Monthly Archives: September 2020

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Judging-Perceiving Scale

29 Tuesday Sep 2020

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We’ve been discussing the MBTI. We talked about the history and overview of the instrument and then the important considerations of the Extrovert-Introvert scale, which describes how we get our energy. We talked about the Sensing-Intuitive scale, which describes how we perceive the world. Last week, we discussed the Thinking-Feeling scale, which describes the values that we use to judge the world. Now let’s talk about the Judging-Perceiving scale, which is the final defining dichotomy of the MBTI. The J-P scale describes how we deal with the outside world.

Perceiving Types (P’s) like to keep their options open. Appointment times are windows of opportunity. Flexibility and spontaneity are the watchwords of the Perceiving types. They like to start projects and explore options but aren’t fired up about making a final decision. They like to go with the flow and change plans as the situation changes. Time is a fluid concept, and deadlines are elastic.

Unless P’s are careful, they can find themselves trapped under piles of unfinished projects. One can only research and explore options for so long before they have to move forward and make a decision. P’s don’t like to finish because then they’ve lost all their options. The hallmark of a P is continuing to think about other ways a thing could be done after they have submitted their final answer.

P’s have a tendency to procrastinate. Procrastination is a form of last-minute motivation that doesn’t always allow P’s time to put their best foot forward. However, it’s just a preference, not a label for all eternity. P’s can adopt behavior outside their preference and use it when it is appropriate. Society expects a lot of Judging Type behavior – especially at work.

J’s like order and are punctual. Predictability and order are the Judging type’s code. They like to finish projects. J’s like lists and like to check things off of their lists. If a J does something that is not on their list, they will write it on the list so they can then check it off. J’s get a sense of relief when a project is complete, and once it is complete they don’t think about it anymore.

J’s sock drawers are often organized in some way. J’s plan ahead so that they don’t have to experience the stress of accomplishing something at the last minute.

P’s and J’s can drive each other crazy. P’s feel tension as their options become more limited and they have to make a decision. J’s feel tension until the decision is made. So, in effect, the two types fight against each other. The Judging types want the decision over and done with. The Perceiving types don’t want to decide because then they are out of options.

Actually, the two styles can complement each other in the same way that S-N and T-F do. When the two types work together, they make better and/or quicker decisions than they would make on their own. P’s ensure that all options are explored, and J’s ensure that a decision is made in a reasonable amount of time. Of course, there is a certain amount of tension, but we all just have to keep reminding ourselves of the value of two perspectives.

For a little bit of fun leadership development, join 53 Leadership Challenges at KathyStoddardTorrey.com.

Want to go further with your professional development? Check out the courses offered at PositiveEffectLeadership.com.

If you are interested in taking your career to the next level quickly, contact me for a sample coaching session at KSTorrey@tapferconsulting.com.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Thinking-Feeling Scale

22 Tuesday Sep 2020

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We’ve been discussing the MBTI. We talked about the history and overview of the instrument and then the important considerations of the Extrovert-Introvert scale. Last week, we talked about the Sensing-Intuitive scale, which describes how we perceive the world. Now, let’s discuss the Thinking-Feeling scale, which describes the values that we use to judge the world.

Thinking types (T’s) are rational and logical. In their minds, fair decisions are consistent and take the circumstances into account. T’s will maintain principles of fairness, even if it means losing a relationship. T’s believe that it’s important to be honest and aren’t always tactful.

T’s are logical and fair-minded. They value consistency and consider it more important to be truthful than tactful. T’s tend to discount someone’s feelings if they can’t back them up with logic. They like to be known for their accomplishments.

Feeling types (F’s) place emphasis on harmony and relationships. A person’s individual situation must be taken into account when making a decision. F’s feel that harmony and relationships are more important than arbitrary judgments of what is “right.”

F’s always consider the effect of an action on others. They are empathetic and value harmony. They like to please others, and they show their appreciation easily. F’s believe that feelings are valid; it doesn’t matter if they make sense or not. Relationships are more important than rules.

F’s can bring some important insights to a decision. It is okay to sometimes bend the rules for someone. Showing mercy and humanity can go a long way to create efficient working relationships.

Differences in the T-F scale can lead to serious disagreements. T’s and F’s use completely different criteria to make decisions.

F’s sometimes see T’s as heartless freight trains roaring down on them. A T’s blunt style can seem rude and hurtful to an F. An F can see a T as insensitive and uncaring. It’s important for leaders with a Thinking preference to remember how their actions and decisions might look from an F perspective. Although it will feel uncomfortable for them, T’s also need to address the feeling part of the situations that they face with others.

T’s sometimes see F’s as overemotional and illogical. The fact that F’s take everyone’s needs into account can make them look weak to a T. T’s feel strongly that being fair and following the rules is the best way for them to help people. It’s important for leaders with a Feeling preference to remember that T’s aren’t callously ignoring individual needs.

F’s also need to maintain some consistency around rules. I had a boss once who could not take any sort of discord. As a result, he told each person exactly what they wanted to hear, even if the requests conflicted. It made for a very confusing work environment because the way we did things was constantly changing.

Neither preference is right or wrong. They are just different. Good leaders can use both Thinking and Feeling skills.

In workshops, I split the group into T’s and F’s. I give them the following challenge and ask them to come up with solutions: Your child is on a Little League baseball team. They’ve won the championship and are going to Japan for the next level of competition. The problem is that there are 15 kids on the team and only 12 can go.

The T’s generally come up with very objective, measurable criteria. They list things like highest earned run average, fewest errors, least number of missed practices. They set fair criteria and are ready to let the three who come out on the bottom of the list stay at home.

The F’s, on the other hand, cannot stand to leave anyone out. I haven’t had a group yet that didn’t decide to have fundraisers to ensure that everyone gets to go. Harmony and relationships are what is important to most Feeling types.

The T-F scale is the only one that can be predicted by gender. There are more female F’s and more male T’s. We are socialized that way. Females are brought up to be nurturing and to maintain harmony. I am one of the minority. I am a female T, and that often results in me being labeled a big “B,” if you know what I mean.

Here is a good place to point out that it isn’t always easy to decide on someone’s type by watching their actions. I am a Thinking type, and I was a volunteer leader in the military community for about 20 years. My first inclination, as a T, is to go into a meeting, state what needs to be done, and dismiss everyone. My mostly female volunteer cohorts didn’t take kindly to that kind of behavior. If Feeling type volunteers don’t get the relationships and harmony that they crave, they tend to leave.

So I learned to leave some time at the beginning and end of the meeting for some chatting. I would introduce a topic and then ask each person how they felt about it. After that, we would compromise our way to a decision. Everyone bought into the end result because they were a part of the process. It was a way better way to interact with the group that required me to move away from my Thinking preference and toward a more Feeling approach.

Great leaders can move up and down the scale as needed to bring out the best in their team or organization.

For a little bit of fun leadership development, join 53 Leadership Challenges at KathyStoddardTorrey.com.

Want to go further with your professional development? Check out the courses offered at PositiveEffectLeadership.com.

If you are interested in taking your career to the next level quickly, contact me for a sample coaching session at KSTorrey@tapferconsulting.com.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Sensing-Intuitive Scale

15 Tuesday Sep 2020

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We’ve been discussing the MBTI. We talked about the history and overview of the instrument and then the important considerations of the Extrovert-Introvert scale. Now we are going to discuss the Sensing-Intuitive scale, which describes how we perceive the world.

Sensing types (S’s) live in the moment. They use their five senses to soak in the world around them. S’s like concrete facts and routines and are very matter-of-fact. They like the safety and security of doing things the same way. Intuitive types (N’s) live in the possible. They notice patterns and like to plan and brainstorm. N’s like dealing with abstract ideas and concepts. They are very imaginative and thrive on innovation.

S’s are really good at noticing details. When I give a workshop, I hide my feet and then ask the group what my shoes look like. The ones that can tell me are mostly S’s. They can also describe what’s on the wall behind them without looking. I have a friend who is an S. We were both standing at a function listening to violin music and waiting for the next event — cake. We were standing by the cake table. There was a large sheet cake with some writing on it, some plates, forks, and napkins. She leaned over to me and said, “That table is really bothering me.”

Now I hadn’t seen it say anything rude, so I was puzzled. As far as I could tell, there was nothing wrong with the table. A few violin notes later, she said, “I can’t stand it anymore,” and she charged for the table. I expected a major confrontation between woman and table. She strode over, picked up the plates, and separated them into four piles, one at each corner of the table. Then she took the pile of forks and laid them out neatly. Finally, she strategically fanned the napkins on the table. With a self-satisfied grin, she returned. I am an N, and I honestly had not noticed anything wrong with the table, but my S friend notices details, and they bug her.

S’s like concrete ideas and facts. Practicality is the watchword that they live by. They use their five senses to take in the world around them, and they ground themselves in the present. S’s like ideas and plans to be presented in an orderly fashion.

S’s can get bogged down in details. It’s important for them to make a mental note that change is OK and can even be good!

N’s bring a “big picture” perspective to most situations. Their input can be valuable and help an organization plan for the future. They are good at seeing patterns and realizing the future implications of a decision.

N’s live in the realm of the possible. They love to talk about theories and concepts. Everyday details are mundane and boring. There’s always a better way to do something, and N’s have so much fun figuring out what that way is! “We’ve always done it that way” is an invitation to an N to find a better way. Their minds are in the future more than the present.

The two types can complement each other and drive each other crazy, but it’s important to note that both types are valuable and add value to a decision. N’s have a tendency to ignore issues of practicality. S’s can keep them grounded in what’s really possible. N’s keep S’s from stagnating in routines that are no longer serving a purpose.

For a little bit of fun leadership development, join 53 Leadership Challenges at KathyStoddardTorrey.com.

Want to go further with your professional development? Check out the courses offered at PositiveEffectLeadership.com.

If you are interested in taking your career to the next level quickly, contact me for a sample coaching session at KSTorrey@tapferconsulting.com.

 

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Extravert-Introvert Scale

08 Tuesday Sep 2020

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We’ve broadly discussed the MBTI and its history. Now, I want to talk about each of the four MBTI scales from a leadership perspective. The first scale is the Extravert-Introvert Scale. As Jung began studying people’s behavior, he first noticed how involved they were in the outside world.

He separated people into Extraverts (E) and Introverts (I). I’s are mostly interested in ideas and concepts inside their own heads. E’s interact more with the outside world. We all lie somewhere on the scale between the two extremes.

Your place on the E-I Scale tells you how you get your energy. Es get jazzed from being around a group of people. I’s recharge their batteries by being alone.

E’s and I’s process information in very different ways. E’s tend to think out loud. They process information by talking about it. I’s like to really think about an idea before they share it. When I give MBTI workshops, I ask the E’s to get up and stand on one side of the room and the I’s to stand on the other. Most of the time, the E’s chat with each other all the way to their side of the room and continue to talk once they form their group. The I’s, on the other hand, stand up and walk quietly to their side of the room. They usually stand silently watching the E’s talking animatedly across the room.

E’s tend to have a number of good friends. They are expressive, demonstrative, and easy to get to know. They like being around other people. I’s tend to have a few really close friends. They are more controlled and don’t share much about themselves with others. They are usually quiet and like to spend some time alone.

As far as learning styles go, E’s like to learn by being actively engaged in discussions and activities. I’s learn best from written material.

Neither way is better than the other! Both types are equally valuable. E’s like to refine their thinking by talking about it. They sort their ideas verbally. I’s like to refine their thinking internally. They don’t like to talk about an idea until they’ve given it some thoughtful consideration.

Our society promotes and rewards extraverted behavior. In school, teachers call on students and expect an answer immediately. E’s don’t have a problem, but I’s really like to give thoughtful answers. In business meetings, we are often asked to think on our feet and answer quickly. That behavior is much more challenging for an I.

Does that mean that I’s won’t be successful or able to hold their own in meetings? Not at all! Your preferred style is just that — preferred. We can each learn to behave outside our comfort zone. The more we practice, the more comfortable we become. The most successful people can operate inside and outside of their preferences.

Extraverted leaders are usually outgoing and friendly. They speak their mind honestly and frequently. They have a wide circle of friends and are energized by being around other people. In life, they like to be active and engaged.

Extraverted leaders have a tendency to run over I’s. In a meeting, it is important to create time and space for I’s to answer. I’s need some time to think about their answers. They REALLY don’t like to be put on the spot. Being the center of attention is not a good place for I’s, and they don’t share their feelings easily.

An Introvert can give valuable insight into challenges and topics if we create a safe environment for them to share. Sending out an agenda before a meeting gives an I time to think about the topics before arriving. We can also ask for written ideas to be turned in after the meeting instead of relying totally on discussion.

Introverted leaders think through an idea before they say it out loud. They must develop a sense of trust before they will open up and share their feelings. Introverted leaders have a few close friends and do not like to be in the spotlight. They recharge their batteries by spending time alone. They like to observe what’s going on around them for a while before they decide to join in.

E’s need time to discuss issues. Introverted leaders must create time and space for active discussion. It’s essential to have time in the meeting for the E’s to refine their thoughts through discussion.

It’s also important for leaders to understand how conflicts can arise between the two types. Let’s consider how each type might see the other. E’s could see the thoughtful I’s as aloof, maybe even rude when they don’t talk freely. I’s could consider the E’s to be chatterboxes who say things they don’t mean.

It’s important not to expect others to behave the way that we do. Remember that we each have our own unique Frame of Reference. Part of our Frame of Reference is our MBTI type. As leaders, it’s important that we understand and accommodate both types.

The two types will complement each other if we, as leaders, recognize their strengths and support each’s way of processing information and recharging their batteries.

For a little bit of fun leadership development, join 53 Leadership Challenges at KathyStoddardTorrey.com.

Want to go further with your professional development? Check out the courses offered at PositiveEffectLeadership.com.

If you are interested in taking your career to the next level quickly, contact me for a sample coaching session at KSTorrey@tapferconsulting.com.

 

Leadership Nerd Alert: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) History and Overview

01 Tuesday Sep 2020

Posted by in Leadership, Uncategorized

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 Whatever the circumstances of your life, the understanding of type can make your perceptions clearer, your judgments sounder, and your life closer to your heart’s desire. – Isabel Briggs Myers

I am an accredited facilitator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and administer it to many of my leadership participants. I know that not everyone is an MBTI fan, but I call the MBTI workshop my “Give Peace a Chance” workshop.

Many times, we believe that people see and judge the world the same way that we do and that they are purposefully annoying us with their behavior. When discussing the MBTI with a group and doing some exercises together, it becomes obvious that what we notice and how we decide what is good can be very different.

The MBTI was developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers and is based on Carl Jung’s theory of personality type. Briggs explored and elaborated on Jung’s theories and introduced her daughter to the concepts at a young age. Isabel Briggs entered Swarthmore College at age 16 and graduated first in her class in 1919. She married her junior year and became Isabel Briggs Myers. The suffering of World War II motivated her to find a way to help people understand each other. Her tool for human understanding is the MBTI.

By developing individual strengths, guarding against known weaknesses, and appreciating the strengths of the other types, life will be more amusing, more interesting, and more of a daily adventure than it could possibly be if everyone were alike. – Isabel Briggs Myers

Isabel reveled in people’s differences and felt that most arguments are merely misunderstandings. She wrote a book about the MBTI and its underlying concepts with her son, Peter Briggs Myers. She died just before the publication of the first edition of Gifts Differing. In the preface, her son writes:

“…while not trained as a psychologist, [Isabel Myers] devoted the entire second half of her life to interpreting and adapting Jung’s theory to help ordinary, healthy, normal people understand that it is all right to be unique individuals, often quite unlike those around them, and that many, if not most, of the differences, problems, and misunderstandings they may have experienced with others can be explained in terms of the perfectly normal, but different, choices in the way people take in and process information.”

The MBTI classifies people along four dichotomies. Your type will tell you your preferred position along each dichotomy. It’s important to note that you are not limited by your type. Your type points out your preferred style of perceiving, judging, and orienting yourself to the world. Your type does not define who you are or limit your behavior to your preferred skills. Just as you can learn to sign your name with your nondominant hand, you can learn to use skills outside your preferred type.

There are no wrong answers on the MBTI. There are no “abnormal” types. Every type is valuable and normal. You are never obligated to share your type with anyone else.

As Jung began studying people’s behavior, he first noticed how involved they were in the outside world. He separated people into “Extraverts” and “Introverts.” Introverts are mostly interested in ideas and concepts inside their own heads. Extraverts interact more with the outside world. We all lie somewhere on the scale between the two extremes.

The second scale defines how we perceive the world around us. Sensing types notice small details and live in the moment. Intuitive types live in the world of possibility and focus on the future. Intuitive types don’t always notice the details around them.

The third dichotomy tells us how we judge the world. Thinking types are very logical; they feel it is important to be fair, logical, and consistent. Feeling types value relationships and harmony over logic; they feel that individual circumstances and people’s needs and feelings must be taken into account.

The last dichotomy is the Perceiving – Judging scale. Perceiving types like to keep their options open. Finishing a project means losing options. Perceiving types also have a very fluid sense of time. Judging types, on the other hand, are punctual and organized. They like to finish a project so that they can cross it off of their list and stop thinking about it.

We all fall along the scale on each of these dichotomies. It’s important to remember that our type is merely a preference. The most accomplished leaders move up and down the scale as needed.

For example, I am an Intuitive type, which means that I am not good at noticing details. However, for a while I administered a test to adults and figured out that some of them were cheating.

I began to watch them very closely and noticed that most people keep both hands on a desk while taking a test. Anyone who had one hand in their lap could be holding a cheat sheet. It wasn’t always true, but I began noticing details and walking behind anyone with one hand not on the desk.

We can learn to function efficiently outside our preferred type. In fact, extraordinary leaders have learned to move up and down the four scales as needed to achieve the best outcome, interactions, and results.

For a little bit of fun leadership development, join 53 Leadership Challenges at KathyStoddardTorrey.com.

Want to go further with your professional development? Check out the courses offered at PositiveEffectLeadership.com.

If you are interested in taking your career to the next level quickly, contact me for a sample coaching session at KSTorrey@tapferconsulting.com.