MBTI and Communication: A Guide to the Sixteen Types

1. Diane Loud Senior Manager, Organizational Effectiveness MBTI and Communication:A Guide to the Sixteen Types

2. ISTJ • Straightforward, practical, logical • Independent, self-sufficient • Focused on facts, details and results • Take time to consider and weigh information before deciding • Want to hear: • Exactly what’s expected of them • Clear feedback and step-by-step procedures • Detailed facts and information relevant to the situation • Dislike small talk and may not work towards developing rapport • Communication tips for the ISTJ: • Balance your task-focused approach with the need to connect with others and establish rapport • Check how others are feeling, especially when giving feedback • Be open to new ideas and possibilities • Summarize information and relate it to the bigger picture • Avoid coming across as blunt, personal and detached---be willing to express your feelings and share your viewpoint

3. ISFJ • Unassuming, helpful, sensitive • Collaborative, work behind the scenes to achieve team goals • Considerate of the needs and situations of others • Take time to consider the situation carefully before making a decision • Want to hear: • Positive feedback and appreciation for their contributions • Clear expectations, roles and responsibilities • Details and in-depth explanations • Uncomfortable with conflict and will usually keep negative feelings to themselves • Communication tips for the ISFJ: • Express yourself directly and say no when it’s unrealistic for you to take on more responsibilities • Remember that too many details can overwhelm some people • Be careful not to personalize feedback • Use active listening skills and strive to understand rather than respond personally to situations • Be open to new ideas and possibilities • Share your accomplishments with others and promote your perspective and ideas

4. ESTP • Convincing, direct, straightforward and matter-of-fact • Adaptable, resourceful, like to take action • Focused on the facts and details of the immediate situation • Analytical and practical: seek to understand how and why things work • What they want to hear: • To-the-point, practical information • Minimal direction • Less abstraction and theory • More likely to evaluate themselves than rely on external feedback • Communication tips for the ESTP: • Balance your practical, task-focused approach with the needs and situations of the people involved • Avoid coming across as blunt, detached or impersonal • Take time to work out conflicts and deal with personal issues at work • Be willing to look at root causes of problems in addition to immediate fixes • Balance corrective feedback with positive feedback, particularly when working with Feeling types

5. ESFP • Friendly, outgoing, tactful, positive • In tune with people’s needs and feelings; able to develop rapport • Consider practical options to solve immediate problems; use common sense • What they want to hear: • Minimal direction • Less abstraction and theory • Practical information to take immediate action • Help others come to consensus through cooperation, negotiation and compromise • Communication tips for the ESFP: • Accommodate others by making concrete goals and plans and sticking to them • Be willing to broaden your perspectives to include logical and long-term implications • Help others understand the practical and flexible side of problem-solving • Deal with causes of problems to resolve complex issues • Take time to accept constructive feedback without personalizing it

6. INTJ • Calm, decisive, task-oriented • Effective as well as efficient • Future and idea-focused • Quiet, reserved, somewhat detached; need time alone to conceptualize • Offer advice and solutions • What they want to hear: • A thorough explanation of how and why things work • Long-tem implications and strategic plans • Input from others mostly in the formative stage of their plan • More task-oriented than people-oriented • Communication tips for the INTJ: • Share your thoughts with others and incorporate feedback early in your process • When explaining your ideas, provide concrete, practical links to current realities • Balance corrective feedback with positive feedback • Avoid coming across as blunt, detached or impersonal • Take time to work out conflicts and deal with personal issues at work

7. INFJ • Quietly supportive and encouraging • Seek harmony and connections • Organize people and resources to get the job done in a personal and caring way • Strive to meet their own high standards • What they want to hear: • Long-term possibilities • Connections and common ground • Collaboration, cooperation and accommodation • Have difficulty giving or receiving negative feedback • Communication tips for the INFJ: • Focus on meeting your needs as well as the needs of others • Carefully balance time spent with others with time to reflect • Present information in a sequential and logical order and show pros/cons • Explain your thoughts in practical language rather than abstract language • Don’t avoid giving or receiving corrective feedback

8. ENTP • Persuasive and convincing when championing ideas • Future-focused, change-oriented systems thinkers • Use logical analysis to determine root causes of problems • Think outside the box • What they want to hear: • How and why things work • Questions and debates • Possibilities, ideas and theories • No direct commands or specific instructions • Will provide constructive feedback in a concise and to-the-point manner • Communication tips for the ENTP: • Remember that not everyone is comfortable critiquing and debating ideas • Balance abstract, conceptual approach with the personal needs and situations of others • Be willing to look at and discuss details, short-term implications and practical realities • Balance corrective feedback with positive feedback, particularly with Feeling types • Be decisive and consistent when working with those who seek to find closure and take action

9. ENFP • Outgoing, optimistic, genuine • Energetically and enthusiastically encourage and persuade others • Enjoy collaboration, cooperation and the sharing of ideas • Focused on relationships • What they want to hear: • People’s experiences, thoughts, feelings, viewpoints and ideas • General guidelines and information; not specific directions or commands • Collaborative language focusing on teamwork and individual contributions • Sensitive to issues of working relationships and morale • Communication tips for the ENFP: • Learn when to back off from discussing personal matters • Avoid becoming distracted and overly influenced by people’s stories and needs • Be practical and logical as well as personal and inspired • Be open to giving and receiving constructive feedback and don’t take it personally • Be sure to follow through and finish tasks

10. ISTP • Easygoing, tolerant and informed • Observant of details and realities • Examine and evaluate data using logical analysis • Would rather be taking action than taking time to explain their plan • What they want to hear: • How and why things work • Logical reasoning, objective and impersonal observations • Practical facts and details about the immediate situation • Challenge accepted ways of doing things if they are not efficient • Communication tips for the ISTP: • Avoid coming across as blunt, detached or impersonal • Balance your practical, task-focused approach with the needs and situations of the people involved • Take time to work out conflicts and deal with personal issues at work • Show that you are supportive of others and offer positive feedback • Balance corrective feedback with positive feedback, particularly when working with Feeling types

11. INTP • Open-ended, logical, analytical • Focused on exploring possibilities • Systems thinkers; see and create complex models and frameworks • Highlight cause-and-effect relationships, spot inconsistencies and analyze flaws • Comfortable with ambiguity and complexity • What they want to hear: • New information and ideas with time to reflect and analyze implications • Global goals and ideas rather than specific plans or procedures • Precision of thought • May avoid interpersonal conflict rather than work it out • Communication tips for the INTP: • Avoid coming across as blunt, detached or impersonal • Balance your logical, conceptual approach with the needs and situations of the people involved • Be willing to look at details, short-term implications and the practical realities of a situation • Balance corrective feedback with positive feedback, particularly with Feeling types • Be willing to make decisions and follow through by implementing your ideas

12. ESTJ • Matter-of-fact, results-oriented and focused on completing the task at hand • Take control of projects and keep things on track • Seek or create structure, clear rules, standards and expectations • Quick to question ideas and facts • What they want to hear: • Concrete, specific facts and details • Logical, sequential, practical information • Accurate and precise data from reliable sources • Seek competent coworkers and prefer clearly defined levels of supervision • Communication tips for the ESTJ: • Learn to say no to additional roles • Accept change and uncertainty as a reality and incorporate them into your plans • Develop rapport and build relationships with your coworkers • Be accepting when procedures are modified as long as standards aren’t affected • Have patience with other work and communication styles

13. ENTJ • Independent, decisive problem solvers who prefer to be in control of their situation • Logically and efficiently organize and streamline systems and processes • Intolerant of incompetence, dependency and wasted effort • What they want to hear: • Clear expectations, and then allow them to control the situation • Long-range goals and planning • Credible information from a knowledgeable source • Value team contributions if team is focused and working towards a goal • Communication tips for the ENTJ: • Other types may want to accomplish tasks more through collaboration and cooperation than being directed • Be careful to listen to all information and consider new possibilities before making a decision • Consider situational and personal factors as well as logical ones • Balance corrective feedback with positive feedback, particularly with Feeling types • Have patience with other work and communication styles

14. ISFP • Quiet, calm, observant listeners • Take thoughtful, immediate action to help others solve problems • Prefer freedom and dislike being hampered by too much structure and too many constrictive rules • What they want to hear: • Practical, factual, detailed information • Clear expectations • Acknowledgement of their need to think about and work on tasks • Quick to focus on the needs of others and may not focus on their own needs • Communication tips for the ISFP: • Say no when it is unrealistic for you to take on additional responsibilities • Be willing to broaden your perspectives to include the logical and long-term implications • Express yourself directly • Offer constructive feedback to others and be careful not to personalize constructive feedback you receive • Deal with interpersonal issues and conflicts

15. INFP • Kind, encouraging and helpful • Focused on people, ideas and possibilities • Future-focused, adaptable, creative problem solvers • Explore options and find innovative, long-term solutions • What they want to hear: • Personal stories, especially of inspiration • Calm, quiet time to reflect and work on tasks in an unstructured way • Communications that are less rule-bound, structured or detailed • Find it hard to listen to critical feedback and can take it personally • Communication tips for the INFP: • Focus on meeting your needs as well as the needs of others • Set and define your limitations and avoid taking responsibility for other people’s roles • Share your accomplishments, perspectives and ideas with others • Learn to accept and give constructive feedback and be careful not to personalize feedback • Deal with conflict and interpersonal issues directly

16. ESFJ • Personal, outgoing, helpful • Responsible, dependable and conscientious • Manage time and tasks to accomplish goals in a positive and organized way • Comfortable with routines and structure • What they want to hear: • Clear and specific instructions • Up-to-date information • Well-defined expectations, tasks and deadlines • Give more positive than constructive feedback and tend to personalize feedback • Communication tips for the ESFJ: • Avoid becoming overcommitted; balance your needs with those of others • Accept individual needs and values that are different from the norm • Giving and receiving constructive feedback may be difficult for you, but can help you and others be more productive • Assess when it is necessary to confront issues and conflict • Learn to value the broader, longer-term approaches of others

17. ENFJ • Compassionate, enthusiastic, encouraging • Imagine new options and possibilities • Combine vision, strategic planning and task-orientation • Collaborative and cooperative • What they want to hear: • Discussions about and sharing of personal values and ideas • Opportunities for everyone to collaborate, contribute and use their skills • Vision and possibilities for people • Can take constructive feedback personally • Communication tips for the ENFJ: • Learn to balance idealism with practicality and create realistic expectations of yourself and others • Explain your thoughts in practical language • Be careful not to personalize the constructive feedback you receive • It may not be possible or necessary to resolve all conflicts in the workplace • Balance the needs of people with business deadlines, logistics and practical situations