It reminded me of being a fad that people or companies tried to use to categorize people in an attempt to understand or work with them. IMO it’s premise was that one’s personality was “written” in stone. In my experience people can change as they get older or gain more life experience. A young introvert may become an extrovert as they get older or vice versa. I remember in my travails companies, especially contract temp agencies or consulting companies, using this test when it was the new “thing” in the business world.
A better book on business personalities IMO is “Snakes in Suits: Understanding and Surviving the Psychopaths in Your Office” by Dr. Babiak and Dr. Hare. I’m jaded about the corporate world, but this book describes many bosses and upper management personnel I crossed paths with when I worked in the corporate environment.
I have found the introvert-extrovert thing is dependent on where you live.
I would say I am more of an introvert. I’m an only child and my parents were never social people.
But when I lived in NJ I had more friends and hung out with different groups of people and had a pretty good social life.
I have had trouble making friends in Ohio. People really are not that friendly. I am always uncomfortable talking to new people here whereas in NJ you can start talking to someone on line at the post office or at a bar and feel as if you have known them for years.
I can’t go back to NJ for job reasons, cost of living, and blue state politics. I didn’t make my yearly visit the year before Covid hit because I took another trip instead. There was no point in going back during Covid. People there told me to stay away because it was miserable. I should have invited them to visit me in Ohio so they could go to restaurants.
I won’t go this year due to needing the time off for estate stuff. By the time I get back there, if I ever do, it will be something like five years since the last time. I’m sure it will be very strange.
I agree with your statement that it changes as one gets older. I took the test twice in past years and the results were different.
But about 20 years ago, I had an interview with a leader of a company. She didn’t hire me. I had another interview in a different area (same city) and was hired. Interviewer #1 told Interviewer #2 later that she thought I wouldn’t be a team player. She was right...’cause I turned #2 in for fraud. The “team” were crooks.
After that, I was black-balled and left the company. Good riddance. The only thing I regret is that she and her superior weren’t prosecuted. She quit. He was relocated to another part of the state.
My conclusion related to such tests is this: discernment is often more productive than “so-called” science. But then again, discernment is as rare as common sense these days.