Logical Writing Solutions, Inc.

This weekend, a family member mused out loud "What is the difference between being self-determined and stubborn?"

I said, "Oh, that is easy. When you are talking about yourself, you say 'self-determined.' When you are talking about someone else, you say 'stubborn.' "  :)

People have often asks me how I have scored on the Myers Briggs test. I have never taken it, I reply. I've been a contractor for many years, and most companies only subject _employees_ to the test, I suppose due to expense.

But privately, I've always kind of questioned the value of personality tests. For instance, it doesn't seem to me designed to determine whether someone is a pathological practice of hoarding information or putting down peers. Now THAT would be truly valuable information. Barring that kind of hard-to-get info, I think a peer's work history tells me most of what I need to know.

Anyway, today a peer on my management list pointed out this 2004 article in the New Yorker, by Malcolm Gladwell, that goes into some depth about the limitations of personality testing. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

I particularly enjoyed the author's self-created personality test, which tests four personality dimensions: Canine/Feline, More/Different, Insider/Outsider, and Nibbler/Gobbler.

The following comes from Marc Gravez, president of the Society for Technical Communication's Philly metro chapter:

What is a technical communicator? Technical communicators develop and design instructional and informational tools needed to assure safe, appropriate, and effective use of science and technology, intellectual property, and manufactured products and services. Technical communicators combine multimedia knowledge and strong communication skills with technical expertise to educate across the entire spectrum of users’ abilities, technical experience, and visual and auditory capabilities. For more information, see http://www.stc.org/story/tc_tw.asp.