| Topic Name: |
Consultants and personality types - a clear pattern? |
| Message Name: |
Health matter more than type |
| Date Posted: |
04/02/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
Anyone know about Myers Briggs personality types? It seems to me that the typical consultant is an ENTJ type, or maybe INTJ or ENTP.
For the uninitiated, ENTJ =
E: extraverted (focused on the real world more than ideas, talkative as opposed to more withdrawn)
---> helps consultants with all their people interaction and the real world of business problems
N: intuitive (perceives the world through intuitions rather than relying on the 5 senses - concerned with possibilities rather than the present, often big picture rather than details
---> helps consultants analyse problems and look for solutions, as well as drive on towards career possibilities
T: thinking (makes decisions based on what is logical rational sensible, as opposed to making decisions based on how it might affect other people particularly their feelings)
---> helps consultants thrive on efficiency and loath incompetence, and enjoy problems that are based round "things" more than "people"
J: decisive (prefers decision making rather than perceiving, getting things finished and over with rather than contemplating the world)
---> helps consultants stay on top of their busy schedule
It seems the N and the T are crucial for consultants, particularly I'd suggest the T.
Why do I bring this up? Not because I'm a psychologist, but because I'm a recent graduate about to apply for McKinsey, and I'm an INFP....and I don't think I'd enjoy consulting because I'm strongly "F" not "T"
Any thoughts? Anyone want to prove my hypothesis wrong? :-) |
| Message: |
I??ve been a consultant most of my career, and I??ve hired close to 100 of them. I think the number one attribute of a successful candidate is intelligence. The ability to think through a problem and come up with workable solutions. It really helps if you get a kick out of doing it too.
As for personality, I'm not a big fan of Myers Briggs. I prefer the Enneagram for it's richness in personality topography, but I've seen all types in consulting, although as you point out, some types are more prevalent.
Any personality type can become a US president, so why can't they be consultants? Each type brings both strengths and weaknesses. Remember, personality forms to protect us from pain, it's a defense mechanism.
My experience is that emotional health is more important than type. A person my have the personality type for the job, but if they are average or below average, they blow it. (This is a problem with Myers Briggs, it doesn't take level of emotional/mental health into account, nor does it provide a path for personal growth.)
Second, a person can find personal rewards in any job. Consulting is very complex. The more you do it, the more you realize the problems are 20% technical and 80% people. Feelings do matter. Lots of good suggestions and analysis are never implemented because the company culture isn't taken into consideration. To effect significant change, there must be a shift in behaviors, skills, values, beliefs, and even identities of the people doing the work. Little of that is 100% objective and rational. The best change agents change people at the unconscious level at the same time they are changing technology, structure, processes, etc.
Thus, being smart, loving to solve problems, understanding yourself and others are all more important than raw consulting skills or personality traits. I think it??s wisest to know what makes you happy, and then look for ways to make it happen at work.
Good luck at whatever you choose to do.
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