IDIO Musings - An Introduction, 2 classes in.

Joining the Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras was a dream come true. The first quarter in, I felt like I had managed to achieve a significant amount of experiences ranging from being part of the Placement Committee to being chosen as a co-ordinator for Writers' Bloc. The journey was exciting and nourishing, and the quarter sped through in a blur. The second term in, especially after a hectic first term final, brought with it a pleasant surprise. The opportunity to learn more about myself and the world I live in, through interactions felt like a gift in the tumultuous time of my life - having contracted COVID. IDIO or Individual Dynamics in Organizations, course MS5121, provided me from the very first class, the insights I strongly needed to better myself and to learn about myself. 

Class 1: Introductions and Analyses

HR and Heroes!

We began by exploring the idea of HR, how we strive for meaning and purpose, flow perfection, excellence and fulfilment. Although this was done in the format of a poll, it was evident that the feelings amongst the class were increasingly mutual. For instance, when asked about what we would like from our future job, a lot of us mentioned "Perfect work-life balance," and I couldn't have agreed more. It seemed to me that for most of us, happiness and fulfilment were at the crux of our expectations from life and, indeed, our future job roles. An interesting way of discussing the idea of duty, bravery, and individual response was watching the video that Professor Viji showed us at the beginning of the class. The video hit close to home for a lot of us, and perhaps because it was that personal an idea, we learnt more about how individuals react in difficult situations. The 26/11 bombings in Bombay demonstrated to the whole nation how ordinary human beings, in extraordinary circumstances, can be heroes. 

Breakout rooms!

As we moved further through the class and discussed various themes, Professor Viji led us to explore more about how we would react to various scenarios. Making good use of the online platform, Webex, we were divided into groups and entered a "breakout room". We took the time to discuss scenarios of different kinds involving hiring, job dissatisfaction, role dissatisfaction, teamwork, delegation and indeed dismissing individuals from their job roles. The group session was insightful and allowed me to draw on my own experiences as a working professional in the healthcare industry. Further, listening to other students discuss their own experiences in the class gave an interesting perspective on the subject. Towards the end of the class, I knew that it would be an interesting journey henceforth. 

Course ne

Class 2: Learning more about myself, although I had COVID

COVID strikes - and MBTI helps!

It was indeed a difficult few days for me because I was going through the tougher COVID symptoms, and I had to sit out of this class. However, thankfully, I was able to glean from my classmates and friends that an important aspect of the second class was the MBTI personality test. An interesting study that I did partake in, many years ago, the MBTI personality tests allows for an individual to more accurately learn about themselves through a spectrum of characteristics and traits. 

The MBTI personality test or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality introspective questionnaire that indicates different psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. It provides an intuitive understanding of an individual that further aids in personality development and understanding of the self. Using this website, http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp, we worked through the various questions in the questionnaire, awaiting a chart on our personalities. 

My result on the personality test: INFP.

The result I got was extremely fascinating to me. I have always thought of myself as someone who would follow my heart while also subtly reasoning with myself because I do tend to classify myself as an overthinker. Professor Viji lay my claims to rest pretty quickly in class 3, where she mentioned that it is not necessary for a 50% Intuitive to mean that there is necessarily 50% Sensing. We are all a culmination of various personality types, and these are not hard set rules. I think to have that mindset where we understand that we are constantly evolving creatures with differing responses to circumstances is a very rewarding trait. In fact, upon watching the difference between Extroverted and Introverted personality traits, we learn that the MBTI test was accurate in depicting me as an individual who has a moderate preference towards introversion. 

The various career choices that were recommended to me were of great interest because these were career choices I did contemplate pursuing at an earlier time. In fact, education as a profession is one that continues to fascinate me. Additionally, arts and humanities are subjects that intrigue me to a large extent (Museums are my favourite idea of a great experience). Having also worked in healthcare previously, the MBTI personality test has provided a comprehensive insight into why I make the choices I make and the traits and characters I value, contributing to my decision-making skills. 

As we move through the course, Ikigai being tomorrow's activity, I am sure there is a lot more potential for learning (a poll option I had entered in the very first class!).