Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality inventory rooted in Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type. The purpose of the MBTI is to make Jung’s theory – or how we perceive and make sense of our external and internal experience- understandable and useful in our lives. It assists us in identifying normal differences in people while providing a base for your own innate preferences. It provides a detailed analysis based of four “preference pairs” to highlight for psychological type or, more specifically, the behaviors you tend to show. This devise is particularly helpful in the understanding the inherent preferences of other people (personal and professional). This will result in more effective and satisfying interactions.
Evaluation:
My MBTI type is denoted by the four letter hypothesis: ESFJ. The MBTI recognizes those type cast into this classification to exhibit the following general characteristics: warm hearted, conscientious, and cooperative; want harmony in their environment; like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time; loyal, follow through even in small matters; notice what others need in their day-by-day lives and try to provide it; want to be appreciated for who they are and for what they contribute. I completed the MBTI assessment during a work-related HR presentation. The main objective of completing the assessment as a team was to become more aware of the different personality types held by each team member so we could improve the quality of interpersonal communications. The MBTI is a primary tool that I will use in my continual self-assessment. It will allow me to evaluate my inherent preferences and how they relate or affect my interaction with other people.
My assessment is accurate. I relate to each of the characteristics listed above in varying degrees. I was recently promoted to a supervisory role where I am expected to communicate effectively and professionally to a team of five subordinates who share some of my MBTI characteristics. An understanding of each individual’s type is paramount to achieving the objectives, values and standards set in our daily lives. This is imperative when relating to my team members as well as those in my personal life including my wife. Although I do share some commonalities with each of these people, they share one glaring difference from my personality inventory: they are all introverts.
My extroverted nature is confirmed through my preference to communicate through talking, learning best through hands-on training, and my general interest in being sociable and expressive. Conversely, each of my team members draws energy from their inner world. This is evident by their preference to communicate in written format (i.e. email) and a work ethic that is private and contained. This serves well in the heads-down nature of our work environment but poses a challenge when trying to motivate, evaluate and communicate. As their supervisor, I am challenged to recognize their preference and adapt accordingly as to avoid ineffective interpersonal communication.
Ineffective communication can result in decreased productivity in the work place and the deterioration of relationships in my personal life. I need to understand not only my impact on this situation as an extrovert, but also how to control the frustration of introverts. An important example centers on my tendency to formulate my ideas out loud. This can be frustrating to introverts, as identified by MBTI, who might feel cut off during a conversation. The MBTI assessment helps me to realize and correct this disconnect by highlighting frustrations that me and others might feel during interaction.
An awareness of my extroverted nature versus that of my team members and significant other has been important, especially in my transition into a position of more responsibility (i.e. supervisor and future husband). It is also helpful for me to recognize my other personality type differences including being a sensor, feeler and judger.
As a sensor, I focus on the factual and complete and tend to understand ideas and theories through practical application. Myers-Briggs recognizes the sensor’s practicality but also suggests the intuitor’s ability to highlight new experiences. My practical nature can be complimented by those who are orientated to future possibilities.
The MBTI assessment labeled me as a feeler: base decisions on how people will be affected, more apt to show feelings, concerned with making people happy, able to sympathize, and more personal. Others on the opposite spectrum might label me as an individual who is overly caring while it is my nature to observe those individuals as too logical or impersonal. It is an important from a management perspective to be objective during interpersonal communication so as to avoid these stereotypes. I am often criticized for being too emotionally bound during times of confrontation. Balancing my decision making with an approach that is more logical and guided towards analytical and objective decision making will provide for less conflictive interaction.
The final type indicator focuses of how I organize my life. As a judger, I come to closer quickly, keep lists, plan ahead, do not like surprises, and decisive. I have taken the MBTI several times and often fluctuate between this preference and that of perceiver. I am a procrastinator by nature but do keep lists and am often decisive. I find this to be a benefit in my personality as I am flexible to communicating with individuals who organize their lives across this MBTI spectrum.
The Myers-Briggs assessment is a useful tool in the management of my personal and professional life. As a supervisor and husband, I can apply a self-awareness of each MBTI preference to create interpersonal communication and interaction that is conducive to productive relationships. I need to focus on an application of these traits to personal growth that focuses on adaptation during personal interaction.
Strengths:
· Organize people/situations – complete tasks accurately/on time
· Conscientious and loyal – follow through in small matters
· Social and outgoing
· Bring personal caring to workplace/home
· Warm, sympathetic, helpful, personable, cooperative and tactful
· Energized by interaction with others
· Enjoy creating order, structure and schedules
· Have strong values – express them clearly/confidently when they think appropriate
Limitations:
· Conflict filled/tension filled situations make them uncomfortable
· Agree with others for the sake of harmony
· Jump to conclusions before fully understanding the situation – impose decisions on those around them
· Tentative/uncertain – might judge others too fast
· Doubt themselves – focus attention entirely on satisfying the needs of others
· Overly sensitive
· Support those in charge or standard procedures too uncritically
· Fail to see wider possibilities/alternatives to do things
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality inventory rooted in Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type. The purpose of the MBTI is to make Jung’s theory – or how we perceive and make sense of our external and internal experience- understandable and useful in our lives. It assists us in identifying normal differences in people while providing a base for your own innate preferences. It provides a detailed analysis based of four “preference pairs” to highlight for psychological type or, more specifically, the behaviors you tend to show. This devise is particularly helpful in the understanding the inherent preferences of other people (personal and professional). This will result in more effective and satisfying interactions.
Evaluation:
My MBTI type is denoted by the four letter hypothesis: ESFJ. The MBTI recognizes those type cast into this classification to exhibit the following general characteristics: warm hearted, conscientious, and cooperative; want harmony in their environment; like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time; loyal, follow through even in small matters; notice what others need in their day-by-day lives and try to provide it; want to be appreciated for who they are and for what they contribute. I completed the MBTI assessment during a work-related HR presentation. The main objective of completing the assessment as a team was to become more aware of the different personality types held by each team member so we could improve the quality of interpersonal communications. The MBTI is a primary tool that I will use in my continual self-assessment. It will allow me to evaluate my inherent preferences and how they relate or affect my interaction with other people.
My assessment is accurate. I relate to each of the characteristics listed above in varying degrees. I was recently promoted to a supervisory role where I am expected to communicate effectively and professionally to a team of five subordinates who share some of my MBTI characteristics. An understanding of each individual’s type is paramount to achieving the objectives, values and standards set in our daily lives. This is imperative when relating to my team members as well as those in my personal life including my wife. Although I do share some commonalities with each of these people, they share one glaring difference from my personality inventory: they are all introverts.
My extroverted nature is confirmed through my preference to communicate through talking, learning best through hands-on training, and my general interest in being sociable and expressive. Conversely, each of my team members draws energy from their inner world. This is evident by their preference to communicate in written format (i.e. email) and a work ethic that is private and contained. This serves well in the heads-down nature of our work environment but poses a challenge when trying to motivate, evaluate and communicate. As their supervisor, I am challenged to recognize their preference and adapt accordingly as to avoid ineffective interpersonal communication.
Ineffective communication can result in decreased productivity in the work place and the deterioration of relationships in my personal life. I need to understand not only my impact on this situation as an extrovert, but also how to control the frustration of introverts. An important example centers on my tendency to formulate my ideas out loud. This can be frustrating to introverts, as identified by MBTI, who might feel cut off during a conversation. The MBTI assessment helps me to realize and correct this disconnect by highlighting frustrations that me and others might feel during interaction.
An awareness of my extroverted nature versus that of my team members and significant other has been important, especially in my transition into a position of more responsibility (i.e. supervisor and future husband). It is also helpful for me to recognize my other personality type differences including being a sensor, feeler and judger.
As a sensor, I focus on the factual and complete and tend to understand ideas and theories through practical application. Myers-Briggs recognizes the sensor’s practicality but also suggests the intuitor’s ability to highlight new experiences. My practical nature can be complimented by those who are orientated to future possibilities.
The MBTI assessment labeled me as a feeler: base decisions on how people will be affected, more apt to show feelings, concerned with making people happy, able to sympathize, and more personal. Others on the opposite spectrum might label me as an individual who is overly caring while it is my nature to observe those individuals as too logical or impersonal. It is an important from a management perspective to be objective during interpersonal communication so as to avoid these stereotypes. I am often criticized for being too emotionally bound during times of confrontation. Balancing my decision making with an approach that is more logical and guided towards analytical and objective decision making will provide for less conflictive interaction.
The final type indicator focuses of how I organize my life. As a judger, I come to closer quickly, keep lists, plan ahead, do not like surprises, and decisive. I have taken the MBTI several times and often fluctuate between this preference and that of perceiver. I am a procrastinator by nature but do keep lists and am often decisive. I find this to be a benefit in my personality as I am flexible to communicating with individuals who organize their lives across this MBTI spectrum.
The Myers-Briggs assessment is a useful tool in the management of my personal and professional life. As a supervisor and husband, I can apply a self-awareness of each MBTI preference to create interpersonal communication and interaction that is conducive to productive relationships. I need to focus on an application of these traits to personal growth that focuses on adaptation during personal interaction.
Strengths:
· Organize people/situations – complete tasks accurately/on time
· Conscientious and loyal – follow through in small matters
· Social and outgoing
· Bring personal caring to workplace/home
· Warm, sympathetic, helpful, personable, cooperative and tactful
· Energized by interaction with others
· Enjoy creating order, structure and schedules
· Have strong values – express them clearly/confidently when they think appropriate
Limitations:
· Conflict filled/tension filled situations make them uncomfortable
· Agree with others for the sake of harmony
· Jump to conclusions before fully understanding the situation – impose decisions on those around them
· Tentative/uncertain – might judge others too fast
· Doubt themselves – focus attention entirely on satisfying the needs of others
· Overly sensitive
· Support those in charge or standard procedures too uncritically
· Fail to see wider possibilities/alternatives to do things