Working and Playing Well
with Others
Sharon L. Milgram, Director NIH OITE
www.training.nih.gov
With Thanks to:
 The NPA Board
 Otto-Kroeger & Associates & Hile Rutledge
 OITE Career Services Center
 Lori Conlan & Shawn Mullen, NIH OITE
Why Are We Here?
Introduction to Type Theory
 Developed by Carl Jung to:


describe individual hard-wired preferences that explain basic
similarities and differences between people
Main postulate of the theory is that people have inborn
cognitive preferences



These tend to represent our natural response in daily
situations
Exercising these preferences tends to make us feel more
competent and energetic
Could be defined as those behaviors we often don’t notice
The Development of the MBTI®
Instrument

Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs expanded on Jung’s
work by developing an instrument to help people identify
their preferences

The MBTI tool is an indicator of personality type (i.e.
innate preferences) that has proven to be remarkably
reliable and valid



Represents the result of over 60 years of research
Is used globally in many settings; over 2 million people each year
Translated into many languages and used in many countries
What is a Preference?
Four MBTI® Dichotomies
Extraversion – Introversion
E - I dichotomy
Where do you prefer to focus
your attention and get your
energy?
Sensing – iNtuition
S - N dichotomy
How do you prefer to take in
information?
Thinking – Feeling
T - F dichotomy
How do you prefer to make
decisions?
Judging – Perceiving
J - P dichotomy
How do you deal with the
outer world?
Four MBTI® Dichotomies
Extraversion – Introversion
E - I dichotomy
Where do you prefer to focus
your attention and get your
energy?
Sensing – iNtuition
S - N dichotomy
How do you prefer to take in
information?
Thinking – Feeling
T - F dichotomy
How do you prefer to make
decisions?
Judging – Perceiving
J - P dichotomy
How do you deal with the
outer world?
Four MBTI® Dichotomies
Extraversion – Introversion
E - I dichotomy
Where do you prefer to focus
your attention and get your
energy?
Sensing – iNtuition
S - N dichotomy
How do you prefer to take in
information?
Thinking – Feeling
T - F dichotomy
How do you prefer to make
decisions?
Judging – Perceiving
J - P dichotomy
How do you deal with the
outer world?
Four MBTI® Dichotomies
Extraversion – Introversion
E - I dichotomy
Where do you prefer to focus
your attention and get your
energy?
Sensing – iNtuition
S - N dichotomy
How do you prefer to take in
information?
Thinking – Feeling
T - F dichotomy
How do you prefer to make
decisions?
Judging – Perceiving
J - P dichotomy
How do you deal with the
outer world?
Yes, But

Type theory suggests you have a hard-wired preference
for each of the four dichotomies of the MBTI



But we CAN and DO access our non-preferred functions and
attitudes
Stress tends to first accentuate Type, then bring out opposite
without polish or skill
There is no good or bad, better or worse Type -- all have
strengths and all have liabilities

Understanding the strengths and liabilities of our Type can
greatly increase our effectiveness and enhance our relationships
The E - I Dichotomy

Where we get our energy and recharge our
battery
Extraversion: gain energy from the outer world
of people, places, and things
OR
Introversion: gain energy from the inner world
of ideas, thoughts, and concepts
Page 8 - 9
E - I Dichotomy
What they look and sound like:
People who prefer
Extraversion often:
People who prefer Introversion
often:
 Talk to think - in realtime
 Think first - then talk
 Prefer verbal communication
 Prefer written communication
 Find listening difficult
 Are perceived as good listeners
 Prefer action over reflection
 Learn best by reflecting first
 Like to work in groups
 Like to work alone or in pairs
 Appear approachable & social
 Appear reserved & contemplative
E - I Dichotomy In Action


Find 2 – 3 neighbors to work with
Topic for discussion:
 Reflecting on recent situations in your research or
work group where the E - I dichotomy came into play,
consider these general questions:
 what does each preference bring to the group?
 what are the potential risks of each preference?
E - I Dichotomy: Which Do You Prefer?
E: Extraversion







Externally Directed
Action
Gregarious
Expressive
Publicly Disclosing
Speak-to-think
Breadth
I: Introversion







Internally Directed
Reflection
Reserved
Contained
Publicly Guarded
Think-to-speak
Depth
The S - N Dichotomy
 The way we prefer to take in data
 Sensing: first focus on the facts and
data in the here-and-now
OR
 iNtuition: first focus on patterns and
look quickly toward future possibilities
Page 4 - 5
S - N Dichotomy
What they look and sound like:
People who prefer Sensing
often:
People who prefer iNtuition
often:
 Talk in specifics and focus on
the details
 Talk in generalities and focus
on the big picture
 Focus on the present rather
than the future implications
 Focus on future possibilities
rather than the work at hand
 Focus on the data more than the
theory
 Focus on theory & data
patterns more than the data
 Get frustrated when others don’t
give specific instructions
 Get frustrated when others give
overly specific instructions
S - N Experiment: What is Time?
Sensing:
 Microsecond, Millisecond,
second
 Minute
 Hour
 Day
 Week
 Month
 Year
 As measured by a watch, calendar,
or PDA
iNtuition
Time is a river flowing
through our lives—
binding us all together,
yet taking us in
different directions
S - N Dichotomy: Which Do You Prefer?
S: Sensing
 Details
 Literal
 Actual
 Specifics
 Here-and-now
 Five Senses
Page 4 - 5
N: iNtuition
 Patterns
 Figurative
 Theoretical
 Generalizations
 Possibilities
 Sixth Sense
S - N Dichotomy among US teachers
S
N
K-8
70%
30%
9-12
50%
50%
College
30%
70%
Grad
School
10%
90%
T-F Dichotomy: An Experiment

You are the head of a workgroup with seven
employees. You were recently asked to trim
your budget and cut one employee. How do you
go about making the decision of who to lay-off?
The T - F Dichotomy

The way we prefer to make decisions
 Thinking: decision making is detached, analytical

Page 6 - 7
and driven by objective information
OR
Feeling: decision making is values-centered and
driven by subjective information
T - F Dichotomy
What they look and feel like
People who prefer Thinking
tend to:
People who prefer Feeling
tend to:
 Take pride in being objective,
even if others find that behavior
cold and uncaring
 Take pride in being attached and
sensitive, even if others find that
behavior inconsistent or
circumstantial
 Settle disputes based on feelings
and values
 Shrink from and work to minimize
conflict
 Value being liked over being
seen as right
 Settle disputes based on what is
fair & truthful
 Happily argue both sides of an
issue, just for the sake of it
 Value being right over being
liked
T - F Dichotomy: Which Do You Prefer?
T: Thinking
 Objective
 Cause-effect logic
 Clarity
 Analytical
 Problem - then people
 Critique
F: Feeling
 Subjective
 Values-centered logic
 Harmony
 Circumstantial
 People - then problem
 Appreciate
The J - P Dichotomy
 How do you deal with the outer world?
 Judging: public face is the decision making (judging)
function

OR
Perceiving: public face is the data collection
(perceiving) function
Page 10 - 11
The Four Dichotomies of the MBTI
E
energy flow
attitude
I
S
Perceiving function
N
T
Judging function
F
J
Outer-world orientation
attitude
P
J - P Dichotomy
What they look and feel like
People who prefer Judging
often:
 Plan in advance, make a
schedule and follow it
 Are irritated by unexpected
changes in protocols or activities
 Like to work things through to
completion
 Give strong and clear directions;
may seem bossy
People who prefer Perceiving
often:
 Avoid planning and wait to see
what unfolds
 Enjoy changing protocols and
activities, even last minute
 Are easily distracted and
diverted from deadlines
 Answer questions with
questions; may seem indecisive
J - P Dichotomy In Action





Lori’s trip to the mountains:
Advanced reservations made for
hotels, some meals and
sightseeing
Google Maps directions printed
out in glove compartment
Phoned all friends and arranged
good times for visits; scheduled
each in advance
Researched and selected hiking
trails in advance
Left on schedule; all provisions
packed for ease of use
Sharon’s mountain trip:





Bookmarked a list of possible
hotels; no planning for meals or
sightseeing
Googled for directions at the
gas station heading out of town
Shot friends an email to see if
they might be around sometime
for a visit
Stopped at trail shop in town to
get suggestions
Left late and stopped at two
stores to get provisions
J - P Dichotomy: Which Do You Prefer?
J: Judging
 Closure
 Structured
 Ordered
 Decisive
 Scheduled
 Control
 Directive
Page 10 - 11
P: Perceiving
 Options
 Open-ended
 Go-with-the-flow
 Tentative
 Flexible
 Adaptable
 Non-directive/facilitative
My MBTI Preferences
I believe my Type preferences are:
E or I
S or N
T or F
J or P
 Read appropriate descriptions on pages 13 - 30 to help you
validate your Type and reconcile differences between your
self-reported and reported Types.
Page 12, 13 - 30.
Questions?
Where we prefer to direct
our energy
How we prefer to take in
information
How we prefer to make
decisions
How we prefer to relate to
the outer world
E
Energy flow
I
S
Perceiving
N
T
Judging
F
J
Outer-world orientation
P
Looking At Our Group
GEN
NPA
E
55%
60%
I
45%
40%
S
70%
50%
N
30%
50%
T
50% (M=60%)
(F=40%)
70%
F
50%
30%
J
50%
70%
P
50%
30%
Attitude Pairs in Action

Divide into four groups: EJ, EP, IJ, IP

Discuss the following:


How do I usually get my way or make sure my
ideas are adopted in a group?
Be prepared to report out a few of your group’s
observations
Final Thoughts: Leadership & Type

An Ideal Leader is…
 Action-oriented, able to engage team members
 Contemplative, careful before speaking
 Pragmatic, focused on important details
 Visionary, and able to see the big picture
 Logical, making decisions based on data
 Compassionate, keeping the “team” in mind
 Planful; focused on milestones and deadlines
 Adaptable and open to new ideas
Adapted from: Teambuilding Program (2nd Edition), E. Hirsh, K. W. Hirsh, S. Krebs Hirsh,
2003, CPP, Inc.
Leadership & Type

An Ideal Leader is…
 Action-oriented, able to engage team members (Extravert)
 Contemplative, careful before speaking (Introvert)
 Pragmatic, focused on important details (Sensing)
 Visionary, and able to see the big picture (iNtuition)
 Logical, making decisions based on data (Thinking)
 Compassionate, keeping the “team” in mind (Feeling)
 Planful; focused on milestones and deadlines (Judging)
 Adaptable and open to new ideas (Perceiving)
Taking it Home


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
Use the MBTI workbook
Good books: TypeTalk & TypeTalk At Work
Types I-App
Visit your career center to further discuss your
assessment
Keep In Touch


Email: milgrams@od.nih.gov

Let us know if you will be visiting the NIH campus; we
are happy to talk
www.training.nih.gov to watch our career development
videos, download our podcasts, or link to out Career
Center Blog
An NIH Type Table (Lab-based)
ISTJ
16/18
ISTP
2/2
ESTP
5/0
ESTJ
8/12
ISFJ
4/2
ISFP
2/2
ESFP
1/0
ESFJ
5/0
Trainee % of total, N=210
Mentors % of total, N=49
INFJ
4/0
INFP
4/4
ENFP
4/6
ENFJ
6/4
INTJ
8/12
INTP
10/6
ENTP
13/6
ENTJ
8/24