If I’ve learned one thing in 25 years of workshop facilitation, it’s the importance of experiential exercises. You almost have to wonder whether John Dewey, an American philosopher whose ideas still shape education, had been to a boring, lecture-only type…
It happens all the time. People learn a little about something new, think they understand, and make changes based on half-truths. That's how you get problems such as those reported in the Atlantic article, Why Introverted Teachers are Burning Out. Those with…
I used to facilitate the MBTI ® Certification Program, and over the years started hundreds of consultants and counselors and OD specialists and educators—and more—on the path to effective use of psychological type theory. Note that I said started them on the…
In just about every psychological type workshop I teach, most if not all of the following questions are posed. Feel free to use my answers--my goal is to promote practices in using this great tool! Frequently Asked Questions Am I born…
Recently, I’ve been working with auditors–my former life as a financial analyst provides insights into work style patterns in their profession and how they compare to many other professions. Below, I’ll be highlighting emotional intelligence sub scales, as described by Multi Health System’s EQi 2.0© instrument, one tool for thinking about these kinds of patterns, so that you can think about how these ideas might apply to the strengths and struggles of your own profession.
Research exists on some of the biggest problems facing the audit profession. The Dallas chapter of the Institute for Internal Audit found that
[list type=”check”]It doesn’t take much thinking to see how the audit profession’s core strengths, especially independence and assertiveness, might create these issues. Every strength has corresponding blind spots. If you need to be objective and independent, buildinginterpersonal relationships, emotional expression and empathy can seem not only counterproductive but outright dangerous. Think how this might contribute to the first two problems the industry cites.
Cognitive blind spots present a significant roadblock to the full realization of individual human potential. There are many kinds of blind spots, including those that are common to all humans such as the Bandwagon Effect, where individuals become attracted to popular trends,…
All of us find ignoring feedback quite easy—all too often the source doesn’t really understand the situation, or your intentions, or how different your needs are from others, right? Ignoring results on many psychological assessments or instruments can be easy,…
Adult ADHD finally made it into the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5, their manual on disorders. It’s estimated it affects 4% of American adults, and that perhaps only 1 in 10 of those affected are properly diagnosed. Untreated, it can harm…
A school leader recently asked me, "Is it easier for students with some personality types, or cognitive processes, to develop a growth mindset than for others?" The idea of a growth mindset comes from the research of Carol Dweck, captured in…
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (or so it seems), I took on a volunteer leadership role in a rather large organization. Given the issues we were facing, and my own strengths, one of my key priorities was to stay friends with the leaders of all of our different constituencies.
This was not a wishy-washy “let’s be kind” sort of goal, but rather an acknowledgment that certain market trends and changes in how we were allowed to conduct business meant that partnerships, mutual support, and flow of information were vital to our future. I’m good at collaboration and building trust, but with those strengths–especially if I overuse them–comes an inherent blind spot. I tend to assume everyone is on the same team, working toward the same goals.
[quote align=”center” color=”#bf682e”]You could say that being politically savvy is not one of my key strengths. Considering potential competing motivations of other players isn’t generally on my radar screen. [/quote]SO…in that leadership role, I very intentionally sought out two politically savvy members of the board and told them, “Call me when I’m being too trusting. Tell me to my face when I forget to ask, ‘What’s in it for them?'” And they did. Very effectively. Thanks, Chuck and Ray–you know who you are!!
Fast forward to my being in a very informal leadership role. As always, I considered what the right priorities would be for the situation. Again, relationships were key, and I though I had the relationships in place that allowed for working toward mutual goals.
[quote align=”center” color=”#bf682e”]I forgot that I still had the same blind spots…[/quote]