| Can you improve productivity, facilitate effective | | | | other. The Introverts can help ensure that meetings |
| communication, and create a team that works like a | | | | stay efficient, and are often the employees an |
| well-oiled machine? You can if you learn how to | | | | organization relies upon to complete important tasks |
| recognize the resources that are already present in | | | | independently and reliably. Although the structure of |
| your organization. If you work in a large department, | | | | some organizations requires more of one work style |
| you almost certainly already have: | | | | than another, both styles make important contributions |
| -A talented project manager | | | | to an effective team. |
| -A forward-thinking visionary | | | | Sensors and Intuitives Working Together |
| -A gifted public relations expert | | | | Sensors and Intuitives often find themselves working |
| -An infallible detail-watcher | | | | on a team together, and because of their different |
| -A critical analyst | | | | ways of seeing the world, are able to complement |
| Do you know who's who? And more importantly, are | | | | each other to create a well-rounded work force for an |
| you using their natural talents to their best advantage? | | | | organization. Intuitives are the visionaries for an |
| Too often, organizations neglect to acknowledge their | | | | organization; they see possibilities, long-range goals, and |
| employee's natural strengths-strengths that have | | | | up-and-coming trends. They'll ensure you're in tune to |
| nothing to do with education or experience. Your | | | | your organization's mission and keep you looking to the |
| employees each have distinct personalities that make | | | | future. Sensors are talented at keeping your |
| them naturally gifted in certain job environments, and | | | | day-to-day functions running smoothly; they'll be sure |
| frustrated and unproductive in others. To harness the | | | | the deliveries are made on time, the appointments are |
| power of your employee's innate gifts, you must know | | | | confirmed, and the projector is in the conference room |
| what those gifts are! | | | | before your big presentation! It's absolutely essential for |
| Myers-Briggs Type at Work | | | | any company to have both types on board; without |
| The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most widely | | | | vision, a company can get stuck in mundane detail and |
| used personality assessment in the world, and has | | | | fail to grow and thrive; and without the detail-oriented, |
| been researched extensively in relation to success at | | | | practical contribution of Sensors keeping things in order, |
| work. It can help workers choose the job that's best | | | | a company can become disorganized and fail to get |
| for them, but even more powerfully, it can help | | | | things done. |
| employers create an environment most conducive to | | | | Thinkers and Feelers Working Together |
| their workers being productive and efficient. By | | | | Thinkers and Feelers will prioritize differently when |
| identifying your employees as one of sixteen different | | | | making a decision. Thinkers rely on logic, critical analysis, |
| types, you'll see: | | | | and cause-and-effect explanations when a choice is |
| -How deadlines can be either a source of stress, or of | | | | to be made. Feelers will consider their personal values, |
| inspiration | | | | the feelings of the people involved, and their gut |
| -Why privacy and quiet are as important to some | | | | reaction to things when decision-making. The |
| employees as action and teamwork are to others | | | | importance of Thinkers to an organization is fairly |
| -Where your employees naturally turn their focus-the | | | | obvious-they can weigh the consequences of various |
| future or the present-and how you can put each | | | | choices and come to the most logical conclusion. In |
| perspective to good use | | | | making financial and business decisions they are |
| -What your employees' priorities are when making a | | | | invaluable. However, Feelers are an undervalued but |
| big decision, and how you can use differing | | | | important asset to a team as well, because of their |
| perspectives to create positive and innovate solutions | | | | ability to tune into the emotions and personal issues |
| Myers-Briggs and Teamwork | | | | that can interfere with team efficiency. They can help |
| But that's not all you can do with the Myers-Briggs. In | | | | determine how corporate decisions will affect |
| fact, the most powerful application is improving | | | | employee morale, for instance, or give insight into |
| communication throughout an entire team, as each | | | | conflicts that are keeping co-workers from |
| member learns more about the different styles they're | | | | cooperating effectively. A team that includes Thinkers |
| working with and how they can better relate to their | | | | and Feelers works best when both styles are utilized, |
| unique colleagues. Through learning about personality | | | | allowing the team to come to a decision that takes |
| type, team members begin to understand that their | | | | both the logic and facts of the situation and the human |
| differences don't need to be a source of | | | | element into account. |
| misunderstanding and frustration-they can be a source | | | | Judgers and Perceivers Working Together |
| of strength. Team members that learn about their own | | | | Type differences for Perceivers and Judgers come |
| type and their colleagues are able to: | | | | out most when planning and managing projects. |
| -Create clear and positive communication | | | | Perceivers tend to like to complete tasks |
| -Jumpstart effective cooperation | | | | spontaneously, when the mood strikes, and are more |
| -Harness natural talent just waiting to be put to work | | | | satisfied by starting a new project than finishing an old |
| -Put their unique styles to work to create a versatile | | | | one. Often they'll save tasks for the last minute |
| and powerful team | | | | because they actually work better under pressure. |
| Applying the Myers-Briggs to YOUR Organization | | | | Judgers like to plan and schedule, and work best when |
| The Myers-Briggs is widely available, including a | | | | they know what they'll be doing from one day to the |
| convenient online format that allows your employees | | | | next. Judgers get satisfaction when they see a project |
| to take the assessment at their convenience, from | | | | through to completion. When the two types work on a |
| any computer with internet access. Your employee | | | | project together, these differences can cause irritation |
| then receives a detailed report that explains their type. | | | | and conflict over how best to manage the workload. |
| Many different types of Myers-Briggs reports are | | | | However, they can also be extremely useful when |
| available, and you can choose from the simplest to the | | | | you use each person's strengths. Perceivers are great |
| most comprehensive according to your organization's | | | | at getting a project off the ground and responding to |
| needs. You can even choose a report that analyzes | | | | last-minute changes during the process. They'll be |
| the personality of your team as a whole! | | | | challenged rather than frustrated when a project must |
| Understanding Your Results | | | | suddenly take a new direction. Judgers are great at |
| Once your team has completed the testing process, | | | | scheduling and keeping things on track. They can set |
| it's time to put that information to work! Your first task | | | | realistic deadlines and watch progress to ensure tasks |
| is to understand the personality types. Each type is | | | | are completed on time. |
| identified by four letters, indicative of four separate | | | | Enlisting Your Team for Positive Change |
| personality scales: | | | | It's a great idea to have a meeting once everyone has |
| -Extroversion/Introversion: Do your employees get their | | | | their results, to discuss how to use the information you |
| energy from external sources (i.e. working with others) | | | | have about your strengths and weaknesses to create |
| or internally (i.e. quiet individual work)? | | | | a more efficient and productive team. You'll want to |
| -Sensing/Intuition: Are your employees more in tune | | | | learn more about how your employees interpreted |
| with concrete facts and details, or possibilities, meaning, | | | | their results and what their results meant to them. You'll |
| and the "big picture"? | | | | also want to know if they discovered or reinforced |
| -Thinking/Feeling: Do your employees place higher | | | | any ideas about how they could be doing their job |
| value on logic or values when making a decision? | | | | better. A few possible questions for discussion: |
| -Judging/Perceiving: Would your employees prefer to | | | | -Do you feel your results were accurate? What parts |
| work in a structured, scheduled environment, or one | | | | do you feel were most significant? |
| where they're able to work spontaneously on a | | | | -How does your position use the strengths of your |
| variety of projects? | | | | personality type? Are there strengths you have that |
| The four scales are evaluated individually and | | | | are not being taken advantage of? |
| combined to create the Type, for instance, ENTJ | | | | -Have you noticed difficulties in your work that are |
| would signify Extroverted iNtuitive Thinking Judger. | | | | reflected in your personality type description? What |
| Putting Your Team's Results Together | | | | adjustments could be made in your position to better |
| You will likely have a wide variety of personality types | | | | accommodate your unique type? |
| on your team, so your next task is figure out how they | | | | -What differences in thinking have you noticed with |
| work together! You may already have an idea about | | | | various people on your team? Now that you have |
| how differences have caused conflict (or inspiration!) | | | | your results, can you see how differences in type |
| on your team, but there are some common themes | | | | affect your team when it comes to communication, |
| that arise in most workplaces that you should be | | | | project planning, or other functions? |
| aware of. Differences tend to play out in predictable | | | | -Do you see any type of thinking being preferred or |
| ways when people of different types are joining | | | | privileged when your team works together? Does one |
| forces: | | | | type dominate? Is this effective, or would the team |
| Extroverts and Introverts Working Together | | | | work better if it took more perspectives into account? |
| When Extroverts and Introverts are on a team | | | | -What are the areas where our team agrees on how |
| together, they will have different ideas about how best | | | | to do things? What are the areas where we |
| to get the work done. Introverts need frequent time | | | | disagree? |
| alone to collect their thoughts, and appreciate a quiet | | | | -When our team disagrees on how to go about |
| space to work on individual projects. Extroverts need | | | | something, how can we use our differing perspectives |
| time with their colleagues to talk things out. They'll be | | | | to find the best solution? |
| happiest and most productive if they work in an | | | | A Powerful Tool for Organizational Change |
| environment where they have easy access to | | | | Congratulations on your interest in improving the way |
| colleagues to bounce ideas around. Having a balance | | | | your employees work! The human resources you |
| of both types on a team will keep the team functioning | | | | have at your disposal are great and varied, and once |
| most efficiently. The Extroverts on the team will help | | | | you access the talent you already have, you'll find your |
| to motivate the team to meet and coordinate plans | | | | team is able to achieve a new level of understanding |
| and goals; they can help articulate the company's vision | | | | and effectiveness. |
| and ensure team members communicate with each | | | | |