The Myers Briggs Type Indicator® is a personality type test used by organisations globally. Myers Briggs provides a framework for understanding the individuals operating system. Your MB type is made up of four letters and these four letters will help others understand and guess your reaction to different stimulation. If you understand your own type you can try and spot your strengths and weaknesses. If you know other people’s type you can work within their boundaries to make decisions, apply problem-solving solutions and generate better team working.
I did the Myers Briggs test and my type is INTJ. There are 16 possible personality type combinations.
| Subjective | Objective | |
|---|---|---|
| Deductive | Intuition/Sensing | Introversion/Extraversion |
| Inductive | Feeling/Thinking | Perception/Judging |
In this instance, Extraversion means literally outward-turning and introversion, inward-turning
People who prefer extraversion feel energised with people if they feel inactive their motivation might be on the wane. Introverts prefer to expend energy through action but they reflect and think about things first, they also need quite time alone to think before they act. At work, you might find someone who wants you to brief them straight away, they don’t need any papers in advance because they prefer to be energised by people. An introvert might prefer an email to warn them in advance so they can think and reflect before the meeting happens.
Sensing and intuition are the information-gathering (perceiving) functions. They describe how new information is understood and interpreted. People who prefer sensing are more likely to trust information that is in the present, tangible, and concrete: that is, information that can be understood by the five senses. They tend to distrust hunches, which seem to come “out of nowhere”.[1]:2 They prefer to look for details and facts. For them, the meaning is in the data. On the other hand, those who prefer intuition tend to trust information that is less dependent upon the senses, that can be associated with other information (either remembered or discovered by seeking a wider context or pattern). They may be more interested in future possibilities. For them, the meaning is in the underlying theory and principles which are manifested in the data.
Thinking and feeling are the decision-making (judging) functions. The thinking and feeling functions are both used to make rational decisions, based on the data received from their information-gathering functions (sensing or intuition).
Those who prefer thinking tend to decide things from a more detached standpoint, measuring the decision by what seems reasonable, logical, causal, consistent, and matching a given set of rules. Thinkers usually have trouble interacting with people who are inconsistent or illogical, and tend to give very direct feedback to others. They are concerned with the truth and view it as more important.
Those who prefer feeling tend to come to decisions by associating or empathizing with the situation, looking at it ‘from the inside’ and weighing the situation to achieve, on balance, the greatest harmony, consensus and fit, considering the needs of the people involved.
Extraversion/Introversion
The extraverted types learn best by talking and interacting with others. By interacting with the physical world, extraverts can process and make sense of new information. The introverted types prefer quiet reflection and privacy. Information processing occurs for introverts as they explore ideas and concepts internally.
The introverted types prefer quiet reflection and privacy. Information processing occurs for introverts as they explore ideas and concepts internally.
Sensing/Intuition
Sensing types enjoy a learning environment in which the material is presented in a detailed and sequential manner. Sensing types often attend to what is occurring in the present and can move to the abstract after they have established a concrete experience.
Intuitive types prefer a learning atmosphere in which an emphasis is placed on meaning and associations. Insight is valued higher than careful observation, and pattern recognition occurs naturally for intuitive types.
Thinking/Feeling
Thinking types desire objective truth and logical principles and are natural at deductive reasoning. Feeling types place an emphasis on issues and causes that can be personalized while they consider other people’s motives.
Feeling types place an emphasis on issues and causes that can be personalized while they consider other people’s motives.
Judging/Perceiving
Judging types will thrive when information is organised and structured, and they will be motivated to complete assignments in order to gain closure.
Perceiving types will flourish in a flexible learning environment in which they are stimulated by new and exciting ideas. Judging types like to be on time while perceiving types may be late and/or procrastinate.