Customer Reviews

Working Together: A Personality-Centered Approach to Management, Third Edition

5 star:		(4)
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3 star:		(1)
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This is the most comprehensive book on the 16 personality types in the workplace. It is by far the best "hands-on" guide for team work in organizations. I found that the characteristics parallel with implications of those characteristics excellent in the use of conflict resolution, coaching, and development of leadership. I am going to buy one for everyone in my organization.

This book covers a niche of personality type - types at work - almost perfectly. It provides just the right amount and type of information to help anyone use Myers Briggs (MB) theory effectively in the work place. While it has a brief discussion about personality type theory in general and self assessment, there are many books that cover that in more depth, detail and with greater clarity. This book is probably best suited to those who are already somewhat familiar with the MB 16 types. For detailed background, see my favorite: Keirsey's "Please Understand Me II."

Where "Working Together" really rises above the rest is in the focused way that it addresses types at work. It provides a detailed description about how each type functions in both leadership and worker roles with the goal of maximizing performance through understanding varying traits, values and motivations that are present in each type. It even has thumb tabs to help you go right to the information that you want. It is a self proclaimed reference book that hits the mark. The format is superb. The content is exceptional.

This is a must have for the personality type obsessed and those who want to understand how and why people perform and interact the way that they do at work.

I do a significant amount of team development with the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and have looked at a fair number of books on the subject. Without question, this is the single best work I have seen to date. The individual type descriptions contain incredible depth and detail. I have had a large number of participants and managers purchase this book and tell me that they never thought it possible for someone to describe them in such detail, especially from the interpretation of "four little letters." Highly recommended.

If you are already familiar with the Myers Briggs personality types, this book may be a bit simple. I found it lacked the depth I was hoping for. For example, the book did not compare the different personality types to each other. Instead, the book talks about the individual personality types in a work environment, almost as a way to get to know oneself better. While I agree with knowing oneself better is important, so is knowing others better. One issue in a work environment, in my opinion, that often bring conflict and difficulty are personalities clashing. The book would have been better if they discussed how to enhance work relationships between the types.

Skip the book if you want more than the basics of personality type.

"Working Together" is an outstanding tool for those who have had an opportunity to examine their temperament and interaction styles. It provides insight into those you work with, as well as your own strengths and blind-spots. If you or your organization has taken the first step in maximizing your teamwork through a Myers-Briggs (Temperament/Interaction Styles) workshop, take the next step to performance by purchasing this book - excellent resource for your entire team!