MBTI for System Administrators: Abstract

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(R):
An Interpersonal Tool for System Administrators

Betty Jacob [1]
Nancy Shoemaker [2]

Abstract

Tools to automate, improve, and provide insights into the technical environment of system administrators are widely available. This paper focuses, in contrast, on a tool to improve the interpersonal environment within which system administrators work. SA's often become focal points for interpersonal communications, and they need to handle this aspect of their jobs well in order to fully realize technical success. This paper presents a tool which is widely used but which may not have been introduced to many system administrators.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator [3] describes interpersonal differences and provides a framework for problem solving and conflict resolution. This paper introduces the four dimensions of the MBTI, provides information on likely patterns of types represented by SA's and contrasts this with managers and users. We illustrate the four dimensions of the MBTI with applications from system administration. We provide some discussion of the limitations of the MBTI, and give practical examples of its use in an SA setting.