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

 The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and
Katherine Briggs

Designed to measure Jung’s 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
 Take actions based
on beliefs
Adopt beliefs
about the world

Draw conclusions
The reflexive loop:
Make assumptions
Our beliefs affect the
Add meaning, information we choose
(cultural / personal) to ‘see’ next time

Select information Instead of going back to

from what we see select from the raw
available information

Available information / data

Explore Each Other’s Reasoning
Use the Ladder of Inference to Create High-Quality Inquiry and
Advocacy
Their Story Your Story

Explore Their Story Explain Your Story

Their Conclusions Their Conclusions

Their Interpretations Their Interpretations

What They Focus On What They Focus On

Pool of Available
Information

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.
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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 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
E’s OUTNUMBER I’s UP TO 2:1

S’s OUTMUMBER N’s 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) Introversion (I)
Breadth of interests Depth of concentration
Sensing (S) Intuition (N)
Reliance on facts Grasp of possibilities
Thinking (T) Feeling (F)
Logic and analysis Warmth and sympathy
Judging (J) Perceiving (P)
Organization Adaptability
 Contributions Made by Each Preference to Each Type
SENSING TYPES INTUITIVE TYPES
With Thinking With Feeling With Feeling With Thinking
ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ
I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration
Judging Types

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
INTROVERTS

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration I Depth of concentration
Perceiving Types

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
Perceiving Types

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
EXTRAVERTS

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
Judging Types

T Logic and analysis F Warmth and sympathy F Warmth and sympathy T Logic and analysis
J Organization J Organization J Organization J Organization
Team Identity Worksheet
• What strengths do you see in your team?

• What are your team’s blind spots or pitfalls?

• How might others perceive your team?

 Individual Goals, Ways of Reducing Conflict,
and Team Focus of Different Types

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
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?