Understanding the MBTI

1. Understanding the MBTI Julie Law, Career Center

2. Objective • Understand how preferences influence our behaviors and impact the way we make decisions • Understand how preferences shape our preferred work environments • Understand how to utilize the strength in each preference in group settings

3. MBTI • Helps to understand our personality traits and differences • “Where am I in that spectrum?” Little Interest Moderate Interest High Interest

4. Tie-Breaking Rule If E = I then write I If S = N then write N If T = F then write F If J = P then write P

5. Extravert & Introvert Where do you focus your attention?

6. Activity Get into two groups, Introverts in one group and Extroverts in another. Activity: In 5 minutes, plan your perfect party.

7. Extraverts • Focus on the outer world of people and activity. • Direct their energy and attention outward and receive energy from interacting with people and from taking action. Characteristics: • Prefer communicating by talking • Work out ideas by talking them through • Learn best through doing and discussion • Have broad interests • Social and expressive • Readily take initiative in work and relationships

8. Extraverts:Preferences in Work Settings • Like variety and action • Are sometimes impatient with long slow jobs • Enjoy interacting with people, communicate with enthusiasm • May prefer communicating by talking rather than writing • Develop their ideas through discussion • Learn new tasks by talking and doing • Talk more than listen • Interested in how other people do their work

9. Introverts: • Focus on their own inner world of ideas and experiences. • Direct their energy and attention inward and receive energy from reflecting on their thoughts, memories, and feelings. Characteristics: • Drawn to their inner world • Prefer to communicate in writing • Work out ideas by reflecting on them • Learn best by reflection, mental “practice” • Private and contained • Take initiative when the situation or issue is very important to them

10. Introverts: Preferences in Work Settings • Like quite for concentration • Think before they act, sometimes without acting • Enjoy focusing on a project or task • Develop their ideas internally • Learn new task by reading and reflecting • Are interested in the idea behind the job • May prefer by reading rather than talking or experiencing • Avoid being the center of attention

11. Sensing & Intuition How do you take in information?

12. How do You Take In Information? Sensing and Intuition • Get into two groups, Sensing and Intuition • You have 3 minutes to describe this cup

13. Sensors • Take in information that is real and tangible. They focus on their senses. Characteristics: • Oriented to present realities • Factual and concrete • Observe and remember specifics • Build carefully and thoroughly toward conclusions • Understand ideas and theories through practical applications • Trust experience

14. Sensors: Work Setting Preferences • Focus on immediate issues • Provide a realistic and practical perspective • Tend to be specific and literal, detail oriented • Present information in a step-by-step manner • Oriented to the present • Like to perfect standard ways to do things by fine tuning • Build to conclusions by collecting facts • Draw on their own and others’ experience

15. Intuition • Take in information by seeing the big picture, focusing on the relationships and connections between facts. Characteristics: • Oriented toward future possibilities • Imaginative and verbally creative • Focus on the patterns and meanings in data • Remember specifics when they relate to a pattern • Move quickly to conclusions, follow hunches • Want to clarify ideas and theories before putting them into practice • Trust inspiration

16. Intuition: Preferences in Work Settings • Follow their inspirations • Value imagination and innovation • Provide connections and meanings • Like solving new complex problems • Start with the big picture, fill in the facts later • Present information in a roundabout manner • Prefer change, new ways of doing things

17. Thinkers and Feelers How do you make decisions?

18. What would you do? You are hiring someone for a job. One candidate had a perfect resume and interview. The other candidate was not as outstanding as the first, however the second candidate is a single parent and really needs a job. You can only hire one person. Who do you hire and why?

19. Thinkers • Tend to make decisions based primarily on logic and on objective analysis of cause and effect. Characteristics: • Analytical • Use cause-and-effect reasoning • Solve problems with logic • Strive for an objective standard of truth • Reasonable • Can be “tough-minded” • Fair –want everyone treated equally

20. Thinkers:Preferences in Work Settings • Focus on tasks • Use logical analysis to understand and decide • Want mutual respect and fairness among colleagues • Are firm-minded, can give criticism when appropriate • Apply principles consistently • Can be critical and naturally see flaws • Can be seen at times as insensitive • Consider more important to be truthful than tactful • Motivated by a desire of achievement and accomplishment

21. Feelers • Tend to make decisions based on primarily on values and on subjective evaluation of person-centered concerns. Characteristics: • Empathetic • Guided by personal values • Assess impacts of decisions on people • Strive for harmony and positive interactions • Compassionate • May appear “tenderhearted” • Fair –want everyone to be treated as an individual

22. Feelers:Preferences in Work Settings • Focus on people’s interactions • Step forward and consider the effect of actions on others • Want harmony and support among colleagues • See the exception to the rule • Are empathetic, prefer to accommodate and reach consensus • Show appreciation easily and naturally like to please others • May be seen as overemotional, illogical or weak as well as truthful • Apply values consistently • Motivated by a desire to be appreciated

23. Judging and Perceiving How do you deal with the outer world?

24. Judging and Perceiving Get into 2 groups, Judging and Perceiving Activity, plan a summer-long trip to Europe.

25. Judging • Tend to like a planned and organized approach to life and prefer to have things settled. Characteristics: • Scheduled • Organize their lives • Systematic • Methodical • Make short-and-long term plans • Like to have things decided • Try to avoid last-minute stresses

26. Judging: Preferences in Work Settings • Want to plan their work and follow the plan • Happiest after decisions have been made • Have a “work ethic” work first, play later • Set goals and work toward achieving them on time • Prefer knowing what they are getting into • Like to get things settled and finished • Feel supported by structure and schedules • Reach closure by deciding quickly • Focus on timely completion of a project

27. Perceiving • Tend to like a flexible and spontaneous approach to life and prefer to keep their options open. Characteristics: • Spontaneous • Flexible • Casual • Open-minded • Adapt, change course • Like things loose and open to change • Feel energized by last-minute pressures

28. Perceiving Preferences in Work Settings • Want to have flexibility in their work • Happiest leaving their options open • Have a “play ethic” enjoy now, finish the job later • Change goals as new information becomes available • Like adapting to new situations • Derive satisfaction from starting new projects • See times as a renewable resource and see deadlines as elastic • Like to be spontaneous • Feel restricted by structure & schedules • Leave things open as long as possible • Focus on enjoying the process

29. Now what? • Explore options through volunteer, service learning, and internships • Network with people in the field • Tap into resources: Career Center, Center for Internship and Community Engagement, Volunteer and Service Center • Be positive and surround yourself with a supportive group of friends, family, and mentors

30. Questions?