People like a defined sense of identity. Who am I? What is my psychic shape etc? So there is interest in the signs of the Zodiac, Myers-Briggs classifications, learning styles, multiple intelligences etc. These have many advantages. You may know that if you are not good at one thing, you might be good along a different dimension. You may feel you know how to deal with other members of your team.
There is the notion that if you are weak in a certain direction then you will try harder to develop those aspects at which you are weak.
But does it work? It is possible that you sink ever deeper into the classification box and take comfort in this. So if you are not creative you leave creativity to others and build, for example, on your judgements strengths.
Anything that insists on 'what is' can have a restricting effect on 'what can be'. A person classified as not naturally creative can develop a powerful creative skill - if suitably trained.
Edward de Bono nmt
19th January 2002
London
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