Many years ago, in what feels like another life, I worked in the corporate world — a very different setting to where I find myself today, supporting emotional recovery and healing as a therapist in southern France.
Back then, one of my responsibilities in Human Resources was to process and facilitate Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality tests, specifically for senior managers and leadership teams. It was a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of people at the top of organizations — how they made decisions, led teams, handled stress, and related to those around them.
While some saw these tests as just another HR checkbox, I was always quietly captivated by what they revealed — not just about individuals, but about human nature.
🧠What Is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator?
For those unfamiliar, MBTI is a widely used personality tool based on Carl Jung’s psychological theories. It categorizes people into 16 types using four main traits:
- Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I)
- Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)
- Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
- Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)
The aim? To better understand how people perceive the world, make decisions, and interact with others.
In the corporate environment, especially at senior levels, MBTI was often used to:
✔️ Identify leadership styles
✔️ Improve team dynamics
✔️ Resolve conflicts
✔️ Support succession planning
✔️ Develop self-awareness in high-stakes roles
🏢 Why Personality Awareness Matters in Leadership
Leadership isn’t just about skill or strategy. It’s about understanding people — and often, understanding yourself.
Processing these personality assessments gave me a unique window into the emotional intelligence (or lack of it) at senior levels. Some leaders were naturally self-aware and empathetic; others struggled to connect or recognize their blind spots. But what the MBTI did — at its best — was spark reflection, conversation, and the possibility of growth.
It also planted a seed in me. One I wouldn’t fully understand until much later.
🌍 From Office Towers to Olive Trees
Years later, I left that corporate world behind — and with it, the boardrooms, the dress codes, and the HR protocols. I moved to France and began my training in neuroscience and trauma therapy, shifting from personality theory to deep healing work.
And yet… the MBTI stayed with me.
Because even though it’s not a clinical tool, it helped me understand how people tick — how some avoid emotion by staying in “thinking mode,” how others crave harmony or spontaneity or structure. It was my first real insight into the idea that we’re all wired differently — and that those differences matter in how we lead, love, and live.
đź’ˇ Full Circle
Today, I support people navigating the aftermath of trauma, emotional abuse, and complex relationships. I help them rebuild self-trust, reconnect with their bodies, and reclaim their sense of safety.
But I still believe that personality awareness, including tools like MBTI, can be part of the healing and leadership journey — not to box us in, but to guide us toward self-acceptance, emotional clarity, and better communication.
I was once an ESFP in a corporate world dominated by thinkers and judgers — and I learned that being emotionally attuned, expressive, and intuitive wasn’t a weakness, but a gift. One I now bring into my therapy work every day.
đź’¬ Final Thought
Sometimes, our past roles — even the ones we think we’ve left behind — hold clues to our purpose.
Mine began in an HR department, quietly observing human behavior.
It’s led me here: helping others heal what’s beneath it.
đź’›
