o_19kdfsn0q18e31dfraas1esh19vta.pdf

own final revision upon every contract made by the company, and every note or mortgage or other
security made to or taken by it; and frequently his minute and careful scrutiny would detect some
clerical error, which had escaped all who had preceded him." The same mental architecture which
allowed him to find a mistake in Newton's Principia allowed him to find errors in contracts or
securities. It is noted that, "He was equally exact and particular in his mode of transacting all the
other business of the company." Here again the INTJ penchant for thoroughness and precision
shows through.
We can learn much of the INTJ work habits from Bowditch's preferred modus operandi.
• He never liked to leave anything unfinished. "Every day, at two o'clock, he balanced the
cash account before he closed the office, that he might leave nothing unfinished." You know
how ghosts are said to wander the earth, wailing about their unfinished business? The only
thing I can conclude is that ghosts are Perceivers. It is noted of Bowditch that, "Only the
day before his death, having a week previously found himself too feeble to make an
endorsement upon a promissory note of half the principal, and to look over and execute a
deed of release of half the mortgaged premises, he sent to the secretary to bring him the
papers again, saying, 'You know I never like to leave anything unfinished.' He made the
endorsement, and executed the release in question only forty-seven hours before he died."
Now that's diligence.
• One thing at a time. "He would never listen to two speakers or attempt to attend to two
matters at once. 'One thing at a time,' was his rule. It brought order out of chaos; all the
elements of confusion vanished at its magic influence. It was certainly the most efficient,
and probably the only rule, that could have been devised for finishing all the various and
complicated transactions which each successive day brought with it. Often, when engaged
in making an entry, if, upon looking up, he saw a friend, he would exclaim, 'In one moment!'
and then proceed and deliberately finish the matter before him; after which he would say,
'Now I am free, and will talk with you.'" As introverts, INTJs like to work without
interruption; as judgers, they like to finish one thing fully before tackling another. This
work style is very different from that of (say) the ENTPs, who are happy to be bombarded
with constant requests from all quarters.
• Introverted Rationals are not good at remembering names or personal information. But
remembering customers' names is one of keys of good customer service. Bowditch knew
this and found a workaround: "Aware of a difficulty which he through life experienced in
remembering names, and that the self-love of applicants at the office would be hurt at the
necessity of informing him who they were, he was in the habit of referring every one whose
familiar features thus perplexed him, to another officer of the institution, to get the number
of the policy or mortgage respecting which question had been made. The clerk understood
this request, and began by asking the name, which was a less mortifying question from him,
than it would have been from the principal of the office." For the modern INTJ, a computer
database could serve a similar function.
• He was good at saying no. "The most difficult duty to be performed by the actuary of this
company, and at the same time one of almost daily recurrence, was that of refusing
applications for loans of money which he thought it not safe for the institution to grant. It
often required great firmness and decision. Powerful influences, direct and indirect, were
often resorted to in order to obtain a favorable answer. But it is emphatically true that Dr.
Bowditch understood the art of saying "No;" and while he decidedly and peremptorily
declined an offer as inadmissible, so that no time should be wasted in profitless discussion,