Different Strokes

So, my law firm had a four-day training retreat for all the new hires from around the world. The best part of it was a seminar on Myers-Briggs personality types during which the startling range of human possibilities (including the possibility of totally failing to understand each other) stood out in stark relief. We were split into four groups, depending on our Myers-Briggs test results, and given an exercise to do: each group had to plan our own training retreat for new hires. Results:

* NF: we didn't actually plan anything, just came up with two general themes: (1) we should have the retreat somewhere gorgeous (Switzerland?) that offers lots of different activities so everyone can find something they enjoy; instead of making everyone go bowling on Tuesday night, as the firm did, we would offer 4 or 5 different activities at the same time so as to maximize the chance that everyone would enjoy themselves equally. And (2) we would incorporate more social-bonding activities: perhaps set up a buddy system, put everyone on the same floor of the hotel, and have an introductory event similar to speed dating (except without the buzzer or bell that speed-daters apparently use to end the interaction early, because that would make people on the receiving end of the buzzer or bell feel bad). Then we spontaneously put together an email list so we could keep in touch, because we all felt a little out of place in a law firm--ours was the second-smallest of the four groups, after all--and we thought we could support each other in adapting to our new jobs. So basically our Myers-Briggs results could be summarized as "you are total girls," though actually about half of us were men.

* SJ: they drew charts on an easel that they found nearby, illustrating how the retreat should take place at a particular West Coast office because, out of the firm's offices that are large enough to accommodate such a large group of new hires, it is the only one that is roughly equidistant between the firm's various locations (which stretch from China to Europe). They also wrote out a schedule stating when new hires from each different location would arrive, based on flight schedules and time zone differences, and when each activity--all of which were mandatory--would take place. This was the second-largest group among the new hires.

* SP: thought the retreat should be in Hawaii (i.e. about 3000 miles from the nearest office), with surfing and whatnot available to those who wanted it, but no mandatory activities. The only concrete event they mentioned was having drinks on the beach the night everyone arrived. They used the word "chill" at least four times during their three-minute presentation ("that way everyone can just chill out on the beach," etc.). This was the smallest group.

* NT: the largest group, by a long shot (this was, after all, not the general population but a room full of lawyers). They refused to do the exercise because they couldn't see the point; it struck them as a touchy-feely waste of time. Spent the planning time entertaining themselves by making fun of the groups that were taking the exercise seriously (i.e., everyone else). When they realized that they had about thirty seconds to go before they would have to present their plan, they came up with a short list of purposely goofy, ironic suggestions.

Edited to add: here are links on each temperament type: NT link; SP link; SJ link; NF link. Sounds about right!