Kosciusko Leadership Academy Cadets Jeff Gill, Grace College and Pam Galloway, retired Surgeon and Congresswoman discuss Myers Briggs Type Indicator with presenter and KLA Moderator Allyn Decker, Grace College.

By: Joni Truex
KLA Public Information Director

Members of the Kosciusko Leadership Academy met at the Bowen Center and were welcomed by Tim Nussbaum and Huntter Randall, KLA graduates and Bowen Center employees.

This session focused on personality and leadership style, using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. The session was presented by Allyn Decker, KLA Moderator. The KLA Cadets were asked to choose between two descriptors in order to identify one of the types as their closest preference. Through examples and pre-testing, the Cadets learned which of the type descriptors most closely resembled their preferences for making decisions and interacting.

Many people have taken the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. The results can be very descriptive and true to your personal preferences for decision making and interacting. The indicators can also be enlightening or even inconclusive. The indicator results report some of your key preferences, tendencies, and characteristics, but not all of them. The cadets were informed that there are several concepts for consideration.

The titles or names for each of the descriptors are the label chosen by the creators of the indicator, and can sometimes cause confusion. There can also be differing results dependent upon whether your responses are based on work or home life. Typically, the recommendation is to answer based on your home personality, not on work, how you want to respond, or your ideal of how a person should be.

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is an important tool for those in leadership positions. Understanding different approaches to decision making can be a beneficial tool in the workplace. For instance, the extravert may not understand why the introvert does not respond quickly when asked for input at a brain storming session. The introvert, on the other hand, may not understand why the extravert is compelled to share every idea that enters their mind. Neither approach is wrong, just different. The same is true for the other descriptors. Understanding the different approaches to problem solving and thought process is an important leadership skill.

The next KLA session will be held on Oct. 8, at the city of Warsaw Police Department for city, county and state government.

KLA is a not for profit organization devoted to serving Kosciusko County by encouraging leaders and future leaders to dream and create a better community through white paper projects.