ISTJs
Workspaces part 10
The archaeologist in the architecture firm,
the general manager of a container company,
the deputy principal, and the retired council worker
Acknowledging that I have seen far fewer
Ss than Ns in my practice over the last 20
years, the ISTJ clients that I do see usually
have a specific query that brings them to
careers counselling, and they are keen to
resolve the issue quickly and efficiently.
Their method of request is encapsulated
in phrases such as:
I need to make/update my resumé: what
steps do I need to take in order to …?
My goal is to …
I want to prepare a job application for …
Meredith Fuller
Without ISTJs, how
could we feel safe?
How could anything
get done reliably and
properly?
Meredith Fuller (INFP) is a not only
a psychologist in private practice and
a recognised specialist in vocational
behaviour and career change, but also
a columnist, psychological profiler,
and media spokesperson for the
Australian Psychological Society.
Meredith was a contributor to Love
@ Work (Management Press, 2006).
She is a life member of AusAPT.
fuller.walsh@bigpond.com
Australian Psychological Type Review
I need a plan to get into X.
My manager sent me here for Z.
a. Purpose: They usually arrive with a
specific, concrete task, such as needing
assistance with their job application or
resumé; applying for a position, seeking
a promotion, attending a job interview,
being retrenched, changing career, or
requiring career information.
b. Presentation: In stark contrast to
my NP clients (who usually have unwieldy
piles of notes and materials that invariably
spill onto the floor), I observe that ISTJ
clients bring manila folders, lever-arch files,
plastic covers or envelopes with contents
in order. Some label and mark each item
with tabs for easy reference.
c. They like taking self-responsibility, and
seek roles where they can turn chaos into
control, order, take charge to make things
run properly where there is inefficiency
or ineffectiveness, and they wish to earn
a similar—if not higher—salary.
d. They like checklists, goals and plans of
action, but are also prepared to factor in
uncertainty or inactivity if they are given
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October 2007
an estimate of how long that period of
waiting may take. Advising them of the
median time taken to change career, the
average number of applications sent to
score an interview, the timeline sequence
of a recruitment process, or the typical
recovery times for injury or illness can
provide a reassuring map.
As Charles Martin succinctly puts it in
Looking at Type and Careers:
ISTJs are very often found in management
careers, particularly in the areas of government, public service and private business,
and they are often found in technical and
production-oriented careers as well. Their
task orientation, realistic grounding, dependability, and respect for the facts often draw
them to careers that call for an organised
approach to data, people, or things.
Their dedication [means] they’re hard to
distract or discourage from a given task,
[leading] to thoroughness and accuracy in
their work.
But, as Pearman, Lombardo and Eichinger
point out, a ‘low tolerance for ambiguity’
can be a potential barrier to effectiveness;
ISTJs ‘may find it difficult to advance in
organizations where teamwork orientation
and strategic agility are essential.’
‘I wouldn’t go to a careers counsellor’, says
Allan, a general manager, ‘unless something
happened that I couldn’t fix myself, like I
was between jobs and couldn’t crack a
job interview or needed to construct my
curriculum vitae.’
‘I’d carefully research the person before
making an appointment’, he says. ‘I look
for someone with credibility, expertise,
or runs on the board.’
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
‘They must be competent’, says Allan, ‘so I
can have a degree of confidence in them.’
In summary, the ISTJ case studies share:
Early experiences of:
I need to understand the relevance of anything I am asked to do. I’d only agree to
answer personal questions or do inventories
or assessments if they were relevant and
being used properly. I’d be turned off by a
careers counsellor who offers gratuitous
platitudes or tries to blow smoke up my
arse.
I always liked to work and
I would stick out the bad
jobs. I’d work several jobs
to be a good provider to
my family.
I did all the work round
the house. You didn’t call
in tradespeople: you fixed
it yourself, or you couldn’t
afford to get it fixed.
Frank Walsh
‘I’d expect to go two or three times’, Allan
explains. ‘If I wasn’t getting what I wanted/
expected, I’d quickly lose interest and not
return.’
tragic loss of significant family member
financial hardship
eldest or only child
Main employers: government or education
Favourite word: ‘organised’
Regular behaviour: taking responsibility;
checking detail; quality control; finishing, listmaking, completing; trustworthiness.
Favourite stress outlet: running (the males);
swimming (the female); footy barracking.
Favourite colour: blue
Initial hypotheses about type can be made
by observing behavioural cues such as the
client’s method of contact, physical entry,
dress and presentation, and the presenting
problem. In my early interactions I attempt
to be succinct, clear and logical. My NFP
tendency to flowery language, stream-ofconsciousness observations and abstract,
overhead questions isn’t appreciated, and
is likely to alienate the client.
‘Glass is half empty’: Inclination to criticise;
disinclination to offer positive feedback and
compliments to loved ones, or to talk about
themselves.
Once credibility and trust are established,
it’s possible to explore underlying themes
and deeper issues. At this point, the sensitive, creative, vulnerable, feeling aspects
of the individual are revealed.
Recreation: Each has an artistic sensibility or
arts and crafts hobby, such as painting, film
making, model ship-making or playing music.
In general, I observe that ISTJs seeking
career counselling are likely to be stoic,
silent worriers who prefer to appear in
control to the outer world. Personal
difficulties are usually dismissed matterof-factly, hurts are glossed over, anxiety
about the future swallowed. There may
be a history of resentment from having
shouldered the lion’s share of effort or
output in the workplace, or of superiors
or colleagues who may have taken their
diligence or kindness for granted.
I’ve selected four interesting case studies:
three who sought career advice, and one
retired. While sharing the ISTJ need for
structure, belonging, privacy and leisure
pursuits, they have all also shared the loss
of a significant person through accident
or illness, taking on sole family protector
roles from an early age (parenting their
parents or siblings). Three had an alcoholic
parent; all four have a droll wit.
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•
•
•
An adventurous, riskier side: This may
take the form of a dangerous hobby such as
mountain climbing, motorbike racing, tattoos,
or a black sense of humour.
Distrust of: underminers, smart-arses, lazy
colleagues, manipulators
Mary McGuiness accurately describes the
recreations of my case studies. She points
out that ISTJs ‘often enjoy spending time
alone reading or doing physical activity’:
They often play competitive sport … bushwalking or swimming … cycling or soccer.
They enjoy watching or coaching others
to play sport. [They] enjoy organising a
garden, planting rows of vegetables or
flowers … craft, making or repairing things,
playing music, sewing and collecting …
They also enjoy ‘reading biographies, travel,
technical books about their hobbies, social
phenomena or ethics, and books about
people who set goals and achieve them.’
While sharing the same type and the core
associated characteristics, each person is
different, with a distinct personality. They
may not be effusive in adjectives, but they
demonstrate their love, commitment and
caretaking by doing things for others.
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October 2007
Frank first met his wife, Jo (another ISTJ),
sitting behind her in class at the Catholic
primary school:
The retired
council worker
I used to pull her plaits. We re-met at a
dance when I was 16 and we were engaged
by 19.
Frank Walsh, ISTJ
Frank, 81, is a tall, thin man of few words,
known for his responsible attitude, practical
nature, and ability to fix anything mechanical. Reluctant and suspicious by nature, he
would normally refuse to complete questionnaires and talk about himself—but, to
his credit, he allowed himself to be dragged
along by me.
An honest, patient man, Frank grew up in
the working-class Irish Catholic community of Port Melbourne. Times were hard,
and people managed with very little:
Back in those days, I was brought up by
relatives in the street, washed and dressed
for school by my favourite Auntie Letty.
You didn’t have anything—everybody was
poor—but all the street stuck by each
other. If anyone in the street couldn’t feed
their family, you’d pitch in. Someone would
drop off a stew.
At 20, Frank had a terrible motorbike
accident. Like a dreadful Keystone Cops
skit, the ambulance had an accident on the
way to hospital and they had to wait for
a replacement. Suffering injuries including
nearly every bone broken, Frank was not
expected to live through the night.
Jo heard about the accident on the news
while waiting for Frank to take her out.
Jo’s mother, a suspected ISTJ, said, ‘Don’t
you start howling!’ Jo’s brother was in bed
with flu, but insisted on taking her to the
hospital. Unconscious for the first week,
Frank spent five months in hospital packed
in sandbags.
Jo was his first and only girlfriend. Devoted
to each other, they were married by 21.
After the bike accident I got offered an
easier job with the local council. Why
wouldn’t I take it—for the same pay, I just
had to sweep gutters!
Retired since 58, Frank endures ill health
and its restrictions with little complaint.
Despite a series of health complications
and tragic losses through his life—his twin
was stillborn, and his mother died from
TB when he was only 3—he remained
stoic and hardworking.
I did many different council jobs. I learned
everything by doing it. As front end-loader
driver, I picked up stuff around the streets
and loaded trucks in the depot. I made up
tar for footpaths. In a gang of five, we repaired footpaths and removed dead dogs.
Frank’s father started out driving trucks,
before going to night school in his 30s to
get his sheet metal trade. ‘He didn’t spend
time with me and didn’t talk much’, Frank
recalls, ‘but if I asked, he’d show me how
to fix something or do a job.’
Frank was painstaking and detailed. ‘I’ve
always been a hard worker and worked
long hours’, he says. After he left his trade
his old firm continued to send special jobs
home for him. He left the council to work
at a local dairy because they offered more
money, and even longer hours—60 hours,
six days a week, including two nightshifts:
‘I was always good with my hands’, says
Frank. Leaving school at 14, he gained an
apprenticeship as a carton creaser and
embosser on ‘25 bob a week’. He found
the work interesting, and was meticulous
in everything he did:
You had to be—if a machine got hold of
you, you’d lose a limb!
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Frank Walsh at 80
Got a heavy articulated licence to drive the
tanker. You had to be a scrupulous cleaner,
pumping out residue at the end of the day,
washing out the tanker. I never complained,
but I was crook from a hiatus hernia and
Reynaud’s disease.
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
Frank was later asked to go back to the
council job.
I cleaned bricks and drove the road roller.
I worked on the tip truck carting stones
and metal, the road grader, and the bulldozer. Everyone knew I could fix things,
so if anyone got in trouble, they’d sing out
to me to go and give them a hand. When
the blacksmith dropped dead they made
me the welder, I went to school to learn,
and enjoyed making things, like the footy
scoreboards.
When the mechanic shot through (couldn’t
handle the pressure), they sent me across
to do the mechanical work. I did not have
the qualifications, but I could do everything,
and liked doing it. The boss used to say, ‘If
Walshy can’t fix it, throw the bloody thing
away!’
Spent the rest of my working life as the
mechanic for the council, even though I
did not have the proper training.
Frank hated school, possibly because he
lost a lot of schooling at the age of 6.
I broke my hip running my pushbike into a
pole and spent 9 months strapped in a long,
flat pram (also used for polio victims). I was
a left-hander and got the strap to make me
use my right hand, as they did in those days.
‘An interest in cars’:
Frank Walsh
My father remarried when I was 8, and his
wife transferred me to the state school.
I missed out on reading and writing while
recovering from my hip and I was way behind. I never really caught up, but they just
kept putting you all up to the next grade.
That’s how it was back then.
‘People were so poor in those days’, Frank
recalls. ‘There was no money for toys, and
you had to play homemade games like
Tip Kat’. His after-school chores included
cleaning the backyard, feeding the dog and
lighting the fire to boil the copper for the
family bath. In the pecking order, he had
to get into the bath last.
Frank liked fishing and rabbiting, and used
to get mussels under the Port Melbourne
pier. He would go fishing for hours with a
mate, using homemade rods.
50
When Frank was 12 he got a .22 rifle:
I could still shoot rabbits with a bent barrel.
Because I was careful, my grandfather would
lend me his antique gun that was passed
down. I remember all the detailed needlework of lyrebirds, the leather case, and
the bottles of oil.
After boxing as an amateur for a while,
Frank became a professional lightweight.
He trained several nights a week at Dave
Shine’s gym, and had 11 fights at Festival
Hall before his accident.
Frank and Jo have always shared a very
close marriage, and like spending as much
time as possible with each other.
When we got married, Jo wanted six kids
and I didn’t care if we did or didn’t. We
compromised—I said I’d rather have three
kids with shoes than have more without.
Generally Frank has tended to expect the
worst, but keeps quiet about his concerns.
He likes fixed schedules, and has a limited
range of foods that he’ll eat. Suspicious of
anything new or different, he prefers his
routines. As he tells it, his working day
comprised:
•
7.30 am start (or 6 am, if I was street
sweeping)
•
Noon was home for lunch
•
Return to work, then go home at 4.30 pm
•
At 5.00 pm we had tea
•
A few mates came over and we talked
trucks and cars
Frank spent any spare time giving his three
children a hand, fixing anything from cars
to gadgets, later helping to renovate their
homes or gardens.
My sons also had an interest in cars. I built
a pit under my garage so we could work on
our cars, a 7 foot hole with concrete floors
and walls. All the kids in the neighbourhood
would turn up to tinker with cars.
Frank rode eight different motorbikes and
dirt-track bikes. At one stage he bought
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October 2007
an old Jag that had been lying neglected in
a backyard, and painstakingly restored it:
One weekend my boss asked me to drop
by the council for something, and when I
drove up in the Jag his mate asked what I
did at the council. When he heard I drove
the road sweeper, he said, ‘Jeez, you’ve
gotta be paying this bloke too much!’
In another skit reminiscent of Lucille Ball
and Desi Arnaz in The Very Long Trailer,
on a camping holiday Jo filled the boot
with volcanic rocks. The wheel fell off
and broke an axle. Despite loving his Jag,
the parts were too dear for him to keep
it, and he went back to Holdens.
If I could have done anything for a job, I
wanted to fly a plane, or be a flight engineer
or navigator. I loved those Tiger Moths
and cropdusters.
In addition to fishing and shooting, Frank
has always been interested in whippets
and birds. He kept aviaries with hundreds
of finches, quails and cockatiels. He and Jo
loved fishing by the river, and when they
retired at 58, they moved to a small town
to fish by the Murray.
Later, when poor health got in the way,
they moved into a retirement village in
Melbourne, ‘beside the bone yard’:
We can just cross the road to look at our
cemetery plots.
Frank didn’t need to take much: he is ‘not
interested in ancestors or keeping stuff’.
‘When you’re gone, you’re gone’, he says,
‘so why would you think about the past.
or people you didn’t know?’
Frank’s motto in life is: ‘If it’s worth doing,
it’s worth doing properly!’
The general manager
Allan Crandles, ISTJ
At 185 cm and 88 kilos, green-eyed Allan
is an avid Carlton footy supporter.
Following a 19-year management career
in the public service, Allan moved to the
business world, where for 20 years he
has continued to be promoted due to his
effective management skills. He is known
for being firm and fair. (Allan’s wife calls
him a sensible, basically decent person,
although he can be grumpy and cranky.)
I expect certain levels of performance, and
I can do the ruthless things required in private enterprise that you weren’t required
to do in the public service. For example, if
someone has to be sacked for the greater
good, then I don’t lie awake about it the
night before. Those decisions must be
made and carried out.
Acting in a responsible
way is almost hard wired
in my brain (first-born
syndrome?). I’m always
conscious of doing the
‘right thing’.
Allan has a large collection of books on
leadership and history, such as Napoleon,
whom he admires, and Hitler and the
Third Reich, being fascinated by their evil,
ruthless efficiency of communication and
leadership. At the moment he’s reading
about Henry Kissinger and US presidents.
My impatience sometimes
Allan is disciplined in his diet and exercise.
A well-controlled Type 1 diabetic, he is
unfailing in his routines and rigid attention
to health requirements.
focused.
leads me to drive too fast.
I am told I am too blunt.
I am told I am too task-
Allan Crandles
Allan has the same breakfast every day—
porridge with chopped apple and banana.
At school he had the same lunch every
day, too: a cheese and lettuce sandwich
and vanilla slice. (He still has sandwiches,
but fruit has replaced the vanilla slice.)
He’s out of bed by 6.20 and on the road
for work by 7.05. Usually home by 6.45,
Allan goes to bed by 10.30 and has to read
one chapter of a book before he can go
to sleep.
Allan describes himself as ‘a professional
manager who, through experience, good
fortune, opportunity and some aptitude,
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October 2007
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
has reached general manager level in a
number of commercial companies.’
My desk at work, my one at home, and all
my desks before this one, have all looked
the same: uncluttered, neat, and tidy. I only
have on the desk whatever relates to what
I am currently working on. When finished,
they are filed away in an order where I can
easily get back to them if required. The desk
is cleared every night before I go home.
My style of work is characterised by first
principles, which for me means: bring
order where there is no order; get the
right people in the right positions; get
everyone focused on the right strategies
and directions; be fair, but be prepared to
be ruthless when necessary. And have
some fun along the way.
He has always known that he likes being
in charge, making decisions, and working
hard for tangible reward.
I was lucky, because I started off working
in a hierarchy, the public service. You came
in at the bottom, and there were levels to
aspire to. If you worked hard, you got up
the ladder. If you’re organised and think
efficiently and productively, then government management skills easily transfer into
the business world.
‘If you worked hard,
you got up the ladder’:
Allan Crandles in his 30s
Allan prefers the private sector because
he has autonomous roles with freedom of
action to hire and fire: ‘The determinant
of your success is how much profit you
make—clear cut.’
What are you passionate about,
professionally and personally?
Professionally, I am most passionate about
growing any business I am involved with so
that it is profitable and successful. It gives
me great satisfaction.
Personally, I am passionate about keeping
fit and indulging my interest in the creative
side of making films (and occasionally doing
some oil painting).
I offer the above with the proviso that I
don’t regard myself as feeling ‘passionate’
about anything very much—and I have
always been that way.
Describe your current work environment and how you inhabit this space
I am general manager of a national company
and work in our Melbourne head office in
Brooklyn.
52
Like most people these days, the computer
is the most-used object on my desk.
How would people get the best out
of you?
i. Set reasonable targets for me to reach.
ii. Keep me interested and challenged and
don’t test my tolerance for foolish decisions.
iii. Give me freedom (authority) to act.
What are the puzzles in life that
intrigue you?
•
How otherwise rational people can have
religious (read ‘irrational’) beliefs.
•
Why some men go bald and some don’t.
•
Why we have such low-quality political
leaders in the world at present.
•
(Why polygamy is seen as a bad thing.)
Tell me about your childhood
A generally happy childhood, a loving
mother, a benign but emotionally detached
father.
I grew up in the suburb of Glenroy, bordering several housing commission areas.
Most often I felt very out of place. It could
be a dangerous place to walk around. (To
this day I can remember the apprehension
I always felt, even walking to the shops.)
Most of my contemporaries were not that
bright. I was not by nature an aggressive
type or a ‘good fighter’ (if you were, your
place in local esteem would be secure),
but I still was well regarded in my circle of
friends and relatives.
For all that, I would rate my mother as the
dominant positive influence on me as a
child and growing up, although I did not
realise that until much later.
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October 2007
School?
Your ancestors?
I first went to a Catholic primary school,
of which generally I have good memories.
Next I went to the local technical school
in the expectation (not mine) that I would
learn a trade. Academic success was not
pushed, and I was a total failure when it
came to anything to do with making or fixing stuff. My friend Graeme (also maladroit
with a hammer or spanner) and I routinely
topped our class in the non-trades subjects,
but this was not valued by our peers.
I made good, lasting friends, and would say
that the secondary-level education I received
was not as important as the life lessons I
learned during that period. I liked using
my brains to manipulate outcomes and to
motivate others according to my agenda.
Overall, though, I was happy to leave and
get into the real world. Tertiary education
was not even a consideration.
What did you prefer to read?
Then, and now, I prefer non fiction, mainly
biographies or historical texts.
The first book I loved would be Catch 22.
I loved the quirky but incredibly intelligent
humour and a writing style totally unique
in novels that I had read. I re-read it every
four years or so and always love it.
How would you describe the
dynamics of your relationship with
your mother / father / family?
As indicated earlier, I had a great relationship
with my mother that still endures. I really
believe the best of me comes from her.
My father was distant in the traditional Irish
way. I came to appreciate how much of a
product he was of his own difficult relationship with his father only toward the end of
his life. We got along—he was not aggressive or a bad man—but we were not close.
My younger brother and I are reasonably
close, and generally have been since we
both got married: not so much when we
were younger, where our differences were
more pronounced. He is a good man with
strong and similar values.
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My father’s family were Bog Irish who immigrated to Australia in the 1920s with 12
kids. I understand they were from a county
in Ulster and, as Irish Catholics, were in
the minority and therefore needed to be
able to take care of themselves.
My recollections of all my uncles are of big
men who you would not want to mess with.
My father was one of the smallest and least
aggressive. All good family men though, and
decent, friendly people.
My mother’s side were a mixture of Swedish and Australian, also very poor workingclass types. Don’t know much about their
lineage.
When did you become aware that
you were introverted in orientation?
I never knew a period in my early life where
I perceived myself as anything but shy, not
very confident, and concerned about being
front and centre. I was always reticent to
put myself forward in any situation, preferring to wait for opportunities to ensure
I didn’t make a fool of myself (always very
important).
Knowing what I do now, I would say I was
always acting in an introverted way: exactly
the opposite to my younger brother, a total
extrovert.
What were your early perceptions
about the world?
A bit scary, I think, but overall I was reasonably positive in my perception of the
world and what life options I had. I was
trusting and naïve early on when it came
to people (and sometimes still am), but that
is part of the learning process, I guess.
I really admire Napoleon.
If viewed dispassionately,
what he achieved, and
what he tried to achieve,
was monumental.
He was flawed … but his
intent was clear, and his
intellect, leadership, selfconfidence and vision
were remarkable …
An extraordinary man and
leader.
Allan Crandles
How would you describe your early
peer and outside-family relationships?
I formed good, enduring friendships with
those I perceived as like-minded people,
and was quick to reject any relationship
with those I didn’t consider were likeminded (e.g. intelligent, humorous, familyvalues oriented, soft rather than hard).
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
What did you want to do/be when
you grew up?
I wanted to be involved in art/drawing in
some way, which later evolved into an
interest in making my own little Super 8
films. I see now I lacked the passionate
commitment to that creative calling which
you absolutely must have get into it at all,
much less succeed in it.
Something from childhood that you
were proud of?
At 14 I was playing in an under-15 football
grand final, watched by my father and uncle
(the first time they had ever come to see
me play) and I played a cracker of a game,
was Best on Ground, and was awarded a
special trophy by the club at the end-ofyear presentation night, again in front of
my father. I was pretty happy about all that.
I remain interested in AFL football and in
particular, the Carlton Football Club.
Tell me about your adolescent years
Father and son:
Allan Crandles and
Lucas Crandles
I didn’t much like adolescence. Not because
I had any unusual problems, it was just that
because of my nature and the fact that I
was pretty conservative, I felt out of place
in the ‘Swinging Sixties’, where I went
through my entire teenage years. I did not
fancy and was not attracted to the dances,
concerts, and the other usual elements of
teenage life in that era. I couldn’t wait to
be through it and become an ‘adult’, where
I assumed I would make a better fit.
Describe your personality
Childhood: Confident in my own group
but very shy outside it. Naïve, but friendly
and reasonably happy.
Adolescent: Still shy, uncomfortable in the
area I lived, and with being this ‘in-between’
thing—a teenager!
I used a quick brain to generate humorous
responses to life’s situations and got a reputation as a smartarse, which I didn’t mind.
I was still very conservative and earnest,
sometimes verbally aggressive. Becoming
aware of the responsibilities ahead.
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Now. More relaxed, still with many of the
earlier traits. Still essentially an introvert,
and even less inclined to add to my circle
of friends, which I tend to regard as complete.
Who were your initial mentors,
heroes? What drew you to them,
and what did you learn from them?
Had no heroes in my youth that I can recall,
with the possible exception of ‘Big John’
Nicholls, Carlton captain and enforcer.
I admired various film characters whom
I regarded as ‘cool’—dispassionate,
controlled characters in the main, e.g.
Michael Caine in various genre films such
as Funeral in Berlin; Steve McQueen in
Bullitt and The Thomas Crown Affair.
In terms of mentors, I had two: my first
and second bosses. The first (L F Peters)
was my primary role model as a leader.
Precise, very organised, neat, tough when
necessary, aloof and effective. The second
was his replacement (W E Butler). Very
intelligent, charismatic leader, probing, creative, human (tolerant, and using humour).
I came to realise that a combination of both
these styles would most suit me and I have
tried to achieve that over the years—on
the whole, I think, reasonably successfully.
Music, films or books that have had
a major impact?
As a kid, I was very into comics—all kinds.
Music: I was most attracted to the Beatles.
As I went through my teenage years I didn’t
have as wide a range of musical interests as
my contemporaries. As I matured, I came
to admire some classical music (probably
thanks to my wife), but again, it was limited
to only a few things I found emotionally
stirring (mostly Tchaikovsky).
Films: I was avid filmgoer from my teens,
and still am. I was completely gobsmacked
when I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1969.
This began a lifelong fascination with Stanley
Kubrick and his films. His films clearly
reached me because of their precision,
visual clarity and style.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
October 2007
The film 2001 appealed to me on a variety
of levels, many unconsciously. The enigmatic
theme, the suggestion, non-religious, that
there may be a purpose and a process/
meaning for human life. All overladen with
beautifully precise clear images unlike anything ever done before.
Currently I am enthusiastically waiting for
the next release of the hot new director,
L J Crandles (my son). [Go to YouTube to
view Black Button and Campsite.]
Books: In my 20s I read Inside the Third
Reich by Albert Speer. This started me off
on a near-obsessional interest in Adolph
Hitler and Nazi Germany. It also began a
change in my reading habits, still current,
where I much prefer nonfiction (as I mentioned earlier).
How would you describe your career
development?
My career development has been one of
rising through the ranks of several organisations in spite of not holding any tertiary
qualifications. I began in the public service.
This was possible (but no doubt vastly more
difficult these days) due to some luck, a
recognisable organising ability, some leadership characteristics, and getting results.
Who/what did you bump up against
that affected you/your career?
My mentors. A third was my first boss in
ANL who gave me my initial opportunity
to run a commercial business. Up until
then I was simply a line manager in a large
organisation. He guided me through the
basics. His ultimate contribution was to
believe that I could do it.
sometimes inclined me toward being a bit
obsessed (with revenge, winning, etc).
The lack of tertiary qualifications was an
issue when I worked for the public service
and I had to be much better than other
candidates to get an opportunity for advancement. Since I have been in the private
sector (21 years now) I have not had that
type of issue, as achievements are more
important than the qualifications, at least
in the industries that I work in.
Having said that, I don’t think many more
will get into these higher positions without
having the appropriate degree behind them
—and that is fair enough.
Can you think of an example that
demonstrates how you go about
getting what you want?
I think I am a compulsive strategist when it
comes to my work life, and I always have
some sort of plan to get what I want or
think the business needs.
I discovered in my early 20s that I could
be quite persuasive when I applied myself.
I could speak articulately and had an ‘honest face’. This was coupled with an ability
to size up people by their reactions as I am
talking to them and adjust my arguments
accordingly. I have a reputation at work
for getting people to willingly do things
they otherwise would not want to do.
If you could sit down to a meal with
five people at any time in history,
who would they be?
Napoleon. Stanley Kubrick. Carl Sagan.
Paul McCartney. Goldie Hawn.
There are, however, arseholes everywhere
and at every strata of an organisation, so
you regularly get to bump into people who
impact negatively on you and your career
as well. I have had several over the years
resulting in conflict at manager level, and in
every case I have taken it very personally.
Allen identifies his talents as ‘organised,
committed, hardworking, strategic thinker,
goal-oriented, efficient’. Among the things
he struggles with are intolerance and a low
threshold for boredom: ‘Sometimes I can
be superficial when trying to understand
an issue.’
I then devote whatever effort is required
to come out on top. Which I have done
on most occasions—but, reflecting back,
those situations have made me bitter and
A myth that best describes your life?
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
In 1993 my boss at ANL
gave me responsibility for
a business which, despite
having annual revenues
of $6 million, was losing
money badly. It had no
direction, no systems, no
goals, poorly-motivated
staff and management.
I was expected to wind it
up if it couldn’t be fixed.
By 1995 it was making an
annual profit of $400 000.
My reputation was thereby enhanced and I ended
up with responsibility for
four of ANL’s companies.
Allan Crandles
‘The guy from the wrong side of the tracks
makes good.’
October 2007
55
Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
What makes you happy? Sad?
Sunshine, my son, travelling overseas (with
my son), good friends getting together. I’ve
maintained friendships over 40 years.
Sad? How short life is. The prospect of
losing those close to me.
What sort of people bring out the
best in you?
Positive, calm, sensitive people.
What makes you unique?
I honestly have no idea how to answer
this one. I don’t think of myself as unique.
Napoleon was unique!
I don’t think I have ever
thought of a motto or a
profound statement about
the meaning of life.
I don’t think there is one.
It’s what you make of it
yourself.
Allan Crandles
What are your strongest values in life?
Be honest. Value your family and your close
friends.
What will have been your contribution?
Cannot think of a single thing other than
being the father of my son, L J Crandles.
Ideal day in your fantasy life?
Driving around West Cork, Ireland with
my son, Lucas, at leisure, and stopping at
various villages for pints and food.
I really wanted to be an artist/cartoonist
when younger. To be able to dabble in art
and continue with my interest in filmmaking
would be a feature of my lifestyle fantasy
for the future.
To assist Lucas when he becomes successful
in his chosen field(s) would be an attractive
addition to that fantasy.
What are you putting up with in
your life?
A recalcitrant, spendthrift wife!
Where do you get and refuel your
energy?
I know how to compartmentalise things in
my mind: I rarely get low-energy situations.
56
Anything else that would give insight
into appreciating your type of person?
After 50 questions, even I don’t want to
know anything more about me! I am very
private.
How do you see yourself as similar
to and different from other ISTJs?
Similar in the sense that I am very disciplined, efficient and organised.
Different, probably because I think I have
a lazy person inside me which, as I get older,
is increasingly wanting to get out! (For
example, from wearing three-piece suits, I
have recently moved to smart casual wear.)
Allan has always been a responsible, resultsoriented manager. Efficient, he prefers to
be mentally stretched and productive, and
is frustrated and bored if there is little to
achieve. His enjoyments include ‘running
with a mate of nearly 30 years, getting
little films made, reading a good book in
the sun, travelling overseas’, and ‘anything
with my son’.
Allan admits that he ‘handed over’ the
emotional side of life to his wife, Helen
(ISFJ). They met in the public service and
he immediately liked her ‘feeling’ nature:
‘She was very sensitive and emotional, and
I liked that in her.’
A black-and-white person, he takes pride
in being rational and logical. A nit-picking,
tough decision-maker in the workplace, he
has no interest in home-related decisions
such as furnishings, leaving that domain to
Helen. He refused to have any input into
decorating or purchasing decisions for their
renovation: ‘I don’t bother with stuff like
that … I am only concerned with what it
costs.’
Allan plans to retire by 62. In retirement,
he would like to travel and make amateur
films as his outlet for creativity. He has a
low threshold of boredom and needs to
fill up his time.
Other than winning Tattslotto, I wouldn’t
mind getting some clarity on the next five
years of my working life.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
October 2007
The archaeologist /
business project team
leader
Dr Alexandra Haendel, ISTJ
Alexandra is an accomplished, elegant,
earnest, and humorous professional. In
her early 30s, she describes herself as ‘a
self-initiating and focused worker with a
keen sense of responsibility and obligation
who is outcome-driven and has high-quality
assurance capability.’
Alexandra’s results-oriented, impeccable
standards are coupled with a wicked laugh.
Her overachieving approach to life is so
detailed and well-organised that nothing
is left to chance. Whether organising an
academic conference or her Australian
residency application, she is in her element
making things happen seamlessly.
Fluent in European and Asian languages
(German, French, Indonesian and Khmer,
with an intermediate knowledge of Italian,
Dutch and Sanskrit), she has dealt with
the protocols of international relations in
her work and research in Southeast Asia.
Her academic track record demonstrates
meticulous operational planning and a focus
on problem resolution within deadlines.
Her exceptional time-management and
organisation capabilities were put to the
test recently when, due to red tape, she
had to bring forward her marriage from
late next year to a mere 6 weeks ahead.
Pushed into overdrive by the mammoth
task, she became tense and alarmist as
she beavered through an almost impossible schedule, in a relatively new country,
while working in a new job.
Her new husband, an associate professor
and wonderful P, finds her earnest microorchestrating (and associated worrying)
endearing. His affectionate teasing and
delighted acceptance of her personality
helped them to arrive at their reception
beaming with joy. Naturally, the day was
perfect, down to the smallest detail.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
A born organiser, Alexandra has a flair for
business administration, economics, and
different cultures. ‘I’m an ethical, honest,
and loyal worker’, she stresses.
She studied history of art and archaeology,
as well as international cultural and business studies. With four years research in
Southeast Asia, she was clear she did not
wish to simply pursue an academic career.
Results-oriented, she enjoyed functional
activities such as organising large academic
conferences. Practical and analytical, she
has enjoyed supervising honours students
and using her event management skills, and
has been interested in researching business
opportunities in consulting firms:
I’m good at coordinating a team, solutionoriented with high standards. Some say
nit-picky!
She has recently obtained a position in an
architecture firm—part business development/marketing, part project management.
An only child, Alexandra grew up in Munich
with a Bavarian Catholic mother and a
Protestant father in Economics/Law. Her
father’s side were industrialists who ran
their own companies; her mother’s side
were landowners. On both sides, her
family lost everything during the war.
As a child I was just a shy, sweet girl who
was well-behaved. In fact, my mother says
she would have wanted me to be a bit
naughtier!
Fundamentally, I am an
organiser.
Even though I don’t tend
to view myself a ‘people
person’, I am quite good
with them.
Alexandra Haendel
When she was 15 her parents separated.
‘I was kicked out of the pink bubble that
used to be my life and had to grow up
quickly’, she says:
I became independent and went my own
way. Partly this was due to my mother’s
influence; she is really the one who wanted
to raise an independent, strong daughter.
One of her favourite sayings (of course, I
hated this as a child!) was ‘I don’t care what
others say! If they say Jump from a bridge,
would you jump with them?’ Now it has
become one of my favourite sayings!
October 2007
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
Alexandra has the frustration of overchoice; adept at many things, it’s hard to
identify one thing for her to focus on. She
initially thought she would study chemistry,
but was diffident at the thought of another
ten years studying. Ironically, she studied
for more than ten years anyway.
My academic career has been quite straightforward. Everything has been a natural
narrowing down and selecting out until
I finally arrived at my PhD topic. That a
PhD would be part of my career had been
clear to me for a very long time, partly
because my father has one, and I always
assumed I would also. I pulled through the
accepted losses that completing a PhD
entail—friendships, time, well-being, etc.
While she has a preference for sensing,
Alexandra is on the 96th percentile on her
change orientation. She is extremely high
on attention to detail, forward planning
and conscientiousness. A doer and a fixer
with a prodigious capacity for hard work,
she plays hard as well:
A perfect day, down
to the smallest detail:
Alexandra Haendel
I have always loved being physically active.
I am involved in mountain climbing, all sorts
of ball games, cycling, skiing, swimming and
ballet. But I also love reading and music,
(adore the opera and play several instruments), and spending time with friends
over a good meal.
Tell me about your history
I was born and raised in Munich, Germany.
My childhood was protected and, with my
well-to-do parents, as an only child I was
rather spoilt.
I loved school, and always was a straight-A
student. In the beginning it was hard. Even
though I had lots of friends from kindergarten
and my parent’s friends, I found it hard to
find my place. There were a few boys who
took playing tricks too far and bullied me
(a term that didn’t really exist at the time!).
I just loved school generally. My favourite
play was football, believe it or not. But I
was always very sporty, and really good at
kicking goals, so the boys always wanted
me in their team, which was great!
58
Behind the scenes, however, ‘not all was
well’; family life was ‘very different from
what we projected’. Alexandra’s father
was ‘not only a workaholic, but also an
alcoholic’. Her parents separated when
she was 15—‘a very traumatic time’:
There just was no time for adolescence,
and I had to grow up and face the realities
of life without money very quickly. (In the
beginning my mum neither had a job, as she
had been a stay-home mum, nor did my dad
pay alimony.) I made it through, though.
After finishing school, Alexandra left
Munich to move to a small town about
200 kilometres away to study.
Those were very happy years. I loved what
I was doing (Southeast Asian studies combined with business administration and
economics), and went travelling a lot to
Southeast Asia with my boyfriend at the
time and friends.
Moreover, I was active in several student
associations, and generally very busy, in the
most positive way. With the completion
of my university degree also came the end
of my relationship, which was very hard for
me, as I’d just assumed we’d marry. We
had planned to go to London together for
a further MA, which we still did—albeit
not as a couple.
After her MA, Alexandra went on to do
a PhD on Cambodian temples. This was
‘a bit of a mixed time’:
In one way I loved what I was doing, as I
was very good at it; but in another, it was
very hard, as there were several administrative problems. I find administrative
hiccups very annoying.
What Alexandra really enjoyed were her
research trips to Southeast Asia:
Even though the small town in Cambodia
where I spent most of my time could be a
bit suffocating, and going on a research trip
is not a holiday (even in the most ‘exotic’
places!), I always had a good time and was
part of a group of busy expats who shared
the ups and downs of life there.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
October 2007
Towards the end of her PhD, Alexandra’s
next relationship ended, as he was unable
to cope with her extensive work-related
travel. So she moved back to Munich:
This was a very challenging time, living with
my mother again as a 30-year-old, while
finishing the PhD (which meant commuting
to London on a regular basis and also going
to Paris several times). However, even
though she probably would have preferred
me to stay in Munich, my mum was very
supportive, and helped me.
Alexandra was offered a research position
at Monash University in Melbourne. The
decision to move to Australia was a very
difficult one, but ‘it seemed too good an
opportunity to miss’:
I had been here before for two weeks a
year earlier, when I had been invited to a
wedding in Sydney and to give seminars in
Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.
Since Alexandra’s move to Melbourne,
‘things have been quite a roller-coaster’:
My job at uni was OK, but my contract was
not extended, so after one year I had to
make the decision of whether to stay here
or go back to an uncertain future in Europe.
You have to go where the jobs are.
I had already started a relationship with
my now husband, and was not too keen
on going back.
Furthermore, there were no jobs in my
field anywhere in Europe, and without any
contacts in the business world and the
general economic situation not too rosy, it
seemed to be more sensible to stay in
Melbourne and attempt a career change.
Alexandra sought assistance with her job
search. ‘I’m very determined’, she says, ‘and
kept persisting, despite the frustration.’
Now I am recently married, and have a
business development job at an architecture
firm. They agreed to sponsor me. Nevertheless, I do not intend to stay in Australia
for good, and am planning to move back
to Europe in the future.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
Alexandra is the business development
coordinator in an architecture firm with
about 50 people in its Melbourne office.
Nationally, it is part of a group of four
offices, which involves some coordination
with the other three offices.
My job description is twofold. Firstly, I am
responsible for the business development
of our office, which means outreach in the
form of wining and dining clients/contacts,
and researching project possibilities and
putting together important submissions.
The second part of my job is internal project management on our biggest project.
Alexandra finds she needs private space
in her home and work life, or she can get
‘frazzled’. Her current work space is not
ideal: the office is small, and the layout of
her workstation is not how she wants it.
However, the office is about to move and
the new workstations should be much
better.
Generally, I am a very meticulous person,
and my desk is a ‘clutter-free’ zone. Every
day before leaving I make sure things are
put away (every item has its place), and
papers filed in the respective folders. I know
where everything is, and can find things in
the dark. I cannot stand untidiness, which
would seriously infringe on my ability to
do my job.
I love the arts, architecture, sculpture and event/
cultural management.
What I don’t want is being
stuck behind a computer
all day, entering data!
Alexandra Haendel
Alexandra’s current job is not ideal, but,
as ‘a bit of an in-between job’ to help her
make the transition from academia to the
corporate world, it’s OK. What she most
likes, although she’s not doing as much as
she’d like, is ‘the research side of things’:
For instance, I had to put together an entry
for an award on a large science building our
firm had done, within only two days (one
of our directors had left it on his desk for
a few weeks). This meant not only reading
our internal documentation on the project,
but also finding out all sorts of technical
and scientific data, partly through internet
research, partly from other companies
involved in the project. Under that kind of
positive pressure, I do my best work: and
ultimately our firm won the national award!
October 2007
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
Alexandra describes herself as ‘organised,
structured, meticulous, friendly, shy’ (‘I
have always worked hard to overcome
this, and most people don’t believe it’),
and ‘fun’:
I worry about things, but I also have a
sunny, laughing side.
There are two ‘best ways’ to get good
results from Alexandra:
I believe in doing things
as best as I can.
Even if it is an ordinary
task, it should be done
to perfection.
Alexandra Haendel
One is appreciation: praise, yes, but also
critical comments. I am a perfectionist, and
expect only the highest standards from
myself—and deliver them. However, deep
down I am a very insecure person who
can worry, and never feel sure of what I’m
doing. And because of that, it is important
to me that people actually acknowledge
when I’ve done something well.
The second way to get good results is to
give me tasks that interest and challenge me.
As I said before, I am a perfectionist, but I
am not content doing things well that I’ve
done a dozen times before; that would be
too automatic. So new, exciting challenges
will make sure that I put everything into
solving them—to prove to myself (and
others) that I can do it.
Alexandra does not consider herself a
‘people person’. Her greatest challenge is
‘trying to figure out another person’.
When I was younger I thought I had quite
a good understanding of human nature
(Menschenkenntnis), but that confidence has
waned over the years. The downside of not
really being comfortable around people is
that I automatically assume that they can’t
figure me out either. In most cases that is
probably true, but not all the time.
Otherwise, I’m fascinated by all things
numerical. I love them, and can get
literally obsessed with brain-teasers!
Alexandra recalls herself as ‘a very boring
child’:
My parents were ‘older’ parents and made
sure I had a very proper upbringing—
manners were extremely important.
60
As the youngest, both in her own family,
and among the children of her parents’
friends, Alexandra was used to spending
time with older children, teenagers and
grown-ups. ‘Looking back now’, she says,
‘I was a mini-adult, not really a child’.
In addition, I was the princess: my parents
couldn’t have children for quite some time,
and my mum almost died herself and lost
me during the pregnancy, so I have always
been that one treasured child. And that
very much translated into my upbringing.
Alexandra’s relationship with her parents
has ‘changed dramatically over time’:
As a child I was very much daddy’s girl.
However, that changed when I got older,
and he couldn’t really understand what
was happening anymore. In addition, he
became an alcoholic, and that just destroyed
everything—including the family, when my
parents split up when I was 15.
Now, my relationship to my dad is very
complicated. In one way I still crave to get
that closeness back (which, of course, will
never happen!), and in another, I cannot
forgive him what he has done to all of us—
and is still doing. I had to quickly assume
adult responsibilities and stay level-headed
to look after Mum, who hasn’t been able
to let go of caretaking Dad, who is very ill
and demanding.
My relationship to my mum has been all
over the place. She has been very supportive, and ultimately when I need her she’ll be
there for me. However, there have been
difficult times as well. Overall, we are very
close, and she definitely has been the most
significant influence in my life, and has made
me into who I am today.
Alexandra does not know much about
her ancestry. A lot of family members on
both sides died during the War, and both
of her parent’s families lost everything.
On my dad’s side I don’t know much at all.
His dad died in the war (or rather, never
came back, and nobody could find out anything—he either died in Stalingrad or was
taken to a gulag) and was never talked
about.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
October 2007
As a child, when Alexandra asked her dad
who was the man in the photo on his desk,
he said, ‘in a very cold tone that forbade
further questioning’, ‘My father’.
And my grandmother never really talked
about him either.
In addition, my dad had grown up in East
Germany, which he left when he was 19.
Even though his mum and sister eventually
came to West Germany, and we went to
East Germany to visit his few remaining
relatives and friends, there never was a
close connection.
On her mother’s side things are a bit
clearer, partly because Alexandra’s uncle
did a family tree a few years ago:
Again, the family lost everything in the war
(the house was completely destroyed, so
there are no old records or photos left at
all), but are not as dispersed as my dad’s.
It is not a big family, but quite close-knit.
I don’t know too much about anyone
beyond second cousins, but at least that!
Overall, sometimes I feel that a large part
of my personal history is missing, because
of that lack of knowledge of my roots.
Unfortunately, though, because I am so far
away from home it is impossible to do much
about that. But I try to talk to my mum,
aunt and two uncles about that whenever
I’m over there to find out more.
When she was young, Alexandra wanted
to be a palaeontologist:
Like all kids, I devoured books on dinosaurs
and all things ancient. But I thought that my
job-opportunities would be too limited!
Another of her dreams was to become
an astronaut:
I’ve always been fascinated with the universe
and particle physics—but again, I thought
it’s too unrealistic to succeed. This was not
giving up without a fight; I just tried to be
realistic. Following on from my interest in
the universe, I seriously considered becoming a scientist in chemistry, focusing on gene
and genome studies.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
Alexandra has two ‘rather traumatic’
memories from childhood. The first was
a serious illness when she was 3.
I had to spend a week in intensive care—
which, at that time, meant that my mum
couldn’t visit me at all. This really traumatised me and for years I didn’t let my mum
out of my sight!
The second was a short-term separation
of her parents when she was 5.
My mum took me to her parents, where
we stayed for about a month or so. Even
though I loved my grandparents to bits,
and had a really good time there, it did
introduce a significant factor of insecurity
into my life.
No particular school achievement stands
out for Alexandra:
I won a few sports trophies, which I was
very proud of. But generally, I was such a
high achiever that it was kind of normal to
be the best, first in everything.
She has always loved swimming and
mountain climbing.
Swimming for me is like meditation. I get
into a kind of trance, which is very relaxing.
I used to swim competitions, but now I’m
more focusing on the relaxing aspect of it.
Personally, I am very
passionate about integrity
and honesty.
These are the bases of
any relationship. I don’t
take well to betrayal!
Alexandra Haendel
Mountain climbing is a very spiritual activity for me as well. Growing up near the
mountains meant going climbing every
weekend in summer. I have always enjoyed
the physical exercise (and the picnic when
you get to the top!), but when I grew older
it became increasingly spiritual: that feeling
of being close to ‘god’ when you are at the
top, and that freedom from earthly bonds.
Alexandra has always wanted a mentor,
but, apart from a short period during her
PhD, has never had one. ‘Probably that
was because I was trying so hard to put
on the “confidence-mask” that everyone
thought it not necessary’, she speculates.
‘In fact, I was craving for that guidance
and security!’
October 2007
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Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
Her mentor was a Sanskrit professor who
became a major influence on her PhD.
We met in Cambodia, and he got very
interested in my topic, as I was dealing with
two inscriptions which happened to have
been his favourite ones. We got on really
well on a personal level and he took me
‘under his wing’.
They ended up going to India together,
‘which was fantastic’. Alexandra’s mentor
taught her a lot about Sanskrit and Indian
culture; and, ‘most importantly, he taught
me integrity’:
Even from a young age, my parents had
stressed that in their education, but to see
someone actually live it, and be prepared
to suffer severe professional consequences
for their convictions—and still come out a
highly regarded and revered expert—was
a different matter.
In addition, Cambodian studies, unfortunately, is very corrupted. Angkor is very
fashionable with a lot of people with a lot
of money right now, and a lot of ‘scientists’
and researchers find it very hard to resist
those offers. (Free trips on helicopters to
outlying temples to be someone’s guide
for the day is not even worth mentioning!)
‘Five years thinking about
nothing else but these
buildings’: East Mebon,
Cambodia
Within this very decadent setting—after all,
Cambodia is one of the poorest countries
on the planet!—it has been very useful to
be reminded what life as an academic is
really about! And that will stay with me
forever!
When Alexandra was little, her favourite
books were from a German author writing
about the Wild West and Arabia.
He was the hero (in the Wild West he was
fighting with the Apache Indians, being best
friends with their chief, and in Arabia he
was having all sorts of adventures in the
desert), and the most intelligent person,
always doing the right thing and coming
out victorious of all battles.
The main theme in my favourite books was
the intelligent hero/ine who was strong
and stood by their beliefs.
62
Alexandra comes from a very academic
family—her father has a PhD in law and
economics, and her cousin has a PhD—
and the fact that would do further study
‘was never really discussed’.
That I did study Southeast Asian studies
combined with an MBA was a bit of an
accident. As said earlier, I decided against
chemistry at the last minute and started
an MBA.
For certain study programs in Germany,
including MBAs, you do not choose your
university; places are distributed through
a central office. The university to which
Alexandra was sent focused heavily on IT,
which did not interest her.
After enquiring about programs at other
universities where I could still use what
I had done during my MBA semester, I
discovered that special program where I
could do Southeast Asian studies. I had
never been to Asia and thought it would
be fascinating.
As a student, Alexandra wanted to be an
academic, because she loves research and
teaching:
Plus, I never really wanted to make use of
my MBA in the sense of just becoming a
corporate representative in Burma—that
would just be too unethical for me! During
my PhD, though, 9/11 happened. Funding
for Asian studies suddenly dried up, and
within a year 15 positions in Southeast Asian
studies in the UK had been scrapped.
When offered the opening at Monash, she
decided to take it. However, the position
was only for one year.
It was very hard to pull myself together and
decide on alternatives, because I couldn’t
change my research. In the first instance I
was lucky that the research position at
Monash came up, and in the second, that
I had done my MBA. This necessitated a
career change which brought me to business
development and project management for
the architecture firm.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
October 2007
Ultimately, Alexandra would like to do
consulting, combining her organisational
and research skills with her knowledge of
Asia.
‘I always plan ahead’, she says, ‘which can
be an advantage—but also a problem’:
Firstly, I don’t like changing plans. And
secondly, I have learned that you cannot
plan everything. Nevertheless, normally I
tend to consider various alternatives, so
even though I know what the outcome
will / should be, I have several options to
choose how to get there.
When some unforeseeable circumstances
happen—like not being reappointed at
Monash—it takes me a while to get used
to the new circumstances. But once I have
accepted them, I am usually good at moving
along, adapting and finding the best possible
solution for the new situation.
Sometimes I tend to be a bit too intent
on sticking to my plan, which then creates
problems, as I get frustrated with things
not working out how they should, and
other people getting frustrated with me,
because they consider me stubborn.
An achievement that Alexandra is proud
of is her PhD:
It was a long, hard journey, and to finish it
with a good thesis is very gratifying. Apart
from the intellectual challenge, I had to overcome quite a few bureaucratic challenges.
And on top of everything else, my dad was
diagnosed with lung cancer after my first
year, so when I was supposed to be teaching
I also had to go back and forth to Munich
to spend time with my dad in hospital. He
survived, but, of course, you don’t know
that at the time!
If you could invite 5 famous people
to dinner … ?
I really don’t like these kinds of questions,
as the favourite person to sit down to a
meal with is my husband!
In addition, I’m too much of a realist, and
just accept that this is not possible!
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
Putting my reservations aside, though, one
person I’d really like to meet is the king who
built the temples I wrote my PhD about.
Even after spending about 5 years thinking
about nothing else but these two buildings
(and a few more since!), I still feel that I
cannot figure them out. So there are a lot
of questions I would ask him!
Another person Alexandra would like to
meet is her paternal grandfather:
He never came back from WWII (he went
missing in Russia and is one of only few
soldiers of whom no record exists), and
was not talked about much by my grandmother or my dad. The only thing I know
about him is that he must have been the
loveliest man. Being able to meet him
would fill a void I feel very strongly!
What frustrates or annoys you?
Untidiness. Other people’s unreliability.
Laziness and sloppiness.
Generally when things, people or external
circumstances slow me down or interfere
with my plans. I like to plan ahead and find
it difficult and frustrating having to change
a well laid-out plan because of circumstances
I cannot control.
What makes you happy? Sad?
I am happiest when I feel relaxed and at one
with myself. That can be in the company
of others or not. Being on a mountaintop
with the world all around is an example.
I am also very happy when I am with family
and friends. A lot of things can make me
sad: seeing other beings’ suffering, or
injustices done to the innocent.
I feel strongly that the
pursuit of happiness
and fulfilment is very
important.
To be allowed to be the
best one can be and help
others achieve that—it’s
not easy, especially with
social and other pressures. One really has to
be very conscious not to
forget!
Alexandra Haendel
Alexandra says that the sort of people who
bring out the best in her are ‘supportive
ones who appreciate my efforts’.
What is most important in life?
Loyalty, being dependable, honesty, striving
for happiness and love. There is nothing I
wouldn’t do for my close friends and my
family!
October 2007
63
Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
The deputy principal
Paul Muling, ISTJ
I make and complete the
tasks on my list! The key
word is organised: that’s
number one.
Paul, in his early 50s, is deputy principal
of a Melbourne catholic primary school,
with another unfortunate footy allegiance:
a Hawthorn barracker! (We’re generational Collingwood supporters.)
Modest and inclusive in attitude, Paul is
best described as a faith-filled and caring,
a good man and father, and advice-giver.
It’s obvious he thinks of others before
himself. An honest, hard working person,
his faith is paramount.
Paul recently completed a stint as acting
principal. As an ‘easy-to-talk-to’ teacher in
a leadership position, with a passion for
justice, sports and family, he has strong
principles and is calm in a crisis.
I see my work as a vocation, not a job, and
looking after all the staff and students at
school is most important to me. I relish in
the interaction with the kids and facilitating
their learning.
I like seeing things that
need to be done, putting
programs into place, and
achieving those goals.
Paul Muling
We have distributed leadership to empower
our teams of teachers, and encourage the
empowerment of others. I particularly like
helping and enabling families and students
in need. Parents and students can be very
vulnerable.
One thing I now miss is not having all the
information and correspondence—I really
like to know what is going on to ensure
that everything’s running properly. The
good thing is being able to return to some
classroom teaching, 1.5 days a week. Our
staff work well together and I like meetings
with our leadership team, where we can
check in with and support each other.
Paul is also involved in many community
activities that involve speaking and listening to others. He supportively phones the
members in his prayer group weekly.
Paul’s first wife was killed in a car accident,
leaving him with four children to raise—
the youngest a baby of 6 months.
I went into overdrive to do the best I could
for our children. I have a strong faith, and
I was determined to focus on what needed
to be done so that I could do my best for
the children. Without my belief system and
focus I might have become depressed. But
I got on with it. I adjusted, and got on with
adversity. I had a great support system of
family and friends, and it was my first time
of really sharing my feelings with others.
Paul spent 11 years as a sole parent:
Paul has introduced a number of initiatives,
including a Companion Program: teachers
run preventative programs for children at
risk who lack resilience and relational skills.
Sessions may include learning how to play
games together, or arts and crafts.
I was rarely ill (I had to be health conscious
because I couldn’t afford to get sick), but I
was always tired. Juggling feeds for my baby,
school, running the house, etc, required
ongoing work. I used running around the
block as a stress relief.
The Garden Program has a wellbeing bent,
where the children work in hands-on teams
to grow vegetables for healthy eating. Many
of them live in places without gardens, and
parent involvement is also welcomed. The
school is also developing a Parent Garden
so that non-English-speaking parents can
start tinkering together on the weekends.
Many years later Paul gradually developed
a friendship with a fellow teacher, Gudrun,
who had similar values and interests. She
was attracted to his faith, values, sense of
humour, and good company. Respectful
and mindful of his children, they dated for
five years before marrying five years ago.
Since returning recently to his deputy
role, Paul has found it hard not to feel
responsible for everything:
64
I am learning to step back and let go. It is
hard to let go of every little thing—I’m
still getting things thrown on my desk to
deal with, and I can easily get overloaded
while I’m working out what to throw back!
She was a courageous young woman, taking
on four small children.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
October 2007
Paul and Gudrun were sensitive to their
children, who now range in age from 22
to 16. Gudrun dearly wanted a child. There
were miscarriages, and a baby, Hannah,
who had complications and died weeks
after her birth. They recently had Katie.
My husband, Brian, was delighted to be
asked to be godfather, along with their
four older children as godparents.
Living in a family of seven, everyone has
allocated tasks, and the fridge calendar is
essential. Their home bustles with friends,
neighbours and colleagues. Everyone
benefits from their humour, laughter, and
positive attitude to life.
Paul describes his himself as ‘organised,
casual re dress sense, reflective’. He does
not want to let others down, worries
quietly, and has a sense of humour.
The things most important to Paul are
‘family, faith, close friends, health and
wellbeing, environment, sport, footy,
holidays’, and, on the professional front,
‘professional learning, educating children,
leading’. He is least interested in wealth,
pushing his professional achievements,
and ‘people who lack drive and passion
for teaching and education’.
Paul likes the variety, co-leadership and
‘making a difference’ in his work, but dislikes the ‘sometimes excessive pressure’.
He describes his desk as ‘untidy, spread
out and cluttered’. He is adjusting to his
change of role description and trying to
let go of some responsibilities. He prethinks his day, makes lists of things to do,
and tends to do several things at once.
What is the best way to treat you to
get the best out of you?
With honesty, openness and being inclusive, sense of humour’
Paul was the eldest child in his family. He
recalls himself as ‘generally obliging’, but
would sometimes get into trouble with
siblings and neighbours. At school he was
cooperative. He enjoyed games and sport,
art in primary school, and biology, English
and social studies in secondary. He had a
‘fairly close set of friends’, but lost contact
with them soon after school finished.
Australian Psychological Type Review
Vol 9 No. 2
Paul’s paternal grandmother was the only
grandparent he had, and was a significant
influence on his life. His father’s side of
the family were ‘colourful characters’ of
French, German and Irish origins. Paul’s
mother never knew her English parents,
who died at an early age.
Paul remembers ‘a happy, stable family
life’. However, he often argued with his
mother. She now suffers from dementia,
and he feels a sense of loss, ‘angry and
frustrated’ by the situation. As a young
child he was scared of his father, but is
now very close to him—a friend—and
admires his qualities.
When did you first become aware
that you were introverted in orientation?
Late teens, taking on teacher training—
demands of performing in front of class.
How do you live?
Positive outlook, work with and for others,
importance of family, can make a small
difference.
Growing up, Paul aspired to a career in
the medical profession or architecture,
but ‘didn’t have the ability’. He was always
interested in fitness—‘running, footy and
wellbeing’—and a proud achievement was
representing his primary school in interschool sports.
Paul’s adolescent years were ‘basically OK’
but lonely at times, not understanding the
changes going on. His awareness of girls
grew, but, having attended an all-boys
school, he was awkward in dealing with
them. His social life was restricted by
money and tight parental expectations.
A personal note
In 2005 I was nursing my
terminally-ill mother from
my bedside, after having
broken my shoulder while
walking my Rottweiler
puppy.
At the time, Paul and
Gudrun were colleagues
of my husband Brian, but
I did not know them, and
Gudrun was pregnant.
However, their commitment to helping others is
so amazing that they kept
arriving with food parcels.
I doubt we could have
managed without their
kind support.
Meredith Fuller
Who have been your initial mentors
or heroes?
Heroes: Sports people, e.g. Denis Lillee,
the way he could engage large groups of
fans, a bit of a larrikin.
Mentors: A friend from uni who challenged
my values, faith, belief system, social justice
re youth and Aboriginal people.
October 2007
65
Meredith Fuller: Workspaces 10: ISTJs
Music, films or books that have had
a major impact?
Films: One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,
Butch Cassidy, The Shawshank Redemption,
Indiana Jones.
Music: folk, e.g., America, Australian/Irish
bush music.
Books: Benedictine Toolbox, De Bono’s
Thinking Hats, the Bible.
‘Family and faith’:
Gudrun, Paul and Katie Muling,
with godparents Brian Walsh
and Sarah, Anthony, Elizabeth
and Tim Muling
Paul initially resisted becoming teacher
and tried studying for local government,
but found it ‘too dry’. He enjoyed study
and learning, seeing it as important for
ongoing personal development.
What makes you happy or sad?
Happy: interaction with family and friends.
Sad: mistreatment of people, dishonesty,
misuse of resource and the environment.
Who/what did you bump up against
that affected you/your career?
Family crisis with death of my first wife.
Raising my children has been my greatest
achievement.
‘The Godfather’:
Brian Walsh and Katie Muling
If you could sit down to a meal with
five people at any time in history,
who would they be?
Jesus Christ, Ernest Shackleton, Douglas
Bader, Theresa of Liseaux, St Benedict.
What are your strongest values in life?
Trust, spirituality, tolerance, balance,
integrity, and humour.
What frustrates or annoys you?
Not completing tasks, not persisting.
Insincere people. People who hit you on
the run to get things done immediately.
Injustice.
What is most important?
Family and faith. Being there for others in
good and bad times.
Not being judgemental. Listening.
Life with balance, sense of peace, less
hectic, more community focus.
Paul has orchestrated the outcomes he
has desired in his life (e.g., applying for a
principalship) through discernment and
discussion with selected ‘wisdom people’.
He plans to retire in ten years’ time, and
perhaps do something of a pastoral care
and counselling nature. He has never been
overseas and would like to travel.
I’m interested in environmental
sustainability, and will probably do some
horticulture and grow organic food.
‘Through my experiences I have come to
appreciate life far more’, says Paul. ‘Go,
Hawks!’
™
References
Martin, Charles R 1995, Looking at type and careers, CAPT.
McGuiness, Mary 2004, You’ve got personality, MaryMac.
Pearman, Roger R, Lombardo, Michael M, and Eichinger,
Robert W 2005, You: Being more effective in your
MBTI type, Lominger.
Photos: Meredith Fuller
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October 2007