MBTI

Personality and Work

Why Understand Personality
Type?
BENEFITS

Better understanding of oneself

Greater understanding and appreciation of others

Improved communication skills

Enhanced team building effort

Enhanced problem solving abilities
Developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and
Katherine Briggs

Designed to measure Jungs construct
of psychological type:

Human behavior is predictable

Human behavior is not random, but
patterned

There are patterns of attitudes and
behavior that can be used to describe
persistent personality characteristics
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Select information
from what we see
Add meaning,
(cultural / personal)
Make assumptions
Draw conclusions
Adopt beliefs
about the world
Available information / data
Take actions
based on beliefs
The reflexive loop:

Our beliefs affect the
information we choose
to see next time

Instead of going back to
select from the raw
available information
Their Conclusions

Their Interpretations

What They Focus On
Explore Each Others Reasoning
Use the Ladder of Inference to Create High-Quality Inquiry
and Advocacy
Pool of Available
Information
Explore Their Story
Explain Your Story
The Ladder of Inference is based on the work of Argyris and Schon. See C. Argyris,
R. Putnam, and D. Smith. Action Science: Concepts, Methods, and Skills for
Research and Intervention. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1985.
Their Story Your Story
Their Conclusions

Their Interpretations

What They Focus On
YOU decide how ACCURATE
the Report is for YOU:

MBTI sorts into opposite categories; does not measure
degree of trait
MBTI identifies how consistently you prefer one
tendency over its opposite





MBTI Theory
Personality and Work
Extraversion Introversion
E I

Sensing Intuition
S N

Thinking Feeling
T F

Judgment Perception
J P


Introverting/Extroverting
EXTROVERSION/INTROVERSION
How are you energized
EXTROVERTS


Have high energy
Talk more than listen
Think out loud
Act, then think
Like to be around people
Prefer a public role
Can be easily distracted
Prefer doing lots of things at
once
Are outgoing/enthusiastic
INTROVERTS

Have quiet energy
Listen more than talk
Think quietly inside their heads
Think, then act
Feel comfortable being alone
Prefer to work behind the
scenes
Have good powers of
concentration
Prefer to focus on one thing at
a time
Are self-contained and
reserved
Sensing/Intuiting
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Imagine
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Exploring possibilities, moving into
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SENSING/INTUITIVE
What information do you pay attention to
SENSING

Focus on details, specifics
Admire practical solutions
Notice details, remember facts
Are pragmatic, see what is
Live in the here-and-now
Trust actual experience
Like to use established skills
Like step-by-step instructions

INTUITIVE

Focus on possibilities
Admire creative ideas
Notice anything new,
different
Are inventive, see what could
be
Think about future implications
Trust their gut instincts
Prefer to learn new skills
Like to figure things out for
themselves
Thinking/Feeling
THINKING/FEELING
How do you come to conclusions
THINKING

Make decisions objectively
Appear cool, reserved
Are most convinced by
rational arguments
Are honest, direct
Value honesty, fairness
Take few things personally
Tend to see flaws
Are motivated by
achievement
Argue or debate issues for
fun
FEELING

Decide based on their
values, feelings
Appear warm, friendly
Are most convinced by how
they feel
Are diplomatic and tactful
Value harmony, compassion
Take many things personally
Are quick to compliment
others
Are motivated by
appreciation
Avoid arguments, conflict

Judging/Perceiving
JUDGING/PERCEIVING
What lifestyle/environment makes you
most comfortable
JUDGING

Make most decisions easily
Are serious, conventional
Pay attention to time, are
prompt
Prefer to finish projects
Work first, play later
Want things decided
Like to make, stick with plans
Find comfort in schedules
PERCEIVING

Difficulty making decisions
Are playful unconventional
Less aware of time, run late
Prefer to start projects
Play first, work later
Want to keep options open
Like to keep plans flexible
Want freedom to be
spontaneous

POPULATION STATISTICS

Es OUTNUMBER Is UP TO 2:1

Ss OUTMUMBER Ns UP TO 2:1

MEN ARE 60% THINKING

WOMEN ARE 60% FEELING

JUDGING/PERCEIVING 55% : 45%
TYPE DEVELOPMENT

AGE 6-12 DOMINENT FUNCTION

AGE 13-20 AUXILIARY FUNCTION

AGE 21-35 TERTIARY

AGE 36-? INFERIOR

Contributions of the Preferences
Extraversion (E)
Breadth of interests
Sensing (S)
Reliance on facts
Thinking (T)
Logic and analysis
Judging (J)
Organization
Introversion (I)
Depth of concentration
Intuition (N)
Grasp of possibilities
Feeling (F)
Warmth and sympathy
Perceiving (P)
Adaptability
ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration
S Reliance on facts S Reliance on facts N Grasp of possibilities N Grasp of possibilities
T Logic and analysis F Warmth and sympathy F Warmth and sympathy T Logic and analysis
J Organization J Organization J Organization J Organization

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP
I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration
S Reliance on facts S Reliance on facts N Grasp of possibilities N Grasp of possibilities
T Logic and analysis F Warmth and sympathy F Warmth and sympathy T Logic and analysis
P Adaptability P Adaptability P Adaptability P Adaptability

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP
E Breadth of interests E Breadth of interests E Breadth of interests E Breadth of interests
S Reliance on facts S Reliance on facts N Grasp of possibilities N Grasp of possibilities
T Logic and analysis F Warmth and sympathy F Warmth and sympathy T Logic and analysis
P Adaptability P Adaptability P Adaptability P Adaptability

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ
E Breadth of interests E Breadth of interests E Breadth of interests E Breadth of interests
S Reliance on facts S Reliance on facts N Grasp of possibilities N Grasp of possibilities
T Logic and analysis F Warmth and sympathy F Warmth and sympathy T Logic and analysis
J Organization J Organization J Organization J Organization
Contributions Made by Each Preference to Each Type






















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SENSING TYPES INTUITIVE TYPES
With Thinking With Feeling With Feeling With Thinking
Team Identity Worksheet
What strengths do you see in your team?


What are your teams blind spots or pitfalls?


How might others perceive your team?

ST Types SF Types NF Types NT Types
Have as Efficiency Service Empowerment Mastery
individual goal

Reduce Having the Clarity in roles Articulating Making sure
conflict by structures and expectations values the principles
in place clearly are sound

Want team Getting the job Offering service Mutual respect Efficiency and
to focus on done and support and meaningful growth
work
Individual Goals, Ways of Reducing Conflict,
and Team Focus of Different Types
Identifying Action Goals

Identify skills your team will have to develop
in order to enhance the effectiveness of
your group?

Identify ways you can communicate more
effectively with other team members?

Identify specific steps you can take to help
build bridges within your team?