NAAAP Boston and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute sponsored a professional development workshop, "Understanding Personality Types - Intro to MBTI - Can you work with EVERYONE?". The July 14 2010 workshop was attended by 25 NAAAP Boston members and Dana Farber employees.
The evening was kicked off by Jim Fong, NAAAP Boston's Professional Development Committee Co-chair, and Dana Farber's Director of Workforce Development, Candace Johnson, who offered warm greetings from Dana Farber. William Lam, NAAAP Boston's event co-organizer, introduced the Speaker, Valerie C. M. Ching, of Dana Farber's Office of Diversity and Talent Management.
Ms. Ching led an informative and very engaging session about personality types, using the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Workshop participants began to assess themselves along the key MBTI dimensions of Extraversion-Introversion, Sensing-IntuitioN, Thinking-Feeling, and Judging-Perceiving. They applied the concepts not only to themselves, but also in how the types may be reflected in their colleagues and friends. Ms. Ching gave everyday examples of how an understanding of MBTI may explain others' behaviors and how we might adapt our approach to working with them by accommodating their personality's preferences. Workshop participants were very enthusiastic to learn these insights for improving communication and working relationships.
In closing remarks, NAAAP Boston Board member Nancy Lee thanked the participants and the event planning team: William Lam, Joshua Lin, and Jim Fong. NAAAP Boston is very appreciative of Dana Farber Cancer Institute's community support and generosity in hosting the event.... a big thank you to Candace Johnson, Robert Amelio, and of course, Valerie Ching.
