"What is your leadership philosophy?"
That is the question that was posed to us by a member of the DOHR team at TGMI. We were given all of about 3 minutes to think of a philosophy and write it down.
Mine came out something like this:
"Plant seeds of excitement and success, nurturing them until the garden is an overgrowth of strength and unity; able to support the entire ecosystem."
It surprised me a little to see what emerged when I was under pressure to think of what it really means to me to be a leader. After I thought about it though, I realized that it fits my vision very succinctly.
I know that change doesn't happen overnight. I understand the importance of continuously monitoring progress and keeping momentum. In my mind I can see very clearly what that looks like in the end: a healthy, vibrant, engaged community of collaborators. I realized that I love this philosophy.
"Planting seeds of success" could be anything:
- Giving your team the proper tools to do their job
- Encouraging an atmosphere of open communication
- Allowing your team to make mistakes and learn from them
- Taking the time to know your team well enough to use the proper incentives
- Following through on promises
Little successes build confidence and excitement in the team, which leads to more successes and more confidence... and more excitement. I believe there is as much of an "upward spiral" as there is the proverbial "downward spiral".
I also realized after thinking about my analogy that sometimes there are weeds in the garden that, when left to grow, can strangle the potential that exists. Those weeds may be processes that block progress or negativity left unchecked. Sometimes, despite all effort, there are "un-team members" who cannot or will not embrace change, no matter how it is presented to them. Those weeds should be addressed sooner rather than later because there is only so much progress to be made under those conditions.
Isn't it odd how just a few minutes can become a defining moment? While I knew these things in my heart and thought them frequently, simply being prompted to put it into one coherent sentence that sums it all up provided me with a much clearer, easier to express idea of what leadership should look like. Perhaps this philosophy will even experience change and grow itself over time, but for right now I can say that I'm proud of it and will keep it in my mind as a compass of sorts.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Saturday, April 18, 2015
TGMI! (TN Govt Management Institute)
A few weeks ago our IT director sent an email to myself and another colleague to let us know that she and our supervisors had nominated us for participation in a class called TGMI (Tennessee Government Management Institute). In their own words:
"Begun in 2000, the Tennessee Government Management Institute (TGMI) is the catalyst by which Tennessee and its managers are transformed into the best this nation has to offer. The Leaders of the State, the Department of Human Resources, and the University of Tennessee have formed an alliance that provides Tennessee managers with an environment of academic freedom, and commitment to excellence, in which to grow beyond all of their actual and perceived boundaries."
Departments across the state can nominate and submit potential attendees to the central HR office where the final selection is made. Only 36 applications are chosen from all submissions to participate.
My colleague and I filled out our applications and a week or so later I received an email that I had been chosen as a class attendee! Next Tuesday is our Orientation and then, in the first week of May, I will be headed to an off-site training for the first week. (The second week will be in June)
Leading teams and finding innovative ways to bring about positive change will never get old for me. There is a challenge in making that happen that appeals to me at a very deep level. It seems to be the best forum for using my knowledge in group behavior and personality preferences in a practical and positive way. It is fascinating and rewarding to help others come to work and actually enjoy themselves because they know they are appreciated and that their talents are being used to the fullest. When entire teams operate at that level, amazing change can take place.
Being accepted into TGMI may provide an even broader understanding of great leadership principles, which is very exciting. I am honored to become a part of such a terrific program and I hope that I can meet some like-minded people during my training!
"Begun in 2000, the Tennessee Government Management Institute (TGMI) is the catalyst by which Tennessee and its managers are transformed into the best this nation has to offer. The Leaders of the State, the Department of Human Resources, and the University of Tennessee have formed an alliance that provides Tennessee managers with an environment of academic freedom, and commitment to excellence, in which to grow beyond all of their actual and perceived boundaries."
Departments across the state can nominate and submit potential attendees to the central HR office where the final selection is made. Only 36 applications are chosen from all submissions to participate.
My colleague and I filled out our applications and a week or so later I received an email that I had been chosen as a class attendee! Next Tuesday is our Orientation and then, in the first week of May, I will be headed to an off-site training for the first week. (The second week will be in June)
Leading teams and finding innovative ways to bring about positive change will never get old for me. There is a challenge in making that happen that appeals to me at a very deep level. It seems to be the best forum for using my knowledge in group behavior and personality preferences in a practical and positive way. It is fascinating and rewarding to help others come to work and actually enjoy themselves because they know they are appreciated and that their talents are being used to the fullest. When entire teams operate at that level, amazing change can take place.
Being accepted into TGMI may provide an even broader understanding of great leadership principles, which is very exciting. I am honored to become a part of such a terrific program and I hope that I can meet some like-minded people during my training!
Sunday, April 12, 2015
MBTI vs HBDI - Making Sense of Nonsense
Recently I attended a great class hosted by The Learning Tree for "Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving". It was one of the most interesting classes I've taken and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Part of my excitement in the class stemmed from my study of MBTI because one of the outcomes of the class was to receive a packet with our own personal HBDI results. I'd only heard little bits about HBDI, the Herrmann Brain Dominance Indicator, and hadn't paid much attention to it in the past because there aren't really good tests available that aren't done by the HBDI owners, and those cost money.
Prior to the class, everyone had to take the test. As I proceeded through the questions I could see some similarities to MBTI question types, but there were distinct differences. This test forced you to choose priorities. It isn't possible to choose everything with HBDI, so each person has to think carefully about what attributes most fit them.
When I received my HBDI results in the class, I thought they were wrong. Interesting, but wrong.
Without going into too much detail, these results indicate a personality that is triple dominant, which is found in about 34% of participants. It reveals a strong preference for Creative/Intuitive as well as Analytical thinking. Those two were closely followed by Interpersonal preferences and Organizational was the lowest. How could this be? Anyone who knows me says I'm one of the most organized and analytical people they know. How could a brain that is supposedly hard-wired to lean toward "right-brain" tendencies display the opposite in day-to-day life? How could both theories be so widely accepted... and so vastly different?
HBDI goes to great lengths to repeat that preference is NOT equal to competence, but it still made very little sense to me. Wouldn't a person who relied heavily on one part of the brain behave in a manner that fit that tendency? The problem with mine was that they were so evenly distributed that it wasn't entirely clear where the real "winner" was. I was also baffled by the fact that the "D" quadrant (Creative) scored the highest, if only by a couple of points. There are many things that I consider myself to be... but creative wasn't usually at the top of the list. While I have had many, many, MANY different hobbies through the years, I never considered myself very good at them and eventually I would learn what I needed to know about them to be satisfied and I would move on. The few that stick felt more like "cerebral" or emotionally expressive activities to me, not creative activities.
As we proceeded through the class some things began to ring true about this type that was represented on a neat, colorful little graph. I am highly intuitive when problem solving or learning and intuition is tied most closely to the D quadrant. I bought my car because 1) I fell in love with the "space age" dashboard and 2) Because it received high ratings in all the important things. In that order. I bought my appliances because 1) The buttons and knobs had the right tactile feel to them 2) Because they had good reviews and great warranties. In that order. There are other examples, but it seems that when I make every day decisions there is a part of me that insists something be aesthetically pleasing first... and then functional and reliable. If I can't justify my desire for something "nice" with the analytical "will this work" part, the purchase isn't made. It has to be both in equal parts.
When I started looking into my work behavior, I saw it even more. I have always had a tendency to want to think outside the box and find solutions that aren't obvious. To me, the perfect solution to a problem is a thing of beauty. It's elegant. It's always my goal. Oftentimes I just know the answer to something without really understanding how I figured it out because my intuition has put pieces together for me without conscious effort. This is "Creativity" at work.
By the time the class was over I tended to agree with my results but I was still bothered by the seeming lack of consistency between MBTI and HBDI. The analyst mentality kicked in and I started writing. Using the information in the packet that was provided I was able to determine (what others apparently already knew if I had just Googled it) that the four quadrants have a basic correlation to Sensing, Thinking, Feeling and Intuition which are the four basic "functions" of the MBTI world. Introversion and Extroversion impact how those functions manifest themselves, and the order in which they are "preferred" also plays a huge role.
Before I go any deeper into this rabbit hole, I would like to mention that I've always been annoyed by the way MBTI grouped personality types. Using NT/NF/SJ/SP as their baseline always seemed vulgar to my patterned brain. Why not NT/NF/ST/SF? What possible difference could the J/P make when they aren't even tied to the base functions? That question is a key, so hang onto it.
Once I figured out the four quadrants could correlate to MBTI base functions, I started mapping, but I grouped them by the N/S/T/F primarily to accommodate the HBDI.
If we then place each MBTI type into the quadrant of "dominance", where primary Sensors were all in quadrant A, primary Thinkers were in quadrant B and so on, my issue with MBTI seemed to resolve itself. No more with the J/P nonsense, this was beautiful! Here was the initial outline:
But wait... the entire MBTI grouping system was now in jeopardy. What on Earth could an INTJ, INFJ, ENTP and ENFP possibly all have in common... aside from their dominant intuition? What indeed. If I knew more about how actual nerves in the brain were wired I believe it would correspond to what is visible here but that's for another day's research. Do you notice anything about the little arrows that are drawn next to each type? I'll give you a hint: The line starts in the primary function quadrant and the arrow indicates the very last quadrant to be reached, at least in the way that the MBTI functions exist. An INTJ's "thought preference pattern" looks something like this (moving D -> B -> C -> A)
Realistically this would look more like a figure 8 that starts in the D quadrant (there are 8 overall functions for each type but usually on the first 4 are used because the other four are easily plugged in thereafter. A completed INTJ function list would be Ni, Te, Fi, Se, Ne, Ti, Fe, Si). The thing is, not every type has this "figure 8" pattern. Some run clockwise or counter clockwise and they can start in any quadrant. Introversion/Extroversion doesn't come into play until you start applying the characteristics that belong to each type. In other words: How does it manifest?
The only other type that has the same "thought preference pattern" as an INTJ is the ENTP, but on the surface these two types have very little in common as far as behavior are concerned. Scratch just a little bit deeper though and there are some similarities in how they can generate possibilities and grasp big-picture ideas. Both also have a bit of an obnoxiousness to them in stereotypical descriptions.
What does all of this mean? Right now, I am hesitant to jump to conclusions but these are my thoughts as I continue to review:
1. The "Thought preference pattern" for every single "type" both starts and ends in either the Neocortex (quadrants A/D) or the Limbic system (quadrants B/C). It can't be a coincidence that no "patterns" were left/right aligned. This may be tied directly to how the brain is hard-wired.
2. Order matters, a LOT, when reviewing functions... but HBDI doesn't seem well equipped to handle this fact.
3. Dominance matters, a LOT, but MBTI doesn't seem well equipped to handle this fact. (I have not yet determined how reliable the HBDI "dominance" factor lines up with MBTI primary functions, except to note that my own dominant quadrant (D) does in fact line up with my primary MBTI function of Intuition)
4. Competence seems to be a product of environment, will power and practice... variables that are difficult to measure in a "test" environment. Is this "wild card" factor measurable in some way? What does it do to HBDI/MBTI measurements over time?
5. I want to explore the difference in personality manifestations that compare types that are 'cross functional' against those that run clockwise or counterclockwise.
6. Enneagram works at a very subconscious level. Could there be a correlation in these patterns to enneagram types?
7. I really do think the key is in the J/P dichotomy... but where is it found? It seems to be completely ignored in HBDI. Could this area be a manifestation of the "third brain" or "Reptilian" brain that equates to "fight" or "flight"? In a loose sense, maybe "fight" is the J preference and "flight" is the P preference. Maybe...
Prior to the class, everyone had to take the test. As I proceeded through the questions I could see some similarities to MBTI question types, but there were distinct differences. This test forced you to choose priorities. It isn't possible to choose everything with HBDI, so each person has to think carefully about what attributes most fit them.
When I received my HBDI results in the class, I thought they were wrong. Interesting, but wrong.
Without going into too much detail, these results indicate a personality that is triple dominant, which is found in about 34% of participants. It reveals a strong preference for Creative/Intuitive as well as Analytical thinking. Those two were closely followed by Interpersonal preferences and Organizational was the lowest. How could this be? Anyone who knows me says I'm one of the most organized and analytical people they know. How could a brain that is supposedly hard-wired to lean toward "right-brain" tendencies display the opposite in day-to-day life? How could both theories be so widely accepted... and so vastly different?
HBDI goes to great lengths to repeat that preference is NOT equal to competence, but it still made very little sense to me. Wouldn't a person who relied heavily on one part of the brain behave in a manner that fit that tendency? The problem with mine was that they were so evenly distributed that it wasn't entirely clear where the real "winner" was. I was also baffled by the fact that the "D" quadrant (Creative) scored the highest, if only by a couple of points. There are many things that I consider myself to be... but creative wasn't usually at the top of the list. While I have had many, many, MANY different hobbies through the years, I never considered myself very good at them and eventually I would learn what I needed to know about them to be satisfied and I would move on. The few that stick felt more like "cerebral" or emotionally expressive activities to me, not creative activities.
As we proceeded through the class some things began to ring true about this type that was represented on a neat, colorful little graph. I am highly intuitive when problem solving or learning and intuition is tied most closely to the D quadrant. I bought my car because 1) I fell in love with the "space age" dashboard and 2) Because it received high ratings in all the important things. In that order. I bought my appliances because 1) The buttons and knobs had the right tactile feel to them 2) Because they had good reviews and great warranties. In that order. There are other examples, but it seems that when I make every day decisions there is a part of me that insists something be aesthetically pleasing first... and then functional and reliable. If I can't justify my desire for something "nice" with the analytical "will this work" part, the purchase isn't made. It has to be both in equal parts.
When I started looking into my work behavior, I saw it even more. I have always had a tendency to want to think outside the box and find solutions that aren't obvious. To me, the perfect solution to a problem is a thing of beauty. It's elegant. It's always my goal. Oftentimes I just know the answer to something without really understanding how I figured it out because my intuition has put pieces together for me without conscious effort. This is "Creativity" at work.
By the time the class was over I tended to agree with my results but I was still bothered by the seeming lack of consistency between MBTI and HBDI. The analyst mentality kicked in and I started writing. Using the information in the packet that was provided I was able to determine (what others apparently already knew if I had just Googled it) that the four quadrants have a basic correlation to Sensing, Thinking, Feeling and Intuition which are the four basic "functions" of the MBTI world. Introversion and Extroversion impact how those functions manifest themselves, and the order in which they are "preferred" also plays a huge role.
Before I go any deeper into this rabbit hole, I would like to mention that I've always been annoyed by the way MBTI grouped personality types. Using NT/NF/SJ/SP as their baseline always seemed vulgar to my patterned brain. Why not NT/NF/ST/SF? What possible difference could the J/P make when they aren't even tied to the base functions? That question is a key, so hang onto it.
Once I figured out the four quadrants could correlate to MBTI base functions, I started mapping, but I grouped them by the N/S/T/F primarily to accommodate the HBDI.
If we then place each MBTI type into the quadrant of "dominance", where primary Sensors were all in quadrant A, primary Thinkers were in quadrant B and so on, my issue with MBTI seemed to resolve itself. No more with the J/P nonsense, this was beautiful! Here was the initial outline:
But wait... the entire MBTI grouping system was now in jeopardy. What on Earth could an INTJ, INFJ, ENTP and ENFP possibly all have in common... aside from their dominant intuition? What indeed. If I knew more about how actual nerves in the brain were wired I believe it would correspond to what is visible here but that's for another day's research. Do you notice anything about the little arrows that are drawn next to each type? I'll give you a hint: The line starts in the primary function quadrant and the arrow indicates the very last quadrant to be reached, at least in the way that the MBTI functions exist. An INTJ's "thought preference pattern" looks something like this (moving D -> B -> C -> A)
Realistically this would look more like a figure 8 that starts in the D quadrant (there are 8 overall functions for each type but usually on the first 4 are used because the other four are easily plugged in thereafter. A completed INTJ function list would be Ni, Te, Fi, Se, Ne, Ti, Fe, Si). The thing is, not every type has this "figure 8" pattern. Some run clockwise or counter clockwise and they can start in any quadrant. Introversion/Extroversion doesn't come into play until you start applying the characteristics that belong to each type. In other words: How does it manifest?
The only other type that has the same "thought preference pattern" as an INTJ is the ENTP, but on the surface these two types have very little in common as far as behavior are concerned. Scratch just a little bit deeper though and there are some similarities in how they can generate possibilities and grasp big-picture ideas. Both also have a bit of an obnoxiousness to them in stereotypical descriptions.
What does all of this mean? Right now, I am hesitant to jump to conclusions but these are my thoughts as I continue to review:
1. The "Thought preference pattern" for every single "type" both starts and ends in either the Neocortex (quadrants A/D) or the Limbic system (quadrants B/C). It can't be a coincidence that no "patterns" were left/right aligned. This may be tied directly to how the brain is hard-wired.
2. Order matters, a LOT, when reviewing functions... but HBDI doesn't seem well equipped to handle this fact.
3. Dominance matters, a LOT, but MBTI doesn't seem well equipped to handle this fact. (I have not yet determined how reliable the HBDI "dominance" factor lines up with MBTI primary functions, except to note that my own dominant quadrant (D) does in fact line up with my primary MBTI function of Intuition)
4. Competence seems to be a product of environment, will power and practice... variables that are difficult to measure in a "test" environment. Is this "wild card" factor measurable in some way? What does it do to HBDI/MBTI measurements over time?
5. I want to explore the difference in personality manifestations that compare types that are 'cross functional' against those that run clockwise or counterclockwise.
6. Enneagram works at a very subconscious level. Could there be a correlation in these patterns to enneagram types?
7. I really do think the key is in the J/P dichotomy... but where is it found? It seems to be completely ignored in HBDI. Could this area be a manifestation of the "third brain" or "Reptilian" brain that equates to "fight" or "flight"? In a loose sense, maybe "fight" is the J preference and "flight" is the P preference. Maybe...
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Influencing Group Behavior - Part 2
"Guardians"... a formidable name for a formidable group. Associated with the "SJ" personality types, these four identities make up almost half of our population.
In the past I've identified them by small things like:
- Who remembers everyone's birthday?
- Who has a reliable schedule that doesn't often change?
- Who volunteers first?
- Who seems to effortlessly know and meet social expectations?
These people truly are Pillars of Community. They know the rules, know what is expected and work hard at keeping us all on the straight and narrow.
They are perhaps also the type that I least understand from a motivational standpoint, and SFJ's in particular. The priorities they align themselves with seem illogical to me at times, and for the life of me I can't understand the resistance to change. This type often has a blind trust in authority and in established rules that makes me uneasy. If the INTJ mantra is "Does it work" then the SJ community is the wall that we push up against constantly... the wall that says "It doesn't matter, this is how it's done."
That mentality can be endlessly frustrating but I recognize the value that it adds to a society in general. If not for the Guardians, certainly many existing Holidays would no longer be recognizable. Military divisions would not function properly. All of the important "maintenance" type duties in the world would be lost and forgotten as the Artists, Idealists and Rationals ran in every direction with no anchor to bring them back.
I feel it's important for me to learn yet more (always more) about the SJ types because I find myself surrounded by them where I work and they are the majority in most societies. My previous employment at a software development company was primarily dominated by NT's (Rationals). The words I would have used to describe most interactions among a bunch of NT's are probably intellect and mischief. Now that I find myself among many, many SJ types I think the words would change to something more like duty or consistency.
This in no way means that SJ's aren't smart or mischievous, or that NT's aren't responsible or consistent, but the GROUP expectations were very different. The NT's expected others to be on their toes at all times, ready for any clever trick that might be played on someone, or to prove themselves and their arguments when they wanted to change something. We were individuals working on things that interested us and could often bring progress by merging different goals into one. The SJ's seem to expect that there are no individuals. They work as if they are one machine: I'll do my part, and if you do yours then everything will be fine. I find that when it comes to things that impact everyone they have very little sense of humor. Individually they are hilarious, creative, interesting and caring... but when it comes to their environment they are very firm in what is acceptable and what isn't.
In my previous post on "Influencing Group Behavior" I described my Coffee Pot experiment. Yesterday (the day after I posted it) the experiment provided some amazing feedback that I did not expect.
Early yesterday I let one of my coworkers in on the experiment... one that I knew would appreciate the effort. I was warned by this person that my experiment would fail but I remained hopeful. By lunchtime that day, the container that I had placed under the coffee pot to catch the drops of water had completely disappeared from the kitchen. I busted out laughing, knowing that someone had either thrown it away or hidden it. At first I thought my co-conspirator might be playing a joke on me but found out through the grapevine that apparently the office administrator had received numerous emails complaining about the container, wanting to know who had decided on making this change.
Incredulous, I laughed even harder. Was something so tiny as the placement of a container up for group discussion and approval? If this experiment had been done at my previous job, surely someone would have either:
a.) Glued the container to the counter
b.) Turned the container upside down and stuck a sarcastic sign on it
c.) Filled the container with coffee and placed the old coffee pot out of the way to be a smart ass
Now I had to rethink my approach. I had anticipated that some might be confused or slightly annoyed about why this container sat where the wet paper towels had once been... but I didn't expect the influx of actual, formal complaints and complete removal of the container from the kitchen. It felt a bit extreme.
I had a discussion with another coworker about whether or not they had noticed the container. They said yes, and that they were confused about why it had been there. They thought it was gross. (It's an old container but it doesn't touch anything, just sits well under where the water drips) I explained my experiment and then asked what would have made them recognize what it was for. Is the coffee stained container too old and funky looking that it distracts from why it's there? Do I need a different container? Perhaps. The person also said that since it appeared empty there didn't seem to be a reason for it at all. I asked if placing a small bit of water in the bottom of the container would have helped to make the association and they agreed that it would.
I resolved to wait a few days and then try a nice, clean container with a little bit of water in it.
By the end of the day... the old coffee stained pitcher was back again under the coffee pot and I lost my composure yet again. It seems my co-conspirator had located the pitcher and replaced it for me, which will probably aggravate the office administrator. I don't think I would have been bold enough to find it and put it back. I was planning out new tactics to gently lead my friends into an era of change.
I realize now that the only way this will ever work without becoming an all out problem (complete with emails sent out to the entire department to "please not place other things under the coffee pot filter") is to just appeal directly to the coffee drinkers about my desire to "save the rainforest one paper towel at a time", as my conspirator joked. The only path to even a small chance of success is to appeal directly to their desire to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (which I see a LOT of).
While the overall goal of stopping the practice of wadding up paper towels isn't terribly important... I learned a valuable lesson here. Subtle (unapproved) change will not work. They must be given ample time to become aware of and consider the problem, decide on how they feel about it and then to determine whether or not they wish to take action. It's a tediously slow process in my opinion, but this is exactly what makes this group terrific. They are always considering whether the change is truly needed and truly for the best. This is why our societies remain in-tact and traditions stay alive. These people make the world go 'round.
Just make sure that you tell them up front what your intentions are and don't make any rash decisions or they will lash out...
In the past I've identified them by small things like:
- Who remembers everyone's birthday?
- Who has a reliable schedule that doesn't often change?
- Who volunteers first?
- Who seems to effortlessly know and meet social expectations?
These people truly are Pillars of Community. They know the rules, know what is expected and work hard at keeping us all on the straight and narrow.
They are perhaps also the type that I least understand from a motivational standpoint, and SFJ's in particular. The priorities they align themselves with seem illogical to me at times, and for the life of me I can't understand the resistance to change. This type often has a blind trust in authority and in established rules that makes me uneasy. If the INTJ mantra is "Does it work" then the SJ community is the wall that we push up against constantly... the wall that says "It doesn't matter, this is how it's done."
That mentality can be endlessly frustrating but I recognize the value that it adds to a society in general. If not for the Guardians, certainly many existing Holidays would no longer be recognizable. Military divisions would not function properly. All of the important "maintenance" type duties in the world would be lost and forgotten as the Artists, Idealists and Rationals ran in every direction with no anchor to bring them back.
I feel it's important for me to learn yet more (always more) about the SJ types because I find myself surrounded by them where I work and they are the majority in most societies. My previous employment at a software development company was primarily dominated by NT's (Rationals). The words I would have used to describe most interactions among a bunch of NT's are probably intellect and mischief. Now that I find myself among many, many SJ types I think the words would change to something more like duty or consistency.
This in no way means that SJ's aren't smart or mischievous, or that NT's aren't responsible or consistent, but the GROUP expectations were very different. The NT's expected others to be on their toes at all times, ready for any clever trick that might be played on someone, or to prove themselves and their arguments when they wanted to change something. We were individuals working on things that interested us and could often bring progress by merging different goals into one. The SJ's seem to expect that there are no individuals. They work as if they are one machine: I'll do my part, and if you do yours then everything will be fine. I find that when it comes to things that impact everyone they have very little sense of humor. Individually they are hilarious, creative, interesting and caring... but when it comes to their environment they are very firm in what is acceptable and what isn't.
In my previous post on "Influencing Group Behavior" I described my Coffee Pot experiment. Yesterday (the day after I posted it) the experiment provided some amazing feedback that I did not expect.
Early yesterday I let one of my coworkers in on the experiment... one that I knew would appreciate the effort. I was warned by this person that my experiment would fail but I remained hopeful. By lunchtime that day, the container that I had placed under the coffee pot to catch the drops of water had completely disappeared from the kitchen. I busted out laughing, knowing that someone had either thrown it away or hidden it. At first I thought my co-conspirator might be playing a joke on me but found out through the grapevine that apparently the office administrator had received numerous emails complaining about the container, wanting to know who had decided on making this change.
Incredulous, I laughed even harder. Was something so tiny as the placement of a container up for group discussion and approval? If this experiment had been done at my previous job, surely someone would have either:
a.) Glued the container to the counter
b.) Turned the container upside down and stuck a sarcastic sign on it
c.) Filled the container with coffee and placed the old coffee pot out of the way to be a smart ass
Now I had to rethink my approach. I had anticipated that some might be confused or slightly annoyed about why this container sat where the wet paper towels had once been... but I didn't expect the influx of actual, formal complaints and complete removal of the container from the kitchen. It felt a bit extreme.
I had a discussion with another coworker about whether or not they had noticed the container. They said yes, and that they were confused about why it had been there. They thought it was gross. (It's an old container but it doesn't touch anything, just sits well under where the water drips) I explained my experiment and then asked what would have made them recognize what it was for. Is the coffee stained container too old and funky looking that it distracts from why it's there? Do I need a different container? Perhaps. The person also said that since it appeared empty there didn't seem to be a reason for it at all. I asked if placing a small bit of water in the bottom of the container would have helped to make the association and they agreed that it would.
I resolved to wait a few days and then try a nice, clean container with a little bit of water in it.
By the end of the day... the old coffee stained pitcher was back again under the coffee pot and I lost my composure yet again. It seems my co-conspirator had located the pitcher and replaced it for me, which will probably aggravate the office administrator. I don't think I would have been bold enough to find it and put it back. I was planning out new tactics to gently lead my friends into an era of change.
I realize now that the only way this will ever work without becoming an all out problem (complete with emails sent out to the entire department to "please not place other things under the coffee pot filter") is to just appeal directly to the coffee drinkers about my desire to "save the rainforest one paper towel at a time", as my conspirator joked. The only path to even a small chance of success is to appeal directly to their desire to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (which I see a LOT of).
While the overall goal of stopping the practice of wadding up paper towels isn't terribly important... I learned a valuable lesson here. Subtle (unapproved) change will not work. They must be given ample time to become aware of and consider the problem, decide on how they feel about it and then to determine whether or not they wish to take action. It's a tediously slow process in my opinion, but this is exactly what makes this group terrific. They are always considering whether the change is truly needed and truly for the best. This is why our societies remain in-tact and traditions stay alive. These people make the world go 'round.
Just make sure that you tell them up front what your intentions are and don't make any rash decisions or they will lash out...
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Influencing Group Behavior
Group behavior fascinates me. Social expectations and actions can be so easily influenced that I find it surprising and disturbing. There are masters of manipulation in areas of business, marketing and politics who understand the power of words delivered repeatedly and consistently. Modeling behavior that you desire others to mimic can be a powerful tool in building productive work environments. Tapping into subconscious motivations allows retailers to sell more goods as they experiment endlessly on consumers to find the best combination of ambient lighting, sounds and smells to trigger our desire to spend more money. Whether or not we like it, these tactics are being employed all around us. We are bombarded with it and most of us aren't even aware.
It is not a coincidence that the first thing you may see when you enter a food retailer is flowers. Flowers indicate to our subconscious a sense of "freshness" and may trigger feelings of happiness in us. Everything from the width of the isles to the height of the ceiling is deliberately done to make people want to spend more time in the store. My husband and I tried an experiment once after reading some articles about placement of items in grocery stores. The articles asserted that most people turn RIGHT upon entering a grocery store. I realized that I did indeed do this and so we decided to turn left in the store we shopped at from now on. Our grocery bill dropped without conscious effort on our part. You could say that since we expected that outcome, perhaps we just shopped more wisely and consciously... but I swear I felt like I was buying all of the same exact things and our total at the end was less. Try it yourself sometime. Look at where the fruits and vegetables are when you walk into a store... and then head in the opposite direction, making that your final area to shop.
I try to remain vigilant, recognizing when I hear the media pick up on a catch phrase in order to sway public opinion. Where do they originate? It hardly matters. What matters is repetition. If people hear things enough, they start to consider them basic truths. If a certain behavior is seen and picked up by others, soon those others could become a majority and by simple peer pressure, a large percentage of the rest begin to mimic that behavior. Ideas of politeness, political correctness, morality and even "common decency" or "common sense" come in to play.
Call me crazy, but I like to play with these tendencies from time to time. I try to use my experiments for good and everyone should know that while they may be my unwitting test subjects for a week or two, it is done out of mirth and a sincere interest in understanding, not out of malice. I promise that if you have ever been or ever become one of my observations, I still see you as a person and I probably like you too, or you wouldn't be so interesting!
My latest experiment is at work and involves the coffee pot. One day I noticed someone complaining about the wad of paper towels underneath the area where the coffee filter is, meant to catch any droplets after the coffee pot is removed. They mentioned that no one ever thought of simply removing the used coffee grounds from the filter... instead they put down paper towels, and they showed me the used coffee grounds inside the filter holder.
I wondered if this were true and watched for a few weeks. I started emptying the used coffee grounds to see if it stopped the water drops, but really there was still a lot of humidity in the filter holder so it continued to drip water.
I decided to try to get people to unknowingly fix the problem with a solution I would provide.
There is an old, plastic pitcher that sits near the back of the coffee pot on the side. I think it used to be to hold old coffee grounds for someone who did composting. At any rate, I decided this container could be my solution. I started first by emptying out coffee grounds with the container under the filter holder as I moved to the trash in order to keep it from dripping on the floor. I had a couple of "Hey! That's a good idea!" responses. Others noticed but said nothing.
The next stage is the removal of the paper towel ritual. Some are very attached to this process so headway will be slow here. I'm surrounded by a LOT of SJ personalities... Guardians of tradition. Typically this type is slow to endorse change unless they see a good reason for it.
I've started placing the plastic pitcher under the filter holder once the grounds are dumped into the trash and leaving it there to catch the errant drops of water. This will probably annoy some people at first, since now they have to move this object that is so blatantly in the way (... in the same fashion that they had to remove the wet paper towels) before they start a pot of coffee. I will persist. I look forward to the day when I walk into the kitchen and find the plastic pitcher under the filter holder without my having done it. I won't know who my new convert is... but it won't matter. The cycle will have begun. Soon others will begin to see this behavior and I'm convinced that it will catch on.
Soon, not placing the plastic pitcher on the counter under the filter holder will be taboo... like not wiping off the bathroom sink counter after you wash your hands. How can people be so inconsiderate?? ;)
It is not a coincidence that the first thing you may see when you enter a food retailer is flowers. Flowers indicate to our subconscious a sense of "freshness" and may trigger feelings of happiness in us. Everything from the width of the isles to the height of the ceiling is deliberately done to make people want to spend more time in the store. My husband and I tried an experiment once after reading some articles about placement of items in grocery stores. The articles asserted that most people turn RIGHT upon entering a grocery store. I realized that I did indeed do this and so we decided to turn left in the store we shopped at from now on. Our grocery bill dropped without conscious effort on our part. You could say that since we expected that outcome, perhaps we just shopped more wisely and consciously... but I swear I felt like I was buying all of the same exact things and our total at the end was less. Try it yourself sometime. Look at where the fruits and vegetables are when you walk into a store... and then head in the opposite direction, making that your final area to shop.
I try to remain vigilant, recognizing when I hear the media pick up on a catch phrase in order to sway public opinion. Where do they originate? It hardly matters. What matters is repetition. If people hear things enough, they start to consider them basic truths. If a certain behavior is seen and picked up by others, soon those others could become a majority and by simple peer pressure, a large percentage of the rest begin to mimic that behavior. Ideas of politeness, political correctness, morality and even "common decency" or "common sense" come in to play.
Call me crazy, but I like to play with these tendencies from time to time. I try to use my experiments for good and everyone should know that while they may be my unwitting test subjects for a week or two, it is done out of mirth and a sincere interest in understanding, not out of malice. I promise that if you have ever been or ever become one of my observations, I still see you as a person and I probably like you too, or you wouldn't be so interesting!
My latest experiment is at work and involves the coffee pot. One day I noticed someone complaining about the wad of paper towels underneath the area where the coffee filter is, meant to catch any droplets after the coffee pot is removed. They mentioned that no one ever thought of simply removing the used coffee grounds from the filter... instead they put down paper towels, and they showed me the used coffee grounds inside the filter holder.
I wondered if this were true and watched for a few weeks. I started emptying the used coffee grounds to see if it stopped the water drops, but really there was still a lot of humidity in the filter holder so it continued to drip water.
I decided to try to get people to unknowingly fix the problem with a solution I would provide.
There is an old, plastic pitcher that sits near the back of the coffee pot on the side. I think it used to be to hold old coffee grounds for someone who did composting. At any rate, I decided this container could be my solution. I started first by emptying out coffee grounds with the container under the filter holder as I moved to the trash in order to keep it from dripping on the floor. I had a couple of "Hey! That's a good idea!" responses. Others noticed but said nothing.
The next stage is the removal of the paper towel ritual. Some are very attached to this process so headway will be slow here. I'm surrounded by a LOT of SJ personalities... Guardians of tradition. Typically this type is slow to endorse change unless they see a good reason for it.
I've started placing the plastic pitcher under the filter holder once the grounds are dumped into the trash and leaving it there to catch the errant drops of water. This will probably annoy some people at first, since now they have to move this object that is so blatantly in the way (... in the same fashion that they had to remove the wet paper towels) before they start a pot of coffee. I will persist. I look forward to the day when I walk into the kitchen and find the plastic pitcher under the filter holder without my having done it. I won't know who my new convert is... but it won't matter. The cycle will have begun. Soon others will begin to see this behavior and I'm convinced that it will catch on.
Soon, not placing the plastic pitcher on the counter under the filter holder will be taboo... like not wiping off the bathroom sink counter after you wash your hands. How can people be so inconsiderate?? ;)
Saturday, July 19, 2014
If an INTJ sleeps in the woods...
...I just know there's a joke in there somewhere.
Last week I took a "vacation". I know I'm not the only one who comes back from their "vacation" feeling more tired than when they left, but this particular vacation was not one I'll be repeating any time soon.
Unless you're a Scout leader, chances are you haven't ever taken a half dozen kids (and a dog) camping. Even if you have, you probably didn't drive for 14+ hours to reach your destination before hand. If you can claim Yes and Yes to both of those statements then by all means, read no further. We are already bonded... kindred spirits in the shared experiences of this life, and even though I'm not really "a hugger", I'd probably give you one.
Don't misunderstand me... the kids were very well behaved. The dog surpassed even my wildest expectations of good behavior. The problem wasn't with them at all - it was with me.
I started with an upbeat attitude weeks before we left, making my lists and checking them twice - like Christmas in July! That was fun.
Then came the packing. That was also kind of fun since I could use my checklists and cross things off as I went. Very satisfying stuff there.
On then, to the driving. I dislike driving. Since we had two vehicles with us, both my husband and I had to drive the entire distance, and without each other's company. (That isn't entirely true. We actually took walkie-talkie's with us and used them shamelessly for small talk, jokes, I love you's and navigation.) We did stop half way to camp so we could rest overnight but that turned out about as well as one would expect:
"Let's stop, unpack the vehicles, set up the tent, unroll all of the sleeping bags, blow up air mattresses and try to sleep with 8 people and a dog in one small space before waking up, tearing everything down, re-packing the vehicles and taking off again." I don't think anyone slept that night.
The next day we finished our journey by going to a grocery store near the camp ground and buying food for the 8 of us for 3 days. You wouldn't believe how much food that is for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vehicles that were already overloaded with stuff somehow found room for a shopping cart full of food before finishing the trek to the campsite. My husband is a packing genius.
Finally! It's time to relax! Hahahahahahahaha! Yeah right.
Unload the vehicles, set up the tents, start the fire, blow up air mattresses (... we have no electricity? bah), cook dinner, clean up, BS with family until 3:30 AM. Wait, what? It's 3:30?? Oh jeez, we need to go to sleep!
[Lay down... wake up at 6am, unable to sleep any longer and go build up the fire for breakfast]
By this time, I'm going on two nights of almost zero sleep in addition to driving a very long distance but somehow I manage to rally and stay awake all day, even if I'm not very motivated. My sister's fiance slow grilled the chicken for about 6 hours that day while my over-tired brain started running rampant.
There were signs in the restroom/shower area that warned about leaving food in anything but vehicles because bears are very common in the state park. In my sleep-deprived state of mind, I started to see disaster everywhere.
Don't spill the bacon grease onto the ground! Are you crazy?
This chicken smell is going to bring them in for sure.
STOP EATING THE LEFTOVER CHICKEN! GO WASH YOUR HANDS! Why don't we just smear the children with chicken to make sure the bears find them? Rub it on the tents why don't we?
All in all I hope I managed to keep most of those thoughts to myself but I'm sure some slipped out. I think my sisters thought I was nuts by the end of the day. I cleaned up food related items like a boss for most of the afternoon and evening. No time to visit. Must clean. Bears will come. Bears.
I tried to go to sleep "early" at around 9:00 PM. There were probably 4-5 instances of jolting awake in an adrenaline induced panic throughout the night.
What is that sound? Oh... it's raccoons.
What is that sound? Oh... it isn't growling, it's someone snoring. I wish I was snoring.
What is that sound? Oh... wait, I don't hear anything at all...
It was a terrible night and when we finally woke up in the morning, it was raining and I was nearing hysteria from lack of sleep. We ended up taking down our tent that morning and went to reserve a hotel to stay in for the last night before we were to drive back home.
Writing all of this after being home for a few days and getting some sleep makes me laugh, but at the time my poor mind was in survival mode. I regret that there was little to no actual "vacation" involved and that I didn't spend nearly as much time with my family as I wanted to. A rare opportunity to get everyone together was almost lost in the fog of my sleepy memories. Really not happy about that and a different sort of vacation will be in order soon to make up for it.
I completely underestimated how little I would be able to sleep with so many kids to be responsible for. When we are all in one tent, everyone kept everyone awake. When the kids had their own tent, I worried about whether or not they were OK. It was a lose-lose situation.
Next time we vacation, there will be beds, and blankets. There will be a stove that works even when it's raining. There will be rest. I am not new to camping, but this was a whole new level. Never again.
If anyone is interested in buying some camping gear, I know where you can get some stuff at a great price! I'd be willing to trade for say... an RV?
LOL
Last week I took a "vacation". I know I'm not the only one who comes back from their "vacation" feeling more tired than when they left, but this particular vacation was not one I'll be repeating any time soon.
Unless you're a Scout leader, chances are you haven't ever taken a half dozen kids (and a dog) camping. Even if you have, you probably didn't drive for 14+ hours to reach your destination before hand. If you can claim Yes and Yes to both of those statements then by all means, read no further. We are already bonded... kindred spirits in the shared experiences of this life, and even though I'm not really "a hugger", I'd probably give you one.
Don't misunderstand me... the kids were very well behaved. The dog surpassed even my wildest expectations of good behavior. The problem wasn't with them at all - it was with me.
I started with an upbeat attitude weeks before we left, making my lists and checking them twice - like Christmas in July! That was fun.
Then came the packing. That was also kind of fun since I could use my checklists and cross things off as I went. Very satisfying stuff there.
On then, to the driving. I dislike driving. Since we had two vehicles with us, both my husband and I had to drive the entire distance, and without each other's company. (That isn't entirely true. We actually took walkie-talkie's with us and used them shamelessly for small talk, jokes, I love you's and navigation.) We did stop half way to camp so we could rest overnight but that turned out about as well as one would expect:
"Let's stop, unpack the vehicles, set up the tent, unroll all of the sleeping bags, blow up air mattresses and try to sleep with 8 people and a dog in one small space before waking up, tearing everything down, re-packing the vehicles and taking off again." I don't think anyone slept that night.
The next day we finished our journey by going to a grocery store near the camp ground and buying food for the 8 of us for 3 days. You wouldn't believe how much food that is for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vehicles that were already overloaded with stuff somehow found room for a shopping cart full of food before finishing the trek to the campsite. My husband is a packing genius.
Finally! It's time to relax! Hahahahahahahaha! Yeah right.
Unload the vehicles, set up the tents, start the fire, blow up air mattresses (... we have no electricity? bah), cook dinner, clean up, BS with family until 3:30 AM. Wait, what? It's 3:30?? Oh jeez, we need to go to sleep!
[Lay down... wake up at 6am, unable to sleep any longer and go build up the fire for breakfast]
By this time, I'm going on two nights of almost zero sleep in addition to driving a very long distance but somehow I manage to rally and stay awake all day, even if I'm not very motivated. My sister's fiance slow grilled the chicken for about 6 hours that day while my over-tired brain started running rampant.
There were signs in the restroom/shower area that warned about leaving food in anything but vehicles because bears are very common in the state park. In my sleep-deprived state of mind, I started to see disaster everywhere.
Don't spill the bacon grease onto the ground! Are you crazy?
This chicken smell is going to bring them in for sure.
STOP EATING THE LEFTOVER CHICKEN! GO WASH YOUR HANDS! Why don't we just smear the children with chicken to make sure the bears find them? Rub it on the tents why don't we?
All in all I hope I managed to keep most of those thoughts to myself but I'm sure some slipped out. I think my sisters thought I was nuts by the end of the day. I cleaned up food related items like a boss for most of the afternoon and evening. No time to visit. Must clean. Bears will come. Bears.
I tried to go to sleep "early" at around 9:00 PM. There were probably 4-5 instances of jolting awake in an adrenaline induced panic throughout the night.
What is that sound? Oh... it's raccoons.
What is that sound? Oh... it isn't growling, it's someone snoring. I wish I was snoring.
What is that sound? Oh... wait, I don't hear anything at all...
It was a terrible night and when we finally woke up in the morning, it was raining and I was nearing hysteria from lack of sleep. We ended up taking down our tent that morning and went to reserve a hotel to stay in for the last night before we were to drive back home.
Writing all of this after being home for a few days and getting some sleep makes me laugh, but at the time my poor mind was in survival mode. I regret that there was little to no actual "vacation" involved and that I didn't spend nearly as much time with my family as I wanted to. A rare opportunity to get everyone together was almost lost in the fog of my sleepy memories. Really not happy about that and a different sort of vacation will be in order soon to make up for it.
I completely underestimated how little I would be able to sleep with so many kids to be responsible for. When we are all in one tent, everyone kept everyone awake. When the kids had their own tent, I worried about whether or not they were OK. It was a lose-lose situation.
Next time we vacation, there will be beds, and blankets. There will be a stove that works even when it's raining. There will be rest. I am not new to camping, but this was a whole new level. Never again.
If anyone is interested in buying some camping gear, I know where you can get some stuff at a great price! I'd be willing to trade for say... an RV?
LOL
Friday, July 4, 2014
Idle INTJ Intellect - Let the Chaos and Creativity Commence!
I don't know if I've ever uttered the words "I'm bored" when not at work. Perhaps when I was little I might have tried to use it on my Mother with specific results in mind. (A trip to get ice cream or a new She-Ra toy? Heck yeah!) Aside from that though, I don't think I can recall a single time when I've actually been bored in my entire life... unless I was at work.
At home, this way of finding something to do results in "hobbies" that are on a never-ending rotation with no real results or mastery. I play guitar (horribly), I paint (even more horribly), I sing, write, organize, build, fix, bake, swim, practice Kung Fu... each with varying degrees of success. They rise and fall from my attention and lay dormant until I decide that I need to use one of them for an outlet, almost obsessively, for a short period of time. I pounce with intensity and enthusiasm, knowing that this time I will master it... finish it... excel at it. For a while I am free from my mind, indulging in sensory related activities, eagerly pulling everything I can from life's experiences. The sensory overload invigorates my creativity and curiosity. It's a blast. I have always equated it to what my dog must feel like when she escapes from the back yard to run amok around the neighborhood. She knows she'll have to come back home... but damn it she's going to have fun while it lasts. External things will all be forgotten again when that time to "go back home" arrives but until then, my mind is on a free-for-all.
Then, that shiny new mental playground I was waiting for presents itself, like a beacon... like a favorite drug. Hopefully this new idea is work-related, because if it isn't, a whole other side of me appears.
Nothing is worse for me than workplace boredom. From "9-5" I am expected to do something productive. I can't spend all day reading or writing or playing an instrument. I have a job to do, and when that job becomes boring, easy or tedious, things get weird.
When I don't have a complex problem to dedicate my mind to, my brain creates complex problems... simply because it wants to. I start analyzing people, motives, weather patterns, fictional characters, traffic, natural disasters, cereal ingredients... the list goes on forever. At the end of it all there is this overwhelming need to take action and so I plant seeds. Who knows which random idea will sprout into my next big problem to solve? I seem to have plenty of mental space to perform whatever routine work task I am assigned to and still daydream about all of these crazy ideas at the same time. This is the controlled version of my boredom where I provide strict rules about what is available for contemplation, and what isn't.
When I was younger this type of boredom did all kinds of bad things to me and had a way of spurring a whirlwind of mischief. I didn't have any rules in place; there were no boundaries of what could be acted upon. Before I learned my lesson, things could unravel very quickly as I started sticking my nose into areas that weren't mine to know about. I would start making recommendations that were never asked for when I found flaws. I mentally tallied whether or not we (the company) were making progress and how... and why. I quietly resented those who had important things to work on that I was not involved in.
As I became more aware of this tendency, I realized how detrimental it was to my career and even possibly to the company itself. My curiosity could derail a project or goal in a heartbeat if I started tearing it apart, fault by fault. The process of dismantling an idea, one that I find entertaining and valuable in all situations, others see as negativity... as meddlesome. Plenty of times, a single, pointed question that has lurked in my mind for days as I watched things unfolding has thrown a wrench in others' well-laid plans. I had no concept of weighing whether or not my input was even needed... of course it was needed! Something was wrong! Wouldn't they want to know as soon as possible about this problem so they could address it?
It took me a long time to realize that even imperfect plans could still turn out well. Projects with a few blips and bumps along the way were not doomed to failure. My way is not always the best way. While others might not lay out the full plan ahead of time, they are still very likely to make it to the end. My husband is an enigma to me in this way. The man is brilliant, and can fly by the seat of his pants with startling success. His form of interacting with the world is much more reactive, but no less valid. He is just as nimble at changing direction if something isn't working, but he doesn't know until that moment of discovery that he needs a new plan, or what it will be! To me, that mentality is mind-boggling. It almost gives me anxiety to think of living like that (hahaha!... no really).
Experience has shown me that I should use my talents for good and not for evil. There is a fine line between offering helpful, timely advise and being destructive. I can't lie... something perverse in me really loves knowing that one single sentence can inflict mortal wounds to brilliant ideas, like a sledgehammer aimed at the minuscule crack in a beautiful, marble statue. One good whack and the whole thing will crumble. It is a sick mind of the INTJ that sees nothing but possibility and fun in the splintered pieces laying all about when the dust settles because it means everything can be reassembled "correctly". This tendency horrifies and angers others and if I'm quite honest, it isn't usually necessary to that extent.
Since I'm not usually surrounded by others with this same mental sickness (heh) I have had to learn how to offer helpful information and restrain myself from being overly critical. Sometimes it is terribly hard to do but I've made progress in this area.
I'm not entirely sure, but I would bet a hefty sum that a lot of INTJ's have had experiences similar to what I describe. Perhaps you figured it out sooner than I did, and if so you have my admiration. The desire to point out flaws seems so ingrained in who I am that it takes a lot of effort and self-control just to keep my mouth shut. I've developed a sort of mental checklist that helps me decide whether or not I should get involved:
1. "Will this information be well received?"
If the answer is no, then I ask another...
2. "Will this information make the difference between success and failure?"
If the answer is no then one more is required...
3. "Will they discover this information on their own with time to resolve it?"
If the answer isn't a resounding yes, then I decide that I should at least mention it to someone who can weigh it into existing plans.
In this way, I have learned how to direct and control the results of my mental boredom. Sometimes I'm sure I still slip and put in my two cents where it isn't needed, but these are hopefully small things, done in passing and if others choose to hear them and take notice (or not) then it isn't very important.
End Note: If you managed to get through this entire post without thinking "What an arrogant ass" then you must be another INTJ or an ENTJ. Even I think I sound like a jerk when I re-read it, but it's all accurate in how I work and live so I suppose it can't be sugar-coated. After all... isn't providing accurate information my ultimate end-goal in life? lol Once I get the world figured out and have the cosmos properly organized perhaps we can have a BBQ and discuss how right we always are about things. Maybe you can live on the Island of Rational Thinkers with us when we conquer it. It will be a splendid place, teeming with book stores and rum. On my island... the rum will never be gone. Join us.
At home, this way of finding something to do results in "hobbies" that are on a never-ending rotation with no real results or mastery. I play guitar (horribly), I paint (even more horribly), I sing, write, organize, build, fix, bake, swim, practice Kung Fu... each with varying degrees of success. They rise and fall from my attention and lay dormant until I decide that I need to use one of them for an outlet, almost obsessively, for a short period of time. I pounce with intensity and enthusiasm, knowing that this time I will master it... finish it... excel at it. For a while I am free from my mind, indulging in sensory related activities, eagerly pulling everything I can from life's experiences. The sensory overload invigorates my creativity and curiosity. It's a blast. I have always equated it to what my dog must feel like when she escapes from the back yard to run amok around the neighborhood. She knows she'll have to come back home... but damn it she's going to have fun while it lasts. External things will all be forgotten again when that time to "go back home" arrives but until then, my mind is on a free-for-all.
Then, that shiny new mental playground I was waiting for presents itself, like a beacon... like a favorite drug. Hopefully this new idea is work-related, because if it isn't, a whole other side of me appears.
Nothing is worse for me than workplace boredom. From "9-5" I am expected to do something productive. I can't spend all day reading or writing or playing an instrument. I have a job to do, and when that job becomes boring, easy or tedious, things get weird.
When I don't have a complex problem to dedicate my mind to, my brain creates complex problems... simply because it wants to. I start analyzing people, motives, weather patterns, fictional characters, traffic, natural disasters, cereal ingredients... the list goes on forever. At the end of it all there is this overwhelming need to take action and so I plant seeds. Who knows which random idea will sprout into my next big problem to solve? I seem to have plenty of mental space to perform whatever routine work task I am assigned to and still daydream about all of these crazy ideas at the same time. This is the controlled version of my boredom where I provide strict rules about what is available for contemplation, and what isn't.
When I was younger this type of boredom did all kinds of bad things to me and had a way of spurring a whirlwind of mischief. I didn't have any rules in place; there were no boundaries of what could be acted upon. Before I learned my lesson, things could unravel very quickly as I started sticking my nose into areas that weren't mine to know about. I would start making recommendations that were never asked for when I found flaws. I mentally tallied whether or not we (the company) were making progress and how... and why. I quietly resented those who had important things to work on that I was not involved in.
As I became more aware of this tendency, I realized how detrimental it was to my career and even possibly to the company itself. My curiosity could derail a project or goal in a heartbeat if I started tearing it apart, fault by fault. The process of dismantling an idea, one that I find entertaining and valuable in all situations, others see as negativity... as meddlesome. Plenty of times, a single, pointed question that has lurked in my mind for days as I watched things unfolding has thrown a wrench in others' well-laid plans. I had no concept of weighing whether or not my input was even needed... of course it was needed! Something was wrong! Wouldn't they want to know as soon as possible about this problem so they could address it?
It took me a long time to realize that even imperfect plans could still turn out well. Projects with a few blips and bumps along the way were not doomed to failure. My way is not always the best way. While others might not lay out the full plan ahead of time, they are still very likely to make it to the end. My husband is an enigma to me in this way. The man is brilliant, and can fly by the seat of his pants with startling success. His form of interacting with the world is much more reactive, but no less valid. He is just as nimble at changing direction if something isn't working, but he doesn't know until that moment of discovery that he needs a new plan, or what it will be! To me, that mentality is mind-boggling. It almost gives me anxiety to think of living like that (hahaha!... no really).
Experience has shown me that I should use my talents for good and not for evil. There is a fine line between offering helpful, timely advise and being destructive. I can't lie... something perverse in me really loves knowing that one single sentence can inflict mortal wounds to brilliant ideas, like a sledgehammer aimed at the minuscule crack in a beautiful, marble statue. One good whack and the whole thing will crumble. It is a sick mind of the INTJ that sees nothing but possibility and fun in the splintered pieces laying all about when the dust settles because it means everything can be reassembled "correctly". This tendency horrifies and angers others and if I'm quite honest, it isn't usually necessary to that extent.
Since I'm not usually surrounded by others with this same mental sickness (heh) I have had to learn how to offer helpful information and restrain myself from being overly critical. Sometimes it is terribly hard to do but I've made progress in this area.
I'm not entirely sure, but I would bet a hefty sum that a lot of INTJ's have had experiences similar to what I describe. Perhaps you figured it out sooner than I did, and if so you have my admiration. The desire to point out flaws seems so ingrained in who I am that it takes a lot of effort and self-control just to keep my mouth shut. I've developed a sort of mental checklist that helps me decide whether or not I should get involved:
1. "Will this information be well received?"
If the answer is no, then I ask another...
2. "Will this information make the difference between success and failure?"
If the answer is no then one more is required...
3. "Will they discover this information on their own with time to resolve it?"
If the answer isn't a resounding yes, then I decide that I should at least mention it to someone who can weigh it into existing plans.
In this way, I have learned how to direct and control the results of my mental boredom. Sometimes I'm sure I still slip and put in my two cents where it isn't needed, but these are hopefully small things, done in passing and if others choose to hear them and take notice (or not) then it isn't very important.
End Note: If you managed to get through this entire post without thinking "What an arrogant ass" then you must be another INTJ or an ENTJ. Even I think I sound like a jerk when I re-read it, but it's all accurate in how I work and live so I suppose it can't be sugar-coated. After all... isn't providing accurate information my ultimate end-goal in life? lol Once I get the world figured out and have the cosmos properly organized perhaps we can have a BBQ and discuss how right we always are about things. Maybe you can live on the Island of Rational Thinkers with us when we conquer it. It will be a splendid place, teeming with book stores and rum. On my island... the rum will never be gone. Join us.
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