This is a guest post by Molly Owens.
Do you know your personality type? Are you an INTJ, an ENFP, an ESTJ? Many people have taken a personality type assessment and have an idea of their type, but did you know that your type can tell also tell you a lot about your chance at professional success?
Understanding your Briggs Myers personality typeis an important part of growing, both personally and professionally. When it comes to reaching your potential at work, there’s one key question you must be ready to answer: are you a Judger, or a Perceiver? If you’re a Judger, you have a better chance of earning more, advancing in the ranks, and generally achieving more success in the workplace.
In a survey of 25,759 respondents by my team, we found that Judging types tend to make more money and manage larger teams than their Perceiver counterparts. Whether you are a Judger or not, understanding this trend can help you evaluate your work habits and be more aware of how to succeed in your career.
What is a Judger?
Judgers are people who naturally take an organized, structured approach to their lives. They like being prepared and tend to make lists and schedules. Because they actually prefer to plan ahead, they meet work deadlines with ease. Typically, they are thought of as responsible, reliable, and productive by their colleagues.
So who are the people who don’t fit this description? They’re the Perceivers, on the opposite end of the lifestyle spectrum. Perceivers can best be described as flexible and spontaneous, and their strength lies in being able to roll with the punches. Unfortunately, in the workplace, their seat-of-the-pants approach is not always appreciated, and according to our research, they tend to earn less and gain less responsibility on the job.
Why does structure lead to success?
Efficiency and organization are valuable when it comes to individual success, but being able to organize and plan for the future are also attractive traits for a team leader. These traits shine in an organizational setting, making Judgers ideal candidates for the managerial and leadership positions that often come with better compensation. In fact, our data shows that Judgers comprise three of the four personality types that manage the most people.
Consider this example: Gina and Stephanie are both top performers, with similar backgrounds and skills. Gina is a Perceiver, who gets her work done, but is often scrambling at the last minute to get all the details in place. Stephanie, on the other hand, is a Judger who plans ahead and allots herself time to complete everything carefully and precisely. She has taken the time to create a plan and knows what steps she needs to take to execute it. Who would you promote?
While Gina may be just as creative, intelligent and skilled, her haphazard work style lends itself to errors and the perception that she doesn’t have things under control. On the other hand, Stephanie’s organized, Judging nature gives her colleagues confidence that she’ll always deliver as promised—and allows her to manage complex projects without creating confusion.
How does this help you?
While you can’t completely overhaul your personality, understanding the traits that contribute to more success in the business world — and why — can help you be more conscious of your professional habits. In the corporate world, your ability to rise through the ranks often determines your earning potential. According to our study, more Judgers are rising through the ranks—and seeing the income benefits that come with it. But that doesn’t mean that Judgers are the only people who can be successful.
Organization and planning may not come naturally for everyone, but they are skills that can be practiced. Focus on making smaller efforts in your professional life to be more organized and prepared, especially when attending meetings or discussing projects with your boss. Combine your ability to “roll with the punches” with a careful plan of action, and you’ll maximize your chances for success at work.
About the guest post author:
Molly Owens is the CEO of Truity, a California-based provider of online personality and career assessments and developer of the TypeFinder® personality type assessment. Learn more about personality type and career achievement and connect with Molly and Truity on Twitter and Facebook.