Career and Calling: The Benefits of a Personality Test

I was well into my thirties when I first took a personality test through my work as a training professional at UPS: the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The goal of these assessments in a work context is to help us first understand our own personality traits and tendencies, and then to understand our co-workers’ traits and tendencies. In my experience, we rarely take the time to apply what we learn as a workgroup from these assessments, but the self-awareness revealed in the profiles generated by these survey instruments is quite useful. Most recently, I took the free 16Personalities personality assessment, and it reinforced many things I had previously learned. And while there are many important things you can learn from one of these assessments, the most important thing I learned was this: I am an introvert.

 The basic idea behind an introvert (as opposed to an extrovert) is the kinds of situations that energize a person. Listen to what Susan Cain says in her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking:

Introverts are drawn to the inner world of thought and feeling . . . extroverts to the external life of people and activities. Introverts focus on the meaning they make of the events swirling around them; extroverts plunge into the events themselves. Introverts recharge their batteries by being alone; extroverts need to recharge when they don’t socialize enough.

I had always known I was a bit shy and didn’t like to be busy with lots of social activities, but I didn’t understand why. Taking a personality assessment helped me understand that being an introvert means my batteries recharge when I’m alone. Things like listening and studying are appealing to me, but situations, where there are lots of people and noise, is very challenging. When we came to New Jersey nearly 30 years ago after seminary to pastor a church in Fort Lee, my view of ministry had been shaped by the blissful years of study I had just completed in an environment where introverts can thrive: spending time in the library researching, writing papers, thinking. When I became a pastor, I had no idea how challenging I would find the “people” demands of ministry. I loved the studying and teaching aspects of pastoring, but the people part of it really drained me — and then I would feel guilty and beat myself up over how being around people affected me. As a result, I would avoid following up with people in ways that a pastor should and agonized over making the simplest phone calls. The reality was that I was experiencing something fairly consistent with the way I am wired but not knowing that caused me all sorts of anguish.

In my professional career, I have faced some of the same issues. I am energized by the research and development of curriculum and training classes but struggle in meetings to verbalize my thoughts and don’t enjoy “networking” types of activities. I do spend a lot of time on the phone, but also utilize messaging when I can do that. I have three direct reports that I meet with for 30-45 minutes weekly, a draining but necessary activity for my role. The self-awareness of being an introvert has helped me to develop areas where I am weak and build on the strengths that my introversion provides.  

Of course, being an introvert doesn’t just affect your professional life and the way you work. It also affects your relationships with your family and friends. For example, the extrovert spouse will always want to be more socially active than the introverted spouse, so there has to be negotiation and compromise to ensure everyone’s needs are met. (I assume that generally, a married couple will have one introvert and one extrovert because opposites attract!) By taking a personality inventory and sharing it with your spouse, you will find additional ways “opposites attract” and can discuss how that affects your marriage and family.

In the Bible, King David said, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14, ESV) A personality assessment is a good way to understand just how fearfully and wonderfully made you are. If your experience is anything like mine, the self-awareness gained from the experience will do you good.

Let’s Pray…

• That people will find meaningful work, professionally and ministerially, that aligns with their personality and unique gifts.

Helpful Resources

Website: 16Personalities

Take the free personality test and get your profile. 

Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Broadway Books, January 29, 2013.

Adam McHugh, Introverts in the Church, IVP Books,  November 27, 2009.