Personality Type and Temperaments
INOV 101
Objectives
• Gain insight into your personal style as
well as the styles of others
• Identify your personal strengths and
challenges
• Understand the impact of personal style
on leadership, change, and problem
solving
• Get tips on how to work with different
personality types
Exercise
• Handwriting
• Cross arms
• Clasp hands
• Describe the differences
Easy
Comfortable
Effortless
Natural
Fast
Mature
Competent
Hard
Awkward
Concentrated
Unnatural
Slow
Immature
Incompetent
Trait vs. Type
Trait
• Inborn or
acquired
• More or less
• Too much or
too little is
diagnostic
• Normally
distributed
Type
• Inborn
preference
• Either or
• Too much or
too little is
irrelevant
• Bimodal
Personal Styles: Some Assumptions
• All of us have
•
•
•
•
strengths
areas for improvement
something to learn about ourselves
something to teach, share with the group
• People are complex. No one instrument can
describe our entire personality -- no one test can
completely convey who we are
• An instrument like the MBTI is an opportunity to
gain insight into some aspects of ourselves and
others
The Myers-Briggs Types Indicator
Reports some of your key:
• Preferences
• Tendencies
• Characteristics
• But not all of them
It is not:
• Predictor
• Label
MBTI: Four Preferences
E
S
T
J
Source of energy
Extraversion
Introversion
Way of gathering information
Sensing
iNtuition
N
Feeling
F
Perception
P
Decision making
Thinking
How you relate to the external world
Judgment
I
Extraversion and Introversion
(complementary ways of being energized)
E
Extraversion
An extravert’s
essential stimulation,
way of getting energy,
is from the
environment, the
outer world of people
and things.
Introversion
An introvert’s
essential stimulation,
way of getting energy,
is from within - the
inner world of
thoughts, ideas, and
reflections.
I
E or I
(key words)
Extraversion
Introversion
E
I
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jumps In, Initiating
Sociability
Interaction
Multiplicity
Thinks out loud
External
Breadth
Expressive
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reflective
Intensive
Concentration
Limited relationships
Rehearse before talking
Internal
Depth
Constraint
E or I
(Preferred Work Environment)
Extraversion
E
Introversion
I
• Varied and action-oriented
• Prefers to be around and
with others
• Interests have breadth
• Lively and popular
•
•
•
•
• Remain aware of the
environment,
allow time to verbalize
agreements,
then take action.
• Allow time for silent
reflection on solutions,
conceptualize the problem,
and look deeply into
issues
Quiet and concentrated
Prefers to be alone
Interests have depth
Calm and private
Questions for E’s & I’s
• What assumptions do you make about the other
group?
• What questions would you like to ask members of
the other group?
• What do you appreciate about the other group?
E’s View
Admire about I’s
• Do things on their
own
• Nice not to be center
of attention
• Not feeling like you
have to speak up
• Think things through
Baffled by
• Why they take so
long to answer
I’s View
Admire about E’s
•
•
•
•
•
High energy
Verbal
Doers
Risk takers
Comfortable with
self and others
• Confidence
Baffled by
•
•
•
•
•
Too many words
Don’t shut up
Too Impulsive
Opinionated
Changeable
Sensing and Intuition
(Are complementary ways of taking in information)
S
Sensing
Intuition
N
The sensing function
takes in information
by way of the five
senses - sight, sound,
feel, taste, and smell.
The intuitive function
takes in information
by way of a “sixthsense” or hunch.
S or N
(Key Words)
Sensing
S
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Facts
Present Focus
Detail
Powers of observation
Sequential
Idea tester
Adapting
Practicality
Sensible
Perspiration
Literal
Intuition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Possibilities, associations
Future focus
Overview
Pattern recognition
Random
Idea generator
Innovating
Ingenuity
Imaginative
Inspiration
Figurative
N
S or N
(Preferred Work Environment)
Intuitive
Sensing
S
• Prefers using learned
skills
• Pays attention to details
• Patient with details and
makes few factual errors
•
•
•
Prefers adding new skills
Full of new challenges
Patient with complexity
• Know the facts,
understand the plan, and
work out implementation
details
•
See the big picture(s), forge
into new areas, and develop
new possibilities.
N
S’s on “leaf”
fall
tree
rake
flowers
salad
pile
compost
mulch
4 leaf clover
burning smell
autumn
N’s on “leaf”
Pot
MINT JULEPS
Thinking and Feeling
(complementary ways of making decisions)
T
Thinking
The thinking function
decides on the basis of
logic and objective
considerations.
Feeling
The feeling function
decides on the basis
of personal,
subjective values.
F
T or F
(Key Words)
Thinking
Feeling
T
F
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Objective
Logic, principles
Truthful
Firmness
Impersonal
Critique
Analysis
Justice
Clarity
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Subjective
Personal values
Tactful, harmony
Persuasion
Interpersonal
Appreciate
Sympathy
Mercy
Harmony
T or F
(Preferred Work Environment)
Thinking
T
•
•
•
•
Brief and businesslike
Impersonal
Treats others fairly
Detached
• Discuss issues logically,
consider the pros and
cons of various
alternatives, and spot the
inconsistencies in a plan
Feeling
• Naturally friendly
• Personal
• Treats others as they need
to be treated
• Involved
• Understand what is
important to people,
acknowledge the human
side of decision-making,
and help others accept
decisions
F
T or F
• Due to a financial crisis, your organization
needs to downsize by 15% in the next 30
days.
• How would T’s approach this?
• How would F’s approach this?
Judgment and Perception
(How you relate to the external world)
J
Judging
Perceiving
P
A judging orientation
is decisive, planned,
and orderly.
A perceptive orientation is
flexible, adaptable, and
spontaneous.
Generate systems,
provide organization,
and act with
decisiveness
Provide new ideas, insight,
and react with flexibility if
the system breaks down
J or P
(Key Words)
Judging
J
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Focus
Decided
Fixed
Plan
Systems
Conclusive
Complete
Wrap it up
Urgency
Get show on the road
Perceiving
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
P
Options /Alternatives
Gather more data
Flexible
Adapt as you go
Ad hoc
Spontaneous
Open-ended
Something will turn up
There’s plenty of time
Let’s wait and see
J or P
(Preferred Work Environment)
J
Judging
• Focus on completing
task
• Make decisions
quickly
• Want only the
essentials of the job
Perceiving
• Focus on starting task
• Postpone decisions
• Want to find out all
about the job
P
J or P
• You are planning a vacation.
• How would J’s approach this?
• How would P’s approach this?
Contributions of Preferences
• Extraverted types
• Remain aware of the environment, maintain
their networks, and take action.
• Introverted types
• Pay attention to the infrastructure,
conceptualize the problem, and look deeply
into issues.
Contributions of Preferences
• Sensing types
• Know the facts, understand the planning
stages, and work out implementation details.
• Intuitive types
• See the big picture, forge into new areas, and
develop new possibilities.
Contributions of Preferences
• Thinking types
• Discuss the issues in a logical way, consider
the pros and cons of various alternatives, and
spot the inconsistencies in a plan.
• Feeling types
• Understand what is important to people,
acknowledge the human side of decision
making, and help others accept decisions.
Contributions of Preferences
• Judging types
• Generate systems, provide organization, and
act with decisiveness.
• Perceiving types
• Are open to new ideas, provide insight, and
react with flexibility if the system breaks down.
Type Table
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
Verify Your Type
• The questionnaire said…
• I think it is…
• Look at the profile
Using Different “Lenses”
• Temperament Lens: Leadership
• Quadrants Lens: Change
• Dynamics Lens: Problem-solving and
decision-making
The Temperaments
• David Keirsey’s 2 letter temperaments
combinations give the widest behavioural
predictions with the highest accuracy
• 4 temperaments:
•
•
•
•
NF
NT
SJ
SP
The Temperaments
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
NF – the Idealist
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Relationships
Supportive of others
Sympathetic
Possibilities for people
Interpersonal skills
Hypersensitive to conflict
Search for self
Needs encouragement and
recognition
• Vivid imagination
• Mysterious
NF Leader
Democratic/Catalytic
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Organizational climate over structure
Good listener
Good spokesperson
Anti-authoritarian
Emotional and persuasive
Flair for dramatizing the mundane
Might get overextended
Can create dependencies
Need to schedule renewal time
Easily express appreciation of people
NT – the Rational
•
•
•
•
•
•
Knowledge
Independent
Conceptualizers
Non-conformist
Argumentative
Competition with self
and others
• Authority independent
• Enjoys complexity
NT Leader
Visionary/Scientist
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Systems/theory focused
Organize around theoretical framework
Architects of change
Tend to stand on principle
Powerful behind the scenes
Masters of the technical
Impatient with human conditions
Responsive to intellectual appeals
Express appreciation of ideas
Tendency to overplan
SJ – the Guardian
•
•
•
•
•
Responsibility
Loyal to system
Decisive
Orderly
Structure / Authority
dependent
• “Should” / “Should not”
• Tradition
• “If it isn’t broken, don’t
fix it”
SJ Leader
Traditionalist/Administrator
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Work hard/keep busy
Facts before action
Briefed to last detail
Results oriented
Impatient with schedule/agenda changes
Organize for stability
Prefer written communications
Discovered Murphy’s law
Difficulty expressing appreciation
Tendency to overkill
SP – the Artisan
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enjoys the moment
Spontaneous
Action oriented
Flexible
Good in crises situations
Needs freedom and
space
• Impulsive
• Practicality
• “When all else fails, read
the directions”
SP Leader
Promoter/Troubleshooter
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Work smart
No wasted motion
Opportunistic
Everything is negotiable
Focus is right now
Little interest in tradition
Impatient with theory/abstraction
Express appreciation easily
Can be unpredictable
Can be too impulsive
The Quadrants
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
Quadrants and Change
IS
IN
Thoughtful Realists
Like to test their ideas to see whether
they are supported by the facts; they
want to deal with practical, concrete
information in a careful and unhurried
way.
“Let’s keep it!”
Thoughtful and Innovative
Introspective and do their best work in
theoretical fields where ideas and
depth of understanding are important.
They value knowledge for its own
sake.
“Let’s think about it differently!”
ES
EN
Action-oriented Realists
Want to see that practical tasks are
carried out. They prefer a work
environment where realistic, down-toearth tasks and problems are
managed. Prefer a culture that
focuses on results relating to people,
data, or things.
“Let’s do it!”
Action-oriented and Innovative
Value change, see possibilities as a
key aspect of their work, and like to be
challenged and to challenge others.
They tend to have a wide range of
interests and are willing to work with
systems or relationships.
“Let’s change it!”
Introducing Change to the Quadrants
IS
IN
Relate it to what I know.
•Make practical sense to me.
•Change at a steady pace, step by
step.
•Be careful and mindful of details.
•Give me time to think about it.
Relate it to new theories and concepts.
•Let me work on change that has impact.
•Don’t burden me with routines; let me
set my own pace.
•Let me set my own quality control and
standards.
ES
EN
Relate it to the work I do.
•Show me the practical results change
will bring.
•Offer a steady progression, step by
step.
•Let me “hash it over” with others.
•Show me that my work will be more
effective if I make the change.
Relate it to changing things in my world.
•Challenge my imagination.
•Minimize the routine; maximize the
variety.
•Let me work on the broad focus and
overview of the change.
•Let me try to change the world.
Another View of Change and Type
From: The 7 Levels of Change by Rolf Smith
Type Dynamics
DOMINANT
Least
Preferred
AUXILIARY
Tertiary
Determining Your Dominant Function
E
S
T
J
Attitude
Extraversion
Sensing
P
Introversion
Perceiving Function
Judging Function
Thinking
J
iNtuition
N
Feeling
F
Perception
P
Attitude
Judgment
I
Eight Extraverted and Introverted
Dominant Functions
Se Dominant Extraverted Sensing (ESTP & ESFP)
Goal: to experience as much as possible; to have an unending variety
of sensing experience
Si Dominant Introverted Sensing (ISTJ & ISFJ)
Goal: to form a solid, substantial, and accurate understanding of the
world around them and their place in it
Ne Dominant Extraverted Intuition (ENTP & ENFP)
Goal: to find and explore new possibilities, new and exciting
challenges
Ni Dominant Introverted Intuition (INTJ & INFJ)
Goal: to develop their inner intuitive patterns for understanding the
world
Eight Extraverted and Introverted
Dominant Functions
Te Dominant Extraverted Thinking (ESTJ & ENTJ)
Goal: to create logical order in their external world; to make their
environment rational
Ti Dominant Introverted Thinking (ISTP & INTP)
Goal: to create logical order internally; to develop rational principles
for understanding the world
Fe Dominant Extraverted Feeling (ESFJ & ENFJ)
Goal: to create harmony and cooperation in their external
environment; to facilitate others in getting what they need and want
Fi Dominant Introverted Feeling (ISFP & INFP)
Goal: to develop their internal core of values, establish an external life
that is congruent with them, and help both individuals and humankind
fulfill their potential
Dominants’ Approach to Problem Solving
S
N
How is the problem best
defined?
What are the ramifications
now?
What goals are we working
toward?
How can time lines be
established and what are
the intermediate
objectives?
What costs are incurred –
financial, emotional, etc.?
What are the common
threads?
What are the multiple
alternatives?
What is the relationship
of the part to the
system?
What are the
opportunities for
growth?
What are our hunches
about this issue?
Dominants’ Approach to Problem Solving
T
F
Is this a legitimate issue?
How does it affect the
bottom line?
What are the pros and
cons?
What is the relationship of
cause to effect?
What are the systemic
qualities?
What are people’s
feelings concerning this?
How can different sides
be accommodated?
What’s the most
diplomatic way to
proceed?
What will increase
harmony?
How does this affect me
and the people I care
about?
How to Work with the Dominants
Sensing Dominants
It has to make sense
Stability
Intuitive Dominants
It has to appeal to the
imagination
Change
Thinking Dominants
It has to be logical
Effective
Feeling Dominants
It has to consider aspirations.
Integrity
Use All Functions for Problem Solving
Sensing Perception
Determine the facts, givens,
and other data.
Assets and liabilities.
Intuitive Perception
Look at possibilities, ways to
change, brainstorm.
Future implications.
Thinking Judgment
Make an objective analysis of
the situation.
Look at logical
consequences.
Feeling Judgment
Look at the people
consequences of different
options.
Weigh against your values.
Types Under Stress
Sensing Dominant
ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTP, ESFP




see the future negatively
unduly pessimistic
get stuck in a rut
don’t see possible ways out
ISTP, INTP, ESTJ, ENTJ



show anger and other
emotions unexpectedly
hypersensitive
take criticism very
personally
Thinking Dominant
Intuitive Dominant
INTJ, INFJ, ENTP, ENFP



get obsessed w/ trivial
details
preoccupied w/ irrelevant
facts
overindulge in eating,
drinking, exercise, etc.
ISFP, INFP, ESFJ, ENFJ




hyper-critical
find fault w/ everything
overly domineering
take charge without
listening to others
Feeling Dominant
Type Development
• Understand your preferences and those of
others
• See how others perceive you
• Identify ways to develop your less
preferred behaviors
• Look at ways to create an environment
that makes best use of your preferences