Why You Should Stop Using MBTI at Your Company

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), though popular, is not a reliable or scientifically grounded tool for understanding job candidates, employees, leaders, and team members. Its foundational basis in Carl Jung’s theories lacks solid empirical support, and the tool has repeatedly failed to demonstrate consistency and predictive validity in scientific studies. People’s results can vary significantly over time, which undermines its utility in identifying stable personality traits. Moreover, MBTI’s binary categorizations—such as Introvert vs. Extrovert or Thinking vs. Feeling—oversimplify complex human behaviors. This can lead to stereotyping and reduce individuals to rigid “types” that fail to capture the nuance of their capabilities and potential. By pigeonholing employees into predefined categories, MBTI can reinforce biases, limit growth opportunities, and discourage diverse collaboration. Using MBTI can also create a false sense of certainty. Organizations might rely on it for hiring, team-building, or leadership decisions, overlooking more robust, evidence-based tools like the Big Five Personality Traits model, which offers more nuanced insights. Companies should prioritize fostering inclusivity, adaptability, and open communication rather than relying on an outdated tool that promotes static, one-size-fits-all categorizations. By moving away from MBTI, organizations can focus on approaches that truly empower their workforce and enable them to hire, develop, and promote true high-potential talent.

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