IT professionals seem to have an image problem: Senior executives persist in viewing them as analytical, detail-oriented and introverted — generally unsuitable for high-level strategic, “big-picture” responsibilities. Over the years, the use of numerous psychological studies in workplace settings — including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as well as surveys assessing attitudes toward goals and social interaction — has reinforced this perception. A recent study, however, once again challenges this IT stereotype and suggests that organizations are overlooking a valuable source of human capital.Two Santa Clara University researchers collected survey data from 339 IT professionals working at more than 200 companies in the public and private sector in a variety of industries. They employed the InQ — a test consisting of 18 questions, developed in 1984 by communications and psychology researchers Allen F. Harrison and Robert M. Bramson —which examines how people process information (for example, “When I read a report, I am most likely to pay attention to . . . .”). Each question is followed by possible responses, which the person ranks from five (most typical of his/her style) to one (least typical).
