take the MBTI - Gifted Leaders

Learning Objectives
Course Content
Optional and Recommended: All practice members
take the MBTI (register at myevt.com) and review
their reports to become aware of their type
preferences.
MBTI Module 3:
Type and Teams Module
Course Description
The effectiveness of a veterinary practice depends on how well each team
member uses his or her capabilities to contribute to the benefit of all.
This effectiveness can be gauged on a daily basis as well as when evaluating the achievement of long- and short-term practice goals. How do
team members interact with each other? What can be done to optimize
individual job satisfaction, motivation, performance, communication,
client satisfaction, and decision-making processes? The answer lies in the
awareness and application of the psychological type information you will
learn about through completing this module.
Learning Objectives
Learn how the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) type table can
facilitate the understanding and advantageous use of team dynamics:
✦ Become aware of the structure behind the placement of the 16 types
in the table.
✦ Understand how using MBTI type preferences is a means to
understand ourselves and others, not a means to characterize
ourselves or others.
✦ Identify team or practice typology.
✦ Build awareness of practice member type similarities and differences.
Learn how to bring out the best in each individual and the
practice team:
✦ Analyze and compare personnel type preferences to job tasks.
✦ Identify the “heart of type” and its effect on attitudes and
performance.
✦ Demonstrate respect for type preferences, resulting in effective
communication.
✦ Collect information and use S-N-T-F protocol to balance the
decision-making process.
Apply the knowledge of psychological type to enhance both
individual and team performance:
✦ Value type differences within the veterinary team.
✦ Use type preferences to maximize team harmony and productivity.
✦ Learn how type dichotomies can complement each other.
✦ Consider specific steps team leaders can follow to improve team
functioning.
Become aware of book and article resources about MBTI type.
In summary, understand that knowing about MBTI type provides a
tool for understanding ourselves and others. Type informs us not of
abilities, but of preferences. Though likely inborn, type preferences
can be dynamic in social situations.
Your
Team
13 Map
14 Table
Team's
15 Motivate 16 Pairs
Manage,
Function
Part 13: Mapping Your Team
Introduction to the type table
✦ Building a type table (Appendix 1)
Part 14: Building Your Team’s Type Table
Team Type Analysis
✦ Charting similarities and differences
✦ Understanding preferences and potential
strengths
✦ Analyzing preference representation and
potential blind spots
✦ Knowing usefulness of opposite preferences
✦ Considering use of all preferences for group
benefit
✦ Pondering interaction of the team leader with
the team and individual members
Part 15-16: Managing and Motivating Your Team
Effects of MBTI Type Preferences in Work Settings
✦U
nderstanding the effects of preference
dichotomies
Bringing Out the Best in Each Team Member
✦A
ssessing your job fit (Appendix 2)
The Four MBTI Function Pairs
✦D
etermining your own “heart of type”
✦ What do the function pairs look like?
Communication and the Function Pairs
✦K
nowing what works and does not work for each
function pair
✦ Using your knowledge of type to communicate
more effectively
Decision Making and the Function Pairs
✦F
ollowing the process
✦ Improving your team decision making and
problem solving (Appendix 3)
Part 17: Maximizing Your Team’s Performance
✦ The importance of type diversity in the workplace
✦W
hat team leaders can do to improve team
functioning
References
Books
Articles
Appendix 1
MBTI Type Table (Part I)
Appendix 2
Job Tasks Categorized by Preferred MBTI
Functions (Part II)
Appendix 3
Decision Making/Problem Solving for All Types:
Questions to Stimulate the Use of Each Function
(Part II)
17 Performance 18 Appendices
Maximize
13 Map Your Team
By Jeff Thoren, DVM, ACC
No matter where you work within a veterinary practice, no matter
what you do, you are part of a team. The practice as a whole represents
a team effort to reach a goal and each function within the practice
(eg, doctors, technicians, client service staff, etc) serves as a team
within the larger team. Any team’s success is directly linked to how
well individual members get along and work with each other.
In this module, we’ll look at:
1
2
3
Mapping your team: How to use the MBTI type table to
understand and influence team dynamics.
Managing and motivating your team: How to bring
out the best in each individual and use type knowledge to
improve team communication and decision making.
Maximizing your team’s performance: How
to use a knowledge of psychological type to enhance both individual and team performance.
the
Team
13 Map
14 Table
Team's
15 Motivate 16 Pairs
Manage,
Function
17 Performance 18 Appendices
Maximize
13 Map Your Team
Mapping Your Team: Using the MBTI Type Table
to Understand and Influence Team Dynamics
Introduction to the Type Table
One of the most useful tools for understanding team dynamics is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) type table
(see MBTI Learning Modules 1 and 2). The table gives you an instant look at a team or entire veterinary practice and is
a helpful tool to raise awareness among team members about individual similarities and differences.
Let’s build a type table with all 16 types on it. Isabel Myers and others who designed the table gave us some mnemonics
to help us remember the placement of the 16 types.
I
Introverted types
prefer time to
think, so they are
at the head of the
table.
S
Intuitive types
like “right-brain”
activities (eg,
hunches and
meanings), so they
are on the left.
N
E
Extraversion/
Introversion
Extraverted types
prefer action and
movement, so
they are at the
foot of the table.
Thinking/Feeling
Sensing/
Intuition
Sensing types like
“left-brain” activities
(eg, careful and
sequential use of
facts), so they are on
the left.
Judging/Perceiving
J
T
Feeling types like to
please and consider
others in their
decisions, so they are
next to each other
in the middle of the
table.
F
T
P
J
Thinking types like
to be objective and
stand apart from their
decisions, so they
are on the outside
columns of the table.
Perceiving types
like flexibility and
adaptability, so they
are in the middle
rows of the table, just
“going with the flow.”
Judging types like
structure and order,
so they are in the top
and bottom rows,
providing structure
for the table.
13 Map Your Team
Putting it all together, we end up
with the complete type table which
displays the types together that
have the most in common.
Some people feel boxed in when they
look at the type table. So, instead of a
box, many type experts liken the type
table to “a house with 16 rooms.” Your
own best-fit type is your favorite room—
perhaps the one with the large picture
window or the 52-inch flat-screen
TV—but there are other rooms you like
almost as much and probably visit often.
A few rooms—the laundry room for
example—may be far less appealing to
you, and yet you know how to function in
those rooms when you have to.
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
Type works the same way, you
aren’t stuck being just one type. Personal
growth and maturity involves knowing
when you have to move to a different room
by working outside your preferences in
order to meet the needs of a particular
situation. Knowing your preferences
provides you with a helpful framework for
adjustment when you need to step outside
them to function effectively both at
work and in your personal life.
14 Building Your Team’s Type Table
The MBTI type table is a great tool
to understand and influence team dynamics.
To build your own team’s type table, use the MBTI Type Table provided in Appendix 1 and simply write the names of
each team member who has determined his/her best-fit type in the appropriate squares (ie, “rooms”). Make sure that
you have each individual’s permission to do this since each person’s type is his or hers to choose to disclose.
Now, add up the number of extroverted types, introverted types, sensing types, intuitive types and so on and record
the totals in the space provided at the bottom of the table.
Team Type Analysis
Here are a few initial questions to consider as you evaluate your team from a typological standpoint:
✦ How diverse or similar are the team members?
✦ What preferences does the team emphasize? What
are the potential strengths associated with those
preferences?
✦ What preferences are less represented? What are the
team’s potential blind spots?
Let’s take a look at these using
the type table below for the
fictitious River City Veterinary
Hospital (RCVH):
1
✦ Which type or types are minority types within the
team? How can minority voices be heard so that
everyone’s gifts can be used?
✦ How might the team leader’s type interact with the
team’s type? With individual member’s types?
ISTJ
Dr. Hirsh
ISTP
Charles
ISFJ
Isabel
Mary
Barbara
Judy
ESTP
ESFP
Katharine
INFJ
ISFP
INFP
Donna
Linda
Sherry
INTJ
INTP
Dr. Jung
How diverse or similar
are the team members?
Typologically similar individuals and teams share
the same ways of being energized, gathering information, making decisions, and approaching life.
Because of this, they often find it relatively easy to
work together. Teams with high similarity will reach
decisions more quickly but are more likely to make
errors due to inadequate representation of all typerelated viewpoints.
ESTJ
Jean
ENFP
Dr. Kise
ESFJ
ENFJ
Naomi
Janet
Allen
ENTP
Paul
ENTJ
Typologically diverse teams, on the other hand, can
struggle to work well together since individuals and
team members prefer to operate in such different
E = 7
S = 12
T = 5
J=9
ways. The good news is that, while a diverse team
I = 10
N = 5
F = 12
P=8
may take longer to accomplish a project and need to
manage more conflict during the process, the end result is invariably better since more perspectives and strengths are represented.
In RCVH’s case, we can see that although many “rooms” on the type table are filled, almost half (8 out of 17) of the team
members are clustered in the upper left-hand corner of the table. Additionally, almost three quarters (12 of 17) of the team
members reside on the left-hand side of the table. The team as a whole, then, will undoubtedly reflect some bias toward the
characteristics of the types in these sections of the type table.
Your
Team
13 Map
14 Table
Team's
15 Motivate 16 Pairs
Manage,
Function
17 Performance 18 Appendices
Maximize
8 Building
Sensing or
Intuition
14
Your
Team’s Type Table
2
What preferences does the team emphasize?
What are the potential strengths associated with those preferences?
It’s important to be aware of your team’s overall type and where it is over- or underrepresented
by a particular preference. Overall, the RCVH team leans toward Introversion (59% of members), Sensing (71% of members), Feeling (71% of members), and Judging (53% of members).
An ISFJ team will tend to behave like and reflect the strengths of an individual who selects
ISFJ as their best-fit type.
3
Therefore, like many ISFJs, RCVH is likely to excel at taking care of their client’s needs.
Collectively, the team will tend to be quiet, friendly, reliable and thorough, and will value
order, stability, and harmony.
What preferences are less represented? What are the team’s potential blind spots?
RCVH’s most obvious blind spots are related to the Sensing/Intuition and Thinking/Feeling preference
dichotomies. Preferences for both Intuition and Thinking are underrepresented on the team.
So while the team will naturally have a mastery of the facts, an acute awareness of present realities and
an appreciation for knowing and doing what works (Sensing), they may have difficulty focusing on
where the current trends are leading, doing things they haven’t tried before and recognizing future
possibilities for the team (Intuition).
And while they will be especially sensitive to the impact of their actions and decisions on other people
(Feeling), they may have less capacity for making decisions more objectively and placing an equal
emphasis on tasks and bottom-line results (Thinking).
Mutual Usefulness of Opposite Preferences
Opposite types can complement each other, filling in each other’s blind spots and balancing decision
making. Here are a few ideas:
Intuitive Types Need Sensing Types ...
Sensing Types Need Intuitive Types ...
To bring up pertinent facts
To bring up new possibilities
To face the realities of the current situation
To anticipate future trends
To apply experience to solving problems
To apply insight to solving problems
To focus on what needs attention now
To focus on long-term goals
To keep track of essential details
To watch for new essentials
To face difficulties with realism
To face difficulties with zest
To remind them that the joys of the present are important
To show that the joys of the future are worth looking for
Feeling Types Need Thinking Types ...
Thinking Types Need Feeling Types ...
To analyze consequences and implications
To forecast how others will react and feel
To hold consistently to a policy
To make needed individual exceptions
To stand firm for important principles
To stand firm for human-centered values
To create rational systems
To organize people and tasks harmoniously
To be fair
To appreciate the Thinking type along with everyone else
8 Building
Sensing or
Intuition
14
Your
Team’s Type Table
4
Which type or types are minority types within the team?
How can minority voices be heard so that everyone’s gifts can be used?
RCVH has several opportunities to insure that the value of minority preferences
are recognized and utilized:
✦ From the previous question we already know that it would be beneficial for the team to seek out
the perspectives and strengths of those team members who prefer Intuition (N) and Thinking (T).
✦ RCVH’s team of veterinarians includes the practice owner, Dr. Karl Jung (INTP), his business
partner, Dr. Sandra Hirsh (ISTJ), and their new associate, Dr. Jane Kise (ENFP). Dr. Kise brings
needed balance to the doctor team with her preference for Feeling (F). Drs. Jung and Hirsh will
naturally zero in on the work to be accomplished while Dr. Hirsh will be able to offer insight into
the “people” aspects of the situation.
✦ As an ENTP, Paul represents the exact opposite of the team type (ISFJ). As such, he has the
potential to provide an important and unique perspective. Unlike the team, he will be constantly
generating ideas and on the lookout for new and better ways to do things. But without a conscious
effort by the team to value and welcome his perspective, he is likely to be ignored or even marginalized because his personality preferences are so different from the team norm.
5
How might the team leader’s type interact with the team’s type?
With individual member’s types?
✦ As an INTP the practice owner, Dr. Jung probably enjoys problem-solving and is natu-
rally curious, logical, and analytical. With his preferences for Intuition (N) and Thinking (T), he offers the team needed balance with his ability to see the big picture and
think strategically.
✦H
e may become frustrated, though, by the team’s apparent disinterest in his long-
range vision and their reticence to consider change. He may also find that leadership
and team building are particularly challenging since he tends to be more quiet and
independent and handling people issues requires more effort than he’d prefer to put
into it.
✦ Understanding these differences and related challenges is a critical first step
for Dr. Jung in taking the necessary steps to improve his ability to engage and
lead his team.
Psychological type and the MBTI provide a rational structure for understanding normal,
everyday differences between people. Appreciating and making constructive use of
those differences is also part of the theory and the ethic underlying the MBTI.
Moving from recognizing and understanding to appreciating and effectively
using differences is a challenge because we all have a natural bias for our
own way of seeing things and making decisions.
8 Sensing and
or Intuition
15 Managing
Motivating Your Team
Bringing
Out the
Best
in Each Team Member
The right job enhances your life. It is personally fulfilling because
it nourishes the most important aspects of your personality. It
suits the way you like to do things and reflects who you are. It lets
you use your innate strengths in ways that come naturally to you.
Now it’s time to bring out the best in each individual and use type knowledge to
improve team communication and decision making.
Effects of the MBTI Preferences in Work Settings
The following are typical contributions of the eight individual type preferences in work environments.
Mutual Usefulness of Opposite Preferences
Opposite types can complement each other, filling in each other’s blind spots and balancing decision making.
Here are a few ideas:
People Who Prefer Extraversion (E) ...
- Like variety and action
- Enjoy interacting with people
- Develop their ideas through discussion
- Learn new tasks by talking and doing
- Are interested in how other people do their work
People Who Prefer Sensing (S) ...
- Focus on immediate issues
- Provide a realistic and practical perspective
- Like to perfect standard ways to do things by fine tuning
- Build to conclusion by collecting facts
- Draw on their own and others’ experience
People Who Prefer Thinking (T) ...
- Focus on the tasks
- Use logical analysis to understand and decide
- Want mutual respect and fairness among colleagues
- Are firm-minded, can give criticism when appropriate
- Apply principles consistently
People Who Prefer Judging (J) ...
- Want to plan their work and follow their plan
- Like to get things settled and finished
- Feel supported by structure and schedules
- Reach closure by deciding quickly
- Focus on timely completion of a project
Your
Team
13 Map
14 Table
Team's
People Who Prefer Introversion (I) ...
- Like quiet for concentration
- Enjoy focusing on a project or task
- Develop their ideas internally
- Learn new tasks by reading and reflecting
- Enjoy working alone with no interruptions
People Who Prefer Intuition (N) ...
- Follow their inspirations
- Provide connections and meanings
- Like solving new, complex problems
- Start with the big picture, fill in the facts
- Prefer change, new ways of doing things
People Who Prefer Feeling (F) ...
- Focus on people’s interactions
- Use values to understand and decide
- Want harmony and support among colleagues
- Are empathetic, prefer to accommodate and reach consensus
- Apply values consistently
People Who Prefer Perceiving (P) ...
- Want to have flexibility in their work
- Like to be spontaneous
- Feel restricted by structure and schedules
- Leave things open as long as possible
- Focus on enjoying the process
15 Motivate 16 Pairs
Manage,
Function
17 Performance 18 Appendices
Maximize
8 Sensing and
or Intuition
15 Managing
Motivating Your Team
People choose occupations and jobs for many reasons, but one of the most important motivations is a desire for work
that will permit them to use their type preferences and that will entail relatively little use of their nonpreferences. Type
preferences are likely to affect activities as well as environments that people find energizing and satisfying.
If you’re in the right job, you should:
✢ Look forward to going to work
✢ Feel energized (most of the time) by what you do
✢ Feel your contribution is respected and appreciated
✢ Feel proud when describing your work to others
✢ Enjoy and respect the people you work with
✢ Feel optimistic about your future
When in a job that is ill-suited to their
personality type, people often report that
they feel one or more of the following:
✢ Tired or stressed
✢ Inadequate or incompetent
✢ Undervalued
✢ Misunderstood
Unchecked, these may eventually lead to performance problems, health problems, or both. No job provides a perfect match,
but knowledge of your preferences can help you avoid major mismatches, understand sources of job fit-related stress, and guide
you in assessing future options or adapting your current role to enable you to use your type preferences more.
Assess Your Job Fit
Let’s be realistic. You’re not always going to look forward to going to work and you’re not going to be energized by what you
do 100% of the time. Your goal is to find a job where you can play to your strengths and use your natural personality preferences at least 51% of the time. The more, the better.
To bring out the best in yourself and others, it’s important to evaluate and potentially adjust roles and responsibilities to
insure the best possible job fit. The more type preferences that fit, the more satisfying each day’s work will be.
To get started, review your MBTI best-fit type preference and then use the following questions to assess your job fit for any
particular job or position.
✢ How much of the job is Extraverted (E)—dealing with
✢ How much of the job is Thinking (T)—involving objec-
the public, handling phones, attending meetings, taking
care of client relations—and how much of it is Introverted (I)— working alone without much interaction with
coworkers or outsiders?
✢ How much of the job is Sensing (S)—dealing with tangible and immediate issues and using practical hands-on
skills—and how much of it is Intuitive (N)—requiring
an overview of an entire project or system and making
connections between and among several ideas, projects,
and people?
tive and impersonal decision making, and careful, analytical handling of what needs to be done, regardless of what
others think or feel—and how much of it is Feeling (F)—
involving interpersonal dynamics and making decisions
that promote individual and group harmony?
✢ How much of the job is Judging (J)—meeting deadlines,
staying punctual and organized, and being accountable—
and how much of it is Perceiving (P)—dealing with the
unplanned, tending to emergencies, and responding to
whatever comes up?
After reading the Section 16
on MBTI Function Pairs (ie,
the middle two letters of your
4-letter type code), refer
to Appendix 2, Job Tasks
Categorized by Preferred
MBTI Functions, to further
assess your job fit
How do the common job tasks of your current position compare with your preferred function pair (ie, ST, SF, NF, or NT)?
With a little effort, any type can potentially perform any job. However, there
are natural fits, and the more you know about your personality preferences, the more
your career choices can be made from a position of self-confidence. The key to success
is raising your self awareness and understanding your MBTI type is a great way to learn
more about what makes you tick and what work tasks and environments might bring out
the best in you.
16 The Four MBTI Function Pairs
Determining Your Own
To get started, here’s a short selfassessment to help you select the
function pair that is most like you. Which
one of the following statements most
accurately describes you?
“Heart of Type”
One of the key aspects of psychological
type is the combination of the Sensing or
Intuition preference with the Thinking or
Feeling preference.
The possible combinations (ST, SF, NF,
and NT), which form the four columns
of the type table, are called function pairs
because they say so much about how we
function in life.
1 “I am someone who is decisive, quick to take action,
values facts and logic, and pays attention to details.”
2
3
Since these preference pairs form the middle two
letters of each person’s four-letter type code and
define how we prefer to gather information and
make decisions—our core mental priorities—they are
sometimes referred to as “the heart of type.”
“I am someone who is service-minded, seeks
to help people in very practical ways, and is
unselfish, kind, and understanding.”
“ I am someone who is guided by my passions and
beliefs, has a sixth sense about people, and works to
ensure harmony in the workplace.”
4
“I am someone who is an agent of change, a
person with a vision who values logical argument, competence, and independence.”
Now that you’ve made your selection, review these descriptions of the function pairs that correspond with each statement:
Statement 1
Statement 2
Statement 3
Statement 4
Sensing/Thinking (ST)
Sensing/Feeling (SF)
Intuition/Feeling (NF)
Intuition/Thinking (NT)
STs like facts, are practical and analytical, and
like using technical and
administrative skills for
finding tangible solutions
to immediate problems.
SFs like using facts to
provide the right practical and immediate help
for people, and to create
happy and harmonious
environments.
NFs are interested in
ideas, possibilities, and
theories. They like
using their insight to
understand and develop
people, both individuals
and more widely.
NTs are interested in possibilities and ideas. They like
using their analytical skills
to solve complex problems
and develop theoretical
frameworks.
Did the function pair you selected seem like a good fit?
Don’t worry if you’re still not sure ... let’s dig a little deeper into this concept.
13
Map Your
Team
14
Team's
Table
15
Manage,
Motivate
16
Function
Pairs
17
Maximize
Performance
18 Appendices
16 The Four MBTI Function Pairs
What Do the Function
Pairs Look Like?
All four perspectives add value to a team or veterinary
practice. When one or more perspectives are missing
or underrepresented, client service, quality of care,
practice profitability, and other important outcomes can be
negatively impacted.
The table below provides a quick overview of what each
of the four perspectives contributes to team performance.
ST
SF
NF
NT
Motto:
“Let’s be accurate
and responsible.”
“Let’s be practical and
service-oriented.”
“Let’s be insightful
and inspiring.”
“Let’s be theoretical
and entrepreneurial.”
Like work that is:
efficient and
data-oriented.
social and
service-oriented.
creative and
growth-oriented.
effective and
competition-oriented.
Contribute by:
developing policies
and procedures.
delivering internal
and external customer
service.
describing ideals
worth striving for.
designing theoretical
concepts.
Look for:
atability, accountability, and control.
affiliation, personal
interaction, and
support.
personal meaning,
self-expression, and
growth.
rationality, opportunity, and long-range
visions.
Have as a goal:
Efficiency
Helping others
Empowerment
Mastery
Ask questions
such as:
“How will it be done
and how much does
it cost?”
“Who will it affect?
Who will do it and
how?”
“How will it be communicated and who
will it impact?”
“What is the latest
and most relevant
theory or strategy?”
Experience conflict
when:
work is not done
correctly
people disagree
values are ignored
or crossed
principles are incorrect or faulty
Want teams to
focus on:
the bottom line.
offering support.
giving encouragement.
systems.
Think about where some of your friends and coworkers fit on this table.
How are they similar or different from you?
16 The Four MBTI Function Pairs
These function
pairings—ST, SF, NF,
and NT—are quite
useful in looking
at communication
patterns, group decision
making, and practice
culture. Let’s return and
take a look at our team
at River City Veterinary
Hospital (RCVH).
ISTJ
D
r. Hirsh
ISFJ
Isabel
Mary
Barbara
Judy
ISTP
Charles
INFJ
ISFP
INFP
Donna
Linda
Sherry
ESTP
ESFP
Katharine
ESTJ
Jean
ENFP
Dr. Kise
ESFJ
ENFJ
Naomi
Janet
Allen
ST = 3
SF = 9
NF = 3
INTJ
INTP
Dr. Jung
ENTP
Paul
ENTJ
NT = 2
By adding up the number of team members populating each column of the type table, it’s obvious that the most
prevalent function pair represented within the RCVH team is SF. The other pairs—ST, NF, and NT—are underrepresented by comparison. Let’s see how this distribution affects team dynamics in the following areas.
Communication and the Function Pairs
To communicate effectively with others, it’s important to connect with them in a
way that satisfies their preferences for gathering information and making decisions.
For the majority of team members at RCVH including Isabel and Katharine—
the licensed technicians we met in the last module—that means emphasizing SF.
SFs enjoy communication that is:
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Personalized
Sequential
Empathetic with their position
Practical and results-oriented
Complete with examples
Centered on building the relationship
SFs are turned off by:
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Theoretical possibilities
Criticism of others
A “cookie-cutter” mentality
Logic without soul
Future projections
Keys for connecting with SFs:
✲ Be friendly
✲ Allow for hands-on experience
✲ Value their input
As you may recall, Dr. Jung sometimes gets frustrated by Isabel and Katharine’s apparent lack of interest in his longrange vision and their reticence to consider change. Knowing their preference for SF, Dr. Jung can immediately become
more effective when introducing potential changes in the practice by spending less time talking about future projections
and abstract possibilities (his forte) and providing detailed plans and information with lots of specific examples.
16 The Four MBTI Function Pairs
On the flip side, when team members want to communicate effectively with Dr. Jung, many of
them will need to shift away from their normal style of communicating and “talk NT.”
NTs enjoy communication that is:
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Organized
Big picture-oriented, considers future implications
Straightforward
Complete with underlying theory, research
Full of options
Balanced, with pros and cons
NT’s are turned off by ...
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Being told all the answers
Hype
Administrative detail
Repetition
Short-term outlook
Keys for connecting with NTs:
✲ Be prepared to be challenged
✲ Let them draw their own conclusions
✲ Establish credibility quickly
Effectively connecting with Dr. Jung will require that team members do their homework so that they project competence and
can logically defend their ideas when challenged. He will naturally be interested in technical developments and strategic improvements that have the potential to better the practice in the long run.
RCVH’s practice manager, Jean, has identified ESTJ as her best-fit type, not surprising for someone who has migrated to a
management role. Dr. Hirsh, one of the co-owners of the practice prefers ISTJ (a common MBTI type for veterinarians).
When talking with Jean and Dr. Hirsh, other team members will want to keep the following “ST” tips in mind.
STs enjoy communication that is:
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Short, crisp, businesslike
Impersonal
Factual and credible
Sequential
Nonbiased
Relevant
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Keys for connecting with STs:
✲ Be brief
✲ Be sequential
ST’s are turned off by ...
✲ Be responsible
Vague statements
Errors of fact
“Surprises”
Untried methods
Brainstorming with no practical outcome
16 The Four MBTI Function Pairs
A small number of RCVH team members, including their new associate veterinarian, Dr. Kise, prefer NF.
NFs enjoy communication that is:
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Full of new insights and perspectives
Enjoyable and fun
Big picture-oriented
Associative, not sequential
Concerned with harmony
Fuel for brainstorming
NF’s are turned off by ...
✲
✲
✲
✲
✲
Playing politics
Put-downs
Pushiness
Documentation, paperwork
Insensitivity
Keys for connecting with NFs:
✲ Be idealistic
✲ Focus on enabling growth in others
✲ Find the fun
Decision Making and the Function Pairs
Team decision making and problem solving involves collecting information and then making a decision
—the two behaviors that form the heart of psychological type. Isabel Myers believed that the best way to
make a decision or solve a problem is to use the four type functions deliberately and in a specific order:
Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and then Feeling. The diagram below illustrates this process.
Sensing (S)
Intuition (N)
✲ Identify relevant facts
✲ Consider all possibilities
✲ Act based on experience
✲ Brainstorm alternatives
✲ Determine realistic constraints
✲ Solve multiple problems at the same time
✲ Devise and implement incremental solutions
✲ Consider the future
✲ Question radical new approaches
✲ Identify trends and patterns
Thinking (T)
Feeling (F)
✲ Analyze the underlying issue
✲ Involve all parties
✲ Dissect the problem
✲ Consider effects of decisions on others
✲ Debate or argue to surface all opinions
✲ Use values to evaluate options
✲ Create or apply a model
✲ Get buy-in from stakeholders
✲ Question fundamental assumptions
✲ Work to get harmony on the team
16 The Four MBTI Function Pairs
In reality, when most teams deliberate, they tend to rely more on their two preferred type functions instead of using
all four functions in order. For RCVH with their ISFJ team type, that translates into relying more on Sensing and
Feeling (SF) since those behaviors come more easily to the team. Questions like “What already exists and works?”
(Sensing) and “How will others react and respond to our decision?” (Feeling) come quite naturally.
As a whole, RCVH will have less
interest and spend less time on,
behaviors associated with Intuition
and Thinking. The team will be
much less inclined to ask questions
like “What could we do that would
be completely different from what
we’ve done before?” (Intuition) and
“What are the purely logical consequences of the options we are
considering?” (Thinking)
Team performance may suffer if all
four functions aren’t considered in
the decision-making process. So to
overcome this tendency to overlook
certain less-preferred views, the
team must pay particular attention
to provide balance to the process
and give equal voice to all four
functions.
Improve Your Team Decision Making and Problem Solving
1
2
3
he next time your team faces a decision, try working through the
T
steps in the order indicated in the diagram above.
efer to the list of questions provided in Appendix 3 to stimulate the
R
intentional consideration of each function.
I dentify team members, or someone from outside the team, who can
help address the functions that you tend to overlook.
17 Maximizing Your Team’s Performance
MBTI type theory is vital for developing a better understanding of both individual and team
behavior. You can then use that understanding to boost team success.
The Importance of Type
Diversity
in
the
Workplace
One surefire way to maximize your team’s performance is to honor type diversity within your team. The demands of today’s
business climate are increasingly requiring that we successfully tap into all of the different preferences represented within our
team. Our willingness and ability to value all personality types will become increasingly important in the future.
Here are a few important things to remember related
to creating type diversity in the workplace:
◆ A business that values some behaviors over others
will inevitably perform relatively poorly in the opposite behaviors and will adversely affect people
in the system who have different preferences. It
will also create a culture that attracts some types
and deters others.
◆ People with preferences different
from those most represented in the
prevailing work culture are likely to
pay a personal price from having
to subjugate their preferences, and
the business is likely to pay a price
too, in failing to encourage these
talents.
◆ The trick in having a diverse workforce is to address the
weaknesses of the traditional culture by supporting those
within it to develop and value the culture’s less preferred
behaviors, while holding on to what it does well.
The ideal veterinary practice
culture is one where there is a
good understanding of personal
preferences at all levels of the
practice, where all types are valued
for what they do best, and where
different kinds of people can
work together in ways that are
complementary.
A diverse culture will attract a wide range of types, capitalize on all their talents, and provide a more
congenial and productive working environment. This, of course, means better care and service for your
patients and clients.
Your
Team
13 Map
14 Table
Team's
15 Motivate 16 Pairs
Manage,
Function
17 Performance 18 Appendices
Maximize
17 Maximizing Your Team’s Performance
What Team Leaders Can Do
to Improve Team Working
Here’s a summary of some of the specific steps you can take to enhance individual and team performance:
1
Have each team member complete the Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment at myEVT.com and
raise awareness of the benefits of understanding personality
type differences.
2
Do a Team Type Analysis as outlined in this module to
assess your team’s strengths and potential blind spots.
Be aware of what your team is likely to do well, and where it
might tend to struggle.
3
Evaluate and potentially adjust roles and responsibilities to insure the best possible job fit for yourself and
each of your team members. The more type preferences that
fit, the more satisfying each day’s work will be—and the better the results will be for individuals and the team alike.
4
Arrange the work and run meetings so as to provide
solitary tasks and advance thinking time for Introverted (I) types and plenty of action and time for discussion
for Extraverted (E) types. Recognize type-related skills and
behaviors that people find more difficult and support them
to develop in those areas.
5
Use your knowledge of the MBTI Function Pairs—
ST, SF, NF, and NT—to communicate effectively with
others by connecting with them in a way that honors their
preferences for gathering information and making decisions.
6
When making decisions and solving problems, seek
input from each of the four functions (S, N, T, and
F). Team performance may suffer if all four functions aren’t
considered in the decision making process. So the team
must pay particular attention to provide balance and give
equal voice to all four functions.
7
Explicitly value the contributions of all personality
types and actively seek ideas and opinions of team
members who don’t say much or who represent minority
types within your team.
17 Maximizing Your Team’s Performance
Finally, when looking at personality type, always remember:
✔ We can all do everything—type tells us about our preferences, not our abilities.
✔ None of the preferences exist in isolation. Type is dynamic and “the whole is greater
than the sum of the parts.”
✔ People often say they behave differently
in different situations. The best guide to your
preferences is how you behave in situations where
you feel most natural and at ease.
✔ Type is useful for gaining understanding
and self-awareness and for personal
development; it should not be used as an
excuse for doing or not doing anything, or for
criticizing or typecasting others.
✔ Type is probably inborn, but its expression is
affected by a person’s personal circumstances, life
stage, culture, upbringing, etc
Suggested Reading
Books
1. Developmental career counseling. Grutter J. In Kummerow J (ed): New Directions in Career Planning and the Workplace.
Davies-Black, 2000.
2. Do What You Are. Tieger PD, Barron B. Little, Brown, 2007.
3. Introduction to Type and Coaching. Hirsh SK, Kise JAG, CPP, 2000.
4. Introduction to Type and Teams. Hirsh E, Hirsh KW, Hirsh SK. CPP, 2003.
5. Introduction to Type in Organizations by Hirsh SK, Kummerow JM. CPP, 1998.
6. Introduction to Type. Myers IB. CPP, 1998.
7. MBTI Manual: A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, 3rd ed. Myers IB,
McCaulley M, Quenk N, Hammer A. CPP, 2003.
8. People Types & Tiger Stripes, 3rd ed. Lawrence G. CAPT, 1993.
9. Type Talk at Work. Kroeger O. Tilden Press, 2002.
10. Work it Out: Using Personality Type to Improve Team Performance. Hirsh SK, Kise J. Davies-Black Publishing, 2006.
11. Making it in today’s organizations using the Strong and MBTI. Grutter J, Lund S. CPP, 2000.
Articles
1. The importance of having all types in the workforce. Houghton A. BMJ Careers, February 2005.
2. The whole type, and how it relates to job satisfaction. Houghton A. BMJ Careers, December 2004.
3. Type and teams. Houghton A. BMJ Careers January 2005.
18 Appendices
Appendix 1
MBTI Type Table
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
E=
S=
T=
J=
I=
N=
F=
P=
ST =
SF =
NF =
NT =
Your
Team
13 Map
14 Table
Team's
15 Motivate 16 Pairs
Manage,
Function
17 Performance 18 Appendices
Maximize
18 Appendices
Appendix 2
Job Tasks Categorized by Preferred MBTI Functions
ST
SF
NF
NT
Analyzing information
in a detached, objective
way
Providing practical
services for others
Encouraging others to
grow and develop
Developing systems that
contribute to the understanding of knowledge.
Controlling
information
Helping people with
information
Motivating others to
use information to their
own benefit
Mastering knowledge.
Instructing
Caretaking
Mentoring
Teaching
Cost-benefit analyses
Planning social events
Designing projects
Doing research
Finding more efficient
ways of doing things
Following written
procedures
Changing the way
people do things
Starting from scratch
to make things better
Applying principles
consistently
Being patient with others
Motivating and
inspiring others.
Applying theoretical
principles.
Managing projects
Finding resources for
people
Creating programs
that enrich others
Strategic planning
Doing budgets and
overseeing them
Making others feel
comfortable and at ease
Helping others resolve
conflict
Developing systems
and models
Collecting and keeping
track of data
Getting answers for
people now
Solving new and complex Solving theoretical
problems that will benefit problems without set
the future of humanity
guidelines
Focusing on what needs
to be done now
Focusing on what
people need
Focusing on personal
meaning and selfexpression
Focusing on theoretical
systems
Improving
Serving
Performing
Understanding
Getting things right
Making others happy
Empowering others
Designing systems
Source: Developmental career counseling. Grutter J. In Kummerow J (ed): New Directions in Career Planning
and the Workplace. Davies-Black, 2000.
18 Appendices
Appendix 3
?
Decision Making/Problem Solving for All Types
Questions to Stimulate the Use of Each Function
Q
Step 1: Sensing
?
What are the verifiable facts of the situation? The givens?
What is the current situation?
How did we get into this situation?
What data has been gathered so far?
What has been done and by whom?
What is the history of this issue?
What resources are available and what strengths/liabilities do people bring?
What already exists and works?
Step 2: Intuition
What interpretations can be made from the facts?
What are the patterns in the data? What insights and hunches come to mind?
What is this problem analogous to?
What options and possibilities are open to us?
What would the possibilities be if there were no restrictions?
What if we looked at this issue a different way?
What could we do that would be completely different from what we’ve done before?
What are ways of changing this situation?
Step 3: Thinking
?
What are the pros and cons of acting on each option?
What are the logical consequences of each alternative?
What do we see objectively about this situation? What objective criteria must be satisfied?
What are the costs of each choice?
What do we see if we look at the issue and ourselves in an impersonal way?
What would everyone agree is true about this issue?
What are the strategies for getting us to each potential outcome?
What is the most reasonable course of action?
What are the integrity issues?
Step 4: Feeling
What are the people consequences for acting on each option?
What is really important in this situation?
What are my/our own values?
What are the underlying values involved for each choice?
What are my personal likes and dislikes about each alternative?
What do I/we care about in the long run?
What is the impact of these options on the values of others?
How will others react and respond to the options?
Who is committed to carrying out this solution?
?