Do Introverts and Extraverts make the best match?

I was having a conversation yesterday with a friend about personality and dating.  My friend, let's call him Nick (for the purposes of this blog), made a comment that I can't seem to get out of my mind, "I'm an Introvert...so I need to find/be with an Extravert.  That's my best match."  Nick (a T on the MBTI) also said that he didn't want to date someone who was a "T" in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).  Fortunately for Nick, 75% of women are an "F."

What struck me though was the fact that he was looking for the opposite of himself and truly felt like that would be his best match.

But, is it?

At the time I understood where he was coming from.  But, again...is it always better to have the opposite?  I'm not sure if I have the answer to that.  I've been pondering it all morning.  As an Extravert I think that my best match has always been another Extravert.  Not just for the obvious social aspects, but also because of the differentiation on a few other nuances of that dimension as well.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Could it be? Windows 8? The most significant shift in computing since the Macintosh?

So, I’m on my second flight of the day and I have nothing to read while we are “preparing for take-off,” because everything I have in my possession is electronic (I guess there is still a need for paper products but that’s an entirely different blog).  I could have sat here patiently (yes here, I’m writing this in flight), but after getting “off” caffeine I decided to have a large mug of coffee this morning and a Coke on the first airplane ride of the day (I knew it would be a long day and I had to be productive, and given my propensity to sleep on airplanes I somehow thought an overdose of caffeine would be a good idea).  As a result (for better or worse), I was sitting here, a bit wired, and in need of something to do while I waited to take my computer out to get some work done. 

I believe I have two options:  Skymall and the airline magazine.  I could strike up a conversation with the gentleman next to me but he has a book (he came prepared) and I’m not much to communicate on the plane anyway.  I choose the airline magazine.  I’m flipping through the myriad of ads and boring articles when I come across an article about Microsoft and Windows 8.  I turn the page thinking that this article sounded as boring as the rest, when I come across the large quote on the back side of the page, “Microsoft’s new Windows OS could usher in the most significant shift in how we use computers since Apple launched the Macintosh in 1984.”  Having just watched the Steve Jobs documentary only two days ago this quote really spoke to me.  I read the article. 

Could it be?  Could Windows 8 really revolutionize the way we all work and relate to our computers and mobile devices?  I have to admit…the thought of that excites me and scares me all at the same time.  I’m a die hard PC user (I do own an iPod and iPad but you couldn't pay me to trade my PC for a MAC…sorry Apple folks).  Scared, because I am very efficient navigating my PC and hate the thought of that changing because someone (Microsoft) decided they have a better way of doing things.  However, I’m not completely opposed to change and the new collection of systems appeals to me.  Especially their tablet.  They don’t really talk about the new tablet in much detail but there is a picture of it in the article and it appears that the very thin cover of the tablet folds out into a keyboard that lays flat on the desktop surface (while a small lever stands the tablet up so you can see it as you would a laptop).  Or maybe this isn't just a “tablet” at all but a replacement to laptops all together!!  Could it be?  ONE “machine” that can be your day-to-day and mobile piece of equipment to work and play on? 

Hmmm…I was just thinking about how I wish I had an upgraded version of the iPad (I have the original with no camera and no 3G, by choice) but now I think I’ll wait to see what all the buzz is about with this new Microsoft 8 suite of products. 

If anyone knows more about this new release please share…I’m anxiously awaiting more details!

  

Job Seekers asking for FB passwords?

If you were at a job interview and they asked you for your FB password, would you give it to them?  Do you think that employers should be able to have access to your private, personal, social networking site?  Do you think that it's appropriate?  Would you want to work for a company that did that?

Check out this article.  Bassett withdrew his application when he was asked for his login credentials during an interview.  Job Seekers Getting Asked Facebook Passwords  However, others feel it's in the company's right to look at potential applicant's FB profiles.

Answer this question before you read my thought on the matter below:  What would you do?

Think about your FaceBook profile, who your friends are, what you've posted, what others have posted.  Would you feel comfortable letting a potential future employer see what's on there?  If you said 'no' then we know the answer to the first question.  But what if you said YES?  Would you give it to them, even if you knew there wouldn't be anything on there that would prevent you from getting the position?  Or would you do what Bassett did?

MY THOUGHTS:
I think it's inappropriate.  There are so many rules in place about what you are allowed or not allowed to ask in an interview (or information you are allowed to use or not use) in terms of making a hiring decision.  I just don't see how anything that can be retrieved from a FB profile can be related to "job performance."  If you can't prove that it predicts job performance, than you shouldn't be using it.  Period.  Just because it's on the internet, doesn't mean it's public information available to future employers.  That's why there is a password!  What people do with their friends and families on their own time has nothing to do with work performance.

During my employment at a government agency where we conducted extensive background checks on potential employees who would be carrying guns, we looked into whether or not we should use FB or MySpace or any other public networking site as part of our background check.  We decided, that even if their FB profiles were public (not requiring a password) we would not look at that information.  There just wasn't enough data to back up what any of it meant.  You find a photo of someone holding a beer at a Halloween party...so what?

Look at their resume, assess them, interview them, assess them some more if you have to, check references, and then decide.  Leave FB out of it.

Is Amazon really that scary?

So, I recently came across this article that talks about how Google executives are scared of Amazon.  Check it out here: Google Terrified of Amazon.  Is Amazon really that scary?  Are FaceBook or Apple having the same concerns?  Instead of the Apple vs. Google market is it going to be Amazon vs. Apple/Google market?  Is Amazon going to start making their own phones too?

I guess it surprised me a little, but then again, I don't use Google to search for products.  I actually make a lot of my purchases from Amazon online and have even downloaded the app recently to my Android phone.  They are right...it's just more convenient!    

Olympic Junkie

Anybody that knows me knows that I'm an Olympic junkie.  I absolutely LOVE the Olympics.  I wish I could take two weeks off work and watch the Olympics day and night!  However, even being an Olympic junkie, it never occurred to me that companies would have to worry about busted networks or overage streaming charges due to employees streaming live feed of the Olympics!

Check out this article: IT's Olympic Challenge

I have to admit that I did download a mobile app where I can see updated scores, schedules, medal counts, etc. but I have yet to stream any live event on my phone or computer.  I record the Olympics on my DVR and watch in the evenings, fast forwarding through anything I am not interested in watching.  I guess I'm not as much of a junkie as other hard core Olympic viewers out there!!  Go Team USA!!

All extroverts are not the same

The new Step II MBTI tool breaks down each of the 4 letters of your profile into 5 sub-facets which gives you so much more information!  After all, not all extroverts are the same!

Consider this...three people, all extroverts, all with very different sub-facet profiles.  Person A is very social, likes to laugh and have a good time, is very expressive and easily reveals things about himself, is good at initiating conversation, seeks broad circles of friends, and is an extrovert in every sense of the word.  This person  has no trouble making new friends on vacation and is more at ease meeting new people than developing deeper connections.  Person B likes to initiate conversation in social gatherings, makes few distinctions between friends and acquaintances, prefers active participation...but at the same time loves quiet time and values privacy.  Person C is also very social and while good at initiating conversation and being active, this person prefers intimate one-on-one conversations, does not like to reveal too much about himself, and also needs quiet time to rejuvenate.  


Persons A, B, and C will act very differently in social gatherings.  Let's call Person A: Tom, Person B: Greg, and Person C: Bob.


Tom is always ready to go out and have a good time, when he is out he is meeting new people, and spends an hour saying good-bye to every single person before leaving.  He makes a friend in line at the grocery store...makes a new best friend at the pool or bar.  Know the type?  


Greg would actually prefer to stay home rather than go out!  But, when he is out, nobody would ever know that he didn't want to come in the first place!  He is the life of the party always making everyone laugh and have a good time.  Greg is the type of person that everyone thinks is extremely social, but when you get to be better friends with him you realize that it actually wears him out to be overly social.  He would rather stay home alone and watch a movie.  


Bob only wants to go out if the group is a small group and with friends.  He has no interest in meeting new people and spending the evening talking to strangers.  In the right setting Bob is social and fun...but in larger settings he comes across as quiet and introspective.  Depending on how/when you meet Bob, you might even consider him introverted!  


Are you Initiating or Receiving in conversation?  Are you expressive or do you prefer to keep personal information more private?  Do you like having large circles of friends or do you prefer smaller closer intimate relationships?  Do you like to talk and learn by doing or would you rather listen and learn by reading?  Do you like lots of activity in your life or do you relish your quiet solitude?  


Take the MBTI Step II to find out what type of Extrovert (or Introvert) you are!

Is more information better?

Most people are familiar with the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).  You either took it in school or in a recent job and you were given your "four letters" telling you everything you ever wanted to know about yourself.

Okay...so the four letters don't really tell you everything you ever wanted to know.  It is because of this that the Myers Briggs released the "Step II" version of their assessment.  The Step II MBTI breaks down each of the eight preferences ( E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P) into sub-facets.  People wanted more information!  They wanted to know why they didn't reveal personal information about themselves even though their MBTI profile said that they were Extraverted (and we all know that extraverts reveal personal information about themselves easily, right?).  Well, the Step II instrument now gives us the ability to see where we test 'in preference' or 'out of preference' for our four-letter type.  You can be an extravert but test out of preference on the sub-facet that relates to revealing personal information quickly and easily.

However, with more information comes more intricacies in how all of the facets work together and how your "E" type is different from your co-worker's "E" type.

I'm going to start a series of blogs exploring the MBTI types and their sub-facets.  There is a complicated debate between delivering high level results (making it easier for people to remember their style and the style of others they work with) and giving a lot of detailed information (making the results richer but harder to remember the intricacies of how your style meshes with someone else's style).  At the end of the series I'll be asking you this question...what would you rather have and what would be more useful to you on a daily basis?