May 2012~ Matt McCombs
Greetings from UMANT!
I know, I know, it is nearly halfway through May before I’m getting to posting the May Newsletter. However, I promise I have a good reason.
I had the occasion last week to be a part of the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia as part of Leadership ICMA. Quick plug – ICMA is currently accepting applications for the L-ICMA class of 2014 on their website here. The application deadline is June 30, and I can’t say enough about what an amazing experience it is. It can be a bit pricey, but scholarships are available, and a large majority of organizations around the area have a strong commitment to professional development. Ask and see what happens.
Anyway, at SEI last week, we participated in a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator profile. For those who don’t know, Myers-Briggs is a test which tells you how you perceive the world and make decisions. Each person has certain preferences which define their general psychological tendencies. I won’t go into all the detail here, but if you’re interested in a broader understanding of the system, you can look take a look here.
Myers-Briggs, truthfully, changed my life. I first stumbled upon MBTI in the summer of 2010, where a friend forwarded me a link to their own profile. In it, I saw all of this friend's tendencies, drives, and inclinations expertly laid out in a very scientifically compelling fashion. Enthralled, I searched for an archetype that fit my own. (Read More)