I am certified to administer the most famous, reliable and valid personally assessment of all time: The MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator). This is one of the subjects that I love to teach most because of the understanding of self and others that typically results.
One of the things that gets under my skin, professionally speaking, is when people talk about
"Creative Types". This bugs me a bit because it assumes that some personality types are blessed with creativity and others are not. This could not be further from the truth because ALL personality types have the ability to be creative. As Segals so eloquently states it in her title, we all have "tools for understanding and inspiring- the many voices of creativity.
Just as voices differ, so do the many ways in which creativity can be expressed. This can be unique to individuals or the type to which the individual belongs- there is no one standard in creativity.
What MBTI offers to the understanding of creativity and innovation is immeasurable! The value is about knowing and honouring one's self and one's unique gifts. It is also about doing the same for others. When there is a theme of mutual respect, innovations and ping-pong off one another and become something even more brilliant than before. That is, if people can creatively navigate and respect differences.
The natural next question would be how MBTI predicts the ways in which people will express their creativity. It is most likely that the expression of creativity among the 16 unique types would be common in that most within that type are interested in the same thing, share the similar values, draw their energy from the same source, organize thoughts in a similar manner and notice similar things in any given situation
This is not to say that working to one's innate preferences and typical behaviours is the ONLY way they can express creativity, but rather what ways will be their natural inclination to do so. This can be enormously helpful for an individual to play to, and to mine for strengths, but also to see potential creative blindspots and to broaden the view, perhaps to request collaboration in order to mine for strengths in others.
So, which is the most creative personality type? All of them! The type of creativity, it's expression and output will be unique and wonderfully different. Each personality type has creativity to spare, and should be treated as "THE CREATIVITY TYPE" that it is. No one type owns creativity and it is so wonderful to know share our own unique brands with others.
Segal, Marci. (2001). Creativity and Personality Typle: Tools for understanding and inspiring the many voices of creativity. Telos Publications.
How can students grow to understand their own creativity types?
How can we brighten our type to consider other ways of expression?
In what ways can we value and benefit from creative types that are not our own preferred styles?
I wasn't familiar with this test, so it was interesting to see. It's interesting too that creativity isn't part of the test, but you seem to have justified well its absence!
ReplyDeleteI also think people like to tie creativity to artistic ability too. I'm a very logical person, fairly creative, but I have 0 artistic ability. I'm tone-deaf and can't even draw a dog. But I have had people dismiss or assume that I have any interest in creativity at all. Maybe it's a bit of a sore spot!