In a world where self-awareness is paramount, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) stands as a widely recognized tool, with studies indicating that it is used by over 80% of Fortune 500 companies for team building and leadership development (CPP).
It’s one of my most well researched and validated assessments to help increase self-awareness.
Caution: It is a self-reported assessment, and there are limitation to the assessment, but in majority of the cases the information for our MBTI can help us increase our awareness, and reduce internal and external friction.
When it comes to understanding our personality and how we interact with the world around us, the MBTI categorizes individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on four basic preferences: extraversion (E) vs. introversion (I), sensing (S) vs. intuition (N), thinking (T) vs. feeling (F), and judging (J) vs. perceiving (P). Developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers based on the work of world Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung.
As we dive into the different preferences, take a look at the MBTI sample report. This is an official report from CPP for a sample person.
Understanding MBTI Preferences
Its’ pertinent to note that NO ONE, not even a well documented assessment, can tell us who we are – all assessments are a tool to help us learn more about ourselves.
Each typology is different and they are neither good nor bad; they are a representation of our innate preferences around the time you took the assessment.
MBTI have been cross examined widely to illustrate our innate preferences rarely change after our developmental years; but it can be modified by stressful life situations and active preparation to change an aspect of our innate preferences.
Additionally, the typology isn’t binary – it’s fluid.
So, when someone says I’m an “Ambivert”, they are saying they are between introversion and extraversion. Yet, this can fluctuation depending on our needs.
An extraverted person can become an introvert if they’ve overextended themselves, and vice versa. This misunderstanding is what leads to people anecdotally discrediting the assessment.
The fluctuation is normal and it applies to all of the four preferences we’ll review. All typologies have their strengths and challenges, while we can adapt and change, our core preferences tend to remain consistent over time without serious intervention.
It is important to note that the MBTI is a tool to understand preferences, not a definitive measure of ability or character.
Energy Source: Extraversion vs. Introversion
Our energy source is how we refuel to continue engaging with the world.
This looks different from one person to another, but I’m sure you’ve had friends who love going out or staying in. Some love to cancel plans, and some love to just go out for the sake of going out.
These are indicators of the individual’s energy source – this is how they get energy for navigating through the world. Extraversion and introversion describe how we recharge ourselves with the world around us.
Extroverts, characterized by their outward focus and action, tend to be outgoing and energetic in social situations, thriving in group settings and recharging by being around people. They receive energy from social interactions, and would be depleted if forced to isolate.
Conversely, introverts, known for their internal reflection and deep thought, are more reserved and prefer solitary activities, recharging by spending time alone and excelling in one-on-one or small group settings.
Information Processing: Sensing vs. iNtuitive
How do you learn or take in information presented throughout the day?
We can do both, but this is a natural preference in how we process information.
Sensing takes in the world by using their five senses, focusing on real and tangible materials. For example, reviewing documents, smelling the air, working with tools, etc. these ground the world in tangible materials and reality, making it their preferred method of absorbing information. Sensing individuals tend to be more detail oriented than iNtuitive people.
An iNtuitive person looks for intangibles, patterns and the bigger picture when absorbing the world around them. They gut feeling can process world’s complexities and how it’s interconnected – but they may stuuggle to articulate the details that validate their perspective of the world. Intuitive people are often dreamers and visionaries who sees the bigger picture over the details.
Just like all the typology, this isn’t cut and dry – people who are more sensing can see the bigger picture and the complexities of the world. Just like how iNtuitive people can get to the details of what patterns they see.
This typology presents an opportunity to learn how we can learn best, and community with our counterparts more effectively.
Decision Making: Thinking vs Feeling
Like the warnings before, this also isn’t that cut and dry – we can make decisions while considering feelings and thinking. This is a preference and it’s not binary, the way we prefer to make decisions, or the more weight we put into feeling/thinking is slightly different depending on where on the spectrum you are in your decision making.
Thinking base their decisions and conclusions on logic, with accuracy and objective truth for their decision making. Those with higher scores in thinking will value logic, efficiencies or social value when making a decision or coming to a conclusion.
Feeling base their decision on personal and social values, with understanding and harmony as their deciding factor. The higher on feeling spectrum the more they’ll value group cohesion and harmony over the logic based individual.
Again, this basic preference gets confusing because the terms don’t indicate if you’re a feeler or thinking – it focuses on when you have to make a decision, what do you value more, logic or social value.
External Presentation: Perceiving vs Judging
Let’s start by saying no one wants to be known as “Judging”, and personally I don’t like that word for this typology.
I think it’s misrepresents what it means, also I understand the MBTI hasn’t been changed too much since it’s inception. BUT, I would change it to “Organized” for “Judging” and “Adaptable” for “Perceiving”.
The past three preferences were internal, how you get your energy, how you process information, how you make decision; and the last one is external. How do you carry yourself and manage the external / world.
Perceiving, aka adaptable, is seen as go with the flow and spontaneous. They get the job done but it can seem they aren’t following a structured process of progression. Typically slow to make a decision but feels confident in their adaptability to make anything work to accomplish their goals.
Judging, aka organized, is seen as someone that have their life together, planned, and knows few steps ahead. Typically decisive and moves forward with the information they have as they plan out how they’ll accomplish their goals.
Don’t let the titles sway you, you are capable of doing both depending on how high you are on the spectrum. Like all the other options, your actual MBTI score is on a spectrum.
The assessment provides your typology on a spectrum, others tend to more generic and binary answers. Take a look at this sample report, and you’ll notice that it’s gradient scores can help you manage yourself and how work well with others.
Case Study
Few months ago, a client was struggling with a new team, they were leading. The team of 20 would cooperate with each other for couple of weeks and become disruptive and disrespectful over and over again. In their frustration on helping the team build cohesion, they called me.
In addition to a few session, we administered MBTI assessment for their entire group, discussed the strengths and challenges of everyone and started grouping the teams per their strength. Each person on the team knew how to best engage with their counterparts, knew who was exhausted and who needed more details, versus who needed flexibility on their schedule. More importantly, they knew when they were getting frustrated, exhausted and were able to assertively community their needs, which made the team operate on a different level.
They are still going strong, and continue to utilize the MBTI results and coaching to sharpen their team’s progress. Recently notified by their manage, the team is being recognized for the quality of their work and team culture.
Interested in taking the MBTI?
MBTI Personality Assessment
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Administer MBTI Assessment
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Interpretation Results PDF
MBTI Personality Assessment
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Administer MBTI Assessment
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Interpretation Results PDF
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One 25-minute session
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Develop Implementation Strategy
