Most people who study and use the Jung/Myers Model of Personality Type (popularized by the Myers and Briggs personality system) extensively, believe that everyone is born with one of 16 different “types” which remains with them for their entire lives. That’s not to say our behavior doesn’t change as we grow, learn and experience new things. Sure, we act differently at a basketball game than at a funeral, but that doesn’t mean our type has changed…we’ve just learned to engage in behaviors that are appropriate to the circumstance.

The short answer is: Because Type is universal and provides invaluable insights to people all over the world. Research has shown that there are approximately the same percentages of Extraverts, Introverts, Sensors, Intuitive, Thinkers, Feelers, Perceivers and Judgers in all countries where validated type assessments are used.

The bottom line is that people of the same type – whether from Russia or the US –  are similar in many important ways. Surely, culture influences behavior. For example, in the US, Southerners are frequently described as “hospitable,” while New England Yankees…not so much! So, values can and are influenced by many factors, including geography. But the way our brains are hard-wired – which is a good way to think of Personality Type – doesn’t change.

It is reported that Type is used by 89% of the Fortune 100 companies. The most common business applications are to improve communication between managers and their direct reports, improve team productivity, and reduce interpersonal conflicts.