From all my
GTD” more than any other. Of course, the real question inside that: What is GTD? If you think it’s about organizing lists, then of course the left-brainers may fall in step. If you say, on the other hand, it’s really about the most effective way to produce and maintain clear psychic space, then the “creatives” will most resonate. Eliminating static appeals to everyone, in his/her own way, and for his/her own reasons. It ensures close tolerance and closure, and it opens vistas and catalyzes thinking. Could it be that GTD is truly on the nerve of the larger integration of yin/yang, creator/destroyer, right-brain/left-brain, linear/associative polarities? – David Allen
David,
I have always been fascinated with right-brain/left-brain concepts but have never associated it with getting things done. This makes sense. Another trait that I think makes a difference is how much an obsessive/compulsive personality contributes to how much we get done and the quality of the work
Good food for thought!
Teresa
I’m not surprised that there is no clear “type” of person who does best with GTD. When I first came across it, the lighb bulb went off immediately. However, right away, I showed it to my wife who is no less intelligent and whose thought processes are completely compatible with mine… and yet, she wanted nothing to do with it. That strikes me as revealing but I’m not sure what it reveals.
David:
You would love a new book by psychologist Sam Gosling, “Snoop.” To get a hit of what Sam studies, go to his web site and his lab at U. Texas at Austin. http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/HomePage/Faculty/Gosling/index.htm
He has studied how much we can tell about someone’s personality from looking at their bed room, or their office etc. I am sure that there are many personality “types” resonating with GTD, but exactly how it is implemented may fall into the categories that Gosling studies. Check him out, I think he will fascinate you.
It is also interesting to look at GTD in light of MBTI preferences. The J/P preference is related to how people live their lives. Js like more structure so the GTD lists should work well for Js. Ps like flexibility and options, and GTD gives us options to choose from when we are deciding what to do based on our energy (and of course, context and time).
While GTD may not preferred by one personality type over another – the way in which we communicate the issues of GTD will vary greatly from one personality type to another. Also, when we speak about personality types we could be speaking about one list of four types (often referred to temperaments) to as many as sixteen (MBTI) Historically, there have been nearly four thousand temperament theories given starting with a Latin Physician from the first century. I have been able to integrate GTD with MBTI enriching both.