How good is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for predicting leadership-related behaviors?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a popular tool used by psychologists working as managers' coaches in organizational contexts. Despite its popularity, few studies provide empirical evidence on the role of the MBTI as a predictor of managers' leadership-related behaviors. This article is written based on research that answers the question of how good the MBTI is to prove leadership behavior. It does so by comparing goodness-of-fit indexes of two confirmatory factor analysis models and two structural models on the personality-leadership relationship, following standards of reproducible research principles. We sampled 529 participants who were graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in business administration programs from Colombian universities. Results show conclusive evidence of the psychometric measurement of both MBTI and leadership practices, even though the relationship between MBTI and the leadership practices inventory proved to be weak.

Perfil MBTI e a Tipologia dos Quatro Temperamentos: relações possíveis entre cargos de gestão e não gestão / MBTI Profile and the Four Temperament Typology: possible relationships between management and non-management positions / Perfil MBTI y la tipología de cuatro temperamentos: posibles relaciones entre puestos gerenciales y no gerenciales

A presente pesquisa objetivou avaliar a existência de um perfil de personalidade e de temperamento que possa ser associado aos ocupantes de cargos de gestão. Para isso foi realizada a análise documentária de 240.233 protocolos do MBTI, do banco de dados da empresa representante da ferramenta no Brasil, emitidos no período de 2007 a 2015. Como a base de dados para este estudo foi documental, não houve necessidade de submetê-lo ao Comitê de Ética, mas apenas da autorização expressa da empresa. Para a análise do temperamento, utilizou-se a teoria de David Keirsey por permitir sua associação com o MBTI. Da totalidade de protocolos analisados, 12,55% ocupavam algum cargo de gestão quando avaliados. Os resultados apontaram que as tipologias de personalidade ESTJ (Extrovertido, Sensorial, Racional, Julgador) e ISTJ (Introvertido, Sensorial, Racional, Julgador) e o temperamento Guardião são as que mais se destacam para todos os tipos de cargos. Conclui-se que não há uma tipologia ou um de temperamento que diferencie pessoas que ocupam cargos de gestão das que não ocupam, porém, há tipologias e temperamentos mais frequentemente observados para os profissionais de diversos cargos.

The present research aims to evaluate the existence of profiles from personality and temperament which can be associated with the occupants of management positions. In order to understand this relation, a documentary analysis has been made using 240,233 MBTI protocols, which represents the database of the company that owns the tool in Brazil from the period of 2007 to 2015. The theory of David Keirsey was used for this purpose and according to the characteristics of this study and the rules of the Ethics Committee, only the express authorization of the company was needed. The results indicate the ESTJ (Extroverted, Sensory, Rational, Judging) and ISTJ (Introverted, Sensory, Rational, Judging) personality typologies and the Guardian temperament are the ones that stand out the most for all types of positions and also 12.55% of the people analyzed in protocols occupied some management position. The conclusion presented there are no typology or temperament profiles that differentiate people who occupy management positions from those who do not. However, there are typologies and temperaments more frequently observed for professionals in different positions.

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo evaluar la existencia de un perfil de personalidad y temperamento que puede asociarse a los ocupantes de los puestos de dirección. Para ello, se realizó un análisis documental de 240.233 protocolos MBTI de la base de datos de la empresa representante de la herramienta en Brasil, emitidos en el periodo de 2007 a 2015. Como la base de datos de este estudio era documental, no fue necesario presentarla al Comité de Ética, solamente de la autorización expresa de la empresa. Para el análisis del temperamento, se utilizó la teoría de David Keirsey porque permite su asociación con el MBTI. De todos los protocolos analizados, 12,55% ocupaba algún cargo directivo en el momento de la evaluación. Los resultados señalaron que las tipologías de personalidad ESTJ (Extrovertida, Sensorial, Racional, Juiciosa) e ISTJ (Introvertida, Sensorial, Racional, Juiciosa) y el temperamento Guardián son los más destacados para todos los tipos de trabajo. Se concluye que no existe una tipología o un temperamento que diferencie a las personas que ocupan cargos directivos de las que no lo hacen, sin embargo, hay tipologías y temperamentos que se observan con mayor frecuencia para profesionales de diversos cargos.

Tipos Psicológicos y Estilos de Aprendizaje en Estudiantes de la Carrera de Odontología en la Universidad de La Frontera, Chile / Psychological Types and Learning Styles in Students of the Dental Graduation Program at Universidad de La Frontera, Chile

RESUMEN: El objetivo fue establecer los tipos psicológicos y estilos de aprendizaje de los estudiantes que cursaron de primer a sexto año de la Carrera de Odontología de la Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile. Se realizó un diseño cualitativo, correlacional, descriptivo y transeccional estableciendo la existencia de correlación entre los tipos psicológicos, sexo y nivel curricular aplicando dos instrumentos: tipos psicológicos de Myers y Briggs forma M versión español (MBTI, 2012) y el Inventario de Estilos de Aprendizaje de Kolb (IEA de Kolb). Se incluyeron 372 sujetos, 208 (56 %) del sexo femenino y 164 (44 %) del sexo masculino. Según el estilo de aprendizaje, los sujetos se caracterizaron mayoritariamente por ser divergentes (63 % de la muestra), seguido del grupo acomodador (26 % de la muestra) y finalmente le siguieron el grupo asimilador y convergente con un 8 % y 3 % respectivamente. Al avanzar de nivel curricular e ingresar en las asignaturas de clínicas odontológicas y tratar con pacientes, el tipo psicológico cambió gradualmente con predominancia de la dimensión extroversión e incremento de la dimensión Juicio a un ESTJ. El estilo de aprendizaje en los niveles cuarto, quinto y sexto fue más divergente para finalizar con un estiloacomodador en los estudiantes de sexto año. Se puede concluir que los tipos psicológicos y estilos de aprendizaje no fueron homogéneos en los distintos niveles curriculares.

ABSTRACT: The aim was to establish the psychological types and learning styles of the students between the first to sixth year of the Graduation Program in Dentistry at the University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile. A qualitative, correlational, descriptive and transectional design was made to observe the existence of correlation between the psychological types, sex and curricular level applying two instruments: psychological types of Myers and Briggs form M Spanish version (MBTI, 2012) and the Inventory of Styles of Learning from Kolb (IEA of Kolb). Were included 372 subjects, 208 (56 %) female and 164 (44 %) male. According to the learning style, the subjects were characterized mainly by divergent (63 % of the sample), followed by the accommodating group (26 % of the sample) and finally followed by the assimilating and convergent group with 8 % and 3 % respectively. In more advance curricular level, mainly at dental clinics level and dealing with patients, the psychological type gradually changed with predominance of the extroversion dimension and increase of the Judgment dimension to an ESTJ. The learning style at the fourth, fifth and sixth levels was more divergent to end with an accommodating style in sixth grade students. It can be concluded that the psychological types and learning styles were not homogeneous at the different curricular levels.