't succeed? What if everyone finds out that I'm not as competent as they (and I) thought I was?

AHHHHHHHHH! THE HORROR!

It's a scary world out there...

Tips on Blogging

My friend Matt recently posted the following tips on successful blogging:

1. Have a strong theme to focus on

Be it a topic (economics, TV show, politics, my life, repairing microwaves, etc.) or location (My house, my street, my town, my city, etc.). This will allow you to build up an audience of like-minded people.

2. Post about three/four major posts per week

Any less and your blog probably won't build up a loyal readership, any more and discussions on a particular post will get lost.

3. Try to post every day

Even if it's just a few lines about something unrelated to your main theme.

4. Make it conversational

The advantage of blogs is that they can be more of a conversation between the writer and their readers than more mainstream media, so make your writing personable (maybe include a few lines about your day, or an anacdote, or even what's going on around you while you're writing).

5. Reply to people in the comment threads

You don't have to reply to everyone, but try to particpate at least once in each comment thread.

Trying to keep up with three blogs in this way is not at all easy... :-(

My Life as a Klutz

Okay... This is embarrassing.

I started another MBTI workshop at my church this past Sunday. After getting a total of maybe 10 hours of sleep since Thursday (because of my Korean/American couples workshop...but I'll write about that later), it was a miracle that I was even able to remember my name.

Before we got started, I made a strong (very strong) pot of coffee and jumped right in. I usually have a music stand in front of me where I put my presentation notes, and I sit on a stool behind it off to the side of the screen where I show the power point.

The introduction went very well. I was looking confident and sounding very...well, on top of things. I was thinking, "This is going great! I'm getting pretty good at this..."

Then it happened. I suddenly got a cramp in my toe. You know, the kind where one toe gets all twisted and disfigured and won't line up nicely with the rest of the toes? So I discreetly moved my knee up and down to try and relieve the discomfort. In the process, I bumped the music stand, shaking the coffee cup that I had placed on the lip of the stand. Some coffee spilled out and disappeared under the binder. I thought to myself, "No one saw that. I'll just clean it up later," and I continued with my presentation.

About a minute later, I felt a trickle on my left knee. Obviously, more coffee had spilled out of the cup than I had thought. Everyone's gaze went from the screen to the rapidly growing dark spot on my white pant leg. I had no choice but to stop, swallow my pride, and ask for someone to get me some napkins.

I got over the humiliation pretty quickly, and I finished the remainder of the session with the huge, wet, dark-brown spot on my leg. I can safely say that there will never be a threat of arrogance with me, because things like this happen quite often.

I once had a serious and intelligent (so I thought) discussion with an extremely good-looking guitar teacher when I was looking to sign my daughter up for guitar lessons, and, upon getting in the car to head home, I discovered that my fly had been unzipped the whole time. Needless to say, we found another teacher. But I still get that sinking feeling in my stomach when I think about it. Can you imagine the discipline it took for him not to look down at my crotch and also keep a straight face? Ugh!

I think I'm getting pretty good at falling on my face in public. I even have a going joke that I'll be starting a ministry named "The Fall-Down Ministry," where people get to come and watch me fall down, so they can go home feeling better about themselves. Yep... I have no pride left at this point. Being graceful has never been one of my stronger traits. Oh well... I still get the job done. :-)

Type and Culture

I have been fascinated by cultural differences in behaviors, as I, myself, am bi-cultural. I know first-hand that there are definite differences in the over-all cultural persona, for lack of a better word. I will be working with a group of couples in inter-cultural marriages (Korean wives with American husbands) this weekend, so I've been doing some research.

I found the following information in one of CPP's reference materials, "Type and Culture":

The booklet looks at two models of cultural differences:

1) GLOBE/Hofstede's Dimensions of Culture, based on information from the book, Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies (2004) (Yikes!!.. $135 for the book??? I'll just take their word for it...)

2) Trompenaars' Seven Factors of Culture, based on information from the book, Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business (1997)

You may be yawning by now, but bear with me...

The GLOBE/Hofstede's model deals with nine dimensions of culture (started out with five, but the added four more after additional research):

1) Power Distance - The extent to which a community accepts and endorses authority, power, differences, and status privileges

2) and 3) Collectivism - The extent to which a culture encourages and rewards collective distribution of resources and collective action.

4) Uncertainty Avoidance - The degree to which members of a culture seek orderliness, consistency, structure, formalized procedures, and laws to address situations that arise in their daily lives.

5) Assertiveness - The degree to which people are or are not encouraged to be assertive, aggressive, and tough in social relationships.

6) Gender Egalitarianism - The degree to which a society minimizes gender role differences while promoting gender equality.

7) Performance Orientation - The degree to which a culture judges individuals by their performance or achievement.

8) Future Orientation - The degree to which a culture encourages and rewards future-oriented behaviors such as planning and delaying gratification.

9) Humane Orientation - The extent to which a culture encourages individuals to be fair, altruistic, friendly, generous, caring, and kind to others.

Still there? Okay... now, here are the factors from the Trompenaars' Seven Factors of Culture:

1) Universalist vs. Particularist - Does the culture emphasize rules or relationships?

2) Individualist vs. Collectivist - Do people regard themselves primarily as individuals or primarily as part of a group?

3) Neutral vs. Affective - Do people conceal or express their emotions?

4) Specific vs. Diffuse - Do people become involved with or involve others?

5) Achievement vs. Ascription - By what criteria do people accord status?

6) Sequential vs. Synchronic - How does the culture approach time management?

7) Internal vs. External Control - What is the culture's relationship with nature?

Those are the studies that the MBTI people looked at. Based on the information given in the book, I came up with the following conclusions:

United States: ESTJ
United Kingdom: ESTJ
India: INFP
South Korea: ISFJ

and a wild guess (not enough data in the book) at European countries such as Italy, France, and Spain: ESFP

I also found this study of the way students from different cultural backgrounds use email to communicate with other students. Fascinating...

My New Toy

The Flip camera is the best invention of the recent past!! Yay!

Okay... please don't judge my video-making skills...**cringe**... but I'm rather pleased with the way my very first video project turned out. I only learned how to use the Windows Movie Maker two days ago (where have I been?). It's amazingly easy... ergo, my finished project below:

(IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING... I WILL REPOST LATER!!)

One correction... One of the interviewees said I became "certified," which is incorrect. I am a 'qualified' practitioner, but not certified. Semantics, perhaps... but being an ENTP, I have to make sure any and all information I give out is correct to the best of my knowledge. :-)

Type - Trait - Behavior

When we're speaking about personalities, there are three factors that come into play: 1) behaviors; 2) traits that cause those behaviors; and 3) type, which is the hard-wired preference in the way we perceive information and make decisions.

When I was leading my group through my first MBTI workshop, many people were confused about the differences. I designed some power point slides which I am posting below (without the awesome animation... but you get the gist):

Behaviors can be readily observed. We can discuss behavior without addressing trait or type.

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Traits cause behaviors. We must study behaviors in order to discuss trait. You can talk trait without discussing type.

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Type is inborn. Just like the preference for left or right-handedness, we always have a preferred function which we feel more comfortable using.

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Type cannot be validated without traits, and trait cannot be determined without behaviors. Type is the hard-wired preference that can be sorted; traits are universal in human nature in varying amounts and can be measured; and behaviors are observable and are the expression of type. However, through understanding and learning how to use our non-preferred functions when needed, we can become more balanced in learning, working, and communicating with other types at home, work/school, and play.

That is the way I understand it as of now. All those more knowledgeable and experienced... please feel free to correct me!

Well... I have to give myself E for Effort. :-)