Ways to Analyze Your Audience

The more you know about your audience the better able you are to put yourself in their shoes – to take
their perspective.

1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

The first individuals you want to analyze are your boss and co-workers. How do they prefer to get
information? Some people prefer an email, while others prefer face to face interactions. Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator is the most common personality assessment used by American companies. In this class
you will take a simple version of the MBTI assessment. MBTI identifies your preferences on four paired
dimension.

Extroverted or Introverted
Sensing or Intuitive
Thinking or Feeling
Judging or Perceiving

Your preferences are indicated by a combination of four letters. For example my Myers-Briggs type is
INFP (Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling and Perceiving). The majority of business executives are ESTJ types.
What is your type and what does it say about you? How do you prefer to receive and send information?
How do you prefer to make decisions? What are the preferences of your boss and co-workers?

Strategies for Communicatingwith different Types (Based on Figure 2.1 in the textbook)
Introverts prefer to think before they speak. They prefer to communicate in a written format and speak
one-to-one rather than in a group.
Strategy: Write an email to the Introvert to let them think about your proposal before responding.

Extroverts prefer to talk out an idea rather than write it; they like to engage people in their
thinking/talking. Strategy: Try out your idea orally with an Extrovert in an informal setting.

Sensing types prefer facts/data and a step-by-step process. Strategy: Present your idea with facts/data.
If you are an Intuitive and sensing is not your strength, get other Sensing types (accountants,
technicians, researchers, etc.) to gather the data for you.

Intuitive types prefer to be creative and think about the “big picture.” They can get impatient with
details. Strategy: Present the “big picture” first. Stress the innovative and creative aspects of your
proposal.

Thinking types prefer to make decisions based on logic. They are often uncomfortable with emotions.
Strategy: Use logic, not emotions, to persuade.

Feeling types prefer to make decision based on the needs of people and their emotions.
Strategy: Show how your proposal values the needs of people (employees, customers, etc.), as well as
the dollars and cents needs of the company.

Perceiving types prefer to look at all the options. They may postpone coming to a decision.
Strategy: Show how your proposal has considered all the alternatives. Ask for a decision by a specific
date.

Judging types prefer making quick decisions. Strategy: Present your request quickly (to the point) and
ask for an immediate decision.