Jenny Thompson
Paper: Myers Briggs Assessment
December 4, 2013
AAD 620: Management and Leadership in the Arts
When asked to describe myself, the words perfectionist, independent, and hardworking come
immediately to mind. I view these qualities as positives, recognizing my weaknesses in having little patience
and difficulty communicating emotions. When my Myers Briggs assessment resulted in the Introverted,
Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging (INTJ) personality type I was not the least bit surprised. In learning more
about INTJ's, what actually surprised me was its rarity among the 16 types and particularly among women only 0.8% in the U.S.1 While I've noticed some arguably unique qualities about myself among my female
friends and coworkers over the years, I've never felt all that my personality type was all that rare.
As a giddy nine-year-old at Six Flags I remember coming off a rollercoaster ride with my Dad and
wandering around the gift store in search of the perfect souvenir. He commented on the store's location at the
end of the ride, tucked in an area otherwise not easily accessible to the public. I said, "Of course it’s at the
end of the ride!" When he asked why I went on to say, "The people who just had fun on the rollercoaster are
the ones who are going to want to buy stuff. No one else cares." I remember him nodding and laughing at my
blunt assertion. This little occurrence came to mind after reading Marina Margaret Heiss' profile of INTJ's
which notes that, "[self-confidence's] source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJ's start
building at an early age."2 I have no idea how I came to my reasoning about what I perceived as a logical
retail location at the age of nine, aside from perhaps being a very keen observer even then.
While learning about my personality type, I recalled many more past occurrences where I have
exhibited many of the INTJ qualities, perhaps more so in my adult life. College is a prime example: I could
not select a major as an undergraduate at NYU. This was not due to indecisiveness. Rather, I thrived off of
having the independence to create my own major catered to my interests in writing and dance. This speaks to
1
2
16 personalities, "INTJ Personality," Accessed November 30, 2013, http://www.16personalities.com/intj-personality.
Heiss, Marina Margaret, TypeLogic, "INTJ," Accessed December 1, 2013, http://www.typelogic.com/intj.html.
the fact that INTJ's often find they have strengths in many fields. Sure, I loved statistics and history, but there
was a creative freedom and a challenge in the ephemeral art of dance and the individual-focused field of
writing that won my long-term dedication. Since, I have intertwined these passions by working as a dance
critic and also a grant writer for a dance company. I love the double perspective of seeing the ins and outs of
how a nonprofit dance company functions, as well as performances by hundreds of others happening
simultaneously around us. This has been my method of learning about the specific niche of NYC dance and
has certainly brought about self-confidence in my so-called expertise in this area. That said, I agree with
Heiss' assertion that INTJ's "know what they know, and perhaps still more importantly, they know what they
don't know."3 While I can confidently and honestly deliver my thoughts on a dance performance or my
company's likelihood to receive funding from a particular source, when I am unsure, I say it. I have no
qualms about responding to a question with, "I don't know but I will find out," or "I haven't collected my
thoughts on that yet." This is true whether I am responding to a friend, coworker, or one of my superiors.
Considering my passion for the arts, I wasn’t expecting my personality type to be one dubbed "The
Scientist." INTJ's are thought to work well in areas "wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are
required," such as in the fields of science, engineering, law, or academia.4 This is where we must remember
that the Myers Brigg assessment renders a general picture of our personality and is not definitive: we are
individuals after all. In this case, the typical INTJ career paths do not interest me at all. Instead I believe
intellect and incisiveness can be applicable to any profession - required or not. I greatly enjoy working in a
creative, collaborative field where I can use my analytical, complex, and long-range thinking as more of
work ethic. Specifically in the arts development sector - where much organization, planning, writing, and
“measuring the immeasurable” come into play - I have found a place where I feel I am asset.
My INTJ ability to balance perfectionism and pragmatism is important for me in my current
development position. Outside of work I enjoy this reality about myself as well; it allows me to always strive
3
4
Heiss, Marina Margaret.
Heiss, Marina Margaret.
to do my best without creating unnecessary stress. As a manager I imagine these qualities will be just as
beneficial and allow me to uphold a level of high, yet realistic, standards. As a leader though, I need to focus
more on my INTJ unique quality of being both imaginative and reliable, while developing the areas of
sensing, feeling, and perceiving.5 Having the ability to influence and motivate others as a leader will depend
on my adaptability, social intelligence, and people skills. This includes being able to act based on preferences
outside of my INTJ norm depending on the situation at hand.
My key weakness lies in interpersonal areas such as lacking patience, wanting people to make sense,
and not being able to express my emotions easily. To date I have noticed these weaknesses primarily in my
personal life. This was ever apparent when a friend from high school moved to NYC last year. Her comfort
in codependence and tendency to constantly publicize the details of her life on social media, are starkly
different than mine. (And just imagine how much the independent NYC life amplified this about me over the
seven years since I had last seen her!) Over time I noticed how personally she took it when I didn’t
immediately respond to her messages, which annoyed me. In my eyes it was no big deal; I was simply at
work or prioritizing my time with someone else and would get back to her as soon as I was able. Our
differences have been interesting to rediscover and navigate. We ended up having a great conversation about
it and remain friends, though now with a much better understanding of where we are both coming from. I
only wish I had thought to initiate a conversation about it sooner.
Positively interacting with people very different from myself is something I foresee as an exciting
challenge as a leader and manger. My INTJ strengths in relation to this area include my preference of
intuition, willingness to work at relationships of any kind, and the motivation to put my ideas into useful
forms for others to follow. Where I may lack an immediate emotional reaction or a preference of feeling and
sensing, I think my intuition preference can assist. I would hope that my dedication to an organization or a
team would translate as inspiring and motivational as well. In thinking about this I recall Kathryn's
5
Heiss, Marina Margaret.
perseverance in working with DecisionTech and successfully using her introverted side to her advantage.6
Her internal dialogues demonstrated that careful observation and thought-out words, actions, and reactions
are certainly valid skills to depend on as a more introverted leader. This is a relatable approach for me as I
too frequently edit my thoughts and can easily listen and consider the ideas of others.
This is also where the INTJ’s ability to be honest and open-minded will prove immensely helpful for
me as a leader. Having an independent mind across the board - whether it relates to my own work, that of
others, or general norms – is a strength I take pride in. (I am pretty sure it is also the reason I am constantly
selected as a juror). In the workplace, I try to continually develop this skill of operating objectively in hard
situations. I have found that often this has led to me adapting my own practices or preferences. Honing my
observation and analytical skills in regards to other people’s personality types, will allow me to better
anticipate conflict and work collaboratively.
Obvious from my aforementioned interactions with others, the area of communication is a doubleedged sword for me as an INTJ. I am very glad to have a clear understanding of this now as I work towards a
leadership role. On the positive side, I can be honest and confidently supply information on what I know and
feel strongly about. I can also be objective enough to take criticism (in fact, I find criticism highly
motivating) and am comfortable providing it as well. An interesting tidbit I learned about myself came from
the following: "The internal form of the INTJ's thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not
readily translatable into a form that others will understand. However, the INTJ is driven to translate their
ideas into a plan or system that is usually readily explainable."7 I don’t believe I’ve ever been able to
pinpoint this about myself, and I have to say I don’t see it as a weakness but simply as a part of the process
for one of my strengths when it comes to communication. I spend (and enjoy) so much time editing,
planning, and preparing. When writing a paper such as this I begin with a general outline, write the whole
paper in one sitting, then revisit it later and proceed to completely rewrite it. It sounds inefficient, but it is
absolutely how I work best. I like taking the time to reflect on my initial thoughts and revisit them or see if
6
Lencioni, Patrick, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2002.
Personality Page, “Portrait of an INTJ: The Scientist,” Accessed December 2, 2013, http://www.personalitypage.com/INTJ.html.
7
something else is triggered. I suppose my first drafts are what make sense to me and my final drafts are what
I feel others will be able to make sense of. Now, I believe this process speaks to my capacity for strategic
thinking and the ability to communicate clearly with others about a thought-out topic or plan.
When there is no time for strategic thinking, however, I am lost! The realm of emotional
communication is much more spontaneous than my churning mind likes. If not addressed, “in the moment”
emotional interactions will definitely be an issue for me as leader, especially when dealing with others who
are more instinctually sensing, feeling, and perceiving types. A very specific weakness under the
communication umbrella that struck me is the INTJ tendency "to blame misunderstandings on the limitations
of the other party, rather than on their own difficulty in expressing themselves."8 I do this from time to time,
getting caught up in what I know, or think I know, and forgetting the how. How am I communicating this?
How am I considering others around me? How is this being perceived by someone else? I want to become
more comfortable dealing with others' emotions (including my own) outwardly and in the specific situation
itself. I think this will allow others, especially those I am just getting to know, be able to connect with me
more quickly. I plan to start conquering this personal challenge by exercising patience and expressing
positive emotion/feedback more frequently than I do now. When conflicts arise, I need to also remind myself
that expression is not my strong suit. Maybe at times this will encourage me to take a step back and listen, or
re-express myself, or think twice before being too short or blunt. This certainly will not change instantly but
is something I can begin to work on now and develop over time: the Law of the Process at work. 9 The first
step, of course, is always recognizing the problem or the pattern as I have now been able to do.
Emotional communication barriers aside, I was pleased to learn that INTJ's are often considered
natural leaders due to our knack at strategic planning and thinking.10 Though I recognize my organization,
hard work, and confidence, I don't think I have ever felt the authority to consider myself a strategic thinker or
"natural" leader. Maybe it's because I don't feel as though I have earned those titles yet, even if I am working
8
Personality Page.
Maxwell, John C., The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2007, 23-34.
10
Personality Page.
9
towards them. Learning about my personality type, however, has made me feel much more comfortable in
acknowledging my strengths in this area. I have even discovered habits and thought processes I already have
in place that will greatly benefit me as a leader when it comes to strategic planning and effective guidance.
Something I have noted is that this is all largely "on the balcony" stuff.11
When considering the other Myers Briggs personality types I am most intrigued by the ENTJ type "The Executive." Assertive and outspoken, ENTJ's are also driven to lead and I imagine enjoy being “off the
balcony.” Our difference lies in their extroverted and my introverted preference. Though my introverted
preference is slight at only 11%, I have great respect for those who can find their energy amongst others in
the outside world. I think an ENTJ would be an excellent type to manage someone like myself, mainly
because of our areas of crossover in how we perceive and evaluate the world around us. I could understand
and benefit from working with a manager who is also efficient, organized, well-informed, and believes in
finding the right solution (regardless of whether it is theirs or someone else's). My comfort in speaking
honestly, coming up with ideas, and communicating plans in an accessible way, would allow me to
constantly be motivated as a proactive follower. I’d also feel capable of challenging ideas and making my
own suggestions in this environment. Without a doubt, I would learn a great deal from an extroverted
leader's communications and interactions with others.
A personality type I might manage well would be the ISFPs – “The Artists.” Here I am taking into
consideration Maxwell's precaution when it comes to the Law of Magnetism and the importance of
diversifying your team.12 I believe this personality type would greatly compliment mine given our opposite
preferences in how we take in information and relate to the world around us. It may also trigger some heated
debate. However, ISFPs well-developed senses and appreciation for the abstract make them very flexible and
open to new ideas. Their inherent loyalty and disinterest in leading others also makes them very open to be
11
Heifetz, Ronald and Marty Linsky, “Get on the Balcony (Why Leaders Need to Step Back to Get Perspective),” in Leadership on
the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading, 3-24, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press, 2006.
12
Maxwell, John C., 103-112.
led themselves. Most of all, their originality and creativity paired with their emotionally-aware nature would
allow me to learn from their perspectives and ideas. Since I am always looking for unique ways to solve
problems, managing a diverse team with differing types (such as an ISFP) would consequently make me
more efficient and adaptable as a leader. I believe I could put their suggestions into action and acknowledge
individual’s unique talents as they may fit into a longer-range goal. This to me is far more interesting than
managing a group of INTJ's or other extremely like-minded personalities that may be either in agreement far
too often or too independent-minded to work together well.
Further addressing team diversity, one thing the Myers Briggs assessment reiterated for me is that my
inclination to work with the contingency approach makes sense. I have leaned towards this approach all
along but now feel confident that I would have the ability, breadth of perception, and objectiveness to
actually implement this management style. Multi-tasking and referencing my various areas of skills/interest
will allow me unique entry points with different departments or teams of individuals. I believe I can use my
analytical eye to then discern a solution or plan that may work for a specific situation. Most importantly, as
an INTJ I thrive off of complexity, thought, and decision-making, so the ever-changing nature of this
management approach would be fun for me, capitalizing on my strengths.
As I envision my future as a manager and leader, the biggest lesson the Myers Briggs assessment has
taught me is that it is ok to have and accept your flaws. No leader can be perfect - here is a strange
misconception I didn't know I had until now. I find understanding my preferences and areas of weakness to
be an extremely powerful tool. Using this tool to one's advantage is what will make a great leader. For me, I
think this will sometimes mean stepping back and asking others for help or advice when I am struggling with
something. Other times, this will mean developing my non-preferences so I can build my adaptability as a
leader. All in all, I am certain about one thing: being managed by my INTJ preferences is not an option.
Bibliography
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Heifetz, Ronald and Marty Linsky. “Get on the Balcony (Why Leaders Need to Step Back to Get
Perspective),” in Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading, 3-24.
Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press, 2006.
Heiss, Marina Margaret. TypeLogic. "INTJ." Accessed December 1, 2013. http://www.typelogic.com
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Lencioni, Patrick. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass, 2002.
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