We had a good gift exchange over the holidays. Everyone appears satisfied with their presents. K&P bought me Steve Jobs which I have begun reading and a Regal gift card for both Carol and myself, well, the book is too as Carol wants to read it and they picked out a casual ‘jean’s’ coat Carol wanted from LL Bean but it was out of stock so Kim bought one from Eddie B? whoever that is.
While in Cleveland Kim talked in general to us about our personalities as well as her own because I asked her to do so. She made it clear that our discussion on personality types would be very general and all the way along she would ask how we feel about ourselves (which seemed to me to be as important as anything a formal assessment might show). She has the license or whatever to give, analyze and interpret a variety of these types of ‘career-oriented’ tests, one of them being the Meyer-Briggs personality indicator. Anyway, we did an informal test (through discussion) to show general indication, and I am an “INTJ” – Introversion, Intuition, Thinking, Judging personality. Then Kim retrieved her book for children assessment Nurture by Nature by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger. It was scary to read about a INTJ childhood. Wow. It hit me directly. My parents did not do well raising an INTJ child (not that any would do any better).
This morning online I took the Jung Career Indicator test and also am labeled an INTJ. This is what I found:
To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps still more importantly, they know what they don’t know.
INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake.
INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their respect -- and will generally be made aware of this; INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.
In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they "know". Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are required (e.g., law, some areas of academia). INTJs can rise to management positions when they are willing to invest time in marketing their abilities as well as enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of ambition or the desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn to simulate some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their inherent unconventionality.
Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal situations.
This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense. :-) This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many Fs -- only instead of expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and directness.
Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind of natural empathy that many Fs do, the Intuitive function can often act as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable meanings behind such things as tone of voice, turn of phrase, and facial expression. This ability can then be honed and directed by consistent, repeated efforts to understand and support those they care about, and those relationships which ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend to be characterized by their robustness, stability, and good communications.
From: http://typelogic.com/intj.html
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And, another source connected with the online Jung Career assessment:
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Rational © Portrait of the Mastermind (INTJ) from Keirsey.com
All Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B or C or D if need be.
Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than one to two percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency -- any waste of human and material resources -- they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don't, aren't, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.
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I realize these are personality ‘types’, indicators and that we all use the sixteen indicators during our daily lives. What I wonder is, ‘How does this effect Amorella as a separate personality within my mind?’ Surely, if I had a different ‘personality’ type her attitude and response would be different. Human beings make assessments of others as soon as we meet them and continue making assessments as long as we know the person. The behavior will be valid and remain so until it is not. This is the way I treat friends and acquaintances. We all do this. I don’t think of this as being judgmental, it is a general assessment based on past experience with the person’s personality and behavior. This is what I also look for in Amorella’s personality – consistency. So, I am wondering, ‘How does she see me’?
Human beings are quite complicated and our individual humanity appears root bound to our psychological centeredness. I am curious as to how Amorella makes such assessments of consciousnesses if nothing else, that is what it comes down to. Surely personality is a part of consciousness – how we beings perceive, and how we beings are perceived by others of our species.
Presently you are at Kroger’s on Tylersville awaiting Carol who grocery shops much more efficiently and economically than you do. She does better without you tagging along and interrupting while she is making food decisions you would hardly ever consider the effort. What I am saying here, orndorff, is, so much for your pragmatism in real life. You are no mastermind and what’s more you wouldn’t care to be anyway. Good grief, man, you let me write the books. – Amorella
You are so right, Amorella. Just like Kim said, you have to take these assessments to heart and decide for yourself what your personality truly is within. But, the assessment of my childhood experiences in the Nurture by Nature book was right on for me as a social misfit within the immediate family.
I do not take issue with that. Post, that’s all for today. – Amorella
I am suddenly struck of thought, Amorella.
You have good reason. Post.
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