An intriguing profession has emerged in business, personality testing.
In a short period of time, they have become the high priests of the modern workplace.
Offering expert advice on everything from recruitment to career change.
One problem is that many of these tests display what statisticians call low ‘test-retest reliability’ i.e. if you retake the test after only a 5-week gap, there is a 50% chance you will fall into a different person category, compared to the first time you took the test.
A second criticism is that many of these tests mistakenly assume that personality falls into mutually exclusive ‘either-or categories.
You are either an introvert or an extrovert. Yet in reality, most people fall somewhere in the middle.
The biggest criticism I have is that they label people i.e. I can’t do this because I am an IJTB.
This then gives people excuses. We can all change our behaviours if we are prepared to put the time and effort into doing it.
Label jars not people.
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