I was in a coffee shop the other day and couldn’t help overhearing a conversation that sounded like an informal job interview.
The man – who I think owned a recruiting company – said to the woman sitting across from him, “Now I want you to try and guess my Myer’s-Brigg personality type.”
He gave her a little time to think, and then she offered a muffled answer that sounded like “NINJA.”
“Close. I’m actually an ENTJ,” he said, referring to the Extroverted, INtuitive, Thinking, Judging personality type on the Myers-Brigg scale.
The conversation intrigued me as I often use personality testing in my coaching work and find it extremely helpful to my clients. (I use the Enneagram system primarily.) After getting their personality test results, many of my clients feel an uncanny sense of being understood in a way that is unprecedented. The system I use is very in-depth and shows the strengths and challenges of each personality type, core motivations and patterns of behavior.
The Enneagram system it is not about putting people in a box or labeling them. The purpose of knowing one’s personality type is to be able to build on strengths and move beyond limiting patterns. One of the things I value about the Enneagram is how it gives recommendations for personal development that are specific to each type, as opposed to a “one-size-fits-all” approach to transformation.
Another feature I like about the Enneagram is its usefulness in determining possible career directions. Certain personality types naturally gravitate and excel in specific fields and I use this information to help guide my clients who are changing careers. When clients see the career they are interested in listed as a strong choice for their personality type, it provides excellent corroboration and boosts confidence.
There are 9 basic personality types in the Enneagram System:
Type 1: The Perfectionist/Reformer
Type 2: The Helper
Type 3: The Achiever
Type 4: The Individualist/Romantic
Type 5: The Investigator
Type 6: The Loyalist
Type 7: The Enthusiast
Type 8: The Challenger
Type 9: The Peacemaker
Do any of these sound like anyone you know?
For more information on the Enneagram, click here.
To take the RHETI 144 question test I use with my clients ($12) click here.
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