An MBTI Approach to More
Effective Team Working:
understanding self and others
Kathy Duffy
Education Development Manager, NWD
Objectives of session
• Introduction to MBTI personality types
• Exploration of own type
• Understand how team working can be
affected by difference in personality
• An opportunity to explore strategies to
develop own approach to working with
others.
So, why are team dynamics
important?
• Think about a difficult team you have worked
in, where you felt other personalities were
hard to work with.
• Discuss in trios and highlight some of the
issues and consequences.
 Understanding self and others in terms of
personality types can help to inform more
effective approaches to team working
So… What is the MBTI?
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a tool or
framework for understanding our own Personality
Type and that of others.
• It is an indicator not a test so there are no right or
wrong answers
• It looks at normal behaviour
• It identifies preferences rather than
competencies, abilities or skills.
Remember…there is no better or worse Personality
Type to be!
About MBTI
• Purpose:
Learn about Self & appreciate differences between
people
• Application: a development tool e.g. Developing your approach to
more effective team working
• History:
Jung’s theory of leadership
• Research: Strong support for the reliability and validity of the
MBTI.
• Ethics:
Each individual owns their data and can choose to share
it or not as they wish.
What is a preference?
The concept of ‘preference’
“Natural”
“Easy”
“Quick”
“Comfortable”
“Effortless”
“Unnatural”
“Difficult”
“Slower”
“Awkward”
“Took more Energy”
Basic Assumptions of Type Theory
• The MBTI questionnaire assesses preferences.
• Preferences are not absolutes: everyone uses all eight.
• Preferences are not abilities: MBTI preferences do not tell
you what you can and can’t do.
• There are no better or worse types: all types have potential!
• People are the best judges of their own type
The Four Dimensions of Type
Preferences are not absolutes: everyone uses
all eight
Extraversion and Introversion
Where you prefer to get and focus your ‘energy’ or attention
Sensing and iNtuition
What kind of information you prefer to gather and trust
Thinking and Feeling
What process you prefer to use in coming to decisions
Judging and Perceiving
What process you prefer to use in coming to decisions
E : I Where you prefer to get and
focus your ‘energy’ or attention
Extraversion
Get energy from the
outer environment of
people and experiences
Focus energy and
attention outwards in
action
Introversion
Get energy from the
inner environment of
reflections and thoughts
Focus energy and
attention inwards in
reflection
Analogy
E
I
Ask yourself…
• How do you prefer to relax at the end of a stressful
week?
• How do you prefer to behave in meetings?
Characteristics
Extraversion
vs
Introversion
Do-think-do
vs
Think-do-think
Action
vs
Reflection
Talk things through
vs
Think things through
Expressive
vs
Contained
Interaction
vs
Concentration
Breadth of interest
vs
Depth of interest
What is your preference?
While everyone can operate in both modes,
we do not prefer them equally.
E
Clear
?
Moderately
Clear
Not
Sure
I
Moderately
Clear
Clear
Sensing and iNtuition
What did you see?
S : I The kind of information you
prefer to gather and trust
Sensing
Prefer information coming
from the five senses
Focus on what is real
Value practical applications
iNtuition
Prefer information coming
from association
Focus on what might be
• Value imagination and
insight
What do you see?
S
N
See the specifics
See patterns
then the pattern
then the specifics
Characteristics
Sensing
vs
iNtuition
Facts
vs
Ideas
Specifics
vs
Big picture
Realistic
vs
Imaginative
Here and now
vs
Anticipating the future
Practical
vs
Theoretical
Observant
vs
Conceptual
What is your preference?
While everyone can operate in both modes,
we do not prefer them equally.
S
Clear
?
Moderately
Clear
Not
Sure
N
Moderately
Clear
Clear
Thinking : Feeling
T
Makes decisions by
stepping out of the
problem to be
objective
F
Makes decisions by
stepping into the
problem to be
compassionate
T : F What process you prefer
to use in coming to decisions
Thinking
Prefer to make decisions on the
basis of logic and objectivity
Feeling
Prefer to make decisions
on the basis of values
and personal convictions
Quick to see errors and
give a critique
Quick to show appreciation
and find common ground
Step out of situations in
order to analyse
dispassionately
Step into situations to
weigh human values and
motives
Ask yourself…
• What would you do if a friend was burgled?
• How do you show appreciation?
Characteristics
Thinking
vs
Feeling
Guided by personal
values
Guided by cause-and-effect
reasoning
vs
Logical analysis
vs
Understand others’ point of
view
Seek objective truth
vs
Seek harmony
Impersonal criteria
vs
Personal circumstances
Critique
vs
Praise
Focus on task
vs
Focus on relationship
What is your preference?
While everyone can operate in both modes,
we do not prefer them equally.
T
Clear
?
Moderately
Clear
Not
Sure
F
Moderately
Clear
Clear
J : P How you prefer to deal with the
world around you : your ‘lifestyle’
Judging
Perceiving
Prefer to live life in a
planned and organised
manner
Prefer to live life in a
spontaneous and adaptable
manner
Enjoy coming to closure
and being decisive
• Enjoy keeping options open
and being curious
Avoid stressful last-minute
rushes
• Feel energised by last-minute
pressures
J : P Illustration
J
P
Characteristics
Judging
vs
Perceiving
Planned
vs
Emergent
Organised
vs
Flexible
Controlled
vs
Unconstrained
Structured
vs
Go with the flow
Scheduled
vs
Spontaneous
Ask yourself…
• If tomorrow’s work were cancelled, what would you do?
• How do you do your food shopping?
What is your preference?
While everyone can operate in both modes,
we do not prefer them equally.
J
Clear
?
Moderately
Clear
Not
Sure
P
Moderately
Clear
Clear
Preference Type
When combined your preferences indicate your Preference Type:
E or I
S or N
T or F
J or P
There are 16 preference types (e.g. ESTP, INTJ, ENFP, INTJ etc)
31
Type of Type?!
√ Self Assessed Type
The preferences you have chosen so far combine to give your “Self
Assessed” Type.
Reported Type
The preference type reported after you have completed the MBTI
questionnaire. You will also get a ‘preference score’ showing how
consistently you chose one preference over the other.
→ Best Fit Type
You are the best judge of your own type!
Type Table (guide only – refer to detailed
descriptors / reference material)
ISTJ
Inspector
ISFJ
Protector
INFJ
Counsellor
INTJ
Mastermind
ISTP
Crafter
ISFP
Composer
INFP
Idealistic
INTP
Architect
ESTP
Promoter
ESFP
Performer
ENFP
Champion
ENTP
Inventor
ESTJ
Organiser
ESFJ
Provider
ENFJ
Coach
ENTJ
Leader
Now you know your type…
• Read your type descriptor
• What effect does this have in how you
interact in the workplace?
• Can you begin to see where personality
type might have an effect?
• How might different personality types
clash?
Group exercise
• In small groups, complete the following
task:
– Plan a training session for junior doctors on
‘Improving interview skills’
– Produce a flyer advertising your event
• One or two observers for each group
• Notice how the team works and how
individual personalities contribute.
Feedback from groups
• What different types of interaction did
you notice?
• Did you notice your own personality
affecting how you interacted?
• What aspects of the activity did you find
frustrating?
• Did you notice behaviours/actions of
others that surprised you?
Interactions with colleagues:
Intuitive types
Sensing types
Bring up new possibilities
Bring up pertinent facts
Anticipate future
Realities of situation
Apply insight
Apply experience
Focus on long-term
Focus on what needs doing now
Feeling types
Thinking types
Assess how others will react
Analyse implications
Make exceptions for individuals
Be consistent
Attach importance to values
Attach importance to principles
Aim for harmony
Create logical systems
Working in teams:
MBTI developments : MTR-i looks at team ‘types’
Coach
Crusader
Explorer
Innovator
ESFJ/ENFJ
ISFP/INFP
ENTP/ENFP
INTJ/INFJ
Sculptor
Curator
Conductor
Scientist
ESFP/ESTP
ISFJ/ISTJ
ESTJ/ENTJ
ISTP/INTP
• Stretch = Difference between preferred and
actual team role
• Stretch can be developmental/motivating
• However, large/prolonged difference can result
in stress
In summary
• Greater understanding of self and own
personality
• Appreciation of and respect for
difference in approach to work/team
• Questions / observations you might use
to give you better insight into those with
other personality preferences?
• Initial thinking on ways to be personally
more effective within teams, and
develop own team role/s
Contacts/References/Further reading
•
Kathy Duffy BA Hons, RGN, MA Ed, MBTI Part 1 qualified; CIPD
Certificate in Coaching k.duffy@nwpgmd.nhs.uk
•
•
MBTI resources materials: © OPP 2006
http://www.businessballs.com/personalitystylesmodels.htm
•
•
Introduction to Type (2000) © OPP
Introduction to Type and Leadership (2008) © OPP
•
http://www.opp.eu.com/psychometric_instruments/mbti/Pages/default.aspx
•
•
http://www.slideshare.net/malpascoe/mbti-team-dynamics
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/myersbriggs.html