Work It Out, Revised Edition: Using Personality Type to Improve Team Performance

WORK IT OUT

WORK it OUT Using Personality Type to Improve Team Performance REVISED EDITION

SANDRA KREBS HIRSH & JANE A. G. KISE

Davies-Black Publishing

•

Mountain View, California

Published by Davies-Black Publishing, a division of CPP, Inc., 1055 Joaquin Road, 2nd Floor, Mountain View, CA 94043; 800-624-1765. Special discounts on bulk quantities of Davies-Black books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details, contact the Director of Marketing and Sales at Davies-Black Publishing: 650-691-9123; fax 650-623-9271. Copyright 2006 by Davies-Black Publishing, a division of CPP, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or media or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Davies-Black and its colophon, Strong Interest Inventory, and FIRO-B are registered trademarks and Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation–Behavior is a trademark of CPP, Inc. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, MBTI, and Introduction to Type are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust in the United States and other countries. Visit the Davies-Black Publishing Web site at www.daviesblack.com. Printed in the United States of America. 11 10 09 08 07 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hirsh, Sandra Krebs Work it out : using personality type to improve team performance / Sandra Krebs Hirsh and Jane A. G. Kise.—Rev. ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-89106-212-7 (pbk.) 1. Conflict management. 2. Employees—Psychology. 3. Communication in management. 4. Interpersonal communication. 5. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® assessment. I. Kise, Jane A. G. II. Title. HD42.H57 2006 650.1'3—dc22 2006013314 REVISED EDITION First printing 2006

For my children, Katherine and Elizabeth, whose company, HirshWorks, carries on the tradition of type in our family, and Andy, who is a constant source of inspiration to me. —Sandra

For Brian, my husband, best buddy, and psychological opposite, in celebration of working it out for 25 years! —Jane

CONTENTS What’s New in This Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii 1 Working It Out with Type Can It Make a Difference for You? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 The Extraversion–Introversion Dichotomy The Case of the Communication Conundrum

................................

21

3 The Sensing–Intuition Dichotomy To Improve or Expand? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 4 The Thinking–Feeling Dichotomy Executive Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 5 The Judging–Perceiving Dichotomy Deadline Dilemmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 6 Function Pairs ST, SF, NF, NT in the Workplace

...............................................

7 Style-Changing Stress The Inferior Function—the Shadow 8 Influencing Upward The Problem Is the Boss—or Is It?

113

...........................................

137

.............................................

165

9 Coaching Yourself, Coaching Others Putting Type to Work for You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 10 A Leader Who Put Type to Work Management Style with Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Appendix A: The Teambuilding Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Appendix B: The Coaching Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

WHAT’S NEW IN THIS EDITION The first edition of Work It Out appeared in 1996, before Enron, the rise of Webbased communication, the dot-com bubble demise, and other events that have accelerated the rate of change in the world of work. Teams form and dissolve quickly, membership changes, managers come and go, all adding to the difficulties of working things out in the world of work. However, the basic conflicts between people are still the same—we rush to say, “What’s wrong with that person?” rather than take the time to ask, “How are we different? What can I gain from that person’s style?” In this second edition, we worked to make the concepts of type, and the solutions it provides, more accessible, with information and ideas that can help business leaders create effective teams. For anyone who is working on workplace relationships, this edition provides: ■

Case studies that focus on real workplace issues, such as change, expansion, mandated policies, executive coaching, stress, communication, deadline issues, and more

■

Insights into how people with different type preferences view one another, and how the resulting conflict can be resolved when the issues are revisited as common, normal personality differences

■

More hands-on exercises that allow leaders to implement the teambuilding techniques described in the case studies

■

More material on the hows and whys of coaching, including examples of putting together coaching plans and tailoring strategies to meet client preferences

The cases present examples of teams in conflict that put personality type to work for them. We trust that these pages will help you work it out as well.

ix

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the following people, whose wisdom and ideas have enriched our practice over the years and contributed to the contents of this book: Leigh Bailey, Maureen Bailey, Nicky Bredeson, the late Susan Brock, John Buchanan, John Bush, Sandra Davis, Ken Green, Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, Douglas Peters, Sally Stockbridge, and Barbara Tuckner. In addition, Naomi Quenk gave her careful attention to chapter 7. And thanks to the people represented in this book who worked with us in learning to work it out.

xi

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Sandra Krebs Hirsh is the principal of Sandra Hirsh Consulting, a Minneapolisbased firm that focuses on leadership, career, and organizational development. She is coauthor of more than 15 books on personality type and vocational interests, including LifeTypes, MBTI ® Teambuilding Program, LifeKeys, Introduction to Type® in Organizations, and SoulTypes. She works internationally with type and has conducted seminars in Asia, Australia, Europe, and Indonesia. Hirsh holds advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Minnesota. Her type preferences are ENFP. Jane A. G. Kise, EdD, is coauthor of more than 15 publications, including Using the MBTI® Tool in Organizations, Introduction to Type® and Coaching, Coaching Teachers for Change, LifeKeys, SoulTypes, and Working with Purpose. She is also a management consultant, specializing in teambuilding, strategic planning, and school staff development. Kise is on the board of the Association for Psychological Type and also serves on the faculty of the Center for Applications of Psychological Type. She holds an MBA in finance from the Carlson School of Management and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas. Her type preferences are INFJ.

xiii

1 WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE Can It Make a Difference for You? Our second team meeting was worse than the first. Mark kept all his ideas to himself and then passed them to me in writing two days later—after I’d finalized my plans. I wish he’d talk things over with me first. It would save a lot of work because he does have good ideas! I was looking forward to working with Peter, but now I’m not so sure. He just leaps to conclusions—I can’t follow his train of thought. Our work styles are so complementary; Carolyn addresses all the details I overlook. And yet, I wish she would be more creative, more forward-thinking. Then we would really be a team!

Chances are, you’ve heard similar comments in your workplace. Such observations about co-workers, managers, or employees quickly deteriorate into problems unless we understand that the differences expressed in the above statements are normal, natural approaches to life. Work It Out can help you discover patterns in these differences through the theory of personality type, as made popular in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ® (MBTI®) assessment tool. Individuals are more than just sets of skills, knowledge, and competencies; there is something intangible that brings order, excitement, and unique nuances to each one of us. That intangible is our personality, 1

2

WORK IT OUT

our bundle of preferences for how we are energized, how we take in information, how we make decisions, and how we choose to relate to the world. Personality type theory brings a framework to the complex—and sometimes chaotic—interactions between people in the world of work. Consultants like us are seldom summoned into a workplace that is “one big happy family”! Psychological type helps us find patterns in the interactions of troubled teams, employees and leaders, and colleagues, leading to proven solutions for more productive relationships. While one can spend years (as we have!) learning all the nuances and intricacies of each personality type, the key factors and patterns described in this book can bring new levels of understanding to managers and team members. Individuals and teams blossom as their leaders go beyond simple knowledge of the competencies of team members to the more useful understanding of personality types. Generally, treating all members of a team as if they are the same is like trying to herd cats: Not only are the results doubtful, but most people resent trying to fit a single mold. Understanding people’s types allows you to tap into their strengths, discover how you work best together, and minimize unnecessary conflict. Type frequently is helpful in predicting both the strengths and the developmental needs of each personality type and provides a positive language for discussion and understanding.

TYPE THEORY You may already know your type; millions of people have taken the MBTI assessment. Isabel Myers and her mother, Katharine Briggs, the instrument’s developers, were longtime observers of human differences. Briggs developed her own four-part framework with which to study human diversity; however, she found Carl Jung’s work Psychological Types more complete. Myers constructed an “indicator” so that Jung’s theory of personality preferences could be more widely understood and its concepts made more practical. If you know your type, you may wish to skim this first chapter for review and then jump into chapter 2. If not, your human resources department or local community college is likely to have the MBTI tool in stock, because it’s the most widely used psychological instrument for people at work.1 People around the world have found these personality type concepts intriguing. The theory describes complementary styles and the mutual usefulness (effectiveness) of opposites, which leads to better problem solving because

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

all factors have been considered. You may find that you use aspects of each of the personality preferences in the pairs we are about to discuss, but one will be your natural preference, even if it’s only slightly more preferred. The following analogy may help cement the ideas of this theory of personality preferences. Just as there are many sets of two in the physical body, there are sets of two in the psyche as well. Generally, when there are two in a set (hands, eyes, ears, and so on), one has preference over the other; for example, one eye is for focus, while the other is for peripheral vision. The eye preferred for focus varies. Some of us use the left eye, others the right. There is no correct or incorrect here—just difference. In order to view the stars through a telescope, however, it is important to know which eye is better suited for the job. Let’s give you a chance to experience this concept of physical preference. In the spaces below, write your name, address, and phone number with your nonpreferred hand. For an extra challenge, keep track of how many seconds it takes to complete the task. When you are finished, note the quality of your output and how much time it took.

How did it feel? Most people have said it felt awkward, clumsy, uncomfortable, even unnatural. Others mentioned that it took time and concentration and that the output looked like childhood penmanship. Now, let’s see what happens when you write your name, address, and phone number in the spaces below with your preferred hand. Keep an eye on the clock for comparison, and proceed.

3

4

WORK IT OUT

Most people have described this experience as faster, more comfortable, easy, and flowing—it feels natural. There’s even a flair, a distinctiveness that differentiates your signature from that of others. This type of physical preference is mirrored by psychological preferences. Evidence is mounting (through brain scans and other scientific studies) that while psychological preferences are as innate as the preference for an eye for focus, or a foot to step forward with, they are not immutable. Factors such as parents, family, educational experience, and functional training may affect the expression of a person’s true nature. Review your handwriting samples. Which one is of better quality? Which took less time? How slow and frustrated would you be if you had to work for the next six months with your nonpreferred hand? You’d be tempted to give up and reach for your pen with your preferred hand—home, sweet home. That’s how it feels psychologically, tiring and frustrating, when we use our nonpreferred personality preferences at work a majority of the time. Further, you’re probably sitting next to someone who is using his or her preferred four functions, performing tasks with ease and added energy. That’s when self-esteem, a very important commodity at work, begins to diminish, because no matter how hard you work, the results pale in comparison to the accomplishments of people who do it naturally. Ask yourself if you would like to work for or with or manage someone with low self-esteem, and its cost becomes readily apparent. Meeting with people whose personality preferences are different from yours can feel as awkward as extending the wrong hand for a handshake. They don’t act or work or think the way you do. Further, forcing everyone to do things the same way is similar to asking some of them to write with their nonpreferred hands. How much better to understand the strengths of each preference, put them to use, and work out the differences. Now, on to the framework for understanding your unique style and that of others. Think about what you do most easily, comfortably, and naturally, and turn off ideas of what you should do as you identify your natural personality preferences.

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

Extraversion (E) and Introversion (I): The Source of Energy People differ in how they draw energy to themselves. Some prefer to work with people and things, welcoming interactions with others and the outer environment. People in this group, known as Extraverts, prefer to do their thinking aloud in the company of others. People who prefer Introversion, known as Introverts, tend to enjoy working alone or with one or two other individuals. Which of the following do you tend to do?

Extraversion

Introversion

■ Talk it out

■ Think it through

■ Extend into your environment by

■ Defend against your environment by

reaching out to others

stepping back or avoiding others

■ Act first, think later

■ Think first, act later

■ Enjoy variety and action

■ Enjoy concentration and

reflection ■ Prefer face-to-face communication

■ Prefer written forms of

communication ■ Frequently hear that you’re not available

because you’re out and about

■ Frequently hear that even though you’re

present, you’re miles away, deep in thought

Mix Extraverts on a team with Introverts and watch the misunderstandings pile up. The Introverts will claim “I can’t concentrate!” while the Extraverts complain “I can’t tell what they are thinking!” Through understanding, each group can allow the other to operate as the group’s members do best. In chapter 2, you will read about Extraversion and Introversion at work.

5

6

WORK IT OUT

Sensing (S) and Intuition (N): Gathering Information Each of us has a preference for how we take in and process information. Those who focus on the specifics are called Sensing types. They seek information that can be verified by the five senses and like things to be accurate, detailed, factual, and practical. Those who focus on the big picture are called Intuitive types. They gather information using insights, associations, relationships, and connections. While Sensing types concentrate on current reality, Intuitive types are dreaming about what could be. Which of the following do you tend to do?

Sensing

Intuition

■ Value accuracy and precision

■ Value insights and analogies

■ Let the facts pile up to find the trends

■ Generalize larger meanings from one

fact or happening ■ Avoid fabrications and generalities

■ Overlook details, lose focus when things

are stated too obviously ■ Relish the present

■ Anticipate the future

■ Let experience be your guide

■ Let a combination of imagination and

ideas be your guide ■ Want to know the practical applications

or results

■ Want to know possible innovations or

additional uses

Each group has much to offer the other. Where would new ideas be without the practical foundations to implement them? Where would quality production be without forward-looking products to meet new demands? Yet these differences in how we perceive all too frequently lead to conflict, not synergy. You will learn more about this preference in chapter 3, which deals with the relationship between Sensing and Intuition at work.

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

Thinking (T) and Feeling (F): How We Make Decisions After gathering information through either Sensing or Intuition, we need a way to organize that information, to draw some rational conclusions about it, or to put it into categories. We do this in one of two ways—through Thinking or through Feeling. These are our decision-making processes. Some of us have a preference for Thinking and take an analytical and objective approach to decision making. Thinking types like to weigh the pros and cons of each alternative and find flaws in advance. Feeling types consider the impact of a decision on themselves, on others, and on their deeply held values. They proceed after subjectively studying the motivations and nature of people. Note that Thinking types have feelings, and Feeling types think. Which of the following do you tend to do when you are trying to make a decision?

Thinking

Feeling

■ Weigh the pros and cons

■ Sort through values

■ Want a logical outcome

■ Want a harmonious outcome

■ Seek the truth, influenced by objective

■ Seek what is most important, influenced

reasoning ■ Focus on the underlying principles

behind a decision

by subjective information ■ Focus on the impact the decision may

have on people

■ Tend toward skepticism and controversy

■ Tend toward acceptance and tolerance

■ Point out flaws in an effort to “care”

■ Prefer not to critique others, offering

for others

appreciative comments instead

It’s easy to imagine possible conflicts between Thinking types and Feeling types when they are working together on issues such as outsourcing, promotions, and even space utilization. Organizations suffer when they run solely on Thinking or on Feeling; both styles are necessary, for effectiveness (Thinking) and collegiality or trust (Feeling). (For an example of a Thinking–Feeling conflict, see chapter 4.)

7

8

WORK IT OUT

Judging (J) and Perceiving (P): How We Approach Life Finally, people differ in their approach to life: according to plan or open to the moment. Judging types tend to plan their work and then follow their plans. They enjoy having matters settled and like to make decisions quickly. Perceiving types enjoy the process of gathering information more than the process of reaching a conclusion. They are more likely to be flexible and respond as a situation warrants. Which of the following do you tend to do?

Judging

Perceiving

■ Plan your work and then work according

■ Deal with situations or problems as they

to your plan ■ Schedule your time, settling dates and

arrangements ■ Make decisions quickly, putting a stop

to seeking new information ■ Find surprises or interruptions annoying

arise ■ Leave scheduling options open as long

as possible ■ Enjoy considering new information,

putting off final decisions ■ Find surprises or interruptions refreshing

or a source of information ■ Want to have things settled

■ Want to face life and work with

spontaneity ■ Focus on tasks and timetables

■ Focus on processes and options

Assign an employee who has already decided which of two marketing strategies is best (Judging) to work for a manager who wants to keep the options open (Perceiving), and watch the frustration level rise. Yet consider how they could create balance: Judging types tend to ensure that deadlines are met, and Perceiving types tend to lend flexibility when it is needed. (To learn more about this preference, read chapter 5.)

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

WHAT TYPE CAN DO Which preferences seem most like you? Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I)? Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)?2 Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)? Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)? If you have trouble deciding, think about the experience of writing with each hand. Choose the preference in each pair that feels more natural. You are able to use both, just as you could write with both hands, but most of us prefer one over the other. Forget about what might be required of you by family, work, or the task you need to accomplish—at least for now. Write your chosen letters below:

E or I

S or N

T or F

J or P

The eight different preferences lead to 16 personality types. You may be wondering if understanding a complex theory is worth all the bother. Well, if gaining insights into the personality types of your team members or co-workers sounds overwhelming, the following overview of what you can do with those insights may give you cause to go on. Through type, you will be able to: ■

Identify and reduce sources of conflict. For example, if one person prefers to talk about everything out loud (Extraversion) and the other likes peace and solitude for reflection (Introversion), they can negotiate their shared and private space.

■

Recognize a team’s strengths and blind spots. Knowing what a team habitually prefers and, as important, habitually overlooks helps that team strategize for increased effectiveness. For example, a group dominated by Intuitive types may learn that it should develop checklists so that it doesn’t overlook facts and details, the province of Sensing types.

■

Clarify the fit between managers and their direct reports. For example, when a team leader who prefers Thinking (perhaps giving praise only after a task is completed or expectations are exceeded) works with someone who prefers Feeling (perhaps expecting praise from the start of a project), problems may arise. When both understand each other, they can productively manage their different perspectives on praise and recognition.

■

Get value from type diversity. Leaving the most important for last, type theory emphasizes the positive contributions of each preference. Teaming

9

10

WORK IT OUT

a Judging type who prefers to plan everything with a Perceiving type who enjoys spontaneity ensures that a plan is in place and that it will be adjusted when new information or circumstances warrant a change. We all know it would be absurd to form an investigative team entirely of forensics experts or cryptologists; however, in business, we tend to choose teammates whose perspectives on issues are similar to our own. Diversity of outlook and behavior yields better team results—type theory helps us manage diversity.

THE TYPE TABLE Let’s build a type table with all 16 types on it. Myers and others who put this table together gave us some mnemonics to help us remember the placement of the 16 types. ■

Extraversion: Extraverted types prefer action and movement, so they are at the foot of the table.

■

Introversion: Introverted types prefer time to think, so they are at the head of the table. Introversion Extraversion

■

Sensing: Sensing types like “left-brain” activities (careful use of facts), so they are at the left.

■

Intuition: Intuitive types like “right-brain” activities (hunches and meaning), so they are at the right. Sensing

Intuition

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

■

Thinking: Thinking types like to be objective and stand apart from their decisions, so they are on the outside columns of the table.

■

Feeling: Feeling types like to please and consider others in their decisions, so they are next to each other in the middle of the table. Thinking

Feeling

Feeling

Thinking

■

Judging: Judging types like structure and order, so they are in the top and bottom rows, providing structure for the table.

■

Perceiving: Perceiving types like flexibility and adaptability, so they are in the middle rows of the table, just enjoying it. Judging Perceiving Perceiving Judging

This gives the table its structure. Can you find your type’s place in this table using the mnemonics we’ve given you? ISTJ ISTP ESTP ESTJ

ISFJ ISFP ESFP ESFJ

INFJ INFP ENFP ENFJ

INTJ INTP ENTP ENTJ

Some people feel boxed in when they look at the type table. So, instead of a box, many writers liken the type table to a house with 16 rooms. Your own type is your favorite room, perhaps the one with the window seat or the fireplace, but there are other rooms you like almost as much and probably visit often. A few others, like the laundry room, may be your least favorite, and yet, as an adult, you know how to function in that room. Type works the same way. Further, maturity involves knowing when you have to move to a different room by working outside your preferences in order to meet the needs of a situation. In other words, you aren’t stuck being just one type. Knowing your preferences, however, provides a framework for adjustment when you need to step outside them to work it out in the world of work.

11

12

WORK IT OUT

THE TYPE DESCRIPTIONS Now that you’ve found your place on the table, Type Chart 1 provides more information about your particular combination of preferences—your personality type. If you’ve been undecided until now, does the chart help? If not, ask a spouse, friend, or colleague to read the clues for each pair of preferences (for example, Extraversion–Introversion) and to look at the chart to find the type that describes you best.

The Four-Part Framework Once you know your type and understand the opposite preferences, the different combinations of preferences will help in working out different kinds of problems. For example, one of the key aspects of psychological type is the combination of the Sensing or Intuition preference with the Thinking or Feeling preference. These possible combinations—ST, SF, NF, and NT, which form the four columns of the type table—are called the “function pairs” because they say so much about how we function in life.3 (To learn about how teams run into difficulties if they don’t understand their differences in this function-pairs framework, see chapter 6.) These pairings are useful in looking at communication patterns, organizational cultures, and teamwork. Here are some clues to determining your function pair: ST

SF

NF

NT

Are you most likely to be described as

Practical and logical

Sympathetic and friendly

Enthusiastic and insightful

Logical and ingenious

Is the work you prefer

Tangible and useful

Social and personable

Creative and people oriented

Theoretical and complex

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

TYPE CHART 1 ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

■

■

■

■

■

■

Leads by bringing order and efficiency to meetings and tasks. Influences by using logical arguments backed by specifics and realism. Focus is on facts, details, and results.

■

■

Leads by encouraging others in tasks that suit them best. Influences by ensuring that information is accurate, things are organized. Focus is on setting priorities based on the needs of individuals.

■

■

Leads by encouraging others to cooperate in working to achieve a vision. Influences by being creative and dedicated. Focus is on creative insights and strong values.

■

■

Leads by setting the course to make an idea become reality. Influences by intellectual depth and dedication. Focus is on designing systems, changing the status quo.

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

■

■

■

■

■

■

Leads by quietly setting an example. Influences, when asked, by having all the needed information ready. Focus is on finding the logical ways to get things done.

■

■

Leads by encouraging others to cooperate. Influences by example, helping others pursue their ideals. Focus is on the practical care of people.

■

■

Leads by promoting harmonious teams in which each person is valued. Influences by highlighting common ideals and new possibilities. Focus is on group consensus and shared values.

■

■

Leads by convincing others of the merit and logic of their ideals. Influences by providing in-depth knowledge and analysis. Focus is on logical, intellectual insights to problems.

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

■

■

■

■

■

■

Leads by finding the most efficient way to work together. Influences by establishing logical processes, pursuing them with enthusiasm. Focus is on action, taking care of problems as they arise.

■

■

Leads by encouraging others to contribute. Influences by enthusiasm and enjoyment of the tasks at hand. Focus is on creating an upbeat atmosphere for people.

■

■

Leads by creating a vision, helping people see their potential. Influences by listening to and incorporating the ideas of others. Focus is on exploring all the possibilities.

■

■

Leads by developing novel strategies for new enterprises. Influences by going the extra mile. Focus is on innovative models, conquering challenges.

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

■

■

■

■

■

■

Leads by planning, providing direction, and assigning responsibilities. Influences by modeling the standards and commitment expected from others. Focus is on structuring tasks so goals are met.

■

■

Leads by paying attention to the needs of others and making sure they feel important. Influences by being conscientious and hardworking. Focus is on getting things organized so that people’s personal needs are met.

■

■

Leads by facilitating, helping others plan and cooperate to meet goals. Influences by clarifying processes by which goals can be met. Focus is on encouraging others in building consensus.

■

■

Leads by presenting a vision and then energizing and directing others to meet it. Influences by objectively analyzing ideas, setting goals. Focus is on making decisions.

13

14

WORK IT OUT

Here is how the four-part framework is expressed on the type table: ST ISTJ ISTP E STP E STJ

SF ISFJ ISFP E SFP E SFJ

NF INFJ INFP E NFP E NFJ

NT INTJ INTP E NTP E NTJ

The Four Functions Another concept from type theory is type development. We don’t enter life with all of our preferences fully developed. One of these four functions—S, N, T, or F—is developed earliest in our lives and takes charge of who we are. It’s called our “dominant function.” For example, Sensing children are often known as practical or matter-of-fact, while Intuitive children are often known as imaginative or daydreamers. And children who prefer Thinking are often quick to find the flaw, whereas children who prefer Feeling are often sensitive, concerned about others. Our dominant function is supported by the other three preferences. We rely on our dominant function the most, so the type of work we do should reflect this foremost function. If our work does not reflect its use, we should give our dominant function its way in our personal life. Furthermore, our dominant function is our greatest gift in solving problems. Some characteristics of the dominant functions are described below: If your dominant function is Sensing:

If your dominant function is Intuition:

Things have to make sense, stability is sought, and you . . .

Things have to appeal to the imagination, change is sought, and you . . .

■

Point out pertinent facts, especially those gained from experience

■

Recognize new avenues and possibilities and develop ingenious insights

■

Have the right thing in the right place at the right time; essentials are on hand and schedules are realistic

■

Conjure up plans for future contingencies with a spirit of optimism

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

If your dominant function is Thinking:

If your dominant function is Feeling:

Things have to be logical, effectiveness is key, and you . . .

Things have to consider people’s aspirations, integrity is key, and you . . .

■

■

Make decisions only after analyzing the strengths and weaknesses in a situation or a person, pointing out flaws in advance Monitor and hold organizations and teams accountable for goals in an objective, straightforward way

■

Make decisions only after anticipating the needs of those involved and how they will be affected

■

Monitor and hold organizations and teams accountable for their values while encouraging everyone’s contribution

Source: Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, and Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI® Teambuilding Program: Leader’s Resource Guide, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc. 2003). Adapted by permission.

Here are a few clues about how a dominant function works on problem solving: Sensing problem solving ■

How is the problem best defined?

■

What costs are incurred— financial, emotional, and so on?

Thinking problem solving

Intuitive problem solving ■

How does this problem relate to the ways or patterns by which similar problems are solved?

■

What interpretations can be made from the information or lack thereof?

Feeling problem solving

■

What are the pros and cons and the interesting alternatives? Why are they so?

■

How do people feel about this? Can different views be accommodated?

■

What is the relationship between cause and effect?

■

How does this affect me and the people I care about? How much does the outcome matter?

Source: Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, and Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI® Teambuilding Program: Leader’s Resource Guide, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc. 2003). Adapted by permission.

15

16

WORK IT OUT

If you want to identify your dominant function and the rest of your preferences, use Type Chart 2, below. It has the same type table structure we have discussed and shows the hierarchy for the 16 types. The dominant function is balanced by the second function on your list, which is called your “auxiliary function.” If your dominant wants to get information (through either Sensing or Intuition, for example), your auxiliary will want to organize that information (through either Thinking or Feeling) and vice versa. If your dominant is Thinking or Feeling, then your auxiliary, either Sensing or Intuition, will want to add information to your decisions. The auxiliary usually develops when a person is in adolescence or early adulthood. We don’t know as much about your third function, which is the preference opposite to your auxiliary. It usually develops in adulthood. If your auxiliary is Sensing, then your third function will be Intuition, and vice versa, and if your auxiliary is Thinking, then your third function will be Feeling, and vice versa. The third function is not as large a part of your conscious mental activity as your dominant and auxiliary are. It’s more elusive. TYPE CHART 2 ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

1. Sensing 2. Thinking 3. Feeling 4. Intuition

1. Sensing 2. Feeling 3. Thinking 4. Intuition

1. Intuition 2. Feeling 3. Thinking 4. Sensing

1. Intuition 2. Thinking 3. Feeling 4. Sensing

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

1. Thinking 2. Sensing 3. Intuition 4. Feeling

1. Feeling 2. Sensing 3. Intuition 4. Thinking

1. Feeling 2. Intuition 3. Sensing 4. Thinking

1. Thinking 2. Intuition 3. Sensing 4. Feeling

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

1. Sensing 2. Thinking 3. Feeling 4. Intuition

1. Sensing 2. Feeling 3. Thinking 4. Intuition

1. Intuition 2. Feeling 3. Thinking 4. Sensing

1. Intuition 2. Thinking 3. Feeling 4. Sensing

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

1. Thinking 2. Sensing 3. Intuition 4. Feeling

1. Feeling 2. Sensing 3. Intuition 4. Thinking

1. Feeling 2. Intuition 3. Sensing 4. Thinking

1. Thinking 2. Intuition 3. Sensing 4. Feeling

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

The fourth function is the one that is least preferred. When you are behaving normally, it’s pretty much hidden from you, almost unconscious. Mistakes often occur with this function, because we haven’t been able to tap its gifts or didn’t make an effort to do so. For example, Sensing types often miss the big picture, and Intuitive types often overlook details. Thinking types may overlook the impact a decision will have on people, while Feeling types may overlook the logical consequences of a decision. In midlife and beyond, many of us find that the fourth function begins to claim some of our attention, though still a small part. Some examples of what this might mean for certain types are given below: Sensing types, who naturally know and appreciate the here and now, . . .

Begin to seek out new and untried futures.

Intuitive types, who do best at envisioning the future, . . .

Begin to enjoy the here and now, paying attention to what is.

Thinking types, who keep logic and objectivity at the forefront, . . .

Begin to focus on values, interpersonal relationships, and service to others.

Feeling types, who keep the focus on what matters to people, . . .

Begin to apply logic, set boundaries, or enjoy scholarly pursuits.

When we are tired, anxious, or under stress—or when we’ve been too onesided in our type, acting as an overwhelming ENTJ who insists on being in charge of everything, for example—we may unconsciously undergo a bit of selfcorrection to counteract this one-sidedness. The fourth function, feeling very much like the inferior function it is, emerges. And emerge it does! We don’t act like our usual selves but instead become caricatures of our opposite types— from ENTJ to ISFP, but with a vengeance. (For more on the emergence of an inferior function, see chapter 7.) Thus, for a Sensing dominant person (ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTP, or ESFP), the usually inferior Intuition becomes predominant. When this happens, Sensing types tune into insights or future possibilities, all of which may look bad or seem filled with doom. The Intuition dominant person (INTJ, INFJ, ENTP, or ENFP) will see too many of the details and become obsessed with them. Thinking dominants (ISTP, INTP, ESTJ, and ENTJ) become maudlin, overemotional, and self-pitying when their inferior function takes over. Feeling dominants (ISFP, INFP, ESFJ, and ENFJ) become cold, calculating, and domineering to an extreme as they critique others.

17

18

WORK IT OUT

The next time people say, “What’s gotten into you?” or “You’re not acting like yourself!” pause and reflect on whether you’ve been experiencing stress or are out of balance from being too much your type. (In chapter 7, you’ll find tips for identifying this state as well as ways to regain your balance.)

A WORD TO THE WISE In the world of business leadership, there are four types that like to take charge: ISTJ, INTJ, ESTJ, and ENTJ. While these types often excel at bringing logic and order, or principles and best practices, to the world of work, each has Feeling as its third or fourth function (see Type Chart 2, on page 16). What gets overlooked in these business settings, then, are the gifts of the Feeling preference: values, interpersonal relationships, and concern for the needs and wants of others. Instead, these four types may focus on pursuing the product no matter the cost to people or the environment. You can see that when we ignore just one of these four functions—S, N, T, or F—we’re in danger of making big mistakes. If you want to avoid these mistakes, look at your type’s order of preferences and do your darnedest to factor in each preference—S, N, T, and F—in a thorough and systematic way when you are facing a major decision or a critical problem. Realize that your dominant and auxiliary functions will come easily, since you prefer them, and that the third and especially fourth functions will be less natural but are well worth the effort when you see the results.

HOW THIS BOOK CAN HELP If you would like to learn more about the theory of type, check the appendices and the sources mentioned in the notes. This book is mostly a hands-on guide to practical applications that will allow you to put type to work for your team. The next six chapters present case studies of companies that improved performance by developing their understanding of personality type. All the company names and industries have been disguised (to protect the innocent—and us, too!), and, in most cases, the businesses are composites of two or more organizations. But the specific problems, motivations, and situational issues are real, as are the teambuilding and coaching strategies that helped those involved in working it out.

WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE

For each case, there are guides to help you determine which team members have personality types similar to yours, as well as exercises and applications for both your personal life and your work life. Each chapter contains a Type Takeaway, specific suggestions for implementing the general principles in your situation. To get the most out of this book, be sure to do the following: ■

Figure out your own type.

■

Determine the people in each case study most closely identified with you or someone you know.

■

Consider how you would react to the situation. Which aspects would cause you the most concern?

■

Use the Type Takeaway section to apply the principles to yourself and to your team or organization. How could these understandings help you work it out through better teamwork? Better understanding? Better interpersonal relationships, increased productivity, and more fun? And as you read, remember:

■

Personality type isn’t a box others put you into; rather, it’s a way to understand your preferences and those of others.

■

Personality type doesn’t explain everything. Within each of the 16 personality types, there is an infinite variety of personalities, each unique and valuable.

■

Type alone cannot solve all your organization’s problems. However, it can lead to a deeper understanding of the value of each team member and provide a logical model for why people do and say the things they do.

■

No one type is better than another. Each type has its unique combination of assets and blind spots.

■

Personality type should not be used for selecting your work, life partner, or teammates because it looks at natural preferences, not competencies or abilities.

If you’ve identified your own personality type and believe that all 16 types have a valuable contribution to make to your workplace, then you’re ready to read the cases and discover how to work it out with type.

19

2 THE EXTRAVERSION– INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY The Case of the Communication Conundrum The Goal: Creating an environment where everyone has enough energy to get the job done!

Energy. It’s tough to be effective without it. Extraversion and Introversion say a lot about an organization’s orientation. Does it focus primarily outward on its markets, customers, competition, or other departments? Or does it focus primarily inward on its own processes, technologies, or founder’s dreams? Extraverted reality is out there, while Introverted reality is within, according to William Bridges.1 Teams and individuals with a preference for Extraversion may be energized by conditions that would drain colleagues who have a preference for Introversion. Look at the differences between ideal organizational and team settings for Extraverts and Introverts:

21

22

WORK IT OUT

Extraversion is honored in settings where people can:

Introversion is honored in settings where people can:

■

Find action for stimulation

■

Find quiet for reflection

■

Be involved in many things at once

■

Take an in-depth approach to a few tasks

■

Change tasks and add variety to maintain interest

■

Concentrate on the task at hand

■

Frequently share information and ideas face-to-face

■

Prepare in advance, perhaps in writing, to discuss ideas or plans

■

Keep up networks of contacts

■

Work without interruption

■

Clarify thoughts through discussion

■

Clarify thoughts through reflection

■

Move about for action, interaction

■

Have private space for working

■

Work within a team

■

Engage in small-group or oneon-one interactions

■

Focus externally on the market

■

Focus internally on their own resources and competencies

Let’s look at a team that found a way to balance their needs, ensuring that everyone had enough energy to get the job done.

COMMERCE BANK Luis, team leader (ESTP) Systems Design group 6 Introverts 1 Extravert

Marketing group 6 Extraverts 1 Introvert

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

Commerce Bank constantly strove to be at the technological forefront of the industry. Having the most useful—and most secure—online consumer banking system was the top priority for senior management. The bank dubbed its new project Commerce Online.

THE PRESENTING PROBLEM: TYPE MISUNDERSTANDINGS It only made sense to team up the Marketing and Systems Design departments to develop Commerce Online. Marketing staff needed to know what they’d be selling; Systems Design needed Marketing’s input to determine what customers wanted. But they weren’t communicating—in fact, they were insulting each other. The Systems team referred to Marketing as “overconfident loudmouths” who hogged company resources. The Marketing team called the Systems group “a bunch of Lone Rangers” whose lackluster presentations made senior managers assume the departments were unlikely to meet the project’s goals. Luis (ESTP), head of the project, seemed a perfect fit for his job. His résumé listed several cross-functional projects he’d headed in the past. The vice president of new product development had selected Luis because of his communication skills, agility with details, and willingness to take risks. The time frames and goals were ambitious, but Luis hand-picked his team and was promised priority for company resources. Luis had taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory during a workshop and determined ESTP as his best-fit type. Here is how he described his own style and the issues with his cross-functional team: I do my best work when I can think out loud—brainstorm with others, hear their ideas, and interact. That’s how meetings function with the Marketing team. We get together frequently, and they present their findings and give status updates. Why waste time writing up reports when I can hear one? That way, we can discuss the details immediately. I know exactly where they are in determining the needs of our end users. They fill me in on customer focus-group data, and they’re right on track with finding out what customers want and will use. Action and interaction with movers and shakers—that’s how I work best.

23

24

WORK IT OUT

How Extraverted Types View Introverted Types Luis’s description of the Systems Design team, though, was far less favorable, and in general the Marketing team shared his concerns. While Luis acknowledged that the Systems team members had impressive résumés and exemplary technical expertise—at least on paper—he claimed that so far they’d shown little evidence that they really understood the nature of the project. He said, I like the challenging questions I get from the Systems team members and their willingness to probe deeply into things. But sometimes they keep me in the dark. Yes, they do send me memos and e-mails, but I don’t have the time to read them. Honestly? I have no idea whether they’re on schedule, and I’m concerned.

Given that the teams were hand-picked for Commerce Online, it didn’t seem likely that the Systems Design people actually lacked the ability to handle the work. There must have been something preventing the two teams from understanding each other, and understanding was essential to the success of the endeavor. As the head of new product development put it, “The two sides really do have to talk on this project. Otherwise, either Marketing will sell something that can’t actually be designed, or Systems will build something our customers won’t want to use.” We often jump too quickly to affix labels of insubordination, incompetence, or indifference when what is really blocking productivity or communication is a basic difference in personality types. The following lists illustrate the complaints Luis and the Marketing team had about Systems Design and then analyzes those complaints through the lens of type. Luis’s and Marketing’s complaints about Systems Design ■

When Systems gets an assignment, it falls into a deep, dark hole. We have no idea what they’re working on because they don’t talk to us. They’re at their desks, but they’re staring into space half the time.

Viewing the comments through the lens of type ■

Introverts often get lost in their own world. When they’re “staring into space,” they’re often hard at work. They typically seek input at the start of a project and again when they’re done, but in between, they gain energy from working alone.

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

■

We give verbal progress reports, but if we ask Systems, they report on whatever is right in front of them and then say they’ll get back to us on the rest. And they do—via e-mail! What a waste of time!

■

Written forms of communication, like e-mail, allow Introverts to reflect on the clarity of each thought. They often have more confidence in their written communication abilities than in their verbal skills.

■

We work right across the hall from each other, but they send memos. Why don’t they just walk over and tell us?

■

By using memos, Introverts avoid unpredictable and possibly time-consuming interactions with others when they want to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

■

Instead of interacting like a team, they hide away in their own space. We need to get to know them better, both personally and professionally.

■

Introverts often have a different vision of teamwork. They like to “own” their piece of a project, occasionally seek input from others, and then work with the team at the end. Introverts tend to be more private about their personal lives as well.

■

We almost have to force them to attend team meetings. Then they sit there in their own worlds. Why don’t they challenge our ideas? What about responding to questions?

■

Introverts prefer more reflection time between team meetings than do Extraverts. Further, if they don’t know in advance what will be discussed, they may hesitate to speak until they can check their sources and think through alternatives. Introverts are often visual learners and may dislike processing ideas that aren’t in writing. While some take copious notes in an attempt to pay attention, others need more time to process what they hear as opposed to what they read.

25

26

WORK IT OUT

■

They don’t share enough information. Once, we even threatened to lock the meeting room doors until they gave us feedback. Until we know what Systems can produce, we can’t start the campaign.

■

Introverts are energized by and enjoy in-depth study. They can’t be rushed, especially on significant matters. When Extraverts want to push for a decision, they can get clarity by asking Introverts for information. Questions such as “What else will you need to consider? What alternatives come to mind?” are useful in reframing issues for those with an Introverted preference.

■

They follow our lead even when we go off on tangents, nodding complacently. If the tangent’s to the left, they look left. If it’s to the right, they look right.

■

Meetings that emphasize fastpaced interactions and quick decisions can derail Introverts, who may take on a “deer in the headlights” aura under such conditions. They need agendas in advance so they can think through all the angles and be prepared.

■

How can they help but talk about this project when so much is going on?

■

Too much going on may be the problem for the Introverts! Talking about it de-energizes them even more.

Although Luis was frustrated, he, too, questioned whether Systems Design was underperforming or whether there was a mismatch in styles between the two departments—and himself. He was right about the mismatch. Of the seven people in Marketing, six were Extraverts like Luis. This is true of many Marketing departments, since Marketing often involves the customer contact, rapid pace, and multiple tasks on which Extraverts thrive. The Systems Design team was the exact opposite: six Introverts and one Extravert. Systems work benefits from thoughtful preparation before implementation and in-depth knowledge, and it often provides opportunities to work on complex efforts in a few areas. Anyone observing a Marketing meeting and a Systems Design meeting would have been aware of the type differences. At Marketing meetings, jokes and verbal quips flew back and forth; team members clearly enjoyed being

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

together. Their excitement about Commerce Online was obvious. Hearty interchanges and laughter filled the room as they fed off each individual’s energy and ideas. At the Systems meetings, quiet camaraderie filled the room. A similar shared sense of humor, often expressed in wordplay or in visual form, such as cartoons, permeated their interactions. Their meetings were also less noisy than Marketing’s. As Introverts, they found energy in the quiet, reflective environment. People seldom interrupted one another, instead allowing teammates to complete their thoughts.

How Introverted Types View Extraverted Types In teambuilding, it’s important to hear all sides of any conflict. Systems Design team members summarized their complaints about the work environment and their colleagues in Marketing this way: Because we’re just a temporary project team, they tucked us into the Customer Service area. Maybe Marketing has a lot of customer contact work, but this place is like a zoo—three people to an office, with our desks actually butting up against one another. If they’d get rid of the paging system and music that goes off and on all day, maybe a person could think! And the phones ring constantly. How can we concentrate with constant interruptions, let alone without a quiet place to work? As for the team meetings, we’d like to know about the topics for discussion in advance. Usually, while Marketing is talking, we’re processing their ideas. This takes more time if we don’t know the issues we’re going to be discussing in the first place! If we get a chance at the end of the meeting, what we say frequently moves the team from stagnation to progress. When we’ve had enough time to process and are able to summarize, we can save the day. However, Luis doesn’t seem to understand or appreciate that what he sees as reticence and holding back is really work-related reflection.

The Systems Design team had serious doubts that teaming with Marketing was the best way to roll out Commerce Online. “We’re on such different wavelengths. Maybe our managers should do all the talking.” Here are some of the Systems Design team’s complaints about Luis and Marketing, which show their misunderstanding of Extraversion:

27

28

WORK IT OUT

Systems Design’s complaints about Luis and Marketing

Viewing the comments through the lens of type

■

At the kick-off meeting for Commerce Online, Marketing brownnosed the entire time with the executive team, racing for spots at their lunch table, playing golf with senior management—they did everything but tap dance to get noticed. We took the opportunity to learn about one another, eating and golfing with our new Systems teammates.

■

The intermingling and small talk that are appropriate at corporate gatherings are natural for Extraverts but may be uncomfortable for many Introverts, who might even view it as a waste of time. Instead, Introverts often use such opportunities to begin understanding one another, learning about impersonal things, like the other person’s technical expertise, as a way to get acquainted.

■

We hear loud and clear when Marketing meets a goal or comes up with a new idea.

■

Extraverts naturally talk about what they’re doing and get energized to do even more. However, Introverts sometimes view this as pushiness. Introverts expect others to judge their work and that of others on its own merits, whether they talk about it or not.

■

Where are Marketing’s implementation plans, beyond expecting us to make it happen? They don’t cover all the bases or think through alternatives.

■

Extraverts like to take action and, in this case, were encouraged to do so by the project’s tight deadlines. One way to state the different approaches is that Extraverts gain energy by ActingThinking-Acting while Introverts are energized by Thinking-ActingThinking.

■

Their constant interruptions send us back to square one for whatever we’re working on. Concentration is key for us.

■

Extraverts often thrive on interruptions that bring energy and fuel creativity. They may assume everyone wants to be interrupted!

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

■

They’re in deal-maker mode, focusing more on features they can sell than on whether a feature fits into our overall concept.

■

Extraverts often concentrate on visible results as sources of motivation. Salable features give them something to talk about and energize them to do even more. Introverts want the concept to be clearly developed before they implement it.

■

Our biggest fear is that Marketing will produce a flash-in-the-pan product. They’re concentrating on what customers are saying they’ll use now, not on what they’ll want two years from now. For us, it’s about a system that’s useful now but can serve Commerce Bank for years to come. We’re aiming for a Cadillac, not an Edsel.

■

Extraverts, with their tendency to have a broad array of interests, sometimes spend less time than Introverts considering the many facets of new processes or ideas. And, in this case, Systems hadn’t yet voiced its concerns about the need to be forward-thinking.

■

They want the broad picture of Commerce Online services, but we need to understand our own part in depth.

■

For Extraverts, what they say isn’t usually the last word—they need to get their ideas out there and use discussion to process their thoughts. You hear what they’re thinking and feel their energy as they discuss their plans. Introverts keep their thoughts to themselves until their ideas are finalized. You need to ask them if you want to find out what they’re thinking. Their energy comes from thinking things through.

29

30

WORK IT OUT

Clearly, the Commerce Online team had a type difference—a misunderstanding that related to Extraversion and Introversion. Teambuilding, though, seldom calls for cookie-cutter solutions.

THE TYPE INTERVENTION Whether you’re an outside consultant or the head of a team, follow these four steps for developing an intervention.

Step 1: Gain a Clear Understanding of the Problem Typically, it’s essential to hear from all involved parties before you plan an intervention. Employees often feel freer to speak with outside consultants. Because the Commerce Online Marketing team members were comfortable with one another, they voiced their concerns as a group; the same was true with the Systems Design team. However, we generally find that it’s important to speak with each person individually in order to gain a more thorough understanding of the problem. Once everyone has a chance to be heard, review the data with the following questions in mind: ■

Are outside factors causing difficulties? Tight deadlines and the temporary work space put pressure on both sides of the Commerce Online team.

■

Are there factors in the team’s history that should be considered? In this instance, the team was recently configured to work on the project. In other cases, important factors might include the personality and leadership style of past managers, successes and failures, or prior conflicts, to name a few.

■

Are the team’s problems rooted in basic personality misunderstandings? For the Commerce Online team, a majority of the conflict seemed to come from differences and misunderstandings of Extraverted and Introverted work styles.

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

■

Does the problem involve one or a few individuals, or does it involve the whole team? Is individual coaching or teambuilding called for? In this case, the problem did involve the whole team, making teambuilding an effective approach. However, meeting separately with Marketing and Systems Design and using group processes that appealed to each enhanced their communication and understanding of the Extraversion– Introversion issues. When the two groups met for teambuilding, they understood through the lenses of Extraversion and Introversion why we used various techniques such as brainstorming, reflection, and nominal group technique (a form of brainstorming that requires people to write out their ideas before sharing their favorite ones).

■

Is the leader the problem? At other companies, we’ve been called in by a leader to “fix the team” and, after individual interviews, have determined that the leader is the one who needs coaching. Since Luis also had a basic misunderstanding of Extraversion and Introversion, it was a mix of both leadership and team behaviors, as is often the case.

Step 2: Create Understanding and Appreciation of Differences When the problem is a difference in personality and work styles, simply telling team members that they’re different is seldom enough. They already know that much! For a teambuilding session to work, you must demonstrate that each of the personality preferences is normal and brings unique strengths and contributions to the team. At the same time, it’s important to help team members develop a clear understanding of the needs of each personality type preference. The key principle here is “Show them, don’t tell them.” Try the following hands-on exercise to accomplish both.

Work Style Preferences At Commerce Bank, we had Marketing and Systems Design generate lists of what they needed to be productive in their work space and for their work style. Debriefing the lists in terms of Extraversion and Introversion illustrated

31

32

WORK IT OUT

the significant, yet normal, differences in work styles. “So that’s why they act like that!” and “So that’s the source of the problem!” were the general refrains from both groups. Two additional exercises that demonstrate the difference between Extraversion and Introversion are included in “Type Solvers to Try” at the end of this chapter.

Step 3: Generate a Plan This two-part step should help team members develop a plan for working it out.

Facilitate Discussions to Generate Ideas To reinforce the concepts, the two sides dialogued, with the Extraverted Marketing team asking questions of the Introverted Systems Design team, and then the Systems Design team getting its chance to do the same with Marketing. (See page 37 for directions on conducting this exercise.) The first question from Marketing was, “So what do you expect from us while you’re busy thinking? I mean, if I don’t get a response, I generally keep talking, figuring you need more information from me before you can answer. I also feel uncomfortable with total lulls in the conversation. Sometimes I repeat my question even louder, thinking that you might not have heard me.” “I never thought of it that way,” said a surprised Systems team member. “Your comment helps me realize how important thinking out loud can be for you and how necessary it is to let you in on my thinking process. I’d still rather have the questions in advance, though, so I can have time to think about them.” “And what do you do,” asked another Marketing team member, “when you reach a goal? You think we overdo the celebration, but we’d like to know when and how to pat you on the back.” “That’s a good point,” said another person from Systems. “We tend to focus so much on our work, absorbed in our own little successes, that we don’t let anyone else in on our progress. Speaking for myself as an Introvert, I don’t need or even like a parade or a celebration when I’ve succeeded. It’s enough to share my success with a few people who really know the effort that went into the project. But for starters, Marketing can join us for pizza when we successfully test the security coding.” Then it was the Systems Design team’s turn to do the questioning. “Do you ever wish you had thought things through before telling your ideas?”

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

One of the Marketing reps laughed. “Sort of. You know, I sometimes wish that I could retract a statement from midair because I realize after I’ve said it that it was a dumb thing to say. Sometimes, just as I might interpret your quietness as a lack of ideas, people who meet me for the first time think I never keep my mouth shut. Really, though, I get my best ideas by talking out loud and hearing myself speak and getting reactions from others. I’m a thoughtful kind of guy; my thoughts are just expressed quickly and more loudly than yours.” Someone else from Systems stated, “I think it’s easier for you to tell us to speak up than it is for us to tell you to be quiet. Any suggestions?” Luis spoke. “Just tell me ‘Give me time to think’ or ‘Go away for a bit’—but also give me an idea of when you can get back to me with an answer or what issues you’ve thought of that prevent you from answering right then. Clue me in to where you are. I may still hound you, so don’t worry about telling me more than once. Each side has to give a little.”

Create Mutual Usefulness of Opposites Once the needs of each preference are understood, a team can move on to generating ideas for working out the situation. Often, this can be done with the entire group. With the Commerce Online team, however, letting Systems Design team members generate some ideas before meeting with Marketing gave them the chance to work within their own Introverted style. They were also ready to entertain more ideas as well as critiques when the full team met. The cross-functional team then addressed three general areas: ■

Meet Marketing’s need for immediate feedback. Solution: Systems created a project board that they would update daily to show their progress.

■

Increase Systems Design’s participation in meetings. Solution: Systems asked to receive meeting agendas at least three hours, if not a full day, in advance of meetings so team members could bring the appropriate materials and be ready with ideas.

■

Meet senior management’s request for polished presentations on Commerce Online. Solution: At first, Systems wanted Marketing to take care of presentations. Marketing, however, didn’t feel that it could adequately present the technical

33

34

WORK IT OUT

aspects. So Systems agreed to be at all presentations, but as backup, to answer technical questions. Systems team members suggested an “Effective Presentations” course for all those who wanted to work on their presentation skills. The group discussed alternatives and adjustments and developed the following “Prescription for Commerce Online Team Communication”: For the Extraverts ■

Team members will give one another time to think before responding.

■

Team meeting agendas and other information will be sent out in advance.

For the Introverts ■

Team members will acknowledge when they are thinking about an issue as opposed to when they have nothing to say about an issue.

■

Both Systems Design and Marketing will list their critical events. The entire team will celebrate reaching those goals together. However, the team member or subteam that accomplishes the goal gets to choose how to be recognized for the achievement. (For more on the different ways in which people prefer to receive recognition and praise, see chapter 4.)

For both Extraverts and Introverts ■

Representatives from Systems and Marketing will work together on a project board to ensure that everyone understands the current status of each aspect of Commerce Online.

■

Everyone will work to mitigate the effects of an environment filled with interruptions.

Step 4: Reevaluate the Need for Individual Coaching It might be necessary to coach individuals at any stage in the teambuilding process, so it’s important to determine whether any one person has developmental needs that are affecting the entire group.

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

Here, Luis became a candidate for coaching on a few advanced management skills. He’d successfully led many projects, but Commerce Online was the most complex. Coaching him on the usefulness of skills more natural to Introverts, such as in-depth reflection and careful analysis before acting, for example, served Luis well. The following lists, compiled through earlier interviews with both teams, helped Luis see the patterns in his leadership style that he could build on, enhance, or improve. Marketing on Luis’s leadership style

Systems on Luis’s leadership style

On the positive

On the positive

■

He’s great—he has lots of energy.

■

■

He’s easy to work with because he tells us what’s going on with him.

He’s got a good handle on what needs to happen.

■

We know he’s sold on Commerce Online.

■

He represents us well to senior management.

■

He has senior management’s ear.

■

He’s direct with us. He says what’s on his mind.

■

I know where I stand with him.

■

The project allows me to grow.

■

He makes Commerce Online fun.

■

He asks my opinion.

■

He’s responsive.

On the negative ■

Sometimes, it’s hard to get a word in edgewise.

■

He can be pretty impulsive.

■

He sometimes overcommits us because he doesn’t bother to check with us before he responds to a request.

■

He’s often away from the team site visiting with the senior managers. This means I have to wait to talk to him.

On the negative ■

When he doesn’t seem to understand, it’s often because he hasn’t read his memos or e-mail.

■

He doesn’t think ahead about what we need in order to work effectively.

■

He talks before he listens and wants us to talk before we think!

■

When we’re thinking, he goes overboard in pushing us to respond immediately.

35

36

WORK IT OUT

Once he’d read the comments, Luis said, “It clears the air for me to understand what the issues are and how the team and I can address them. As for what this means for me specifically . . . well, a word to the wise is sufficient.”

THE RESULTS OF WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE Within a month, members of the Commerce Online team managed to work their differences into an almost playful framework. The music was off, partitions were up, meeting agendas went out in advance, and the project board was prominently displayed outside Luis’s office. Because Luis preferred face-to-face oral communication, he reserved the right to ask questions of anyone posting progress notes. The Systems Design team learned to be ready with answers. Marketing had fun with writing out ideas and then tiptoeing in to deliver them to the appropriate desk in Systems. Systems frequently responded immediately with at least an “It depends, and I’ll get back to you in an hour” response, rather than with the long silences of the past. Meeting agendas helped a great deal, although Marketing had to fight the impulse to hound Systems before meetings took place. Systems team members learned to use the interruptions, which became much less frequent, to determine if and when they needed more input from Marketing. All in all, the Introverts and Extraverts of the Commerce Online team learned to translate their needs into terms the other team and the other preference could understand, even if they still spoke different languages. The Commerce Online team found a balance between keeping quiet (I) and speaking up (E).

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

T Y P E TA K E AWAY Type differences between Extraverts and Introverts directly affect their productivity. Each style may keep the other style from working effectively in a way that comes naturally to each of them. The insights gained from knowing personality type can lead to compromise and an understanding that benefits everyone.

Type Solvers to Try To help people understand, and appreciate, the strengths and varying needs of Extraversion and Introversion, try one of these ideas.

Dialogue for Understanding Prior to a type-related team meeting, have the following questions on hand (so the Introverts can come prepared to respond!): ■

What positive contributions does your Extraversion or Introversion make to this team or endeavor?

■

What does the other style contribute?

■

What do you value about your style?

■

What do you value about the other style?

■

What do you and your team, company, or organization do that honors the Extraverted style? the Introverted style?

At the meeting, divide into two groups according to preferences on the Extraversion–Introversion dichotomy. Allow each group to present its answers to the above questions. After each presentation, allow time for questions and discussion. Brainstorm first in Extraversion and Introversion groups, and then together, about possible ways of improving the work environment to fit the needs of both preferences.

37

38

WORK IT OUT

Wait Time Demonstration At a meeting, hand out cards that are red on one side and green on the other (or use two Post-It notes of different colors stuck together). Tell the group that members will be discussing a given topic—it may or may not be work related, depending on tensions in the group—which you’ll state after you’ve given directions. Give the following directions: Participants are to keep their cards red side up until they are ready to contribute to the discussion. When they feel they are ready, they should turn their cards over so the green side shows. Then offer a topic for discussion. Most people with a preference for Extraversion turn their cards green side up within a minute after the topic is announced. Depending on the topic’s complexity, many Introverts ponder their thoughts for as long as 10 minutes before they’re ready to go. Point out the time differences to the entire group. Once the discussion begins, most participants are impressed by the richness of the discussion and the level of participation that results because everyone has had a chance to ready his or her thoughts. Note: With large groups, consider breaking into smaller groups of seven or eight for the ensuing discussion, or the Extraverts may still interrupt, outtalk, and overlook the Introverts.

It Is More Natural for . . . The following list summarizes the natural styles of each preference, and it may be beneficial to discuss it. It is more natural for Extraverts to:

It is more natural for Introverts to:

■

Give spontaneous presentations

■

Give presentations that are in depth and planned in advance

■

Network with other departments and outsiders

■

Network with a few people who share their interests

■

Promote their ideas and products to outsiders, new customers, or strangers

■

Promote their ideas and products to well-established customers or through one-on-one sales

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

■

Enjoy door-to-door or cold-call sales

■

Prefer long-term sales arrangements (for example, multiyear contracts) that enable them to get to know both the product and the customer in depth

■

Prefer private offices, but they don’t mind open office plans if they can interact easily with coworkers

■

Prefer private offices with doors

Extraverts, to be more effective, you need to be out and about, but . . .

Introverts, to be more effective, you need time for yourself, but . . .

■

Introspect

■

Speak up earlier in the process when you have a good idea

■

Keep a journal or use another technique for considering ideas in more depth

■

Make sure to connect with those who will promote or fund your ideas

■

Schedule time-outs for yourself, away from constant activity

■

Drive the long route home to give yourself time to reflect on the day

■

Lobby for opportunities to think through ideas in a collaborative environment

■

Lobby for work space that accommodates your need to work without interruption

■

You can also practice Introversion (see the list below)

■

You can also practice Extraversion (see the list below)

39

40

WORK IT OUT

For Personal Development If your preference is for Extraversion, practice Introversion: ■

Count to 10 when you’re feeling especially action driven, enthusiastic, or enamored with an idea. Reflect on whether your ideas are everything you think they might be.

■

Practice being silent for periods of time during meetings. Do so especially if you’re the boss! (One Extravert in desperate need of toning down even placed a cough drop in his mouth as a reminder to let others speak.)

■

Keep a journal, reflect, meditate, pray silently, or sit or walk alone in nature—practice the contemplative arts.

■

Take an area that needs your thorough understanding and dig in. Get steep and deep with the information.

■

Let the other person speak first, and then listen, and listen again.

■

Slow down your actions. Before starting a task, ask yourself, “Have I thought this through deeply?”

If your preference is for Introversion, practice Extraversion: ■

Join and become actively involved in a professional, business, or trade association with people who share a similar interest.

■

If you think someone can help you formulate or implement an idea, ask that person for assistance, even if you’re not sure of the merits of doing so.

■

Open up with at least one trusted person at work and share what you’re thinking.

■

If you think you’ve limited your interests too severely, try adding something new periodically—a course or a concept to study or a new leisure activity, preferably one that involves other people.

■

Have lunch with one new business contact per week to increase your networking circle and add breadth to your relationships.

■

Try getting out and about at work. Keep the office door open at times, if only periodically.

THE EXTRAVERSION–INTROVERSION DICHOTOMY

When You’re One or a Few Among the Many When you have a preference for Introversion and your teammates have a preference for Extraversion, consider: ■

Arriving at work early to take advantage of quiet time

■

Seeking out private reflective time, for example, by taking the long way home

■

Planning private breaks throughout the day so you can collect your thoughts

■

In meetings, voicing your perspectives even when you’ve only partially thought them through

When you have a preference for Extraversion and your teammates have a preference for Introversion, consider: ■

Networking with others outside your team

■

Asking others to voice their ideas

■

Paying attention to the written word

■

Allowing others to think about your idea before they provide feedback; count to 3—or 10!

41

3 THE SENSING– INTUITION DICHOTOMY To Improve or Expand? The Goal: Honoring information that incorporates both the big picture and the details—the forest and the trees.

What is success? At Stan Maslack’s restaurant in Minneapolis, people lined up around the block for just one menu item: hot roast beef sandwiches with a savory garlic sauce. Diners crowded into Brenda Langton’s café in Minneapolis to sample from a different menu almost every night, with dishes determined by the availability of fresh ingredients and the chef’s ideas for new items. Both Stan’s tried-and-true, more Sensing approach and Brenda’s novel, more Intuitive approach brought success. What information would you consider in determining business success? People with a preference for Sensing might look for practical, tangible, or factual data, including, perhaps: ■

A proven track record

■

High customer satisfaction level indicated by repeat business and positive customer feedback

■

Clear financial profits

■

Loyal investors and appeal to potential investors

■

A standardized product or project with results that can be replicated easily

43

44

WORK IT OUT

Many organizations are started by Sensing types who find a way to do things efficiently, easily, and with less expense. Think of McDonald’s, which produces uniform, inexpensive fast food worldwide. Sensing types in these organizations often perceive a need to develop insights about new-product development or market expansion. Without knowing type, people with a preference for Sensing may seek the perspective of those with a preference for Intuition. In contrast, people with a preference for Intuition might look for insightful information that includes future possibilities in determining business success, such as: ■

A track record of inventiveness

■

Creative alternatives for meeting employee and customer needs

■

Fresh and unusual approaches that lead to new services or products

■

Future possibilities for existing products, services, or ways of working with people

■

An entrepreneurial spirit

Many organizations are started by Intuitive types who have a vision or a dream. Think of Federal Express, which started out by offering a new and different approach to delivering mail. These organizational founders have an uncanny ability to perceive an opening, a niche, or a product to meet a need no one else has recognized. Intuitive types often know that if their dream or vision is to succeed, it must be backed by sound accounting practices, business planning, and consistency of production. However, they tend to find such activities difficult or dull and seek the strengths of Sensing types. Which of the following workplace characteristics fit with your natural approach to taking in information? Sensing is honored in settings where people can:

Intuition is honored in settings where people can:

■

Observe and determine what is real by engaging the five senses

■

Work with and create new ideas for the future

■

Focus on the here and now

■

Focus on connections and see relationships among things

■

Follow a clear path to rewards

■

Look for and anticipate future rewards

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

■

Succeed through experience, with credentials other than academic ones

■

Succeed through potential, with big ideas, concentrating on what could be

■

Engage in hands-on experiences, with real-time immediate interactions

■

Push for change rather than stick with the status quo

■

Be rewarded for experience and seniority

■

Be rewarded for sharing insights and imaginative ideas

■

Gauge success in concrete and standard terms by reaching goals (profits, promotions, and typical accounting practices)

■

Gauge success by achieving goals in new and innovative ways

The natural domain for Sensing tends to be organizations that focus on standardization, replication, efficiency, and cost-benefit enhancement. Sensing types tend to gravitate to fields such as manufacturing, construction, medicine, banking, transportation, and production, in which exactitude and precision are held in high regard. The natural domain for Intuition tends to be organizations that focus on invention, ingenuity, innovation, and potential. Intuitive types often gravitate to fields such as public relations and advertising, research and development, publishing, entertainment, new technologies, and the arts, in which departure from the norm and new concepts are held in high regard. However, most organizations need to pay attention to the realms of Sensing and Intuition—the forest and the trees. If an organization is too one-sided, it risks getting stuck or becoming obsolete (a problem for Sensing organizational cultures such as Montgomery Ward) or is in danger of chasing an elusive future (a problem for Intuitive organizational cultures like the 7 out of 10 business start-ups that don’t succeed). As you read through the following case, consider what can happen when either Sensing or Intuition is given too much weight. Visions do need to take reality into account.

45

46

WORK IT OUT

ALPHA OMEGA SEMINARS ( ´AΩ) Darin (ENFP) President

Blaire (ISTJ) Executive vice president

Alpha Omega Seminars (´AΩ) was a start-up company that offered a full-service approach in the field of human resources training for small and midsize companies. ´AΩ provided assessment, teambuilding, problem solving, strategic planning, and customized programs. Its mission statement proclaimed, “We provide opportunities for the growth of organizational learning by sharing knowledge and practice through consulting and training services. We strive to be a dominant force for creating value for organizations transitioning into the next century.” Darin’s goal was to create an organization that would be known as an innovator in its field—and it soon was. He hired a team of experts to give smaller companies the stimulating and creative training, teambuilding, and planning that larger organizations enjoyed. However, the company experienced a few growing pains as its number of clients and product lists rapidly increased. It was on the cutting edge, but could it keep up the pace? Many of ´AΩ’s employees felt like they were on the bleeding edge.

THE PRESENTING PROBLEM: TYPE MISUNDERSTANDINGS At a staff meeting, Darin announced plans to expand ´AΩ’s one-office operation by opening new facilities in Boston and then in Phoenix. Blaire quickly scanned the agenda and said, “New offices? You barely mentioned that to me in passing last week. I thought we’d agreed to slow down— even avoid new products—until we have concrete policies.” “Right,” another executive added. “New clients, new services, new everything. Everything except new ways to handle the expanding system needs, client records, course development procedures—in essence, what we need to keep the business going. We’ve got to get grounded right here, know what this business is about.” Darin leaned forward. “I do know what we’re about. We’re helping companies meet the future. I want us to work together efficiently, in harmony, and not waste our time on the small stuff.”

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

Blaire said, “We used to have harmony, but now everything is so tentative, with everything a possibility and nothing a certainty, that I question our ability to strive for excellence. If we want to fulfill our mission, don’t we need to limit the possibilities until we’re ready to meet them, not stay open to anything we might fall into?” After the meeting, Blaire pulled Darin aside. “As I recall, you partnered with me because I could bring reality and the clear light of day to your dreams. We’re both supposed to be in charge, so hear me out. It’s not practical to keep expanding at the possible risk of losing all we’ve gained.” Darin didn’t answer. But later, he called for help, concerned about the conflict with Blaire.

How Intuitive Types View Sensing Types Darin seemed nervous, almost confrontational, as he discussed what had been happening at ´AΩ. After confirming his preferences for ENFP, he said, “Our mission is to prepare companies for the future. That future keeps changing, so how can we slow down? Our customers know how on-target our training is. Why, I could call almost any one of them and get them to sign up for the incentives course I proposed last week as our next offering. I’m tired of Blaire and the rest of the crew demanding more specifics. Time is too short when opportunities are calling!” Here’s how Darin described his conflict with Blaire: Darin’s comments about Blaire

Viewing the comments through the lens of type

■

Blaire wants me to “stick to the knitting,” standardize and repeat our key offerings. We could stagnate if we don’t continue to grow and develop. Our competitive edge is that we create new offerings.

■

Sensing types often think that an organization’s competitive edge is in its replication and standardization of a service or product, which thereby create efficiencies of scale.

■

Blaire spends most of her time at the office and may not see all the possibilities that are out there.

■

While there is danger in overlooking all the possibilities, there is real danger in not focusing on what can actually be done.

47

48

WORK IT OUT

■

Blaire wants me to have a form for everything, with everything planned, documented, and signed before we proceed.

■

Sensing types know that good documentation keeps an organization from reinventing the wheel, which is a waste of time and money.

■

I feel pushed to be consistent in our course offerings even though customization is our strength.

■

Sensing types often feel that clients and customers deserve a consistent product or service so that an experience can be repeated with the same known outcome for all.

■

She watches expenses like a hawk. I feel monitored in all that I do.

■

Sensing types like tangible records (such as budgets) by which to judge success of a product or service. The absence of good cost accounting weakens confidence in the long-term success of a venture.

■

Blaire accuses me of lacking focus, yet our mission for ´AΩ is clear: creating opportunities for excellence.

■

If there is no specificity, Sensing types question validity. “Excellence in what context?” Blaire might ask. “And what about excellence in execution?”

■

Blaire wants me to limit ´AΩ’s possibilities.

■

Blaire might say that by limiting the possibilities, ´AΩ can focus on what it does best—seminar design and delivery.

■

Blaire wants me to cost-justify adding more offices. I know there is a need in Boston—I don’t need a cost justification to know what I know!

■

Sensing types see the world differently and trust their intuitions only if the details and figures support them.

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

Yet, Darin admitted, “Blaire is one of the most efficient, reliable people I have ever met, which is why I invited her to partner with me at ´AΩ. I never thought we’d be tripping over each other like this. You know, I was really trying to go along with her methods because I do know I need someone to help keep me organized. But her efficiency could sandbag us now. I need help in getting this place moving again!”

How Sensing Types View Intuitive Types Blaire came to her interview with a list of points she wanted to be sure to cover. As we began, she confirmed her preferences for ISTJ, the exact opposite of Darin’s (ENFP). Blaire admired the initiative and broad vision of her partner and had been excited about ´AΩ when she came aboard. When asked about her own role, she said, “I’m the realist, the one who makes sure we keep track of the essentials of our business. I’d worked with Darin before, and I was quite certain that anything he started would succeed. Until recently, our division of responsibility worked well. But now . . . he seems to resent my role of ensuring that we stay on the track that is bringing us success. Frankly, with his deluge of new ideas, trying to control this place is like rowing a boat up a waterfall,” she added without a trace of humor in her voice. Blaire confided that they’d missed deadlines and made critical record-keeping errors. She wondered if she had made a mistake in joining ´AΩ. Her stress level was getting higher and higher. “I’m having trouble keeping up on the procedures side with Darin’s pace for creating new seminars and consulting packages. Last week, Darin mentioned opening a new office in Boston! Well, I don’t know how we can do it. We can hardly manage this office, let alone one in Boston.” Blaire’s conflicts with her partner are explained below. Blaire’s comments about Darin ■

He’s a man with a mission and has an almost religious fervor about it.

Viewing the comments through the lens of type ■

Intuitive types have confidence in broad-based visions that aren’t easily explained. Many organizations start out just that way—as a vision in the founder’s mind.

49

50

WORK IT OUT

■

While I know that mission statements should be broad and general, ´AΩ’s doesn’t say what we do at all.

■

Limitless possibilities with few boundaries are the delight of many Intuitive types.

■

Darin surrounds himself with entrepreneurial people who see the world as he does.

■

Both Sensing and Intuitive types may inadvertently hire people whose view of the world matches theirs, thereby missing out on a valuable opposite perspective.

■

He’s brought together a team of “experts.” I know they’ve published in the training and development field, but what about client recommendations? A real track record?

■

Sensing types may want expertise to be demonstrated by actual performance of a task, not just writing about it.

■

Darin sees limitless possibilities, missing entirely the many potential barriers to ´AΩ’s success, including the fact that one major goof could close us down.

■

Intuitive types look at the big picture first and then consider the relevant particulars. They often need to focus and take a cold look at the real situation.

■

He wants to open offices in Boston, Phoenix—once he even mentioned Brussels! Expansion is the name of his game. Yet we haven’t managed our only office effectively.

■

By focusing on what could be rather than what is, Intuitive types are at risk of missing what is going on right under their noses. Taking a step-by-step approach, the province of many Sensing types, may place future actions on a sounder footing.

■

He’s all excited about a Boston office, but he doesn’t have one shred of evidence that we could thrive there.

■

Intuitive types easily anticipate the future even without direct proof about a given situation, often with mixed results.

■

His approach seems chaotic and scattered as he jumps from one possibility to another.

■

The lure of a possibility calls out to the Intuitive type. Concretizing those possibilities will add much to the endeavor and may sustain it in the long term.

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

Blaire concluded, “I know Darin’s vision is rock-solid, but he just doesn’t realize that a truly successful business builds on a solid financial foundation before it expands! We need a plan that we can hang our hats on, one that will help us determine objectively whether and how fast or how far we can expand. Then we can perhaps start discussing new offices.”

THE TYPE INTERVENTION Follow these four steps to facilitate the intervention.

Step 1: Gain a Clear Understanding of the Problem Darin felt that an inventive, cutting-edge organization would naturally be profitable. Blaire wanted to be sure ´AΩ was built on proven processes, procedures, and products; she believed that having these things in place would naturally lead to profits for ´AΩ. Darin and Blaire had different perspectives, which gave them different views on success for their company. Both perspectives were valid, and both needed to be present if ´AΩ were to be a leader in its field and a financial success. A struggle between these two perspectives was at the heart of this organization’s problems. The following questions helped get to the root of the problem: ■

Are outside factors causing difficulties? Darin was correct—the human resources development field is dynamic, especially since the Internet has increased the methods and accelerated the pace of educating and training people. But Blaire was right, too! ´AΩ’s capacity to deliver on its promises was directly related to standardization of its products, internal systems, and processes.

■

Are there factors in the team’s history that should be considered? Darin sought out Blaire, whom he knew from previous work experiences. They made a complementary team, as each was gifted in a separate aspect of the business. Darin saw the need to seize the day by expanding product lines and locations. Feeling overwhelmed by ´AΩ’s continuously evolving systems and changing products, Blaire saw the need to stop and focus. The very success and frenzied climate of ´AΩ blinded each to the other’s perspective.

51

52

WORK IT OUT

■

Are the team’s problems rooted in basic personality misunderstandings? Darin and Blaire were the exact opposite personality types and had very different perspectives on ´AΩ’s strengths and shortcomings. Understanding how to use those differences to ´AΩ’s advantage and to each other’s benefit became key to this intervention.

■

Does the problem involve one or a few individuals, or does it involve the whole team? Is individual coaching or teambuilding called for? At ´AΩ, individual coaching came before teambuilding. Darin needed to learn more about his leadership style and how it enhanced or diminished his effectiveness. The staff of ´AΩ saw him as its founder and wanted him to assume a leadership role; he saw himself as just another player and wanted everyone to feel good about what was happening at ´AΩ. This leadership style left many to flounder for want of a clear direction and focus. Blaire’s coaching helped her learn what she could delegate to others (including Darin) and what she should do herself. After she understood that Darin’s sense of possibilities came from a different way of seeing the world, Blaire regained her trust in his intuition. She also began to practice a new firmness about her own perceptions—sound systems were just what ´AΩ needed for its long-term success. And meeting client needs in a steady and consistent way meant less stress for all.

Step 2: Create Understanding and Appreciation of Differences For the teambuilding session to work, demonstrate that each personality preference is normal and brings unique strengths and contributions to the team. The following exercise helped team members understand that both Sensing and Intuition were important to the company’s success.

Informational Needs Ask team members this question: “What does this team need in order to succeed?” We summarized the ´AΩ responses as follows:

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

Sensing needs

Intuitive needs

■

A business plan, with supporting policies and procedures in place

■

More offices, with Boston and Phoenix as a start

■

A financial plan

■

New and evolving products to meet ever-changing customer needs

■

Agreement on procedures for developing new courses

■

Ability to be flexible and refocus in response to the market

■

Identification of our strengths, which we can then build on

■

A focus on the future

Team members of both preferences quickly recognized how different their lists were, although all agreed that ´AΩ needed elements from both lists to succeed.

Step 3: Generate a Plan This two-part step should help team members develop a plan for working it out.

Facilitate Discussions to Generate Ideas Darin and Blaire called an off-site company meeting to work through the ideas (N) and the needs (S) they had learned about through their coaching and their new understanding of personality type. They had already discovered the importance of honoring different informational needs. The Sensing group and the Intuitive group each recognized the other’s different informational needs. As Blaire put it, “I didn’t say we can’t expand. I just want to know the who, what, when, where, why, and how before you ask me to start the process.” To practice communicating, each group chose an issue the others needed to understand more about and presented it using information that met the other group’s needs (this exercise is explained on page 60). The Intuitive types presented their case for a Boston office, trying to meet the Sensing need for facts. They reported, “Over the past six months, our business on the East Coast has tripled, causing a 35 percent increase in travel time and expenses for our consultants. We have nine established clients in the Boston area. Further, Darin, through contacts in Massachusetts, has already

53

54

WORK IT OUT

found several potential ´AΩ consultants. Someone from this office will work alongside them, replicating seminars that have already been presented here.” The Intuitive group continued with details about office management, concluding that no other expansions should take place until the head office had determined the procedures necessary to handle a remote site. Group members also committed to concrete projections for costs, seminar attendance required in order to break even, and so on. The Sensing group presented its case for having a business plan, focusing on how it would fit into the big picture, the information the Intuitive group needed. “First, our main point is that a business plan will allow us to set expectations, not limits. With a sound plan, we’ll know just what the financials need to look like before a new office is possible. We’ll be able to ascertain which training sessions meet our profitability standards and develop a fair profit-sharing plan. And a business plan ties to our mission by letting us know with certainty that we have the resources to follow through before making promises. We can dialogue about which line items are most important to track—and have just one line item for all office supplies, not separate ones for pens and pencils!” They outlined a general process for developing the plan, mentioning specific steps but leaving out the details of time frames, responsibilities, and expected output, concluding, “We’ll fill those in later—you can ask to see them when you need to know.”

Create Mutual Usefulness of Opposites Through coaching, Darin and Blaire developed a clear understanding of the needs stemming from their different personality preferences. They then taught the entire organization how to use the creative tension that exists between Sensing and Intuition. (The Personal Operating Manuals exercise, described on pages 102–103, is one way to attain this understanding.) They also developed several norms for working together, which included: ■

Asking each person, “What is most needed from your point of view?” before proceeding on a plan or making any decision

■

Making sure that the answers to who, what, where, when, and why were considered in making plans and coming to organizational decisions

■

Doing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis on any new idea

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

■

Using a type-based problem-solving model to resolve conflict: listing the verifiable facts (S), determining the implications of the facts (N), identifying the consequences of each suggested course of action (T), and acknowledging the impact on all the people involved, including ´AΩ partners, employees, and clients (F). (See page 59 for a detailed description of this process.)

Using this open format of brainstorming and prioritizing, as well as their newly developed norms, the ´AΩ staff came up with the following ideas for working it out in the year ahead. Staff members quickly realized the benefit of assigning responsibility for some items to teams made up of a Sensing type and an Intuitive type. In the end, their list of objectives met the most urgent needs of both sides. Here is their list: ■

Develop a three-year financial plan for ´AΩ (S). Set profitability goals and growth benchmarks (N). Assess how profit sharing might be tied to success.

■

Develop a customer survey process to detail customers’ most urgent product needs (S) and use that information to determine which opportunity is most feasible, timely, and important to pursue (N).

■

Determine policies for seminar development (N) and standardization (S). Determine what needs to be standardized and how to evaluate initial sessions. Consider what information Sensing types and Intuitive types need in order to decide whether a new seminar product is worth developing.

■

Explore the feasibility of opening one new office. Find out which location is most practical and has the most potential to generate revenue. Look at projections (N) and match them with known data (S).

■

Document pricing policies and standards (S) that both sides agree are needed (N). Once these are proved effective, make sure everyone follows them—no exceptions!

■

Systematically track ´AΩ’s competition to keep the company’s edge sharp (S and N).

With the list of objectives on paper, team members were able to agree that they were again on the same page and could work together to achieve the company’s goals.

55

56

WORK IT OUT

Step 4: Reevaluate the Need for Individual Coaching After Darin and Blaire went through the initial round of coaching, they decided to have all ´AΩ staff select an area for coaching (such as time management or course design), as determined by their type awareness. Many staff members wanted to work more on using both Sensing and Intuition as they gathered information. Some asked to partner with their opposite preference to work on new course design and delivery. Several used their personal operating manuals (see p. 103) to identify outside training and development opportunities.

THE RESULTS OF WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE Translating between Sensing and Intuition became standard practice at ´AΩ. People of both preferences formalized organizational norms and implemented them in meetings, decision making, status reports, and strategic planning. Several months later, at a follow-up meeting, there were signs of progress toward understanding the differences between the Sensing and Intuitive perspectives and in carrying out ´AΩ’s listed objectives. Both Darin and Blaire used an established financial plan to make decisions, complete with financial reports that allowed Blaire to proceed more confidently with Darin’s growth and expansion plans. Darin had toned down his “just trust me” style. He commented that the objectives they had set during the initial teambuilding sessions enabled him to gain Blaire’s support for his big ideas more easily. In spite of all the effort, was working it out worth it? Well, it was for ´AΩ!

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

T Y P E TA K E AWAY Whether your office is filled with Intuitive types (in which case, who’s paying attention to the current situation?), or Sensing types (in which case, who’s considering new possibilities?), or a mixture of the two preferences, there is much to be gained from honoring the strengths of both preferences.

Type Solvers to Try When you suspect a Sensing–Intuition problem, try the following exercises to help people understand—and appreciate—the strengths and different needs of both preferences.

An Experience in Perception Although this exercise works best when people can go outside, they may also try this in a different part of their building. The following instructions assume participants are able to go outside. Go outside for 20 minutes. During that time, quietly write about what you see. This is a silent exercise. After 20 minutes, come back to the room with your written perceptions. Request volunteers from those who are clear that Sensing describes them and ask them to read their perceptions aloud. Note the use of specific details about the outside space. Be on the lookout for descriptions based on their use of the five senses, such as smells, textures, noises, colors, and so on. Then ask for those who are clear that Intuition describes them to read what they have written. This time, be on the lookout for the use of generalities or relationships such as “The grass reminded me of the farm where I grew up,” “The air was cool,” or “The smell brought back memories of working in the office during my first summer in college.”

An Object Lesson This easy exercise illustrates the difference between Sensing and Intuition. Take a common object (a pencil, notepad, coffee cup, or picture) and ask people to write about it. Do not say “Describe the object,” as this often skews the exercise toward Sensing by suggesting that people have to be descriptive.

57

58

WORK IT OUT

Note how differently Sensing types and Intuitive types write about something they perceive. Sensing types will write about a pencil in concrete terms that are easily verified by the five senses. “The pencil is an Eberhardt #2. It’s yellow with a gum eraser enclosed in a silver metal casing.” Or “The pencil is seven inches long and smells like wood and rubber.” Those with an Intuitive preference may write something like “We had yellow pencils beginning in grade school. One high school teacher handed out fresh ones for tests, and those tests were like riding a bronco because she used bizarre questions to try to undermine our confidence.” Note the general nature of the comments, how one thing leads to another, and the lack of specificity about the pencil itself.

Dynamic Tension Demonstration There is no doubt that organizations work better when they have a common picture of the future—a mission. In a good planning process, people set broad, far-reaching goals that tend to capture the imaginations of Intuitive types. However, it’s also important to establish realistic subgoals, objectives, and specific steps, or the endeavor could fail. Detailed steps will also allow those with a preference for Sensing to believe that the plan is feasible. One easy way to demonstrate the dynamic tension between the Sensing and Intuitive viewpoints is with a large rubber band. Show the group that pulling hard on one end while pulling with equal force on the other end stretches the rubber band to the breaking point. Then allow one end to drop. State that the end you’re holding is Sensing, with its concern for the current realities of the organization. With only one end being held, the rubber band is pretty ineffective, just as an organization would be if it concerned itself only with the present. Then pick up the opposite end of the rubber band and say that it represents the vision of the new organization. Allow the other end to go limp. Again, the rubber band becomes useless, just as an organization has no real vitality if it only looks to the future. Now, pull on both ends of the rubber band and say that the tension between the current reality and the future mission actually keeps the rubber band viable—just like the organization. One does not exist effectively without the other. The key to success is to hold on to the tension between the opposites!

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

Problem-Solving Model Use this model to work through a specific problem such as reconfiguring office space, launching a new product, or setting up new communications systems. (This model includes Thinking and Feeling preferences, the subject of the next chapter. Working through the first two steps, however, will heighten the team’s awareness of the informational needs for Sensing and Intuitive types.) Go through the following lists, spending equal time on each step of the process. Sensing types want specific answers to questions such as: ■

How is the problem best defined?

■

What are the current ramifications?

■

What are our goals?

■

How do we establish time lines, and what are the intermediate objectives?

■

What costs do we incur—financial, emotional, other?

Intuitive types want general answers to questions such as: ■

What are the common threads?

■

What are the other alternatives?

■

What is the relationship of the part to the system?

■

What are the opportunities for growth?

■

Where and how will our inspirations be incorporated into this plan?

Thinking types evaluate options by asking: ■

What are the pros and cons?

■

What is missing from the analysis?

■

What needs to be clarified before we move on?

■

What are the logical consequences?

■

What precedents are we setting, and are they fair?

59

60

WORK IT OUT

Feeling types evaluate options by asking: ■

What matters most to each party?

■

How might the decision affect other people, the organization, or the community?

■

What or whose values are being served?

■

Who needs to be included in the final decision?

■

What is important to the people involved in each course of action?

(See pages 175–176 for an example of how a team might use this model.)

Type-Related Communication Practice In order to improve communication, consider having the Sensing types give presentations (or prepare written information) for the Intuitive types, and vice versa. Use the following lists to meet the needs of each group. For the Sensing types: ■

Point out the pertinent facts.

■

Relate ideas to past experience.

■

Make note of what needs attention.

■

Have the right thing in the right place at the right time. Keep the essentials on hand.

■

Adopt realistic schedules and time frames.

For the Intuitive types: ■

Recognize new avenues and possibilities.

■

Develop ingenious insights.

■

Predict outcomes.

■

Conjure up plans for contingencies.

■

Supply enthusiasm, zest, and a spirit of optimism.

THE SENSING–INTUITION DICHOTOMY

Remember, for the Sensing types, it has to make sense, and for the Intuitive types, it has to appeal to the imagination!

For Personal Development, Consider . . . If your preference is for Sensing, practice Intuition: ■

Do a one- or two-page executive summary of all the trends or patterns your data suggest.

■

Try some creative thinking, such as brainstorming (be sure to follow all the rules!). Use metaphors or analogies and think about how this problem could be related to your other areas of expertise.

■

Take a literature, art, or music class that focuses on motives, relationships, or themes. Or ask yourself, What does this book, painting, or song really mean? How does it reflect its larger culture? Additionally, look at your organization’s annual report or advertising brochures. Ask what hidden or subtle messages the customer might glean from the pages. For example, one organization put a photo of all the senior leaders in the center spread of its annual report, all white men over the age of 50 wearing dark suits. This photo graphically illustrated the lack of diversity in the corporation’s leadership.

■

Ask yourself, what is the purpose of my work? Will that change in the next 10 years? And where do I want to be in 10 years? How will I get there?

■

Take a class in strategic thinking or long-range planning.

■

Find out which creative functions (advertising, art, communications) exist in your organization. Sit in on a meeting. Which techniques in this department’s processes can you use in your work?

If your preference is for Intuition, practice Sensing: ■

Periodically take stock with your five senses. What do you see (be sure you’re seeing the scene as it truly is), what do you hear (not what it reminds you of, but what it is), what do you smell (pungent, flowery, spicy), what’s the taste of your food (salty, sweet, bitter, sour), what are you touching (hard or soft, smooth or rough, cold or warm)? Think literally, not figuratively. Remind yourself to enjoy things as they are!

61

62

WORK IT OUT

■

Remember not to kid yourself. You need to deal with reality.

■

Stay in the present. What’s actually happening right now?

■

Ask yourself, Of all my perceptions, which ones can be verified (measured, timed, corroborated)? What would an impartial other say about my observations?

■

Practice relaying concrete facts. “This is a yellow #2 pencil . . .”

■

Use precise or specific language in a report that you think may not merit this kind of detailed information.

When You’re One or a Few Among the Many When you have a preference for Intuition and your teammates have a preference for Sensing, consider: ■

Practicing step-by-step presentation of information

■

Providing specific examples of vital details

■

Honoring organizational values tied to experience and tradition

■

Reading the fine print and getting the facts straight

When you have a preference for Sensing and your teammates have a preference for Intuition, consider: ■

Getting involved in projects that require long-range thinking

■

Practicing brainstorming with the rest of the team

■

Preparing yourself for roundabout discussions

■

Going beyond specifics and asking about patterns, meanings, and themes

4 THE THINKING– FEELING DICHOTOMY Executive Styles The Goal: Making decisions in ways that honor the important objective and subjective criteria.

Not a minute goes by at work without a decision being made. Buy, sell, hire, fire, stay, go, increase, decrease. But are they good decisions? We’ve seen companies lay off 10 percent of their workforce, expecting 10 percent savings. The savings didn’t materialize because the productivity of the remaining workers decreased as they worried about the stability of their own jobs. Objective criteria missed the subjective fallout. We’ve also seen an organization fire one of its program directors because she failed to produce a robust strategic plan. The people her programs served deserted in droves, citing her skill at building relationships and the betrayal they felt because of her dismissal. In concentrating on a single criterion, her managers had failed to note her overall effectiveness. Logic and numbers don’t tell the whole story when decisions involve people. Linear predictions and if/then reasoning miss the heart of an issue. However, there is no doubt that poor decisions also come from overlooking these objective methods. For example, a human resources director made funerals an exception to the company’s leave policy, unaware of the precedent she was setting. After months of employees asking for exceptions, the entire policy had to be reworked. In another example, a leader assigned two team members to work together in a remote site, knowing that they were good friends and would

65

66

WORK IT OUT

appreciate the arrangement. He missed the fact that the team was already somewhat divided, and the two friends had even less reason to work with the others after they were paired up at a different location. In truth, the most rational way, and the best way, is to use both objective and subjective criteria when making decisions. Being subjective isn’t wishywashy; it can be vital in determining the true possible impact of any decision. People aren’t always logical, predictable, or linear in their actions and reactions. Would Coke have introduced New Coke if the company had understood consumers’ irrational tie to “old” Coke, even though blind taste tests favored the new version? Would legislators still have believed that increasing the amount of time spent in math class would improve math scores if they remembered their own feelings as first-graders, longing for a chance to run around the playground and get reenergized for learning? The differences in workplaces that favor either the Thinking or the Feeling preference to the neglect of the other are striking. Thinking is honored in settings where people can:

Feeling is honored in settings where people can:

■

Take an objective, logical approach to decisions

■

Consider the impact of decisions on those involved

■

Focus on solving problems and the tasks at hand in making decisions

■

Focus on teamwork, harmony, and human aspirations in making decisions

■

Have clear and definite principles

■

Instill trust and cooperation

■

Work within or create efficient, logically structured systems for cool decisions

■

Work toward attaining group harmony and consensus for making empathetic decisions

■

Seek improvement through questioning, finding flaws, and making corrections

■

Seek to understand what is valued and meaningful to people in order to predict responses

■

Be rewarded for exceeding task requirements

■

Be rewarded for meeting the needs of others

■

Often put tasks before relationships

■

Often put relationships before tasks

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

Understanding the importance of both Thinking and Feeling approaches to decision making is crucial in business and in life! Countless studies show that more than 80 percent of managers and executives in the United States and many other countries have a preference for Thinking. It shouldn’t be a surprise. The learning environments that produce our managers, accountants, attorneys, and scientists are characterized by qualities that support the Thinking decisionmaking style. Some of these include: ■

Rigorous intellectual debate

■

Analytical reasoning

■

Prove-disprove style of challenging knowledge

■

Finding truth by examining and critiquing others, whether teachers, classmates, or experts

■

Supporting positions and viewpoints with logical evidence

Thinking types’ natural style may be considered tough, critical, or cool by those who discount the value of the Thinking style in decision making. Those 20 percent of managers who prefer the Feeling style of decision making may be somewhat at a loss in many settings. They tend to congregate in human resources departments, nonprofit organizations, and customer service, and they often choose academic coursework in the arts, humanities, or social sciences and are trained to: ■

Understand the motivations of people and groups

■

Evaluate character

■

Work in cooperative and collegial environments

■

Focus on empathy and careful handling of others

■

Determine what is of value and importance to people

Their natural style may be considered soft, overly sensitive, or unbusinesslike by those who discount the value of the Feeling style in decision making. The gifts of the Feeling function are often lacking, ignored, overpowered, or devalued in business organizations. Further, where the Feeling function does reign, people may be so aware of the abuses of logic and objectivity that they swing too far in the other direction.

67

68

WORK IT OUT

The Thinking style often uses cost-benefit matrices to calibrate actions or attaches numerical weight to different options when making decisions, thus relying on “objective” outcomes and working to reduce subjectivity. The Feeling style typically uses a stakeholders’ model that looks at what matters or is important to decision makers, others, and the community. Values clarification helps establish a “subjective” outcome, action, or decision. Because the Thinking style of making a decision is taught in schools in most cultures, Feeling types have the advantage of knowing (if not always applying) the Thinking decision-making processes well. Thinking types need to learn to value the Feeling process, and Feeling types need to learn to present subjective criteria in ways that will be heard by Thinking types. In other words, we need a balance of both Thinking and Feeling to make good decisions. At Integrity Manufacturing, Thinking types and Feeling types learned to work it out as they faced a production quagmire.

INTEGRITY MANUFACTURING Malcolm (INTP) President Eric (ESFJ) Sales manager, former president

Integrity Manufacturing produced several niche computer products and had recently expanded outside its traditional domestic sphere after attracting several international customers. Eric, the former president, voluntarily resigned and took a sales manager position. “The company’s just bigger than I am now,” he said. “I’m better suited to working with our old customers than making us a world-class firm.” Eric had hired at least two-thirds of the current employees. Many of them had been with Integrity for at least a decade, and Eric had mentored them.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

THE PRESENTING PROBLEM: TYPE MISUNDERSTANDINGS Malcolm had spent several years as president of a similar manufacturing firm. Integrity’s board of directors was delighted to find him, thinking that an outsider would bring in fresh ideas. Indeed, Malcolm soon proved to have the expertise Integrity needed. Orders increased exponentially. Then a major computer firm placed an order so large that production demand tripled, and all employees, including sales and administration, were offered overtime bonuses so the factory could operate 24 hours a day. Even Malcolm took his turn in the night-shift rotations on the assembly line. When questioned about the strain on employees, he said, “This is our big chance. This order alone will allow us to upgrade several key manufacturing areas. And if business with this customer expands, we will truly be a world-class player in the industry!” But Malcolm was stymied in his attempts to build an effective team. “Instead of unity, I’ve got grumbling in the ranks. How do I get them to see that we have to please this customer?” He also had a hunch that Eric was a major source of what he termed “growing mutiny.” Malcolm understood that Eric could sabotage his efforts to unify team members around the manufacturing process, even if unintentionally, because Eric had deep relationships with other employees.

How Thinking Types View Feeling Types Here’s how Malcolm viewed Eric and some of the other sales managers: Malcolm’s comments about Eric ■

He spends far too much time with small customers. This is a business, not a charity for the little guys who used to be our main base. We’ve changed, and we need to change how we do sales.

Viewing the comments through the lens of type ■

Feeling types, especially SFs, view each person or customer as important. Slighting people with whom he’s built relationships might seem like a poor idea to Eric and could be seen as unethical as well.

69

70

WORK IT OUT

■

Eric acts like a parent, trying to fix quarrels rather than encouraging team members to work things out themselves. Some tattle to him rather than dealing directly with the person with whom they’re having problems.

■

For Feeling types, work is all about relationships. Not listening to those with problems would seem rude and counterproductive to team spirit.

■

Work is about work, but because of Eric’s influence, there’s too much emphasis on who is and isn’t getting along with others.

■

Feeling types are often less productive in contentious atmospheres. Thinking types often view anything “emotional” as a waste of time.

■

The sales team won’t take risks. They wait for me to set the bar, as if they’re afraid to do it.

■

Thinking types tend to be more competitive and make a decision based on whether it will lead to meeting or, preferably, exceeding goals.

■

Eric is too timid with me, and it influences the other sales managers. I want feedback on my ideas, yet they just sit there.

■

Feeling types often would rather agree than critique. In fact, “That might be okay” could actually express strong doubt about an idea when uttered by a Feeling type.

■

Eric avoids conflict rather than managing it. He just works with a few people he seems to like best.

■

Feeling types may be accused of favoritism when instead they simply prefer to work with likeminded spirits. In contrast, Thinking types might pick the most suitable associate, whether they like them or not, to consult about a decision or to do a task.

■

Eric doesn’t communicate well, seldom providing clear messages. He rambles on, giving a $10 response to a $.25 question.

■

Feeling types often hedge responses rather than respond with a critique or bad news. They seek the most tactful way to communicate an idea or a decision.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

Malcolm knew that if he fired Eric, there would be considerable backlash. After all, Malcolm was still considered an outsider. He also admitted, “The guy ran an effective business before I came along, or I wouldn’t have inherited such a great shop. Frustrated as I am, I’m wondering whether I’m missing something about Eric.”

How Feeling Types View Thinking Types The sharp production increase meant that nothing was “business as usual.” Malcolm knew he needed buy-in from everyone if the company was to fulfill the huge order and then capitalize on what that meant for the future. He also wondered about how his employees viewed his style, commenting, “I’d guess not everyone respects me, especially since I’m nothing like Eric. I can’t believe how hard it is to get their feedback on my ideas and plans. When I present things at meetings, everyone just stares at me. They either think I’m brilliant, pander to me, or just dislike me.” Malcolm was right. Many employees missed the familylike atmosphere Eric had fostered when he was president. Although two of the five sales managers had preferences for Thinking, they’d enjoyed Eric’s collegial style and his shared decision-making method. Their complaints about Malcolm follow common conflict patterns when Thinking types and Feeling types are trying to work together: Eric’s and Sales and Marketing’s comments about Malcolm

Viewing the comments through the lens of type

■

Malcolm’s background is production. He doesn’t seem to understand the needs of Sales and Marketing.

■

Thinking types don’t always take time to express their ideas, decisions, and mandates in ways that show their overall understanding of the issues, including, at times, the people issues.

■

Malcolm presents decisions as if they’re written in stone. How can we critique them?

■

In the interest of appearing competent, Thinking types often prefer to present fully molded decisions without seeking input from others along the way. Although they may invite critique, others may see the decisions as done deals.

71

72

WORK IT OUT

■

Malcolm doesn’t respect Eric. Doesn’t he realize Eric built this company?

■

Thinking types can be impatient with what they view as incompetence. While Malcolm wasn’t overtly hostile to Eric, his behavior in meetings—often cutting Eric off, frowning, or exhibiting other subtle body language—might be read as disrespect.

■

Malcolm thinks that as long as he puts in long hours, we should be willing to do the same. He doesn’t even acknowledge how hard we’re working. If we question the current schedule, he says, “I’m sacrificing, too—and you’re being paid well. What more do you need?”

■

Thinking types often have high expectations for themselves and others. Further, they don’t expect recognition if they’re not working any harder than everyone else, and they don’t believe recognition is warranted for others who are doing the same.

■

At meetings, Malcolm’s questioning style puts the rest of us on the spot. If we can’t answer to his satisfaction, he’s quite dismissive. We spend a great deal of time forecasting how he might respond—time we should be spending with customers.

■

Thinking types often have a natural prove/disprove style of critiquing and may not realize that it can be intimidating to others.

■

The overtime pay is fine, but if the schedule doesn’t slow down soon, we’re out of here.

■

Thinking types sometimes underestimate the human factors and the non-work-related issues when making decisions.

■

Malcolm doesn’t communicate well. If we’re his chosen team, why doesn’t he act like he appreciates us? Why do we only hear from him when he thinks we’ve messed up?

■

Thinking types often assume everyone is focused on business and dismiss the need for casual conversation or office niceties. They need to remember that commenting on a job well done goes a long way toward building esprit de corps.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

■

It seems that Malcolm has an inner circle of about three people —none from Sales—and the rest of us are left out of decisions.

■

Given that Malcolm has been asking for input, it may be that his Thinking style doesn’t invite response. The so-called inner circle is also made up of Thinking types.

Clearly, Integrity Manufacturing had a Thinking–Feeling problem. Malcolm had inherited a shop that was used to a Feeling-based management style, but he tended to measure everyone by his own standard instead of stepping into the shoes of those involved. This was not sitting well with most of his employees, even those who had a preference for Thinking.

THE TYPE INTERVENTION Follow these four steps to conduct a type intervention for Thinking and Feeling types.

Step 1: Gain a Clear Understanding of the Problem In this case, the key problems arose from a change in the leader’s style. The mix of longtime employees with important expertise and experience and a totally new leadership mode called for action. These guiding questions were helpful. ■

Are outside factors causing difficulties? The problems at Integrity were acutely visible because of the production crunch. The thought of losing a big order had employees and managers on edge. Because all parties felt that they were under siege, their tolerance levels for difficult interpersonal relations were reduced.

■

Are there factors in the organization’s history that should be considered? It is unusual for a former CEO to stay on, albeit in a different position. Eric’s physical presence highlighted the differences between his and Malcolm’s styles. People were unclear about their loyalties, and this made effective leadership and decision making problematic.

73

74

WORK IT OUT

■

Are the team and the leadership problems rooted in basic personality misunderstandings? Thinking and Feeling leadership and decision-making styles were definitely issues.

■

Does the problem involve individuals or the whole team? Is individual coaching or teambuilding called for? Is leadership the problem? In this case, leadership, both old and new, definitely was a contributing factor. Getting the old and new leaders to understand their differences and work from the same page became a key focus of the intervention.

Step 2: Coach Individuals Both Malcolm and Eric needed coaching before any teambuilding session could occur. Coaching provided a safe place where Eric’s dominant Feeling function could vent and hear suggestions. Similarly, coaching allowed Malcolm to learn some new skills in private, reducing his natural Thinking concern with being viewed as competent. Both benefited by understanding just how type could help them work it out. While Eric and the other sales managers needed to learn about Malcolm’s style, Malcolm also needed to understand the value of the Feeling approach to decisions. It was difficult to help Malcolm understand the impact of his style because Integrity Manufacturing was experiencing tremendous success under his leadership. However, as he saw his employees’ critique, he agreed that perhaps the company could be even more successful, and certainly less stressful, if he adjusted his style.

Coaching Malcolm for Feeling Skills Robert Kaplan, Wilfred Drath, and Joan Kofodimos have studied the challenges involved in coaching executives.1 They have identified four common issues: 1. Power and receiving criticism. Those who have information about an executive’s demeanor and impact often fear the executive’s power. 2. Competence and accepting criticism. Success often breeds a sense of superiority and decreases any sense of urgency about making changes unless something threatens the executive’s position or success.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

3. Nature of work and introspection. Executives often need to focus on the outside world in order to make effective decisions; they don’t take time for reflection. Further, such introspection may trigger insecurity, as they aren’t used to it. 4. Success and change. Change involves risk. It also takes time. For those who have already found success, there seems to be little incentive to change. Before Malcolm could see any need to change, he had to understand both the impact of his own style and what was missing at Integrity because he was not getting input from employees. He also needed to capitalize on the strengths of employees with a Feeling decision-making style. Here is the plan we used to coach Malcolm: Provide objective data. Often, an executive’s need for objective data that refute “success syndrome” assumptions is best met through an outside coach or consultant. Employees may be more open with their responses with an outsider. Further, the outside coach can sift through the data objectively and consider the motivations and values of each person involved. Two pieces of objective data convinced Malcolm that he needed to pay attention to the Feeling side of management. First, his management team estimated that 25–30 percent of its members’ time went to forecasting answers to his questions and defenses for their ideas rather than to producing new ideas. Second, several employees stated that the next time their input was omitted from important matters, they would leave Integrity for a company that actually used their expertise. Because Integrity had already hired industry leaders, many of these employees knew they could easily secure employment elsewhere. Malcolm knew that many of them would be difficult to replace. Use type to “neutralize” critique. Type preferences serve as a framework for looking at the strengths and pitfalls of each type. (See chapter 9, which describes typical coaching needs for each type, to learn how to take the sting out of critique.) INTPs like Malcolm, for example, commonly exhibit several characteristics that might indicate a need for coaching, including: ■

Appearing aloof, with little awareness of their effect on people

■

Pointing out logical or other flaws in others’ reasoning

75

76

WORK IT OUT

■

Being mystified by emotional expression

■

Being an intellectual snob and thereby dismissive of the importance of emotional or interpersonal intelligence

Critique is then reframed as the downside of an executive’s strengths rather than as complaints that can easily be dismissed in the glow of the executive’s success. Set clear goals within the logical framework of the executive’s agenda. Malcolm’s buy-in on being coached was based to a large extent on whether his own business goals would be accomplished. These goals were to unify Integrity around meeting the large-order production demand, to plan for the future, and to somehow turn Eric’s presence into an asset for Malcolm’s leadership. Specific goals that met Malcolm’s needs included: ■

Understand his impact on others. Malcolm acknowledged that his meeting style shut down the flow of ideas from others. In order to gain an understanding of how to encourage input, Malcolm met with us and a member of the management team whom he trusted. Together, they worked out ways for Malcolm to share his ideas before they seemed set in stone, including use of tentative language and frequent pauses during which he could solicit input.

■

Practice discerning the motives and values of others. For example, when Malcolm read that ESFJs generally “focus on people and values to the detriment of business” and are stressed by compromising their values, he understood why it was so difficult for Eric to ignore smaller yet longstanding customers.2 Malcolm listed the values Eric’s actions upheld and used them as a new lens for understanding those actions.

■

Publicly recognize the expertise and accomplishments of others. With our coaching, Malcolm developed a list of ways he could show his appreciation for the overtime his employees were putting in. We attended the first few meetings where Malcolm adopted new methods to invite more input and discreetly raised a red pen to signal him to compliment someone or say a simple “Thank you.”

■

Retool his critique-delivery style. Malcolm constructed a matrix based on type information of how different employees reacted to his critiques and how he should adjust his feedback and delivery. He noticed that these slight changes brought about the desired results.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

■

Publicly build bridges with Eric. Malcolm paid close attention to specific comments employees had made regarding what they viewed as his disrespectful behavior toward Eric. Using the logical formula “If I show respect toward Eric, then I’ll gain the respect of the team,” he brainstormed areas where he could seek Eric’s expertise. These included: ■

Offering overtime rewards and incentives

■

Seeking input on preexisting small accounts

■

Using the goodwill Eric had built with employees, vendors, and others

■

Modeling parts of his behavior on Eric’s

Coaching Eric for Thinking Skills Eric’s new position was a quagmire of stress for him. He had built so much of the organization and developed a wide network of contented employees and customers. Practically speaking, he also had two children in college, so he didn’t want to risk new employment. To help him adjust to working for and with Malcolm, and to ensure that he was able to access his own Feeling strengths (but not weaknesses), we used the following steps in coaching Eric: Accentuate the positive. Feeling types need to start most feedback sessions with the positive. In Eric’s case, this included comments from other employees about his former leadership and mentoring skills as well as Malcolm’s comments about the good shop he’d inherited. Acknowledge sources of stress. Some of Eric’s performance struggles came from the tremendous stress produced by his new job. Using type information helped him name sources of stress, such as: ■

Being forced to compromise his values, including not being able to treat large and small customers the same

■

Feeling responsible for disagreements, since he knew that some employees loyal to him were overly critical of Malcolm

■

Taking the drop in employee morale too much to heart

Use type to neutralize critique. Malcolm’s critique of Eric pointed out several common coaching needs of ESFJs (see the list on page 201). These include: ■

Losing sight of the big picture, the long-term requirements, and reasons for change

77

78

WORK IT OUT

■

Holding on to the familiar for too long and not being skeptical when appropriate

■

Focusing on people and values to the detriment of business needs

Set clear goals in line with the values of the person being coached. Eric assigned value to helping Integrity Manufacturing continue to be a great place to work for all employees; reducing the stress on employees, Malcolm, and himself; and continuing to provide exceptional service to all of Integrity’s customers. He also wanted to team up with Malcolm. Specific goals intended to further his values included: ■

Learn to use logic to influence Malcolm, so that Malcolm would consider the needs of employees and Integrity’s traditional values. (See chapter 8, page 172, for suggestions on how Feeling types can influence Thinking types.)

■

Streamline interactions with small customers so they weren’t forgotten, or assign them to other sales managers. Once Eric understood Malcolm’s concerns more fully, he was open to devising his own strategies for servicing small accounts.

■

Consciously build support for Malcolm. Eric had not intentionally undermined Malcolm’s authority, but he began to look at his patterns of interaction with employees, including after-work socializing. He also realized that Malcolm was sincere in his desire to develop his own interpersonal skills.

■

Undertake self-care and model it for others. We helped Eric make a list of stress-reducing activities. He encouraged other employees to use type information to find methods that would work for them. (See chapter 7 for more specific discussion.)

Step 3: Create Understanding and Appreciation of Differences After working with Malcolm and Eric, we decided on a general teambuilding session with everyone at Integrity Manufacturing. We used the Appreciation and Recognition exercise in the Type Takeaway (see page 82) to demonstrate the differences between the Thinking and Feeling preferences.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

In addition, because of the specific issues for this team, all team members undertook an appreciation audit, individually and then collectively, documenting the forms and frequency of appreciation they showed. (See page 83 for information on doing an audit.)

Step 4: Develop a Plan This two-part step should help team members develop a plan for working it out.

Facilitate Discussions to Generate Ideas The overarching problem still remained: the tremendous demands of the production crunch. Although Malcolm said, “It’s the way it has to be if we’re ever going to grow,” he finally agreed to open up the topic for discussion at a staff meeting. To ensure that the gifts of each preference were utilized during the process, we introduced the problem-solving model (see chapter 3, page 59) and divided the team into groups of dominant Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling preferences so that everyone could experience the difference in working with his or her preferred function. First, all groups worked on the verifiable facts, the domain of Sensing. This is what we heard: We’ve met all scheduled shipment dates so far. We can handle the workload by running a third shift. The officers aren’t taking extra pay. And even the president is taking his turn at the night shift on the machine floor. The profit margin is 60 percent, even with the overtime wages.

Then we worked with interpretations and possibilities, the domain of Intuition. With the increased revenue, we’ll be able to do some long-needed technology upgrades. We can finally increase salaries or add a couple of key positions for the future. Having a large client will increase our credibility with other prospects!

79

80

WORK IT OUT

The pros and cons of the Thinking preference followed: We’re vulnerable to a machine breakdown and need a contingency plan. We have to make sure we aren’t ignoring other long-term customers. We’ll succeed if we work as a team and keep our customers happy!

Finally, the team turned to Feeling, with its concern for the impact on people: Morale is good, especially when the president takes his shift. People are excited that this customer might mean financial security.

The conversation continued in gleeful optimism until Eric stood up and said, “We’re forgetting that all of us are people. How long do you think we can rotate that third shift before our health, our families, or our relationships break down?” The room went silent for at least a full minute. Then talk turned to generating a whole new set of possibilities to meet the new demand levels while phasing out the horrendous overtime burden. Eric’s lone Feeling voice had changed everyone’s perspective. At the conclusion of the problem-solving exercise, the team had reached a deep level of understanding as to the importance of using both Thinking and Feeling in making major decisions.

Create Mutual Usefulness of Opposites At Integrity Manufacturing, the bulk of this endeavor was coaching Malcolm and Eric. In general, Malcolm as an INTP needed help with improving interpersonal relations, bringing others into his decision making, and dealing with the subjective factors of any work environment. As an ESFJ, Eric needed help with making objective business decisions, keeping the big picture as well as the current situation in mind, and making sure loyalties were not interfering with strategic business and personal decisions. After the teambuilding session, both Malcolm and Eric heartily agreed to more coaching, sure that type would continue to help them work things out.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

THE RESULTS OF WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE Several months later, Malcolm was consistently letting his managers know about the problems and policies that were grabbing his attention. He encouraged informal meetings for gathering input and gave complimentary or appreciative feedback when appropriate. Malcolm also frequently consulted with Eric regarding the “people part” of the business. Employees could feel the difference—the organizational climate was less stressful, more collegial, and just as, if not more, productive. Integrity Manufacturing ran more smoothly, handling both large and small accounts well and enjoying the new equipment it was able to purchase with the increased profits from the large customer. When, two years later, Eric left to take a position with a nonprofit organization, he and Malcolm parted on friendly terms.

81

82

WORK IT OUT

T Y P E TA K E AWAY Remember that organizations and teams make the most effective decisions when they factor in impact on people as well as impact on the bottom line. Achieving a balance of Thinking and Feeling in your organization will lead to choices that are good for people and for business, and for the long haul.

Type Solvers to Try When you suspect a Thinking–Feeling conflict, try one of the following exercises to help people understand—and appreciate—the strengths and different needs of both preferences.

Appreciation and Recognition Divide participants into groups of Thinking types and Feeling types. Ask them to discuss and be ready to report on the following: ■

What do you consider good reasons for receiving appreciation (a more Feeling-oriented word) or recognition (a more Thinking-oriented word)?

■

What kinds of recognition or appreciation do you prefer?

■

What happens when that appreciation or recognition is not given?

Thinking types uniformly say that recognition should occur when job standards are achieved or, in many cases, exceeded. They may even suspect an ulterior motive if they receive appreciation before a job is done. Feeling types uniformly want praise throughout the task cycle, acknowledgment that they are performing well, encouragement to continue, and a sense that they are contributing to the overall success of the project. Universally, both Thinking types and Feeling types become frustrated, demoralized, and possibly angry if they do not receive recognition or appreciation in a way that appeals to them. Not an environment conducive to higherorder problem solving.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

Concerns with Conflict Divide participants into Thinking and Feeling groups and ask them to discuss, and then be ready to report on, the biggest concerns they have during conflict. Usually, Thinking types list objective issues such as lost productivity or the necessity of correcting communication. Feeling types talk about hurting people, high stress levels, not sleeping, and losing motivation.

Appreciation Audit ■

Do you receive the appreciation or recognition you desire? Do others receive enough from you?

■

Are there particular individuals, projects, or tasks that deserve selfappreciation or recognition? Do you need to appreciate your teammates?

■

Are you proud of the quantity and substance of the appreciation you express to yourself? To your teammates? Do you give credit (to yourself and others) when credit is due?

■

Do you express appreciation of contributions to individual or team processes (such as helping to resolve conflict at a meeting) as well as individual or team outcomes (such as sales figures)?

■

What actions could you take to enhance the depth and breadth of your expressions of appreciation?

Meetings Designed with the Needs of Thinking and Feeling in Mind Think of a recent incident or meeting and answer the following questions: ■

What does the presenter care most about (Feeling) regarding the topic he or she is addressing? What is most important (Feeling) to him or her about the topic?

■

What are the criteria or analytical concerns (Thinking) about the topic? What is left out, missing, or illogical (Thinking) about the topic?

83

84

WORK IT OUT

■

How is the presenter reacting to the response or lack of response? Does he or she seem encouraged, motivated, upset, hesitant, concerned, ignored, pleased (Feeling responses)? Or does the presenter want to debate the question or probe or critique the listeners (Thinking responses)?

Understanding Check Use the following questions to see the extent to which Thinking and Feeling types tune in to each other. Ask each person to consider the questions, and remember to include yourself. ■

What does this person care most about in his or her work? What’s most important?

■

What inspires and motivates him or her most about work? What concerns him or her most about work?

■

What kind of appreciation or recognition does this person need the most? From whom? Under what circumstances?

■

What kind of criticism or correction seems most acceptable and most effective? From whom? Under what circumstances?

■

What kind of support and help would he or she value most from you? From others?

■

How might your actions or interactions be motivating or inspiring? What is upsetting or discouraging about your behavior and your interactions?

■

What can you and others do to build better working relations that will really help work it out?

Feeling Style Application The Thinking decision-making style is the most predominant in the Western world when it comes to business decisions. But using only the Thinking preference leads to poorer business decisions that fail to take into account the values being served or human aspirations and needs. Encourage a more rounded decisionmaking style that includes the rational process of the Feeling function by trying the following questions and techniques.

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

Think of your experiences during a recent day at work: ■

What interaction(s) particularly pleased you, and what led to that sense of being pleased?

■

Did you particularly appreciate someone that day for his or her work, help, or insight?

■

Who or what inspired and motivated you the most that day?

■

Who or what discouraged and drained you the most that day?

■

What interactions with others frustrated you, and what led to that frustration?

■

How have you contributed to the current state of affairs, and how can you use type, especially the Feeling preference, to improve the situation?

Activate team improvement with the following techniques: ■

When you’re starting a meeting, particularly about a new project or work focus, ask people to identify what’s most important to them or what they care the most about in the new effort. Factor that motivation into your plan.

■

Engage the staff periodically about what has made them feel proud and what concerns them about the way the work is going and the way people are treating one another.

■

If your team tends to be critical of ideas and suggestions, initiate this rule: “Before criticizing an idea or suggestion, you must say two things that you like or find interesting about it.”

■

Get each team member to reflect on or discuss with whom they would like to work and how they would like to treat one another. Ask them to identify explicit interaction guidelines that they will commit themselves to following. For example, team members might agree to give only specific praise, such as “The opening paragraph of your report summarized the findings well,” not “Your report was great!”

85

86

WORK IT OUT

It Is More Natural for . . . The following lists summarize the natural styles for each preference and may facilitate discussion. It is more natural for Thinking types to:

It is more natural for Feeling types to:

■

Fit easily into the business and higher education worlds

■

Feel misunderstood in the business culture because it reflects the Thinking style and Thinking types are in the majority

■

Find that their decision-making style matches the style of business leaders worldwide

■

Find that their subjective decisionmaking style is discounted and distrusted in the business world

■

Be supported by an industrial culture that emphasizes an objective, logical approach to decisions

■

Be thought of as “emotional,” even though Feeling is a rational decision-making process, because Thinking types have had little exposure to the merits of Feeling decisions

■

Be, by nature, prepared to solve problems in a detached and impersonal way

■

Be thought of as soft and overly sensitive in their decisions

■

Use questions to gain clarity even if the questions put others on the spot

■

Use acceptance and agreement to look for common ground even when little of both can be found

THE THINKING–FEELING DICHOTOMY

For Personal Development, Consider . . . If your preference is for Thinking, practice Feeling: ■

Acknowledge your own emotions and feelings. Then generalize those emotions and feelings to others who may be having an experience similar to yours. Anticipate feelings in others as you think about your own feelings about a decision.

■

For a week, keep track of your ratio of compliments to criticisms. Judge whether the ratio is well balanced. If it is not, do something to improve it.

■

See if you can gain cooperation rather than enforcing compliance. When working on a project, ask yourself, “How can I win that person over? What’s in it for him if he joins up with me?”

■

As spontaneously as possible, acknowledge someone who is putting a lot of energy into a task by making an appreciative comment or sending a note even if the task is not yet complete.

■

Move outside your normal range of conversational topics to share a personal fact, detail, or insight about yourself and its underlying emotional tone.

■

Tell someone at work what you value about him or her (resist discussing only accomplishments or performance).

If your preference is for Feeling, practice Thinking: ■

Practice giving simple, direct, to-the-point feedback to others. When feedback comes your way, be objective and use what’s helpful.

■

Ask yourself if-then and cause-effect questions such as, “If I say yes to this, then what do I need to give up?” “What logical effects might result from these suggestions?”

■

Make a business decision using an objective framework that lists two or three options to be evaluated against major criteria such as cost, schedules, and ease of implementation. Give each option a score when judged against your criteria. Then select and implement the option with the highest score.

■

After logical consideration (using pros and cons or other approaches), take a tough-minded stance and hold firm.

87

88

WORK IT OUT

■

In business communication, especially voice-mail and phone calls, practice KISS (Keep it short, sweetheart!).

■

Accept that to some people, business means business, and therefore not all business relationships turn into friendships.

When You’re One or a Few Among the Many When you have a preference for Thinking and your co-workers have a preference for Feeling, consider: ■

Working on projects in which alternative causes and solutions are evaluated in personal terms

■

Reminding yourself that factoring in the impact on people is logical even if people typically aren’t

■

Softening critical remarks—find the positive, too

■

Asking for others’ opinions and concerns, looking for points of agreement before questioning or discussing the issues

When you have a preference for Feeling and your co-workers have a preference for Thinking, consider: ■

Practicing laying out a logical argument by saying “if this . . . then that” or by considering the causes and effects and pros and cons of a situation

■

Accepting the idea that critical feedback is often given in the spirit of improving your professionalism, and you should not take it personally

■

Bringing attention to stakeholders’ concerns regarding projects or work

■

Using brief and concise language to express wants and needs

5 THE JUDGING– PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY Deadline Dilemmas The Goal: Allowing all team members to approach life and work in ways that enable them to be most productive.

Time—is it a resource to manage or something to make the most of? How we use time and our view of effectiveness and efficiency are usually influenced by our preference for Judging or Perceiving. These preferences help us understand whether individuals, teams, and organizations prefer to come to closure on decisions or stay open to last-minute facts or insights, and whether they want schedules and structures or would rather have the flexibility to maximize opportunities or take advantage of the moment. For example, consider what it means to be on time for the theater. Jane, with a preference for Judging, says, “It means you’re in your seat fifteen minutes before the curtain goes up so you can read the program notes.” Sandra, a Perceiving type, counters, “You can read the program afterward—or even at intermission. I’m happy as long as I’m in my seat before the house lights go down.” Not understanding these different approaches to life often ends in frustration—or accusation. Judging types and Perceiving types do not speak the same language, nor do they have the same approach to life! Which of the following work setting descriptions fits with your natural approach to life?

91

92

WORK IT OUT

Judging is honored in settings where people can:

Perceiving is honored in settings where people can:

■

Trust posted schedules and schedule their time

■

Adapt and experience life as it comes along, enjoying the moment

■

Organize to accomplish tasks

■

Avoid structured, routine, and repetitious tasks

■

Bring decisions to closure

■

Stay open to options and new information

■

Plan their work and work their plan

■

Go with the flow

■

Divide their day between work and play

■

Tackle tasks when inspired

■

Count on others to follow through

■

Enjoy surprises and detours from agendas as paths to new discoveries

■

Experience a minimum of surprises and schedule interruptions

■

Set their own pace and hours

In the business world of goal setting and strategic planning, the Judging culture predominates. Daily interactions aim to get things done, driving for closure or accomplishment (by working by the clock or the calendar). Perceiving types do their best to accommodate the Judging style but feel stressed without the adaptability and flexibility they find enlivening. When people with different preferences work side by side, the chances of these Judging and Perceiving types occasionally disagreeing are about 100 percent. As with all of the preferences, neither Judging nor Perceiving is best in and of itself. When businesses are too intent on deadlines, they may miss late-breaking developments or trends that have an impact on their products or services. Of course, not meeting deadlines and being too open to last-minute changes may mean missed opportunities in the marketplace or customer dissatisfaction. How much better to respect the creative tension that exists between the two styles, Judging and Perceiving! In truth, we need each other, as the Donelle Sales Company learned.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

DONELLE SALES COMPANY Dean (ENTP) Sales manager

Gwen (ISFJ) Operations manager

Conflict was the story between Dean and Gwen, two senior executives in the South Central district sales office of the Donelle Sales Company. Donelle contracted with various manufacturers of medical devices to serve as their sales representative. Dean, the sales manager, was one of Donelle’s top salespeople and had brought in several of the organization’s biggest accounts. Gwen, the operations manager, ran one of the most efficient offices in Donelle’s system. When the South Central office was established a few years back, Gwen and Dean were chosen for their roles because of their specific gifts: Dean for his flexibility, his way of keeping abreast of market trends, and his ability to adjust quickly to customer needs; and Gwen for her ability to manage, organize, and deliver products to customers efficiently and on time.

THE PRESENTING PROBLEM: TYPE MISUNDERSTANDINGS Today, however, it’s a different picture. Donelle’s CEO called for help, saying, The two of them are at each other’s throats rather than each other’s side. They’re both such valuable players—and what a team they’d be if they’d only work out their differences! Dean thinks Gwen is trying to straitjacket him with filing systems and schedules, and Gwen thinks Dean is just one step away from offending customers by derailing order fulfillments with all of his last-minute changes and emergencies.

The CEO had met with Dean and Gwen and suggested Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) teambuilding training for both of them. Their failure to team effectively was causing problems in what had been a collegial relationship. Gwen and Dean welcomed the chance for teambuilding because of all the stress they were feeling at work and at home.

93

94

WORK IT OUT

Gwen said, “We both agree that customer needs come first and that our sales will increase when we meet those needs, but do we ever have different approaches to meeting that goal!” Dean remarked, “Gwen sort of clobbers me over the head with her schedules and procedures, as if I’m not also putting customers first. She doesn’t seem to understand what a time-waster it can be to do too much paperwork in advance. In business, things always change!”

How Judging Types View Perceiving Types Before taking sides regarding the “right” and “wrong” ways to meet customer needs and run an effective office, all employees were invited to submit comments on working with Dean and Gwen as well as insights into the working relationship between the two. Gwen said, “Dean has even accused me of being a wet blanket who sometimes impedes his progress on sales or slows down his ideas. I suppose I do inundate him and the office with procedural details at times. But this office had a spotty record of order fulfillment before I standardized things.” Here are some of the comments employees made: What Donelle employees said about Dean

Viewing the comments through the lens of type

■

This office is so chaotic! All Dean’s sales reports and activities seem to show up at once— and usually at the last minute.

■

Perceiving types typically do their best work at the last minute. The adrenaline rush may actually increase their productivity and often their creativity as well.

■

We constantly run up against deadlines because Dean ignores them and our standard operating procedures.

■

Actually, standard operating procedures are listed as a source of stress for ENTPs like Dean, who view them as shackles that limit options (see page 213). Doing things as needed is a Perceiving approach.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

■

Our workload fluctuates between boring and terrifying, which obviously causes stress for those of us caught up in the mess.

■

Most Perceiving types are energized by last-minute efforts and don’t notice how this approach affects others. They prefer to see what turns up before making a decision or taking action.

■

He ignores requests for meeting agendas, or ignores agendas during the meetings.

■

Perceiving types often feel that agendas should arise from what is most important at the time and can’t always be planned.

■

Dean has no sense of time. We’re lucky if he’s there by 1:50 for a 1:30 meeting.

■

Perceiving types may struggle to estimate how long things will take. From Dean’s perspective, he is timely enough. What he did in those 20 minutes seemed necessary to him—completing a customer call or reviewing a contract revision.

■

Dean’s office is filled with files and piles. The only place I dare set something he must see is on his desk chair, where he’ll have to notice it when he sits down!

■

Perceiving types often attest that there is order in their chaos. Usually they know right where to look in their piles and files, even if others can’t figure out their system.

■

Our hottest disagreements come when Dean makes commitments to customers based on unreasonable time lines. He excuses himself by saying that we need to be customer focused, but then we end up in a real time bind.

■

Perceiving types, perhaps most clearly ENFPs and ENTPs like Dean, tend to believe that if it needs to be done, there will be a way to get it done and done on time, too. This approach to life often works well for them even if it doesn’t for Judging types!

■

Dean constantly puts in late hours, which makes those of us who try to honor family schedules feel guilty.

■

Perceiving types generally mix work and personal time, seeing the boundaries between the two as quite permeable. They may also procrastinate to create that last-minute pressure they crave.

95

96

WORK IT OUT

Still, the South Central office employees liked Dean. He treated them professionally, allowing them to set their own daily appointments and schedules. Further, they recognized him as a key player in driving Donelle’s sales growth. When asked, Gwen could also articulate several valuable contributions Dean had made, despite their conflicts. She said, He is one of the most creative people I’ve ever known at work. He’s the classic entrepreneur: going out and finding new markets that yield new sales, often huge contracts. Plus, he manages to adapt sales, marketing, and customer service to changing market needs—he never fails to find a unique remedy that exactly fits the bill. His ability to anticipate these changes is uncanny! I’ll admit, no matter how frustrating he can be, we’d be in bad shape without him. However, he’d be lost without me as well, and I don’t think he sees my role as equally important.

How Perceiving Types View Judging Types Gwen came to her interview on time. She brought two copies, typed, of her responses to the interview questions she and Dean received in advance from us. Dean was 10 minutes late, arriving breathless. He said, “I just got off the phone with my newest account, and I’ve been looking for your questions. They’re somewhere in my office . . . but I’ve read them through and they’ve been on my mind.” When asked about his relationship with Gwen, Dean sighed. “Gwen and I go way back. She has been rock-solid in running the office side of sales, and I couldn’t do what I’ve done without her. We used to be the perfect partners in crime, but our conflicts have grown right along with our sales and responsibilities. Gwen’s told me outright that I’m the driving force of the business—ready to drive us off track, that is! Maybe my last-minute ways are hard on her, but her schedules and procedures feel like slow poison to me!” Here’s how Dean viewed Gwen: Dean’s comments about Gwen ■

She constantly makes suggestions on how I could rework my calendar or set up response reminders.

Viewing the comments through the lens of type ■

Because Perceiving types have a different perspective on time, Judging-oriented organizing systems often don’t work for them.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

■

While I can appreciate that she may need to have things more scheduled, it doesn’t always work to Donelle’s advantage.

■

Judging types prefer to approach life with a schedule for getting things done, while Perceiving types prefer to approach life with a contingency plan.

■

Sometimes I feel as if she’s obstructing my progress and resists making changes that will keep us current and up-to-date. She seems so set in her ways.

■

Judging types like to stick with things and get them done— organizing, planning, and completing tasks in a timely and unhurried fashion.

■

She gives me so many reminders that I forget which items are really important or what she actually wanted me to do.

■

When Judging types accept a task, they fit it in with everything else they have to do and assume others can do so, too; Perceiving types may not notice that they’ve overlooked something while they’re trying to meet other obligations.

■

If I do as she asks and list deadlines and shipping dates on a piece of paper, she sets those dates in stone. Once she almost shipped the stuff without the latest changes.

■

If something is listed as needed at a certain time or place, most Judging types see that it’s done. This is a clue to Gwen’s level of stress—she seems to be mired in certain details, unable to see that some are more important than others (see page 193).

■

I’m not always last minute; Gwen needs to lighten up and relax a bit along the way.

■

Judging types find it difficult to relax when the last-minute approach is the norm. What Dean may see as a need to lighten up may actually be signs of Gwen’s stress level.

■

I need to do a better job of prioritizing but often I don’t know if what I’m handing over to Gwen is urgent or important.

■

Judging types often approach work by setting priorities, distinguishing the important from the urgent.

97

98

WORK IT OUT

■

I’m on the road a lot, calling on customers. Because of my erratic schedule, I often come in at night with a burst of energy to get things done before I have to leave town again. I surprise myself at how much I get done between seven and midnight.

■

Judging types like to approach their work in an orderly manner and typically avoid odd or irregular hours. They become stressed when their workload is unpredictable. They also like to keep their work and home lives separate.

Dean admitted, “More than once, she’s saved my neck by reading the fine print and coming up with a specific maneuver that carries the day. I really do value the way she can take the mixed-up jumble of things I bring her and put them in manageable order. Occasionally, I’ve tried to imitate her, but it never quite works out.”

THE TYPE INTERVENTION Follow these four steps to conduct an intervention for Judging and Perceiving types.

Step 1: Gain a Clear Understanding of the Problem The Judging–Perceiving clash is a common source of conflict between sales groups and operations departments. Sales representatives need to take advantage of the moment. As Dean put it, “My biggest contribution is my ability to read our customers’ ever-changing needs and respond quickly—especially in tight market conditions.” Operations people need to fulfill commitments and think through schedules. As Gwen put it, “There’d be utter chaos without me or someone else with similar organizational skills. What I do best is head off problems at the source.” We used these questions to help resolve the conflict: ■

Are outside factors causing difficulties? Within most companies, tensions exist between sales and operations due to the nature of each department’s work. Meeting customer needs while maintaining internal quality and consistency can put the two different functions in conflict.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

■

Are there factors in the team’s history that should be considered? In this case, Dean and Gwen were both senior executives with Donelle Sales. Dean was one of the company’s top salespeople, and Gwen was known for running one of the most efficient offices in the Donelle system. They had worked together for years, and although they initially enjoyed their different approaches to work, their tolerance was wearing thin.

■

Are the team’s problems rooted in basic personality misunderstandings? In cases like this one, when there are conflicts between job roles, there is plenty of room for misunderstanding. The Judging–Perceiving differences definitely claimed the bulk of time in our interviews, but looking at each person’s job requirements also took time. Donelle needed the strengths of both preferences. Helping team members understand the pitfalls and strengths of their opposites often points the way toward working it out.

■

Does the problem involve individuals or the whole team? Is individual coaching or teambuilding called for? At Donelle Sales, the problem was really between Dean and Gwen, a Judging– Perceiving struggle over different approaches to work.

Step 2: Create an Understanding and Appreciation of Differences Often, the best way to begin working things out is by demonstrating that each personality preference is normal and brings unique strengths and contributions to the team. In this case, both Gwen and Dean wanted a better relationship, making it easier for them to discover for themselves the benefits they derived from their different personalities.

Conflict Resolution Conflict resolution exercises, such as the following, have proved their merit in situations that involve opposing approaches to work. At Donelle, this exercise helped Dean and Gwen understand that they needed each other. Both were asked the following interview questions: ■

What do you bring to Donelle Sales?

■

What actions or habits do you have that may be unsettling or irritating to the other person?

99

100

WORK IT OUT

■

What does the other person do that annoys you?

■

What do you find valuable about the other person?

■

What outcomes do you hope for as a result of this conflict resolution process?

These questions usually work well with any of the preference combinations or with entire type categories when there are relationship conflicts. Asking about the value of the other person, as we did above, helps rebuild bridges between the combatants. After Dean and Gwen met to discuss their answers to the above questions, Dean said, “This difference in Judging and Perceiving gives me a way to keep our disputes in perspective. If I want the benefit of Gwen’s ability to have things in the right place at the right time, I need to accept that she may not want to change the proven way she’s always used to get them there.” “That’s true,” said Gwen. “And if I’m enjoying South Central’s profitability and our generous bonuses—due in large part to your entrepreneurial drive—I may need to accept that deadlines could have different meanings for you . . . well, at least I can accept it occasionally!”

Negotiating and Realigning Work Relationships Gwen and Dean also worked through a series of questions to set new norms for working together, as illustrated below. Reflect generally about your work: ■

List things that you value and want to keep in your work. What do you personally have energy for?

■

List things that you have now that you no longer want.

■

List things that you haven’t got now in your work but that you hope to create for yourself.

Discuss the current situation: ■

Prepare a positive feedback list: things you value about the way you work together.

■

Prepare a negative feedback list: things you don’t like in your work together.

■

Prepare an empathy list: predict what the other will have on his or her list.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

Prepare for the future: ■

Describe your idea of your future work relationship.

■

Describe what you hope will be absent in your future work relationship.

■

List things you can do (or might avoid doing) to achieve the desired work relationship.

■

Present data to each other to reach understanding. Ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding.

■

Negotiate changes; reach agreement.

■

Establish mutual monitoring and a follow-up process.

■

Reflect alone on actions you need to take in order to change.

Step 3: Develop a Plan This two-part step should help team members develop a plan for working it out.

Facilitate Discussions to Generate Ideas Gwen and Dean needed to outline a future working relationship that left room for Dean’s spontaneity and Gwen’s structure. This meant finding common ground on task and role clarity, time management, operating procedures, growth management, customer service, and flexibility and strictness regarding work habits. After a facilitated discussion of the Judging–Perceiving conflicts between Dean and Gwen, they agreed to do the following: ■

Create further role clarity. In this way, each knew what the other’s tasks and responsibilities were. This helped them create distinct roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships that recognized the ways in which Sales had to dovetail with Operations in order to meet customer needs.

■

Agree on benchmarks for time management. So that they could work in their own styles, Gwen and Dean formalized the number of requests that Dean could mark as extremely urgent at 20 percent. Gwen agreed to track his special requests and give him warning as he neared the limit. Dean committed himself to following that guideline.

101

102

WORK IT OUT

■

Mutually agree to necessary procedures. For example, Dean agreed to check with Gwen in advance before committing to delivery dates and other services for customers. Gwen then had the opportunity to feed back realistic time and work schedules on a case-by-case basis.

■

Manage sales growth more effectively. Dean took responsibility for promptly communicating customer and product changes to Gwen so that she could manage the increased back-office workload, hiring temporary or permanent workers as needed. They also established a contingency budget out of Dean’s sales budget to cover those hiring needs. This kept Dean in check and allowed Gwen to manage her own time and costs.

■

Use customer surveys. Surveys helped Gwen find the steps in the sales cycle where customer interface was crucial. Detailing these steps enabled her to develop better follow-up procedures.

■

Develop key customer manuals. Dean kept a great deal of customer information in his head. Together, he and Gwen created step-by-step procedures for key customers and products so that any new sales and operations personnel could more easily come on board.

■

Adapt work habits. Finally, Dean agreed to work away from the office several days a month, staying out of Gwen’s way, and Gwen committed to working no more than 10 percent overtime. They hoped these steps would decrease the constant friction between them.

Create Mutual Usefulness of Opposites We wanted Gwen, Dean, and the others at the South Central sales office to develop a clear understanding of the needs of each personality preference. To do this, we decided to use an exercise that we call Personal Operating Manuals.

Personal Operating Manuals In work-style clashes, type plays a valuable role in getting people to move beyond comments such as “Don’t be so uptight” or “Show some responsibility.” One way to do this is to have each team member develop a personal operating manual.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

■

Ask the team members to review their type information. What is most true about how they work? What do they need, from a type preference perspective, to be most productive? Make sure they review all their preferences. For example, Dean and Gwen would expand their search beyond their Judging and Perceiving needs.

■

Each person then creates a list, using one or more of the following prompts: ■

What I contribute to the team

■

Areas I’m working on in order to improve my performance

■

What I’d like you to know about working with me

■

What I need to be a productive member of this team

■

Have each person write out 6–10 statements that they would like others to use in working with them.

■

Let each person report to the team about his or her list.

■

Put a date on each list. If everyone consents, have the lists typed up and distributed to all team members.

Step 4: Reevaluate the Need for Individual Coaching Dean admitted that developing items such as key customer manuals was too big a stretch for him. He asked Gwen to be his coach. She agreed, saying, “With our new way of looking at our differences, I think we could actually work together on this.” Both Gwen and Dean wanted help with stress management. Dean needed to learn about his limits before illness taught him what they were. Coaching topics included ways of attending to his physical needs, especially for rest, exercise, and good nutrition. He also had to look for better ways of determining priorities and attending to them even in the face of continuing urgent situations. Gwen needed to learn ways of relaxing and letting go—especially of her habit of taking work home. Recognizing that she should say “No” and stick to it despite Dean’s use of charm made sense to her. She also decided to take her full allotment of vacation days, especially when she or others determined she needed a break.

103

104

WORK IT OUT

THE RESULTS OF WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE A month later, Gwen and Dean agreed that their objective benchmarks had helped to neutralize their conflict. Dean just squeaked in under his 20 percent limit for urgent requests but said, “I was thinking differently, evaluating which orders could be processed early rather than assuming all were subject to lastminute changes. I’ve also cut down on the late-night hours. I’m not getting any younger!” Gwen successfully checked her overtime hours and took some needed vacation. Others, especially Dean, noticed a new sense of authority in Gwen—she said “no” more often, and they knew she meant it. She commented, “These guidelines allow Dean to manage himself rather than having me try to do it for him. And they’ve let me take better care of myself and my job.” Both Dean and Gwen felt the freedom to contribute to Donelle in a way that matched their styles—and that dispensed with many, if not all, of those pesky deadline dilemmas.

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

T Y P E TA K E AWAY Are there Judging types in your office, frustrated by herding those who prefer Perceiving into a more orderly, structured procession? Or are Perceiving types trying to open the eyes of Judging types to the value of keeping their options open? Yes, we can all learn to benefit from the best each style has to offer. And you can use personality type to work it out!

Type Solvers to Try When you suspect a Judging–Perceiving problem, try these ideas to help people understand—and appreciate—the strengths and needs of the two types.

Term Papers This brief group exercise illustrates the difference between Judging and Perceiving. Use 8 1/2" x 11" signs with the following labels: ■

Done before midterm break

■

Done with research before midterm break

■

Choose topic before midterm break

■

Start during last week of term

■

Late for class, just finished typing paper

Ask participants to recall their approach to term papers or big projects in high school or college. In the Donelle group, Gwen’s habit was to turn in her papers before midterm break so she could relax during the break. Dean customarily spent his time on research and synthesis and pulled everything together at the very end, even if it meant writing or proofreading on the train back to college after vacation. Ask for a volunteer whose work habit matches “Done before midterm break” to take that sign to one end of the room. Then, ask for a volunteer whose approach matches “Late for class” to take that sign to the other end of the room. Find three more volunteers to hold the other three signs and then ask the rest of the participants to choose a place along the continuum formed by the signs. Are they at either end or somewhere in the middle?

105

106

WORK IT OUT

Explain that people at the “Done before midterm break” end, the Judging end, do their best work when things are under control. They approach projects in an organized manner and are often energized by making steady progress toward set goals. At the other end of the continuum, Perceiving types often do their best work at the last minute. They may not feel inspired until the pressure is on. Ask those who are standing at this end if this is true for them. Emphasize that the signs at both ends represent legitimate ways to be (though each would most likely be irritating to the people at the opposite end). You might then ask those at each end to comment on what it felt like when they had to operate out of their preferences, when a Judging type faced a tight or unexpected deadline or when a Perceiving type was asked to start a project too far in advance. Judging types will talk about stress and may even say their accuracy or inspiration suffered. Perceiving types will often say that they delayed starting as long as they could and ended up with a less-inspired project than usual. They dislike putting things together too far in advance of the last minute.

Houses or Sailboats This exercise highlights the different approaches of Judging and Perceiving types and demonstrates each preference’s reaction to time pressure and change.1 Bring a box of “stuff”—paper, glue, markers, fabric, tape measures, rope, wood scraps, scissors, yarn, straws, anything! Divide participants into Judging and Perceiving groups of five or six. Place the box in the center of the room. Tell the groups they have five minutes to make the best house they can. They may use anything or nothing from the box and anything they have with them. There are no restrictions. Tell them that at the end of five minutes, you will judge which house is the best. At the end of three and a half minutes, announce that you have changed your mind and that you want them to make a sailboat instead. Tell them they have one and a half minutes left. Debrief the experience. The Judging group often spend the last one and a half minutes complaining or panicking. They want to show the excellent house they’ve almost finished and are frequently upset because of the change in plans. The Perceiving group usually move toward making a sailboat and often finish it. Typically, they enjoy the whole exercise. They may even create a “human

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

sculpture” or display sailboat clip art on their laptop computer screens, much to the chagrin of many of the Judging types.

Brainstorm Ways to Accommodate Judging and Perceiving Needs Break into small groups of Judging and Perceiving types. Ask each group to generate ideas that they believe will meet the needs of both preferences. Examples include: ■

Provide general meeting agendas, with topics but no specific time frames.

■

Plan interim deadlines for Perceiving types. One of our Perceiving coauthors, for example, teaches a class the week before we need his input on a chapter or article about the same topic. We then meet to blend his lesson plan with our chapter outline.

■

Work together on time estimates so that those who prefer Perceiving can benefit from the Judging type’s natural ability to estimate how long tasks will take and so that those who prefer Judging can benefit from the Perceiving type’s talent for squeezing tasks into the last window of time.

Discussion for Those in Conflict Ask the following questions: ■

What do you contribute to the relationship?

■

What actions or habits of yours may be unsettling or irritating to the other person?

■

What does the other person do that annoys you?

■

What do you find valuable about the other person?

■

What outcomes do you hope for as a result of this conflict resolution process?

When Judging and Perceiving types give and receive positive as well as negative feedback concerning each preference’s approach to life and work, you may find some areas for negotiation, and peace!

107

108

WORK IT OUT

One-Sided Projects This group exercise may help illustrate how respect for the opposite preference works to a team’s advantage. ■

Divide the team into two groups based on preferences for Judging and Perceiving.

■

Ask each group to think of two projects or decisions that suffered because of a one-sided approach. For example, a market opportunity may have been missed because Perceiving types were reluctant to come to conclusions about the trends they were investigating. Conversely, a product may have been introduced too quickly because Judging types made hasty decisions about the product’s features.

■

Have each group list specific steps they would have taken to handle the incident differently. The goal is for both groups to provide concrete examples of how each type preference might benefit from the processes of the other.

It Is More Natural for . . . The following lists summarize the natural styles of each preference and may facilitate discussion. It is more natural for Judging types to:

It is more natural for Perceiving types to:

■

Value timetables and schedules

■

Leave room for late-breaking changes

■

Decide on project steps before beginning

■

Allow for what is necessary as they go along

■

Make decisions without revisiting each nuance

■

Search for options, not wanting to overlook anything

■

Feel that surprises tend to upset their plans

■

Find last-minute changes or interruptions useful in maintaining flexibility

THE JUDGING–PERCEIVING DICHOTOMY

For Personal Development, Consider . . . If your preference is for Judging, practice Perceiving: ■

Schedule at least one day per month to go with the flow at work. (That may be asking a lot, but see what happens. Trust us!) Note what turns up that may add value to your tasks, give you joy in the moment, or enrich your life.

■

Give yourself some extra time to gather more information, both factual data and new ideas.

■

In solving a problem, think of several options in addition to the one you have decided is correct. Make a list of the positive, interesting, and negative characteristics of each option. Challenge your original choice.

■

In a low-stress area or low-risk situation, ask someone to interrupt and ask you to do something with him or her. Then evaluate your tolerance for interruptions, delays, and ambiguities and your ability to handle unforeseen events.

■

Expect some contingencies to your planned processes. If you have extra time, use it to gather more data or come up with one more idea.

■

If someone wants your opinion, try offering several alternatives and then letting that person make his or her own decision.

If your preference is for Perceiving, practice Judging: ■

Schedule at least half an hour between meetings. Refrain from taking on new commitments until you’ve had a chance to think about them. Learn to say “no.” Investigate other time-management techniques. Keep using the ones that work for you.

■

Ask yourself which five major things you need to accomplish during the next year (or other time frame). Schedule the five things on your calendar or planner and then plan backward to ensure that you have allowed ample time to accomplish them. For extra credit, add a bit more time than you originally allotted.

■

Remind yourself that contingencies almost always arise and plan for them. Resist the temptation to attend to just one more thing.

109

110

WORK IT OUT

■

Place limits on yourself by setting an imaginary deadline for generating ideas or gathering information. Then stop when you reach it.

■

Determine which daily tasks could be done consistently, and then develop a routine and follow it. Realize that, in the long run, doing this gives you more time to explore and enjoy.

■

Practice completing less important tasks a day or two before the deadline. Be sure to distinguish the important from the urgent.

When You’re One or a Few Among the Many When you have a preference for Judging and your co-workers have a preference for Perceiving, consider: ■

Seeking out projects with definite milestones and a final deadline

■

Delaying making a decision for a few days; continue to gather more information and pay attention to other ideas that may come up

■

Accepting the idea that work is progressing despite the differences in people’s approaches

■

Making your own milestones or deadlines along the way

When you have a preference for Perceiving and your co-workers have a preference for Judging, consider: ■

Recognizing that deadlines set by the organization may not be negotiable

■

Revisiting a past decision you believe was rushed and demonstrating the advantages of slowing down to gather more information

■

Finding projects in which the process is just as important as the outcome

■

Keeping surprises to a minimum and reducing your options

6 FUNCTION PAIRS ST, SF, NF, NT in the Workplace The Goal: Appreciating the contributions and communication styles of every team member. That meeting was a waste of my time. We only discussed one of the four agenda items. (ST) That meeting was confusing. They didn’t say a word about the specific training our team would need. (SF) That meeting was inspiring. I have a clear vision of new trends in training and development. (NF) That meeting was okay, but we needed to spend more time deliberating our underlying rationale and coming up with an effective strategy. (NT)

Yes, all four people quoted above were at the same meeting, but they have very different standards for effective communication. How we perceive (Sensing or Intuition) and how we judge (Thinking or Feeling) greatly influence our functioning and our styles for communication, decision making, and leadership. The four combinations of these preferences (ST, SF, NF, and NT) make up the columns of the type table:

113

114

WORK IT OUT

ST: Let’s be accurate and responsible.

SF: Let’s be practical and service oriented.

NF: Let’s be insightful and inspiring.

NT: Let’s be theoretical and entrepreneurial.

■

ISTJ

■

ISFJ

■

INFJ

■

INTJ

■

ISTP

■

ISFP

■

INFP

■

INTP

■

ESTP

■

ESFP

■

ENFP

■

ENTP

■

ESTJ

■

ESFJ

■

ENFJ

■

ENTJ

When people who function differently are on the same team, it’s no surprise that there are clashes. Accuracy versus inspiration? Service versus theory? The biggest clashes come between opposite pairs: ST versus NF, and SF versus NT. Workplaces that honor each of the four functions value very different things: ST environments value

SF environments value

NF environments value

NT environments value

■

Efficiency

■

Personal loyalty

■

Community

■

Competence

■

Certainty

■

Being of service

■

Enthusiasm

■

Competition

■

Thoroughness

■

■

Strategic planning

Consistency

Insightful problem solving

■

■

Emotional wellbeing of others

■

Global concepts

■

Respect

■

Harmony

■

Big-picture focus

■

Clarity of role and function

■

Serving society’s needs

■

Goal setting

■

Integrity

■

Creativity

■ ■

Control Stability

Key words

Key words

Key words

Key words

Practical and logical

Practical and helpful

Insightful and helpful

Insightful and logical

Within corporations, clashes among the function pairs are inevitable given the different character of the work in different departments: ■

STs are often found in accounting, sales, and production.

■

SFs are often found in customer service, quality control, and office management.

■

NFs are often found in training and development, advertising, and public relations.

■

NTs are often found in planning, research and development, and marketing.

FUNCTION PAIRS

Without a deep understanding of the strengths, concerns, and needs of the different function pairs, friction and misunderstandings can distract quite thoroughly from the jobs at hand. Such was the case at Investment Partnership Services (IPS).

INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP SERVICES Julie (ENFJ) Founding partner

Nira (ENTP) Founding partner

Frances (ISTJ) Office manager

Investment analysts (NT)

Office support staff (SF)

IPS was successful. Very successful. But the growth that came with that success led to other problems. IPS started as a full-service financial planning firm in the boom times of the 1980s. Founded and managed by two extremely competent women, Julie and Nira, the company targeted career women in all stages of life. Its organizational hallmark was treating clients with respect. The mission statement read: “We are stewards for yet partners with our clients, working together to establish and reach financial goals.” As part of their initial marketing strategy, Julie and Nira joined Financial Women International, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and their own universities’ women’s associations. They also kept active in professional associations—restaurant and hotel management for Nira and accounting for Julie. Julie viewed her financial planning work as a means to help more women invest in the marketplace, gain a solid financial footing, and prepare for retirement. Nira loved the challenge of playing the market and pitting her financial savvy against the more traditional brokerage houses. She excelled at predicting investment trends and promoting her ideas to clients. With rapid success came growing pains. The client base increased so quickly that business methods sprang up by accident rather than through tried and true policies and procedures. Julie and Nira hired Frances as office administrator; she in turn hired two assistants. They also found two experienced investment analysts who were investment model experts. IPS then contracted with a larger brokerage company to execute stock purchases and sales.

115

116

WORK IT OUT

Julie asked for help in dealing with tension in the office. She said, “I’m not sure why Nira and I are struggling, given that we share common goals for IPS. But the tension is contagious—everyone seems on edge with everyone else, and it’s starting to affect how we serve our customers.” We interviewed each employee in an effort to understand the root causes of conflict.

The NF Side of the Story Julie’s office was filled with neat stacks of files and books on almost every flat surface. Numerous plants and family pictures added to the room’s warm and comfortable style. Julie, however, looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes and a general spirit of weariness to her demeanor. When asked, she described her motivations for founding IPS at some length, concluding, “Women still earn less than men. I’m committed to helping as many as I can to establish themselves financially, gaining a fair financial return for the faith they’ve placed in me.” She listed several strengths she brought to the business, which follow patterns seen in many people who share her NF preferences. Julie’s self-reported contributions

Common NF strengths and contributions

■

I know the market and the needs of women.

■

Envisions the future and how to meet people’s needs.

■

I enjoy developing long-term relationships with my clients.

■

Focuses on relationships, enabling growth in others.

■

I’m able to read our clients and discern their particular needs, financial and emotional.

■

Has insight into what matters to others.

■

I’m deeply committed to increasing women’s share of the financial pie.

■

Serves society’s needs, works for a purpose beyond a paycheck.

■

Being a teacher at heart, the public workshops and the presentations are fun for me.

■

Communicates, inspiring others.

FUNCTION PAIRS

Julie’s demeanor went from bright to weary when asked what it was like to work at IPS. Her specific concerns are listed below: Julie’s NF concerns ■

■

■

How the other functions might interpret those concerns

While I’m in the office meeting with clients (and overseeing all of the account administration), Nira is out with vendors, being wined and dined, gathering investment information. I know that I’m better at client contact, but a part of me shouts that I’m being taken advantage of.

■

NT: Place people in the roles that suit their competencies.

■

SF: One partner shouldn’t have all the internal responsibilities. It’s too much for one person to handle.

■

ST: There ought to be a way to streamline operations so that no one is doing more than the others, unless that person is getting paid to do so.

I’m having problems sleeping at night—market shifts remind me that I’m responsible for so many clients. I can’t even deliver a modest 5 percent return in a falling market. Many women are novice investors, and I’m afraid they’ll pull their money, regardless of long-term prospects.

■

NT: This is a buyer-beware business; 5 percent is 5 percent more than they might have gotten if they hadn’t come here!

■

SF: Julie needs to take a week off and relax!

■

ST: The market has its ups and downs, one time 5 percent, another time 15 percent. People ought to know that!

The way Frances is streamlining procedures doesn’t really allow me to meet everyone’s needs. Regardless of anything, she wants deadlines met, costs down, and work flow well managed.

■

NT: Yield to Frances. That’s what she was hired to do, streamline and manage the office.

■

SF: Meet the needs of one person at a time and use efficient, proven ways to do that.

■

ST: We can’t meet all needs; it isn’t practical. Use the 80/20 rule: Meet 80 percent and let go of the other 20 percent.

117

118

WORK IT OUT

The NT Side of the Story Nira’s office was quite a contrast to Julie’s—sleek and sophisticated, with muted colors and stylish furnishings. Expensive art and Oriental rugs completed the high-status feel of the room. Nira’s dress and attitude expressed self-assurance. She talked about her motives for founding IPS, concluding, “I was one of the first women to become a certified financial planner, and it seemed obvious to me that more and more women would be seeking financial advice as they began flooding the workplace. I wanted to build a business so I could pass on my knowledge and also make a nice return for myself!” Nira’s self-reported strengths also follow patterns of people who share her NT preferences: Nira’s self-reported contributions

Common NT strengths and contributions

■

I keep abreast of market trends and find areas with the highest return for the lowest risk.

■

Analyzes complex problems, systems.

■

I’m always finding new possibilities for expanding and developing our business. I wish I had 48 hours in every day to pursue it all.

■

Fosters organizational growth and development, not wanting to miss any opportunity.

■

I can tolerate the risk that goes with the excitement of financial markets.

■

Seeks challenge, competition.

■

I can clearly see where this company is headed—and plan to make sure we’re ready.

■

Uses strategic planning, bigpicture focus.

■

I can tell if some product will yield results for our clients and know the various risk positions involved.

■

Sees the relationship of the parts to the whole.

FUNCTION PAIRS

Like Julie, though, Nira’s enthusiasm for IPS had been tempered by office conflicts. Nira’s specific comments are listed below: Nira’s NT concerns ■

■

■

How the other functions might interpret those concerns

Julie is too concerned about small financial gains or losses in our portfolios. She takes market downturns personally—forgetting that we tell our clients to expect ups and downs in the market. They simply have to stay in the market for the long haul if they want to make a profit.

■

NF: Taking things personally helps me better meet clients’ needs, even at my own expense!

■

SF: Each person’s portfolio is important. We can’t lose sight of our individual customers.

■

ST: Julie needs to toughen up and realize that each person is a grown-up.

Julie spends more time holding clients’ hands than I think is appropriate. After all, we have a business to run, which means bringing in new clients. She should enjoy the fun of sales rather than worry about babysitting our current clients.

■

NF: The easiest business comes from repeat sales and referrals.

■

SF: It’s easier to manage existing accounts. We already know them and their specific needs.

■

ST: The facts are as plain as day. Referrals or repeat business from satisfied customers accounts for 80 percent of our business; only 20 percent comes from new contacts.

I thought Frances was a great hire, but she can be a real pain in the neck. Here I am, one of the founding partners, and she wants me to document expenses and turn in travel advance requests. Yes, we asked her to streamline things, but she’s too picky!

■

NF: I wish Nira would support Frances’s work so that our office would run more smoothly.

■

SF: Why can’t Nira just try to follow the procedures?

■

ST: Frances was hired to do a job. She’s doing it, and she needs our respect and adherence to her plans.

119

120

WORK IT OUT

■

The office assistants think I should be able to keep track of every client individually, asking specifically how Mrs. Jones or Ms. Brown or even their cousin or friend has fared. I watch aggregate performance, not details of each client portfolio.

■

NF: I don’t always know specifics about each portfolio, but I do have a general recollection of everyone with whom I’ve worked.

■

SF: Each client is important, and keeping up with those little details keeps them satisfied and happy with IPS.

■

ST: We should have a form with just the necessary facts so we can keep on top of any changes in the portfolio.

Nira indicated that the two investment analysts were working out well. Later, they confirmed that they shared her NT preferences.

The ST Side of the Story Frances was cordial but reserved, a bit wary of being interviewed. She said, “I have several pressing business concerns, such as readying a client’s initial financial plan by noon today. Our track record for sales is good, but I have a terrible time getting Julie and Nira to do the simplest things.” The strengths Frances sees in herself match the patterns of others with an ST preference: Frances’s self-reported contributions

Common ST strengths and contributions

■

Before I was hired, procedures and filing systems were practically nonexistent. I now have documentation almost under control.

■

Practical focus, establishing procedures and attending to details.

■

I’ve established systems and accounts so we can track costs and inefficiencies.

■

Seeks measurability and ways of managing costs and schedules.

■

It’s my duty to do all the followup and make sure this office runs smoothly.

■

Consistent, efficient focus on the problems at hand.

FUNCTION PAIRS

■

I’ve made Julie and Nira aware of the critical need for documentation in this business.

■

Focus on order, thoroughness, and control.

■

I’m the stable factor in the office. I’m always here, unless of course I have to run an errand because someone else fell short on something.

■

Stability and productivity.

Frances had several specific complaints. Frances’s ST concerns ■

■

How the other functions might interpret those concerns

When Julie or Nira forgets to have transaction forms filled in or signed, I have to call the clients—or worse, we may not get forms to the banks or brokerage houses in time. They’d be surprised if they knew how much money gets lost and how antagonistic clients can be over those slipups, especially if they have to drive back here to sign something that should have been signed at the time of the sale.

■

SF: I hate to call people to come in and sign a forgotten form. I’ll keep a record of how often this happens. Maybe that will lead to a change in the way things are done!

■

NF: I use the form Frances set up, but I’m never quite sure I’m using it effectively. Maybe she could help me occasionally.

■

NT: I see these forms as too detailed for someone with my responsibilities.

Julie seems to understand these struggles and relates well to clients, but she acts like a missionary out to convert the women of the world to financial planning. Worse, she seems to think that anyone who doesn’t voice the same degree of enthusiasm is not committed to IPS. Look at the hours I put in—how can she say that?

■

SF: I’m committed and show it by the attention I give each client and the care I take with each client’s portfolio. I want a sale to be tidy!

■

NF: Maybe everyone is as enthusiastic as I am, but I wish they’d show it more!

■

NT: We serve all people, not just women, although that’s where our expertise lies.

121

122

WORK IT OUT

■

■

■

Nira is always out of the office, without my being quite sure when or where or why she’s gone. So many of her trips are last-minute affairs. It wouldn’t be prudent to keep cash here, yet she expects me to give her cash advances at a moment’s notice. She doesn’t realize how disruptive and costly it is to make a special trip to the bank or run other spur-of-the-moment errands for her.

■

SF: Nira’s the boss, and that comes with some perks!

■

NF: Maybe Nira needs to decide what’s most important. She often rushes about at the last minute.

■

NT: I never know where the next opportunity will be or when. Catching opportunities is key to our business success!

Nira seems to have a superior attitude, what with her clothes and her car. I know she needs to impress clients, but . . .

■

SF: You can’t argue with success, and Nira does set a tone of wealth and success.

■

NF: We don’t want to be too obvious about the money we’re making. Some of our clients are barely making it.

■

NT: If you’ve got it, wear it, use it, or drive it, unless it’s strategic not to do so. Also, I have to impress the vendors to get the best deals for IPS and our clients.

■

SF: It would be good to know how each person contributes to IPS, what they do each day.

■

NF: I trust all the people who work here to make the best use of their time.

■

NT: Competent people don’t need anyone to hover over them. They are their own best drivers.

I never see the investment analysts, and they never fill us in on what they’re doing.

FUNCTION PAIRS

Frances concluded, “I shouldn’t have to work so hard to get everyone to do what needs to be done to run this business. Think of how easy it is to lose clients, not to mention the legal implications!” A look at the IPS employees’ function pairs explains why such highly competent people were struggling to work together: ST

SF

NF

NT

Frances

Office administrators

Julie

Nira Investment analysts

Frances, naturally practical and precise, was trying to pin down Julie, the idealistic NF, and Nira, the achievement-oriented NT. All three of them faulted the SF office administrators for paying attention to individuals, which is a legitimate SF concern. For NTs, such personal interactions seem almost like gossip. As for the others, they didn’t understand Nira’s drive for competence and credibility or the investment analysts’ behind-closed-doors work style. If the IPS staff became type-aware, they might start to see their colleagues’ actions as flowing from their personality types rather than from spite or disregard for IPS’s mission.

THE TYPE INTERVENTION Follow these four steps to conduct a type intervention for the different preferences.

Step 1: Gain a Clear Understanding of the Problem Discuss the answers to these guiding questions: ■

Are outside factors causing difficulties? Yes, the markets go up and down, and yes, they’re hard to predict, but IPS stood to benefit from enforcing and supporting Frances’s role and her changes to office procedures.

■

Are there factors in the team’s history that should be considered? Success in the company’s niche did not necessarily mean success in running a business. The entire IPS staff needed to look at the internal operations and

123

124

WORK IT OUT

each person’s workload and responsibilities in order to adjust the distribution of duties and to ensure that people’s responsibilities were matched with their strengths. ■

Are the team’s problems rooted in basic personality misunderstandings? This seemed to be the root of the problems. Knowing type could provide a language for discussing the differences and a rationale for managing and enhancing those differences to the benefit of both the staff and the company as a whole.

■

Does the problem involve individuals, or does it involve the whole team? Is individual coaching or teambuilding called for? At IPS, the problems seemed rooted in general misunderstandings of how people with ST, SF, NF, and NT preferences operate and communicate.

Step 2: Create an Understanding and Appreciation of Differences Demonstrate that each personality preference is normal and brings unique strengths and contributions to the team. Here’s an exercise the team used successfully.

Work Style Exercise At the first teambuilding session, we talked about the function pairs framework. Team members then grouped themselves into the function pair category that fit them best (ST, SF, NF, or NT) and listed what they thought were characteristics of their style. Provide a flip chart so that participants can see what each team member writes down. This exercise will help team members understand that their company benefits when people of every function pair group respects the others’ differences and when they all acknowledge the gifts each function pair brings to the successful operation of their company.

The NF Report Julie listed: ■

Envisioning where we are going

■

Acting on issues I feel strongly about

■

Knowing I can make a difference for women

FUNCTION PAIRS

“I can’t help it,” she laughed. “I’m a crusader for women’s financial needs.” The other team members then gave feedback on the contributions Julie made to the company. These included: ■

Convincing, authentic, and sincere sales presentations

■

Solid teaching on financial principles

■

Mediating between spouses and their partners or families

The NT Report Nira and the investment analysts reported next, listing: ■

Individual initiative, being able to take risks

■

Discovering or sniffing out opportunities well in advance of trends

■

Drive and energy to achieve breakthroughs in financial dealings with profitable results

Nira said, “Taking risks is who I am. You all know I left Lebanon for the United States to strike out on my own—and brought all my siblings here, earning enough to put them through college. I have the same drive for IPS.” Team members then added the qualities they associated with the NT perspective: ■

Insistence on goal setting

■

Constant innovation, especially with products and computerized models

■

State-of-the-art investment planning

The ST Report Frances listed: ■

Dependability and reliability

■

Being efficient

■

Ensuring that each step necessary to achieving IPS’s goals is followed explicitly and accurately

125

126

WORK IT OUT

“You really can set your watches by my arrival because it’s 8:30 a.m. every day,” Frances added. “I actually enjoy the implementation specifics—if only the rest of you would acknowledge how many clients we’ve almost lost because others overlook those details!” The team quickly came up with a list of ST contributions: ■

Spotting and then eliminating inefficiency and waste

■

Assuring that everything will be taken care of

■

Fulfilling IPS’s obligations and responsibilities to customers

The SF Report The operations assistants who reported to Frances added their list of what they valued in their work: ■

Servicing IPS customers in a personal and practical way

■

Being accurate and helpful

■

Working to keep the office harmonious

“Recently,” they added, “the last one, maintaining a harmonious office, has not been taken seriously by the rest of you. A simple ‘please’ and a ‘thank you,’ a morning ‘hello,’ go a long way toward making the office more pleasant.” The rest of the team agreed that they appreciated the SF ability to act as the social glue that had in many ways kept the office harmonious, to support other employees, and to model cooperation and order.

Develop a Clear Understanding of the Needs of Each Preference In the exercise above, team members learned how to improve communication and customer service at IPS by paying attention to what was on each other’s list. To practice communicating, they used the following chart to develop a message for their opposite preference (ST–NF and SF–NT).

FUNCTION PAIRS

STs like communication that is

SFs like communication that is

NFs like communication that is

NTs like communication that is

■

Short, crisp, businesslike

■

Impersonal yet polite

■

Factual and credible

■

Sequential

■

Non-biased

■

Personalized

■

Sequential

■

Empathetic to their position

■

Practical and results oriented

■

Complete with examples

■

Centered on building the relationship

■

Full of new insights and perspectives

■

Enjoyable and fun

■

Big picture oriented

■

Associative, not sequential

■

Concerned with harmony

■

Fuel for brainstorming

■

Organized logically

■

Oriented toward future implications

■

Straightforward

■

Complete with underlying theory, research

■

Full of options

■

Balanced, with pros and cons

Step 3: Develop a Plan Team members met again a few weeks later, after taking time to observe the four functions in action around the office and think through their co-workers’— and their own—needs through the lens of type. The second meeting showed a significant reduction in tension around the office. Team members reported on their ideas for working it out:

127

128

WORK IT OUT

■

Julie affirmed to the group that she would be slightly less crusading in her approach to selling financial planning to women, that she would work on putting more distance between herself and the effect of stock market changes on her clients’ portfolios, and that she would accompany Nira on several trips to brokers and vendors so that she could better understand Nira’s role—and get out of the office.

■

The team agreed that many of the smaller clients should be turned over to the office assistants, who looked forward to gaining this vital work experience. This would lighten Julie’s workload and increase office expertise in interacting with clients and managing accounts.

■

Nira acknowledged that some of her junkets were not profitable to IPS in the long run. She asked Frances and Julie to help her when she started to backslide and agreed to: ■

Be more focused and strategic in her selections

■

Spend more time on client relations

■

Share more of the day-to-day operations burden with Julie

■

Initiate her requests for travel advances earlier

■

Stick with the systems that Frances established

■

As promised, Frances and the SF staff did their homework on logging inefficiencies and came to the meeting with a list of dissatisfied clients and uncompleted financial deals caused by overlooked details.

■

The office assistants were delighted to work with long-term clients as well as those with relatively small portfolios. They asked to watch Julie’s and Nira’s initial meetings, at which they evaluate clients. They committed to listing the clients with whom they had good working relationships and asked to manage their files as well.

■

The investment analysts agreed it was important to keep the other staff members informed on their work in the research room. They offered to do brown-bag lunch seminars to explain the intricacies of their task to their colleagues.

Julie and Nira pointed out that if they all followed through on the commitments they were making, it could have a positive impact on IPS, each person’s work life, and each person’s part of the corporate profit-sharing plan.

FUNCTION PAIRS

Step 4: Reevaluate the Need for Individual Coaching We stayed in touch with the partners, Nira and Julie, and did more coaching with them. We also helped with an off-site teambuilding session, which reinforced the work that had already been done.

THE RESULTS OF WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE Several months later, the team was still participating in brown-bag lunches. Julie reported, “Hearing logical explanations of market predictions and behaviors has enhanced my ability to explain stock ups and downs to customers. While I still take a bit too much responsibility for what happens, I know the clients have a better handle on what ‘playing the market’ really means.” Frances developed an excellent client-tracking system for current and potential IPS customers, modeled after one she had used at her previous job. She stapled a flowchart to the inside of each client folder and marked time-sensitive documents with due dates and procedures to be followed. “It’s taken some work on my part,” she said, “but I’m doing less reminding. Everyone who has client contact has gotten better at following the model and procedures for client interactions!” Nira and Julie conscientiously worked to develop the office administrators’ customer contact skills. Nira took each one on a research junket, which improved everyone’s understanding of Nira’s contributions to IPS and the company’s markets. With all team members working toward their mutual objectives, IPS managed to develop a cohesive culture rather than a clashing four-part one.

REVIEWING THE FOURFUNCTION FRAMEWORK Can you place yourself or your team within this four-function framework? See if you can find your own and your teammates’ strengths and possible blind spots as you review the four functional pairings (ST, SF, NF, NT) below.

129

130

WORK IT OUT

ST: Let’s Be Accurate and Responsible ST organizations tend to want answers to questions about costs, schedules, efficiency, precision, and accuracy. STs like to build hierarchical organizations with a place for everyone and with everything in its place. They believe they are earning their keep when they are critiquing broad, general ideas in order to help everyone focus realistically on what is feasible. Because STs are most concerned with day-to-day issues, they may sometimes overlook the long-term implications of their work. However, their orientation to the present keeps the team from misusing its current resources, both human and financial. STs often prefer to work in organizations that produce reliable, high-quality products and services. You can often identify STs because they want details on specifics and logical answers to their questions, which are usually tactical and procedural. Remember Frances’s talent for organizing and establishing procedures?

SF: Let’s Be Practical and Service Oriented The SF organizational environment may resemble a diverse, extended family. Most SF organizations also have a hierarchy, but it’s a friendly one. SF organizations (such as schools and hospitals) are structured in such a way that a person’s level in the hierarchy reflects that individual’s qualifications or skills for the services he or she is to provide. This division of labor in a broad hierarchy allows for a particularly SF flavor—having the right person in the right place to do the right thing for others. The motto “Service with a smile” is quite characteristic of SF organizations. SFs feel like they are worth their salt when they use clarity and direction to meet the needs of each individual and group. Their attention to people makes them extremely cognizant of how things will affect others. They are unlikely to be very wrong about a customer’s needs. Because they are busy serving others, they may overlook the strategic plan, the big picture, and sometimes their own needs. They may, therefore, need help in these areas. SF organizations are typically pleasant, sociable, and enjoyable places to be. Efficiency is important to SFs, but only if that efficiency allows for careful handling of people’s concerns. Remember how the administrative staff hated calling clients back to sign papers when the financial planners had not taken care

FUNCTION PAIRS

of them? Staff members gladly worked to help Frances’s system meet both company and client needs.

NF: Let’s Be Insightful and Inspiring NF organizations are characterized by their focus on mission and values. NF organizations typically set goals that make improvements in the circumstances of people and communities. While SFs might focus on specific people, the NF approach is to help people in general. NF organizations are often about fostering growth and development, inspiring people to greater heights, developing human aspirations, and making the world a better place in which to live. NFs tend to set up collegial organizations with an interchangeable leadership format, because NFs are often reluctant to elevate one person over another. Instead, they prefer that people take turns as leader and follower. This is probably one of the reasons that NF business organizations are rare, but that seems to be just fine for NFs, who tend to avoid being part of business bureaucracies. Business organizations generally have only a few places where NFs can express themselves in the ways they prefer. Working in accord with one’s values and having, as Isabel Myers said, “a purpose beyond the paycheck” are important attributes of the work environment for NFs. Work must have meaning; when it doesn’t, NFs become less productive. Like SF organizations, the NF work environment is best when it is filled with harmonious people who enjoy one another’s company as they strive together for a common purpose. Remember Julie’s passion for helping women do well financially?

NT: Let’s Be Theoretical and Entrepreneurial The NT organization is characterized by meeting challenges: mental, financial, conceptual, and sometimes physical. NTs set broad goals for themselves. They are not very patient with detail; however, like STs, they tend to like things to be logical. While the ST focus may be on day-to-day specifics, the NT focus is on the big picture and long-range possibilities. NTs are most happy in an environment that is filled with others who like debate, rigor, and intellectual work. They are most effective in situations that involve the orchestration of various systems for the purpose of achieving a common objective.

131

132

WORK IT OUT

NTs use a hierarchy when it is the most effective organizational format, but they generally prefer a structure of matrix organizations and project teams in which roles are more fluid. They often overlook interpersonal niceties, thinking of people as only one of the facets in their systems and structures. Of course, NTs believe people are an important component of any system, strategy, or structure, but it’s up to people to fit into their structure. Remember Nira’s ability to spot key investments for IPS clients?

FUNCTION PAIRS

T Y P E TA K E AWAY Type Chart 3 may be helpful in summarizing the function pairs framework and introducing these type concepts. TYPE CHART 3 Characteristic

STs

Like work that is

■

Practical

■

Social

■

Idealistic

■

Theoretical

■

Crisp

■

Personal

■

Insightful

■

Complex

Establish teams that are

■

Efficient and data oriented

■

Friendly and service oriented

■

Creative and growth oriented

■

Effective and competition oriented

Establish team structure that is

■

Hierarchical

■

Fraternal

■

Collegial

■

Entrepreneurial

Team focus is

■

Predictable and stable

■

Traditional and affiliative

■

Dynamic and ideological

■

Achievement and competence oriented

Seek

■

Permanence

■

Membership

■

■

Rationality

■

Accountability

■

Personal interaction

Personal meaning

■

Opportunity

■

Development

■

■

Support

■

Growth

Long-range plans

■

Are often found in

SFs

Control

NFs

NTs

■

Military

■

Service

■

Arts

■

Sciences

■

Industry

■

Health care

■

Communication

■

Start-up companies

Source: Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, and Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI® Teambuilding Program, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 2003). Reprinted by permission.

Type Solver to Try When you suspect a clash of cultures, try this exercise to help people understand—and appreciate—the strengths and different needs of all four functions.

133

134

WORK IT OUT

The Function Pairs Framework After discussing the basic concepts, have group members identify which one of the four function pairs best describes them (ST, SF, NF, or NT). Then, either individually or in groups, ask them to answer the following questions: ■

What should the other groups know about our values and contributions to the workplace?

■

What do we need from the three other parts of the four-function framework so that we will have a more effective working relationship?

If appropriate, meet again as a large group. Depending on your needs, the following topics could be discussed: ■

List the tasks on which each person or group works most naturally and with the most energy and enthusiasm. Ask whether work division follows these lines.

■

Conversely, which tasks should each person or group avoid? In what ways could participants team across the four-function framework to better cover these areas?

■

When communication is problematic, take two or three recent written communications and let each person or group report on those aspects of the communication that made it easy or difficult to understand. Look for concrete examples of the different communication styles and needs within the four-function framework. List any changes that would help communication bridge the four cultures.

Tips for Communicating Effectively with Each Function Pair Type Chart 4 describes approaches that work well when communicating with people who identify with the different function pairs.

FUNCTION PAIRS

TYPE CHART 4 ST

NF

■

Show me that it works.

■

Show how it will enhance relationships.

■

Indicate how it saves time and money.

■

State how it helps people grow and develop.

■

Demonstrate a good cost/benefit ratio.

■

Focus on my own and others’ strengths.

■

Show how results can be measured.

■

Show how it offers new insights and perspectives.

■

Allow me to try it before I buy it.

■

Indicate that people will like it and, by implication, will like me.

■

Offer specific applications and benefits.

■

Point out how it will help me find meaning.

■

Answer all my questions.

■

Say it’s enjoyable and fun.

SF

NT

■

Indicate its practical results for people.

■

Discuss its research base.

■

Demonstrate how it will clearly benefit me and those I care about.

■

Highlight its theoretical background.

■

Use personal testimonies from those who have benefited from it.

■

Demonstrate how it fits a strategy.

■

Point out its immediate results.

■

Show how it will increase competency.

■

Set it in a personal context.

■

Indicate its broad and far-reaching possibilities.

■

Show respect to me and others in your presentation.

■

Point out its intriguing and fascinating possibilities.

■

Explicitly state the benefits; don’t just imply them.

■

Be a credible source of information.

Source: Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI ® Teambuilding Program (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 1992). Reprinted by permission.

135

7 STYLE-CHANGING STRESS The Inferior Function—the Shadow The Goal: Using type as a tool for understanding and reducing stress.

Workplace stress. The problem is so pervasive that you can read about it at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 40 percent of workers report that their jobs are very or extremely stressful.1 From what we’ve observed, the other 60 percent are so accustomed to stress that it’s become “business as usual”! The threat of layoffs, computer screens that announce, “You’re not working as fast as the person next to you,” cell phones that mean you’re always available, not to mention performance reviews and lost sales opportunities—the sources of stress are infinite. And it’s no joking matter. Early signs of stress include headache, sleep disturbances, upset stomach, a short temper, and difficulty concentrating, none of which help us do our jobs better. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Research shows that prolonged stress can lead to cardiovascular disease, back and neck disorders, and mental health problems such as depression. Other studies have shown links to cancer, suicide, immune system disorders, and increased workplace injuries, although more research is needed. Further, stress definitely increases absenteeism while decreasing morale, productivity, and employee loyalty. It is destructive to workers and the workplace. Certain circumstances, such as financial difficulties, cause stress for almost everyone, but people are often unaware that various attitudes, activities, and events in the workplace may negatively affect others. They think that everyone

137

138

WORK IT OUT

should just get a grip and get on with the job. However, our personality preferences influence what we find stressful and how we will react.

TYPE AND STRESS Carl Jung saw that our reactions to stress—“eruptions” that are inconsistent with our normal way of being—can be predicted by type. We end up in the grip of our inferior function, the function we’re least comfortable using. As mentioned in chapter 1, each type has a dominant function and an inferior function. Type Chart 5 shows the dominant (in bold) and inferior functions for each personality type. It can be extremely useful for team leaders and members to know the symptoms of being in the grip of the inferior function. This awareness allows for recognition and reduction of stress in the workplace. To understand how our dominant and inferior functions interact, remember that we can’t pay attention to all four functions at the same time: We can’t see the forest and the trees, nor be objective and subjective, in a given moment.

TYPE CHART 5 ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

Sensing

Sensing

Intuition

Intuition

Intuition

Intuition

Sensing

Sensing

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

Thinking

Feeling

Feeling

Thinking

Feeling

Thinking

Thinking

Feeling

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

Sensing

Sensing

Intuition

Intuition

Intuition

Intuition

Sensing

Sensing

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Thinking

Feeling

Feeling

Thinking

Feeling

Thinking

Thinking

Feeling

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

■

If a dominant Intuitive type is guided by insights and possibilities, he or she naturally relies less on information from the senses (facts and current realities).

■

To a dominant Sensing type who relies on actual data and facts, hunches or inklings are not seen as trustworthy.

■

If a dominant Thinking type depends on logic for decision making, the impact of a given decision on people may not seem as important or relevant.

■

Dominant Feeling types believe that the most reliable information is knowing what matters to people and what values are important; cool objective analysis may take a backseat.

Hence, the way we comprehend and experience the function opposite to our dominant function truly feels inferior. We don’t naturally use it well, and being forced to use it can be stressful. Under such stress, we sometimes become caricatures of those for whom the function does come naturally. All of us can work to become more skillful at using the gifts of our inferior function. Effectiveness in life requires that we continue to mature in using all the preferences, but some will always be more difficult to access. And despite our awareness of the gifts and common pitfalls of our inferior function, it could sneak into our behavior in an unmanageable way when we’re under stress! Consider the following examples: ■

Dominant Sensing types may begin to conjecture about the future and fear that a prime customer will leave or that a new product launch will fail when neither is likely.

■

Dominant Intuitive types may begin overeating or watch television mindlessly, both of which involve exaggerated use of the senses.

■

Dominant Thinking types may become sentimental and emotional in undesirable ways or at inappropriate times.

■

Dominant Feeling types may become bossy and cold in their dealings with others.

Clues about the common manifestations of the inferior function for each type are found in Type Chart 6. Learning about the inferior function gives you

139

140

WORK IT OUT

TYPE CHART 6 When using the dominant function ESTJ, ENTJ

■

Extraverted Thinking

Make decisions

■

Look for truth, effectiveness, and commitment

ISFP, INFP

■

Hypersensitive to criticism

■

Prone to emotional outbursts

Common triggers of the inferior function ■

Violation of their core values

■

Accusations of coldness

■

Remorse over their unfeeling actions

What helps ■

Solitude

■

Rest

■

Assessment of limitations

■

Time

■

Acknowledge the effect of criticism on others

■

Enjoy leadership

■

Uncomfortable with their own feelings and those of others

■

Known as trustworthy and affirming

■

Judgmental

■

■

Critical of others

Negative atmosphere

■

Fear of loss or failure in a relationship

■

Violation of values

■

Emphasize established skills

■

When others are overly emotional

■

■

Situations that appear arbitrary or uncontrollable

Time alone doing activities they enjoy

■

Physical activity

■

Having others give them space

Introverted Feeling

ISTP, INTP

In the grip of the inferior function

■

Focus on the best in others

■

Maintain inner harmony

■

Observe objectively in order to find truth

■

Use logical analysis adeptly, applying that analysis to people and events

Introverted Thinking

■

Known for depth of knowledge

■

■

■

■

Act before thinking things through

Overly defensive when trying to prove the “logic” of their feelings Excessively sensitive about relationships Too emotional

■

Having no time for reflection

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

When using the dominant function ESFJ, ENFJ

■

Extraverted Feeling

■

ESTP, ESFP

Known for sensitivity to the needs of others

■

Able to easily and appropriately express emotion

■

Take in and sort all the data the senses provide

Extraverted Sensing

■

INTJ, INFJ

Depend on feelings, which are considered more rational than logic

Accept the world at face value

■

Enjoy everyday life

■

Demonstrate intellectual clarity

Introverted Intuition ■

■

In the grip of the inferior function

Common triggers of the inferior function

■

Overly critical and domineering

■

Being asked to compromise a value

■

Sidetracked by poor logic

■

■

Compulsively search for answers in books or unusual philosophies

Being misunderstood or belittled by others

■

Experiencing too much conflict, too little harmony

■

■

Change in routine

■

A new project

■

Confiding in an understanding friend or to self through journaling

Overcommitment

■

Contingency planning

■

Being forced to make decisions about the future

■

Having too much structure at work

Solitary activities such as gardening, exercise

■

Getting help from others to adjust priorities

■

Space

■

Quiet, natural surroundings

■

Using Thinking to find solutions or Feeling to allow themselves to be less serious

■

Imagine doom and gloom

■

Misinterpret the motives of others

■

Obsessed with mystical life views

■

Overindulge in Sensing (TV, food) without enjoyment

■

Dealing with details

■

Experiencing unexpected events

■

Sort intuitive hunches accurately

■

Have longterm, novel perspectives

Approach the world as an enemy

■

Overwhelmed by sensory data

What helps

■

Too much Extraverting

141

142

WORK IT OUT

TYPE CHART 6 continued When using the dominant function ISTJ, ISFJ

■

Introverted Sensing

ENFP, ENTP

Exhibit efficiency, calmness, and attention to specifics

■

Focused on the present and perfecting the tried and true

■

Aware of their sensory experiences

■

Focus on their vision or the big picture

Extraverted Intuition ■

Pursue new ideas optimistically

■

Identify future trends with uncanny ability

In the grip of the inferior function ■

Anxious over facts and details

■

Reckless and impulsive

■

■

■

■

Common triggers of the inferior function ■

Experiencing change, prospect of the unknown

■

When others deny reality (especially dominant Intuitive types)

Worried about possible future disasters

Depressed and withdrawn Obsessed with details and information Focused on physical symptoms

■

Overdoing reliability and efficiency

■

Overcommitted and tired

■

Attending to details

■

Violation of important values or principles

What helps ■

Finding others who will take them seriously

■

Delegating details

■

Working through auxiliary Thinking to find Feeling solutions

■

Meditation

■

Positive use of Sensing— physical exercise, sleep, healthy diet

■

Using Thinking or Feeling to lend perspective

Source: Adapted from Naomi L. Quenk, Was That Really Me? (Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, 2002). Adapted by permission.

ways of recognizing its positive contributions and negative manifestations, understanding your blind spots, and making sense of your behavior and the actions of others during stressful or changing times. The following case offers a concrete example of what can happen when stress takes over and the inferior function is unleashed.

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

IMPRESSIONS, INC. Penny (INFJ) Director, Quality Department

Wesley (ENFP) Quality control analyst

Leya (INFP) Quality control analyst

Josh (ESTJ) Marketing liaison

Impressions, Inc., was a midsize retailer of quality discount furniture with a loyal customer base. After 25 years as a regional firm, Impressions had positioned itself to go nationwide. Expansion plans included streamlining and systematizing the business. Senior management started those changes with the Quality Department. Traditionally, furniture quality at Impressions had been defined in a personal way, with analysts asking, “Would I buy it?” “Would I want my friends to buy it?” “How will it hold up?” “Will it reflect an Impressions standard of quality that wins repeat customers?” The new definition involved quality for the price, or “you get what you pay for.” For example, a lower-priced rocker wasn’t expected to last as long as an expensive one. Those who weren’t happy with the changes called it “buyer beware” quality standards. Further, the vice president of Quality, Ellen, retired after 16 years in the position. Ellen had been with Impressions from the start, originally as the founder’s administrative assistant. In that role, she’d answered customers’ letters and complaints, until the company’s rapid growth necessitated the creation of the Quality Department. Through her work in Quality, Ellen gained technical expertise and selected people to work in the department who had the quality analysis experience and educational expertise that she lacked. From previous work with Impressions, we knew that Ellen had preferences for ESFJ. She ran the Quality Department like a big family, with herself in the supportive and nurturing role. Because of Ellen’s direct link to the founder, the team had relatively high status in the organization. While Impressions conducted a 12-month nationwide search for Ellen’s replacement, the Quality Department managed itself. Wesley, a department member, acted as informal leader. Meanwhile, through their strategic planning initiative, management decided to streamline the number of vice presidents and create new liaisons among departments. Now the Quality Department reported

143

144

WORK IT OUT

to Marketing. The new head, Penny, was hired as director, not vice president, of Quality. A few months into Penny’s tenure, the director of human resources called for our help. “I need you to read the riot act to our Quality team. They’re behaving like children, giving Penny a run for her money. You know what a great work environment we have here. I want you to tell them that.” She continued with a rundown of Penny’s credentials. “We snatched her away from our competitor. She knows every aspect of the furniture business— she’s even written articles about quality standards for household furnishings. But she’s never been a manager, so perhaps she needs some coaching.” While we were not going to read anyone the riot act, we agreed to meet with the key players to explore what was happening. The first meeting revealed that the changes affecting the Quality Department were deeper than the organizational and procedural ones. The team sat back, passively listening to Penny, until she mentioned the Quality Department’s quarterly report. Wesley, a quality analyst, blurted out, “I was in charge of that whole project. You only rewrote a few pieces. How could you take our names off and send it to senior management under your signature? Ellen would never have done that!” Heads around the table nodded in agreement. “Well,” stammered Penny, “it’s my responsibility to check things. I’m head of this department now, and my name should be on department reports. Any errors and it’s my neck on the block, not yours. Part of a leader’s job is to protect the team and be a team player. Besides, getting to the details is one way I can familiarize myself with the way things are done.” “Team player,” someone muttered. “Yeah, right.” After the meeting, we arranged interviews with each person in the Quality Department. The following four individuals illustrate the patterns we found in employee attitudes and reactions toward all the changes at Impressions, Inc.

The Introverted Intuitive View of Quality In her brief time at Impressions, Penny had single-handedly created a new department vision and mission statement, conducted interviews with each of her direct reports, audited the department’s procedures and practices, and delineated the new price-based quality standard. During her interview, Penny’s defensive tone and nervous gestures created the impression of a person with

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

trouble on her hands. “I want this team to cooperate with me and accept me as the leader,” she began, “but you saw the meeting—they’re either apathetic or venomous. I know I’m not an experienced manager, but I do know the technical stuff and I’ve read up on all the latest leadership gurus. All my hard work so far should have been enough to show my team that I’m capable. Plus, I have the solid backing of the VP of Marketing and the rest of the senior management team.” Penny’s reported type came out ENTJ, with slight preferences for Extraversion and Thinking. As Penny reviewed the results, she said, “I need to be an Extravert in this job. I’m pleased to see my Extraversion score because that’s what I’m working on—being more action oriented and outgoing. One of my responsibilities is to develop buy-in for the new quality standard.” Hearing that someone is “working on” changing a preference is always a bit of a warning signal; if all preferences are great ways to be, then the best preferences to have are the ones most natural for you. As Penny continued to talk about her new role, her discomfort became evident. Was she really an ENTJ? Further conversations led us to suspect a more natural style of INFJ—a dominant Intuitive type, not a dominant Thinking type (see Type Chart 6 on pages 140–142. Note that one of the ethical principles of working with type is that the person, not the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment or the consultant, determines his or her own type. “I answered according to the way I thought I should be here at work, not the way I want to be,” she finally concluded. Here’s how her comments provided clues to her inferior function, Sensing. Penny’s comments

Signs of the inferior function

■

This team treats me like a new kid on the block, balking at everything I ask them to do. I instituted several changes that will make the department’s operations smoother, but they ignore the opportunities I’m creating.

■

Penny was under stress to prove that she could lead the team, but INFJs usually lead by winning cooperation, not demanding it. Her ENTJ style was inauthentic, and the team knew it.

■

I’ve read all the department’s reports, financial statements, and warehouse inventory reports for the last year. I’m brimming with details.

■

Even under optimal circumstances, working with details is draining to a dominant Intuitive. Penny showed signs of being overwhelmed.

145

146

WORK IT OUT

■

Page six, paragraph three, of the quarterly report deals with a group of occasional chairs from North Carolina. They shouldn’t have been rejected under our standards. At every chance, I’m exploring why it happened.

■

For a dominant Intuitive, focusing on one detail to the exclusion of others is a sign that the inferior function, Sensing, may be at work.

■

Most days, I leave this place with a headache. I keep losing my watch and my glasses and feel like my brain is so scattered.

■

Bodily manifestations of stress such as headaches and an inability to manage the external world (the gift of Extraverted Sensing) are signs of her inferior function at work.

■

I have to be logical and analytical in this job. My decisions have to be fair and firm. I used to be more on the “heart” side, but I don’t think that works in management.

■

The words “have to” are very different from “prefer to.” Penny is forcing herself to be something she really isn’t, doing things that don’t come easily to her.

■

Life would be so much easier if I didn’t have to play the tough guy—monitoring everyone every day to see whether they follow through on my requests.

■

Again, the words “have to.” Penny wasn’t leading from her natural style. Usually, we don’t adopt another style very well, and when we do, we may exhibit its weaknesses rather than its strengths. For Penny, detailed monitoring became caustic rather than the helpful guidance it can be.

Penny was also under a great deal of stress, brought on by the following factors: ■

Her move to a new geographic location: “I’ve moved clear across the country for this job—left my family, friends, and a very comfortable house, not to mention a sure promotion at my old company.”

■

Her move to a new job: “I wanted the senior management post Impressions offered, and the salary and new job title are great too.”

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

■

Her move to senior management: “I know that I’m not a seasoned leader, but to become one, I needed to take this position.”

All of this added up to ideal conditions for Penny to be in the grip of her inferior function. Instead of using her own style, Penny adopted one that was inconsistent with who she was, behavior that in itself was stressful. Instead of looking at the big picture, she became obsessed with details and paranoid about errors. Instead of listening to her body (headaches and feelings of tiredness), she chose to plow ahead. Penny needed coaching to understand her true type and use it prescriptively in her new leadership role and for personal development.

The Extraverted Intuitive View of Quality Wesley served as the informal acting leader of the Quality Department before Penny was hired. He quickly and easily determined his type to be ENFP. When asked about how others viewed him, Wesley responded, “I’m known as an innovator who has lots of creative ideas.” Recently, Wesley had been working overtime, creating a display room of fabrics and furniture samples for a trade show. Here are some of Wesley’s comments, indicating the stress he was under and suggesting that his inferior function, Sensing, might be active. Much like Penny, Wesley was showing his stress in his obsession with details. He couldn’t see the creative opportunities coming his way. In addition Wesley’s comments

Signs of the inferior function

■

Show me in my job description where it says I’m supposed to do trade show displays! I’m not happy about doing something that is not in my job description.

■

Most dominant Intuitives rarely read their job descriptions, let alone follow them to the letter. Wesley brought his to the interview, a possible manifestation of his inferior function.

■

There is no model for me to follow or detailed information on this assignment.

■

Most dominant Intuitives enjoy creating from scratch. Because of stress, Wesley was upset by the kind of creative challenge he usually thrived on.

147

148

WORK IT OUT

■

More and more they’re asking me to travel all over the place! Ugh!

■

Travel, especially at company expense, is usually an Intuitive’s dream, opening up a world of possibilities.

■

I have terrible stomach cramps and ache all over. I must have cancer, so I’ve put myself on a strict macrobiotic diet. I follow the recipes to the letter.

■

During stressful times, many dominant Intuitives feel ill and attribute this feeling to a major or catastrophic illness. Wesley’s strict macrobiotic diet was another clue to the grasp of the inferior function—most Extraverted Intuitives love food in all its variety and don’t take well to restrictive diets.

■

I really miss the good old days with Ellen and our old approach to sizing up quality.

■

Experiencing so many imposed changes leads many dominant Intuitives to long for the “good old days.”

to the stress caused by organizational changes, after flourishing under Ellen’s management style, he experienced Penny’s pseudo-ENTJ approach as tough, detail-obsessed micromanagement. For him, Penny’s signature on the quarterly report was the last straw in a series of antagonisms. “We did just fine without a leader for more than a year. Now we have one who doesn’t trust us!”

The Introverted Feeling Side of the Story Leya, too, showed signs of stress. She affirmed her preferences as INFP, with dominant Feeling. INFPs are usually among the most cordial of types. However, Leya was anything but pleasant as the interview began; her hostile glances revealed her anger. Leya had more seniority than anyone else in the Quality Department. She had been selected by Ellen and, in the course of their working together, saw the department grow in influence and size. She and Ellen were friends outside work, too. More than others on the team, Leya detested the new quality standard. “Ellen trained us to look at quality with these questions in mind: ‘Would I buy this? Would I want my friends to buy this? How would I feel about

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

Impressions if I bought a chair and something was wrong with it?’ Perhaps Ellen’s standards were personal in nature, but they worked for 25 years!” Leya’s specific personality type added to the general stress caused by the management and standards changes. As a dominant Introverted Feeling type, Leya’s comments

Signs of the inferior function

■

This department is the pits! I won’t be a part of something that’s going to hell in a handbasket.

■

Negative global evaluations are unusual for Introverted Feeling types, but when they’re under stress, their judgments take on a negative tenor.

■

The new policy of “quality for the price” is one of the worst moves Impressions has ever made. I can’t imagine any goodwill coming from it.

■

Values-based standards “feel” right to Feeling types. Keeping Impressions a leader of low-cost, high-quality furniture was important to Leya. The new standard unnerved her and helped push her into her inferior function.

■

We used to get letters day in and day out from satisfied customers. We’re going to lose them with this new policy.

■

Leya seemed to be finding fault with everything, speaking at length about the organization’s stupidity.

■

Penny manages the department like she’s Attila the Hun!

■

When Leya thought about going along with the changes, she felt disloyal to her own values and to her friend Ellen. Penny was a convenient target, as she was the new person in charge of implementing the new standards and had also taken Ellen’s job.

■

I can’t be part of peddling “quality for the price” to Impressions customers. Given a choice of going along or getting along, I’ll just move along.

■

Although the inferior function drives people toward escape, making big changes while in its grip is unwise. People aren’t at their best psychologically and may make flawed decisions.

149

150

WORK IT OUT

she had a keen sense of what was important to her and operated from a values base. She’d internalized the old quality standard and was deeply bothered by the new approach as it was contrary to her values. She also valued Ellen’s familial style of leadership. She held steadfast to what she thought was right, and Impressions held steadfast to developing consistent quality control. Because of this impasse—this values clash—Leya felt the need to leave the Quality Department of Impressions, Inc.

The Extraverted Thinking Side of the Story Aside from Penny, Josh was the newest hire in the Quality Department. He had been with the company for four years and often was on the road in his procurement role. He felt that his added responsibilities as Marketing liaison matched his abilities well. “I used to be a buyer, but I saw firsthand how mistakes were made between the two functions. I wanted to be proactive on the Quality side of things so that we can ‘buy right’—you know, correct mistakes before customers are involved. I know from experience what we need to do to keep things working well.” He agreed with his MBTI results of ESTJ. Josh didn’t seem stressed by the changes at Impressions; in fact, he welcomed them. Here are his responses to the same interview questions we asked everyone.

Josh’s comments

Signs of the dominant function

■

ESTJ suits me to a T. I like to see things happen, and I work hard to make sure that we all follow through on commitments.

■

Josh felt comfortable in his type, perhaps because the new Marketing leader was an ESTJ, and they shared similar views on the changes.

■

Given the nationwide expansion plans, it only makes sense that the organization is shifting and that Penny was brought in from the outside to initiate the changes.

■

With typical ESTJ reasoning, Josh said, “The others should realize that new leadership always wants to put its own stamp on things.”

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

■

The disruption with Penny hasn’t affected me all that much because I have a good grasp of the company’s overall strategies. I thought we needed clearer quality standards, and it only makes sense to partner with Marketing.

■

Because of their logical approach to assessing new problems and their ability to keep emotions out of the way, ESTJs often add a cool stability to their work environments.

■

You can’t miss the problems between Penny and the team, but it puzzles me that they can’t get along. People never agree 100 percent; even at home, we quarrel once in a while.

■

As a dominant Extraverted Thinking type, Josh expected people problems both at home and at work. That there are always people issues seems only logical to ESTJs like Josh. Not taking this fact personally serves ESTJs well.

■

We are simply at a low time because of all the changes. When Penny gets used to her role and everyone else gets used to the quality standard, things should be okay.

■

Thinking types believe that in due time and with proper analysis, things can be turned around— and that there naturally will be “ups and downs” with any changes.

Why wasn’t Josh as stressed as everyone else? He hadn’t been at Impressions as long, his experiences outside the department had helped him see the need for some changes, and his personality preferences, ESTJ, fit the newly evolving culture at the company. The new standards and reporting relationships with Marketing matched Josh’s experiences and ideas about improvements that could be made. Even with all the changes going on around him, Josh maintained his psychological equilibrium and did not experience the mishaps of the inferior function. He used his personality type to advantage by objectively analyzing the situation and making sense of the changes. He applied his earlier experiences to the new situation and refused to let his emotions get in the way of his logical assessment. “It only makes sense to support Penny as the new director,” he said. “That’s how you get ahead.”

151

152

WORK IT OUT

THE TYPE INTERVENTION Follow these four steps to conduct a successful intervention.

Step 1: Gain a Clear Understanding of the Problem To get to the root of the problem, consider these questions: ■

Are outside factors causing difficulties? At Impressions, a host of factors other than basic personality differences were causing problems. In fact, without all these issues, the new team might have gotten along famously—Penny, Wesley, and Leya all shared NF preferences, which aided communication. These outside factors included: ■

A long period of uncertainty between the departure of the former leader, Ellen, and the arrival of the new leader, Penny

■

New leadership with a different style, from ESFJ to INFJ

■

New standards for evaluating quality, from a Feeling standard to more of a Thinking standard

■

A perceived loss of status in the corporate hierarchy, with the Quality director (no longer vice president) reporting to the head of Marketing rather than the CEO

■

A change from an ESFJ familylike culture to an ESTJ price-directed business culture

■

Are there factors in the team’s history that should be considered? Ellen, who had founded the department and selected all of the current employees except Penny, was gone but was almost a phantom leader. Her ESFJ leadership style had left its stamp on the department. Further, Feeling types tend to be loyal; those at Impressions felt torn between their loyalty to Ellen and the knowledge that they should transfer that loyalty to Penny.

■

Are the team’s problems rooted in basic personality misunderstandings? Type theory played a key role in helping team members understand the degree of stress they were experiencing and its effect on their behavior. In this case, stress-related issues rather than basic personality clashes led to the need for an intervention.

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

For example, Penny thought she could change her type, much as one changes an outfit, to suit her new role. A true understanding of personality type theory was important to this intervention, as it has been to many others, since there is real reason to be who you are. Personality type does not postulate one best way to be but offers 16 types, each with its own strengths. Working to change your type is counterproductive; a better goal is to seek paths for growth that are congruent with your natural bent. ■

Does the problem involve individuals or the whole team? Is individual coaching or teambuilding called for? Both individual coaching and teambuilding were required. Each person used the MBTI tool, and we met with them individually to help them verify their best-fit types. The MBTI data helped all the team members learn about the inferior function, what leads to stress, and how to reduce that stress.

Step 2: Create Understanding and Appreciation of Differences Help team members develop a clear understanding of the needs of each personality preference. At Impressions, the team needed to understand how stress affected their personalities, considering their dominant functions. This included knowing what events, activities, or changes cause stress, how each type might act when in the grip of the inferior function, and what would help each type relieve that stress. (See Type Chart 6, on pages 140–142, for information on each personality type.) Because tensions ran so high, we met with each person individually to discuss the workings of the inferior function. As part of the process, Sandra described to them her own experiences with her inferior function: My inferior function is Introverted Sensing. People who have Sensing as their dominant function are able to take in all the data the senses provide. Aesthetic and sensual experiences are appreciated in all their richness. There’s a wonderful delight in the physical world. But when I’m in the grip of my inferior function, those gifts of Sensing get twisted somehow. Instead of processing data, I become obsessed with detail and perhaps paranoid about errors. Instead of seeking pleasure, I tend to overindulge in ice cream and other things that feel good. Instead of enjoying

153

154

WORK IT OUT

the physical world, I avoid it or complain about it. And instead of accurately evaluating any physical discomforts I have, I tend to overreact and think I’m really sick with a major life-threatening illness!

Quality Department team members then used the chart to evaluate how the stress-producing changes had affected them. We worked with each person to list concrete suggestions, based on his or her personality, that would work to reduce stress. Type Chart 6, on pages 140–142, was a key part of these discussions.

Coaching to Relieve Penny’s Stress As an INFJ, Penny had Sensing as her inferior function. Being forced to attend to details, extraverting too much, and experiencing unexpected events (such as employee rebellion!) frequently trigger the INFJ’s inferior function (see the chart on page 141). To deal with stress, we suggested that Penny: ■

Use the teambuilding session as a vehicle to relate, in a straightforward way, her background and expertise to her new responsibilities at Impressions

■

Be open with her team about her newness to management, acknowledging her need for their support of her and of one another

■

Take some time to be alone and reflect as a way to reduce physical stress, including her headaches

■

Extend the upcoming holiday with extra days of vacation so she could get away and be refreshed

■

Read more about her own psychological type and those of the people in her department, focusing on the impact of stress and change and the inferior function (we suggested LifeTypes and Was That Really Me? 2 INFJs often prefer to learn by reading background information and reflecting on how it applies to them)

Coaching to Relieve Wesley’s Stress Triggers of Wesley’s inferior function included being overcommitted and tired (he was putting in considerable overtime on a trade show) and violation of important values or principles (Penny’s inauthentic leadership style and the new Quality standards). Because he mentioned so many physical symptoms, we strongly suggested he immediately take the following actions:

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

■

See a doctor to get an expert’s opinion on his stomach pain

■

Take time off to reflect on the creativity and inventiveness of his trade show assignment

■

Look at the impact of his judgments on Penny and see if he could empathize in part with her anxiety about her new position at Impressions

■

Leave the office at normal times for the next two weeks without taking any work home (Wesley groaned at this one!)

■

Plan to use the upcoming holiday to get some fresh air and see if he could find a way to change his perspective about what was going on at work

Note that we came up with similar suggestions for Penny and Wesley. That’s because they have similar type dynamics. Both are dominant Intuitives, and both have Sensing as an inferior function.

Coaching to Relieve Leya’s Stress Typical triggers of the inferior function for INFPs like Leya include a negative atmosphere, fear of loss in a relationship, and violation of values—all of which Leya had experienced. No wonder she was distraught and full of rage over the changes at Impressions, Inc. In coaching Leya, we took the following steps: ■

Asked what new possibilities might be open to her and whether she could regain her enthusiasm for the new path ahead of her

■

Allowed her to vent her frustrations (INFPs need to hear others agree that criticism, backstabbing, and negative atmospheres are harmful)

■

Asked her to think about the impact her heated explanations of her positions might have had on Penny and her other colleagues

■

Provided both personal and career counseling (Leya determined that she could not stay in the Quality Department and be productive with the new leader and the new standards. The human resources director offered Leya a choice of moving into another spot at Impressions or moving to a different organization entirely. Leya chose to move within Impressions and looked forward to the change.)

With time, Leya realized that there were sound business reasons for the changes at Impressions even though she couldn’t accept them herself. When she

155

156

WORK IT OUT

finally left to join another department, she had calmed down and recognized the legitimate differences in points of view, even if she couldn’t adapt to them.

Coaching to Relieve Josh’s Stress It seemed clear from our observations that the changes at Impressions, Inc., hadn’t caused as much stress for Josh as they had for his teammates. Some of this could be attributed to his shorter tenure with the company, his alignment with the new plans for Quality, and the frequent road trips that kept him away from the fray and the daily irritations involved. The literature on ESTJs also indicates that they tend to recover from inferior function stress reactions more quickly than other types, perhaps because of their objective perspectives. Josh wanted all the “sensible and logical” changes made as quickly as possible. “Things will be just fine once Penny gets started on implementing the changes and my colleagues get used to the way things are going to be,” he said. We provided a sounding board for Josh as he reworked his thoughts about the value of all the changes at Impressions. We also asked him how he could support Penny in her current situation and what advice he might have for his co-workers on coping with the changes.

Leadership Styles This exercise is designed to help people understand how different types lead. Leadership was an important issue for two reasons: Penny had adopted a false leadership style, thinking that she had to be as tough as nails to be fair; and the team had thrived under Ellen’s ESFJ style and needed to become aware of the strengths of other styles. Each person was asked to fold a piece of flip-chart paper in half crosswise and then lengthwise, so that it had four quadrants. They were to draw four symbols, one in each quadrant, representing: ■

Their image of the Impressions Quality Department

■

Their leadership style

■

An animal that represents their way of contributing to the department

■

Their theme song

The last two items were meant to add some humor to the exercise but often also help people learn about one another. The following chart shows the responses of the four people at Impressions, Inc.

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

Penny (INFJ)

Wesley (ENFP)

Leya (INFP)

Josh (ESTJ)

Image of the Quality Department

A boat that I accidentally punched a hole in while trying to rig the new sails it needed

A polished string quintet that’s struggling to adjust to dance-hall music

Dorothy’s Tin Woodsman—no heart

A good clock that just needed a few adjustments

Leadership style

A flashlight, shining the way to new ideas

A juggler, keeping all sorts of things going

A mirror, reflecting back what we ought to be

A clock, dependable and accurate—no surprises

Animal that represents their way of contributing

A race horse— professionally oriented but also has a bit of the Wild West (new adventure) in her

Dolphin—intelligent, playful, and communicative, with a wide ocean of ideas

Unicorn—holding great ideas but only coming into the light when necessary

Border collie— knowing what we need to do to move in the right direction

Theme song

“Don’t Fence Me In”

“A Spoonful of Sugar”

“I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”

“Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go”

Step 3: Develop a Plan In this step, team members met to generate ideas and then developed action plans for working it out at Impressions. After they gained an initial understanding of personality type and the role of the inferior function, team members were ready to clarify roles and responsibilities. At the first meeting, the vice president of Marketing made a clear presentation on Quality’s role, the rationale for selecting Penny, and the new quality policy. Penny then stated her goals for teambuilding, her understanding of the department’s mission, and her thoughts about the new quality standards. The rest of the session involved deepening their understanding of type and exploring how they might reduce stress for one another. The second phase of the teambuilding process came three weeks later. During this meeting, team members set up committees to develop action plans that addressed the specific concerns identified in the previous meeting. As the committees reported out at the end of the day, Penny commented, “I think we’re

157

158

WORK IT OUT

finally on the same page. And I can be who I am and use my natural style.” She acknowledged that she had overdone her “tough guy” stance in a poor imitation of an ENTJ and would be true to herself in the future. “I’m beginning to feel hopeful and even enthusiastic about our department again,” said Wesley. “Finally, we can get down to work,” added Josh.

Step 4: Reevaluate the Need for Individual Coaching Penny in particular needed extensive coaching and support for her new role and responsibilities. She listened carefully to several key findings from the interview data, which were shared without mentioning names or specific situations. These included the impact of her tough, unnatural management style, micromanagement of employee assignments, and newness to management. After reviewing the typical areas for growth for INFJs (see page 201), she also recognized that she had failed to bring others into her thinking and had tried to do everything herself. She used the first teambuilding session to rectify some of her mistakes, clarifying her positions and forming committees to involve everyone in solving the problems facing the department. Other specific coaching included: ■

Explaining situational leadership. In The Situational Leader, Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard compare and contrast leaders’ experience with their followers’ readiness to complete tasks, resulting in four leadership styles: Delegating, Participating, Telling, and Selling.3 At Impressions, Penny, an inexperienced leader, inherited a very experienced staff. The model helped Penny—and the rest of the team—understand why any new leader might have had initial difficulties managing this particular team.

■

Providing reading materials on type and leadership. INFJs often prefer independent study, with a coach available later for discussion and clarification.

■

Promoting self-advocacy. Penny practiced self-advocacy at the first teambuilding session by explaining why she was uniquely qualified for the role. INFJs often assume that people understand the value of their contributions.

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

Penny announced to the staff that she wanted them to tell her any time they felt she’d left them out of her thought processes for too long. Seeing that INFJs generally had this tendency made it easier for team members to suggest they be included in her thinking processes.

THE RESULTS OF WORKING IT OUT WITH TYPE Leya and Wesley both left the Quality Department, although Wesley left only partially. After his doctor confirmed that he did not have cancer, Wesley began to enjoy setting up the trade show. Further, he found such satisfaction in partnering with Marketing and Sales for the project that he approached their director about moving to that area, and she created a new Marketing/Quality liaison role for him. Those who chose to remain with the Quality Department reported that understanding their inferior functions helped them work through the changes and challenges they’d experienced.

159

160

WORK IT OUT

T Y P E TA K E AWAY You might ask, “How do I recognize the signs of a lurking inferior function, and how can I keep it at bay?” Here are some suggestions for you as an individual and for your team. Type Chart 6, on pages 140–142, should help you implement them.

Type Solver for Individuals To reduce the effects of an activated inferior function, you can use your auxiliary function. The following questions may help you focus on how to use your auxiliary function (#2 on page 16) in order to escape the grip of your inferior function. If your auxiliary function is Sensing (ESTJ, ESFJ, ISTP, ISFP), ask: ■

What can my senses verify about this situation? What is real, and what have I imagined?

■

What can I learn that is concrete? What can I do that is more sensible?

■

What are the real costs, and how can I be sure something works?

If your auxiliary function is Intuition (ENFJ, ENTJ, INFP, INTP), ask: ■

What new ideas might be helpful? Could I take a different approach to a current activity?

■

What possibilities for growth or renewal could come out of this situation?

■

What else could be going on in this situation, and in what other ways should I proceed?

If your auxiliary function is Thinking (ESTP, ENTP, ISTJ, INTJ), ask: ■

What logical steps could I take to change what is causing me stress? Which area can I fix first?

■

What are my guiding principles? How can I align with them?

■

Why is this an issue, and what should be done about this situation?

STYLE-CHANGING STRESS

If your auxiliary function is Feeling (ESFP, ENFP, ISFJ, INFJ), ask: ■

How are my actions making others feel?

■

Am I being too hard on myself? Would I judge others as harshly under similar circumstances?

■

What is good about this, and why do I like/dislike this course of action for this situation?

Type Solver for Teams When your team seems unduly stressed, and the inferior function may be lurking, choose from the following teambuilding ideas. ■

■

Interview each person using a common set of questions. If you are concerned about whether responses will be honest, consider bringing in a representative from your human resources department or an outside consultant to gather the information. Here are some sample questions: ■

What’s it like to be a part of this team?

■

What would you change if you could?

■

Do you receive clear direction? If not, give some examples of times when you have not had clear direction for your area of responsibility. What would help bring clarity?

■

Are employees treated fairly? If not, give examples of unfair treatment. How could employees be treated more fairly?

■

What does this team do best?

■

Where could the team improve?

■

What else would help this team function more smoothly?

Consider conducting a commercially available team attitude survey. These surveys provide specific and quantifiable data about the various issues facing teams (leadership, support, clarity, roles, and so on).

161

162

WORK IT OUT

■

Talk with external customers, vendors, and others who interact with the team and ask for their comments as to what the team is doing well and where improvements could be made.

■

Brainstorm with a mentor or a senior manager to explore the history of the team, as we did at Impressions. Look for reasons for the team’s current reality. Could there be resentment of newcomers or promotions? How has this team changed organizationally (for example, at Impressions, the team had recently acquired a new quality standard, a new manager, and different reporting relationships and status)? If there are contrasts between the management styles of the new team leader and previous ones, what are they? Type can help tremendously with this analysis.

■

Assess what the team can and cannot change and/or what the team “needs” versus what the team “wants.”

■

Consider your own communications in times of stress. Are you sending clear messages? Remember that when a person is in the grip of the inferior function, you may need to communicate repeatedly before you are heard and understood.

■

Think of general ways to relieve stress around your workplace. Some remedies include noise reduction, private spaces where people may go when they need to concentrate, keeping surprises to a minimum, and making sure that people keep regular hours and take their vacations.

Be careful not to imply that a given behavior is a result of another person’s inferior function. People don’t like to hear that they’re acting like they got up on the wrong side of the bed, especially when they’re already feeling that way!

8 INFLUENCING UPWARD The Problem Is the Boss—or Is It? The Goal: Effectively influencing others by speaking their language.

It’s a fact: Your boss is the boss. She or he is in control, and your relationship may not always be smooth. Given that all of us go through life and work interacting with many different people, there is ample opportunity for problems. You can approach these problems with seminars and books about how to deal with micromanagers, procrastinators, show-offs, and other difficult people. Or you can look for clues about the kinds of information people with different personality preferences pay attention to—especially your boss. What factors do they consider in making decisions? How do they prefer to approach solving problems? How can you get them to listen to your perspective? One way to do this is to identify your boss’s dominant function—Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, or Feeling. (See chapter 1 for more information on the dominant function.) The dominant preferences have different styles of problem solving and decision making. Understanding these styles can help you provide the right tools and information to your superiors and others as well as discover more effective ways to communicate. Compare your boss’s preferences for gathering information, making decisions, and solving problems. If these preferences match yours, you’re in luck, because you have methods in common. If they don’t, this chapter covers ways to adapt your style to exert influence upward. However, even when the preferences are a match, remember that there are a lot of individual differences within personality preferences and types. Thus, the techniques given here may apply even when the person you hope to influence shares your personality preferences. So this chapter may give you some ideas for bossing your boss—or at least playing to his or her strengths!

165

166

WORK IT OUT

SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF GETTING YOUR IDEAS HEARD Dominant Sensing (ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTP, ESFP) Kyri, a dominant Intuitive type, thought she had developed a brilliant way to handle her division’s monthly client review process. When the computer generated its list of troubled accounts, she carefully marked those that appeared on the problem list for the first time. For those accounts, Kyri had her assistant pull the client’s complete file. She or one of her colleagues then filled out a summary analysis form, recording the pertinent financial information and review comments. For repeats on the problem list, her assistant pulled only the information placed in the file since the previous review, thus eliminating several hours of review work that duplicated the efforts of the month before. The existing analysis form was updated and passed on to Kyri’s manager for review and approval. Sara, Kyri’s manager, disliked the new system. A dominant Sensing type, she still wanted to see all the data, especially the background information on which the summary form was based. Before Kyri came up with her idea and review form, a client’s entire folder, three to five inches thick, went to Sara each month with a written analysis form placed on top. Sara told Kyri, “I can’t tell if you’ve captured all the important information. Besides, what if you missed something last month? What if that information is important now?” Kyri replied, “You don’t have time to review all this stuff . . . and we don’t have time to redo the same items month after month. With my method, we don’t spend time checking on clients who seem to provide repeat business for our surveillance screens.” Even though Kyri has an idea that could save considerable time and effort, Sara, a Sensing type, will not be comfortable with it unless Kyri pays attention to her needs for details and specific information. Dominant Sensing types such as Sara often have a unique ability to find pertinent facts in the midst of voluminous data files and notice what needs attention. Here are some Sensing characteristics along with suggestions for approaches Kyri could try:

INFLUENCING UPWARD

Dominant Sensing types tend to: ■

■

■

■

■

See the facts at hand and want to know the exact details

Rely on their past experience

Want realistic time frames and schedules

Have all the necessary information at their fingertips

Look for the details first in order to ascertain what is essential to the problem

As a dominant Intuitive type, Kyri could: ■

Increase the amount of detail shown on the summary sheets

■

Spell out specific policies and procedures for the new system

■

Prepare several files using both the old and new methods

■

Review the dual reports with Sara, demonstrating how the old method dovetails with the new

■

Quantify the time savings under the new system

■

Provide a comparison of the processing schedules under the old and new systems

■

Set up a flag system so that more information can be pulled quickly if Sara needs it

■

Use her Intuition to look for patterns in Sara’s informational needs and then meet those needs

■

Back up the summaries with details in plain sight so that Sara can quickly review what needs attention

■

Perform periodic reviews and assessments so that important details are not overlooked

167

168

WORK IT OUT

THE COMPANY GATHERING PUZZLE Dominant Intuition (INTJ, ENTP, INFJ, ENFP) Mutual Benefits Corporation, a large insurance company, had just completed a merger with Trimark Corporation, one of its competitors. Hannah, the head of employee relations, asked Andrew, a senior manager, to meet with her. Hannah began, “Now that our merger with Trimark is complete, I want to make sure that the annual employee gathering welcomes everyone, including our newcomers. Let’s make it a stretch this year, something really special to help them transfer their loyalty from Trimark to Mutual Benefits.” Andrew asked, “What kind of budget do I have for the event?” “I’ll negotiate some extra funding from senior management after I review your ideas. Why don’t you get back to me next week with your plans? You can put your other projects on the back burner until we have the site reserved and our plans roughed out.” Andrew spent the next few days thoroughly checking out the traditional company picnic site—a beautiful, multiuse park complete with beach, playground, picnic area, and nature trails. He verified that if Mutual Benefits rented two adjacent picnic shelters, the park could accommodate the increased size of the group. The company’s favorite caterer, a popular Mexican deli, also assured Andrew that it could easily serve the larger group. Andrew reported back to Hannah, “We can get the park on the first Sunday in August, as usual. I found two new entertainment acts, so we’ll be able to divide the children into groups instead of having one magician or clown act trying to keep the interest of so many. Also, with two picnic shelters, we can add more games and activities. This should make for a great employee appreciation event.” Hannah looked at the information Andrew had given her. “Did you check out any other possibilities? What if we did something other than a picnic?” “Something else? We’ve been at Mears Lake Park for twelve years, and most employees circle the first Sunday in August when they get their yearly calendars. It’s a tradition that lots of people look forward to. More than 200 employees and their families attend every year. That shows how popular the event is.” “I hear, though,” replied Hannah, “that it’s the same employees every year. Those without children aren’t interested, and others don’t like Mexican food. Did you find out if Trimark had any traditions for their gatherings?”

INFLUENCING UPWARD

“Well, no. I thought it would be better to welcome them in our fashion.” Hannah paused a moment before speaking again. “I want some new ideas for this event. Some companies rent recreational facilities, theaters, hire professional entertainment, take evening cruises. What would generate some excitement here? What would make this an event no one would want to miss?” “I’m really not sure we should change it. It’s always been a family event. You could lose as many employees as you gain, all for a lot of bother and cost,” Andrew replied. Andrew, a dominant Sensing type, didn’t understand that Hannah, a dominant Intuitive type, wanted new possibilities for the annual employee gathering. Andrew knew that the picnic had been popular and built on his past experiences to come up with what was, to him, a bigger, better, more exciting event, albeit at the same place and time. To meet Hannah’s needs, Andrew might consider these tendencies and ways of addressing them: Dominant Intuitive types tend to: ■

■

Explore new possibilities.

Look for patterns other than the obvious when reviewing data.

As a dominant Sensing type, Andrew could: ■

Research several alternatives, either by calling his counterparts at other companies or by checking library or Web resources on corporate events.

■

Survey employees through an informal poll or by posting a suggestion box in the lunchroom.

■

Seek other reasons why picnic attendance has been consistent. Talk with other employees about their likes and dislikes.

■

Gather information from others— suppliers, customers, other firms (especially Trimark).

■

See what data points come up again and again and present them as a pattern.

169

170

WORK IT OUT

■

■

■

Use analogies to solve problems.

Tackle new problems with zest.

Focus on the big-picture aspects of a problem.

■

Review how other meetings and events have been handled since the merger. Are all consistent with the Mutual Benefits style, or have Trimark elements been added? Use the findings to augment the planning process.

■

Review the way others handle issues.

■

Use his experience to reflect on or remember similar events and ask, “What worked and didn’t work?” Use conclusions to augment his plan.

■

Remember that Hannah may be a better advocate for a novel event than for the “same old thing.”

■

Determine what is new, different, or unusual in his findings.

■

Keep the broad scope of the event at the forefront for Hannah.

■

Show how people and processes come together.

■

Save details until they are needed.

SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF WHO SHOULD GO Dominant Thinking (ISTP, INTP, ESTJ, ENTJ) For Edge Electronics, a manufacturer of consumer electronics, early advertising and exposure of its new developments were vital to success. Edge’s strategies

INFLUENCING UPWARD

included showcasing new lines and ideas at the major electronics industry trade conventions each year. Chris handed a folder to his associate Gerri and said, “Here’s the scoop on the upcoming digital electronics convention in Orlando. I have clearance from above to send one sales representative from your team and one rep from my National Accounts team. Everyone realizes that two people will be slim coverage for our booth, but Edge’s travel budget won’t handle sending more reps than that. Given that our three major customers plan to attend, I think that I, as head of National Accounts, should be there to provide them with red-carpet treatment. I’d like you to decide who the other rep should be—no reason it couldn’t be you, if you think that’s best. Otherwise, take a look at everyone’s sales records this year, which sales representatives’ customers plan to attend, and whatever else you think will make your decision as fair as possible.” “You and I certainly don’t both need to be there,” replied Gerri. “And you know, my husband and I just took our kids to Orlando last year, so I have no interest in attending. My first thought is to send Roxanne. She needs this type of experience in making contacts and spotting potential clients.” “Roxanne? She’s too new. I don’t think she knows enough about our upcoming consumer products to work a convention. I won’t say no to her yet, but let’s consider our other options. Which rep is furthest ahead of budget so far this year?” Gerri thought for a moment. “Kyle—but he just got back from the Las Vegas show. Sending him would only hurt the morale of others who’ve worked just as hard. Given that the convention runs over the weekend, it would be a shame not to send someone who has children.” Gerri went on, “Perhaps we could set this up as an annual opportunity, with the idea that the chance will rotate among our top achievers. That way, everyone will feel motivated by the opportunity to go.” Chris raised an eyebrow. “The problem with doing that is finding crystalclear criteria so that we won’t be accused of playing favorites. If it’s set as a percentage of budget, someone will say his or her budget was unfairly high. If it’s seniority, the same people will go. If it’s perfect attendance, then we might not like the choice. The people who go should be the best ones to represent our firm,” Chris concluded. “Set up your criteria and let me know your choice.” Chris, as a Thinking type, needed a logical rationale to reach his decision, whereas Gerri, as a Feeling type, wanted to maintain harmony in the organization. Gerri has quite a job, trying to set objective criteria for Chris that will also meet her needs and contribute to harmony in the office. Here are some suggestions for going about this task:

171

172

WORK IT OUT

Dominant Thinking types tend to: ■

■

Seek objective, measurable criteria for decision making that can be fairly and consistently applied

Identify the flaws in ideas or processes

As a Dominant Feeling type, Gerri could: ■

Create a matrix that lists the decision-making criteria, covering both Thinking and Feeling aspects

■

Rank each decision against the criteria

■

If the decision turns out “wrong,” revisit the criteria

■

Show that only logical criteria, such as sales records, might be less than effective as key indicators of problems

■

Point out Thinking criteria early so as to more easily introduce less logical yet equally rational Feeling criteria

■

Desire consistency, considering it more important than the feelings of others

■

Work with Chris to articulate a framework for choosing future convention attendees; the same criteria would have to work when conventions are held in different settings

■

Look at the principles involved in the situation

■

Meet Chris’s need to know that the best people are being considered by making a list of each member’s objective qualifications, such as product knowledge and convention experience, before moving to values-based criteria

■

Weigh the pros and cons

■

Be sure to consider the negatives, hard as it may be, about each alternative

INFLUENCING UPWARD

THE SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT SITE Dominant Feeling (ISFP, INFP, ESFJ, ENFJ) Tender Toys manufactured and distributed nonviolent toys that emphasized creativity and met the needs of people of different ethnic origins. Dale had worked for Tender Toys and its founder, Ramón, from the beginning. Ramón’s timing for Tender Toys was perfect; the company was ahead of the market in realizing the importance of multiculturalism and parents’ concerns about selecting longlasting, worthwhile products for their children. The company had outgrown its suburban facility, and Ramón asked Dale to meet with him to start relocation planning. Ramón began, “This has been such a great spot for our company, with its easy access for our staff and Oak Field Park just down the way. I know employees often walk there at lunch, and I personally like the view. I’ve also enjoyed being housed with a nonprofit organization—this is all in keeping with our image as a values-driven company. Dale, your job is to find us a new spot that will keep our employees happy and be good for our business. I’d like to have a small museum-style showroom in the new building so that customers and their children can stop by and see the development of our toys. We’ve had a lot of mail recently from teachers who think this could be a good field trip spot, and I’d like to provide that opportunity. It’s good business and good customer relations, too. “So what I’m looking for is a place like this, but one with more space. Costeffective and convenient, of course, but also personifying the mission of Tender Toys. I feel you’re the right person for this assignment,” Ramón continued. “You handled our space planning so well last year, keeping shipping, manufacturing, and our customer service staff happy! Let me know when you find some possible sites.” Dale left the meeting with her head full of considerations. Her first thought was, “If Tender Toys could be near the airport, rather than on the opposite end of town as we are now, that would reduce our trucking costs by about 50 percent and save headaches on rush shipments. And sharing a warehouse facility again could decrease overhead. Perhaps the new office park next to that spacious compound the defense contractors developed . . . ”

173

174

WORK IT OUT

Two weeks later, Dale returned to Ramón’s office with a neatly bound report on relocation sites. “My report delineates the top five choices, weighted on the criteria of leasing costs, distance from the airport, and space available for future expansion. Various other factors such as neighboring tenants are listed in narrative form. Actually, I included more information on the top three sites since the last two are significantly more expensive and therefore pretty much out of the running. I’m especially excited about the first one, in Quadrangle Office Park. It’s close to the airport, yet it’s a new building that could be turned into a showpiece.” Ramón scanned the report summary. “We can’t move to the west side of town. Most of our employees live here in the eastern suburbs and wouldn’t want that kind of commute. As for the second one—isn’t it next to the National Guard armory? I served in the Guard myself, but I imagine that Tender Toys customers wouldn’t want to drive their children past the military display as they head to the premier maker of nonviolent toys!” Dale looked a bit perplexed as she replied, “But anything on this side of town will double our transportation costs as well as lessen our chances of finding a newer site. Everything around here is occupied by established businesses that are not likely to move out. The other side of town is full of empty space, and that means more choices and lower costs. We’re at the top end of the toy market already, and we can’t afford to increase our costs. The fifth site on my list is close to here. You’ve already eliminated sites one and two, but I can’t see choosing number five over sites three and four.” “Well, the third one isn’t in the greatest part of town for our workers. Am I correct about that?” asked Ramón. “We’d have our own secured facility, and the building already has most of the modifications we need,” Dale replied. Ramón shook his head. “I want my employees to feel that we look out for their best interests. Remember, key factors for me are, in no special order, proximity to a park or nature area, having business neighbors with values similar to ours, and a space that reflects our image back to our customers. So that leaves just two of your five choices, and I’m not sure about the fourth one. I think you’d better come up with at least two more that meet our needs. Will that take much longer?” Ramón, a dominant Feeling type, did not have the same priorities as Dale, a dominant Thinking type. Dale placed a higher weight on the logical, measurable criteria for the decision than on the values-based criteria Ramón outlined. Here are some ideas Dale could try as she looks for sites that would be acceptable to Ramón:

INFLUENCING UPWARD

Dominant Feeling types tend to: ■

■

■

As a dominant Thinking type, Dale could: ■

Restart the process with Ramón

■

Listen carefully to his concerns for employees and customers (commuting distances, surroundings, etc.), typical of Feeling types

■

Know that the impact on people might outweigh cost considerations

Be values driven (These values often seem vague to Thinking types. For example, the image of co-tenants and the ambience of nearby parks might matter greatly to Feeling types like Ramón, whereas criteria like cost and efficiency tend to be more important to Thinking types like Dale.)

■

Understand that it is extremely difficult to change a Feeling type’s position on a value, and therefore find options that honor those values

■

List the non-negotiables for the Feeling type

Make exceptions to rules if people or circumstances warrant it

■

Start first with the values being served and then carefully list the pros and cons of each site using both the “logical” and the valuesbased options

■

Remember that the best choice may be based on a combination of values and logical criteria

Consider foremost the impact of a decision on the people involved

175

176

WORK IT OUT

■

Try to keep harmony among all players and therefore may understate their position

■

Remember that Feeling types may really dislike a decision but be unwilling to hurt anyone’s feelings by directly articulating what they dislike (Dale, as a Thinking type, needs to listen closely to hesitancies or cushioning terms that may indicate she’s on thin ice with Ramón, her Feeling-type boss.)

■

Want group consensus

■

Consider letting the employees vote on the two or three most reasonable choices that meet all of Ramón’s criteria (This is a rational, although perhaps not logical, way to proceed.)

INFLUENCING UPWARD

T Y P E TA K E AWAY Has this chapter piqued your curiosity? Would you like to see if providing information in a different way or paying attention to different factors can indeed influence those around you?

Type Solvers to Try When you suspect differing dominant functions, these ideas may be helpful.

Influencing Upward If your problem is with the boss, try this exercise: ■

Determine your boss’s dominant preference (S, N, T, F), either the actual one or your best estimate.

■

Recast your messages using the suggestions given in this chapter for your boss’s dominant preference.

■

If you know someone else with the same dominant function as your boss, have him or her coach you as you practice communicating. Incorporate this person’s suggestions before you approach your boss.

Criteria Comparison If your problem is with your team, try this exercise: ■

Select one of the scenarios from this chapter—introducing a new process, planning a company event, choosing the right person for an assignment, or moving to a different location—or work on your team’s current hotbutton issue.

■

Divide into four groups, based on dominant function (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling). If you are missing a dominant function, work together to fill in responses, using the material in this chapter.

■

Ask the people in each group to outline the process they would use to solve a problem and record the factors they consider most important.

177

178

WORK IT OUT

■

As the groups report back, use the statements on pages 167, 169–170, 172, and 175–176 to analyze how closely each group’s answers reflect its dominant functions.

■

As a full team, discuss the implications of each group’s style for dealing with problems that face the team. Are there any missing perspectives— Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, or Feeling?

■

If any of the dominant functions is absent from your team, discuss ways in which your team can compensate, perhaps by looking at who might have that function as his or her auxiliary function.

Progressive Problem Solving Here’s another graphic way to demonstrate the use of the dominant functions in problem solving. Work as a full group on a topic such as purchasing new computers for everyone. ■

Start with the whole group in one corner of the room and list three factual information needs for the decision (Sensing).

■

Leave the Sensing types in the first corner to listen while the rest of the group moves to the next corner. Come up with three possible “outside the box” possibilities for addressing the issue (Intuition).

■

Move on to the third corner, leaving the Intuitive types behind in the second corner to listen, and consider the pros and cons of the informational needs just given and the possible methods (Thinking) of resolving the problem.

■

Finally, move the Feeling types to the last corner. With the other three groups listening, ask them to address the way the process delineated so far may affect individual team members.

This exercise illustrates the importance of considering the domains of each dominant function (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling) in making decisions and solving problems. Note: If your team has had considerable training in formal approaches to problem solving, the differences among the dominant functions may not be as striking, because good problem solving involves the use of all four dominant preferences—Sensing (the facts), Intuition (interpretation of the facts), Thinking (the pros and cons of acting), and Feeling (the impact of a solution on the people involved).

9 COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS Putting Type to Work for You One of our great privileges in the work we do is coaching people for success— helping Malcolm, the new president, soften his critical edges; tutoring Penny, the new director of the Quality Department, to use the strengths of her personality type; and seeing Luis pull his team back together. The concepts of personality type often deepen an individual’s self-awareness. Our clients understand more about themselves, their individual work situations, and how they want to live their lives. The theory gives Sensing types a practical and meaningful way of understanding human interaction. For Intuitive types, it offers a conceptual framework for pondering human potential and possibilities. For Thinking types, it provides a logical model that explains many puzzling nuances of human interaction. And for Feeling types, it presents a system that honors the value of individual differences, encouraging us to enrich our lives and our work by learning how to work it out with our opposites. Several common scenarios lead to requests for individual coaching, including: ■

A teambuilding process in which either the leader or a team member needs specific skill development, support, or more intensive one-on-one time. Remember the public speaking needs of the Systems Design team in chapter 2?

■

When the person appears mismatched with the work he or she is required to do, with others on the team, or with the organizational environment in general. Remember Eric, who eventually left the company he’d once led?

181

182

WORK IT OUT

■

When there are personality clashes and people need mediation or conflict resolution. Remember Dean and Gwen?

■

When an individual feels like a “square peg in a round hole,” is caught in a no-win situation, or finds that work is no longer meaningful or rewarding. Remember Leya?

Appendix B outlines our coaching process in detail. In this chapter, though, we provide information on each of the 16 types: their general strengths, typical areas for growth, leadership styles, problem-solving styles, and how you might coach them. Use the information as a starting place for coaching yourself, or as a source of tips for working with someone on your team. Also included is the story of a real-life coaching situation (identities disguised, of course), which is representative of typical needs for each of the 16 personality types.

COACHING YOURSELF Use these coaching tips for yourself: ■

Before reading the pages for your personality type, think of two recent situations that didn’t go as smoothly as you would have liked. Ask yourself if type may have been a factor.

■

Look through the typical areas for growth for your type. Were any of these areas a factor in the situations you identified?

■

Review the coaching suggestions and record specific instances when you could have acted or reacted differently.

■

Review your self-critique with a trusted colleague or someone else you respect. Does he or she agree with your conclusions? If so, what might that person recommend you do differently?

■

List the areas for growth most appropriate for you on an index card and place it somewhere that will allow a daily review of your hot-button issues.

■

Broaden the coaching suggestions by reading other management texts or finding specific training opportunities.

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

■

Look at your type dynamics. Respect the role of your dominant function (#1 on page 16) and make sure you allow time for its expression, either at work or at home. Then think about your inferior function. How does it emerge under times of stress? Have you overlooked its domain in problem solving? If so, what were the results?

ACTING AS COACH Use these suggestions to coach a teammate or someone who works for you: ■

First, review your own type description to see if the problem between you and the other person might result from your own shortcomings or from honest differences in your and the other person’s personality styles. Pay particular attention to the typical areas for growth given below.

■

Allow the person you are coaching to self-select his or her own type by taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, reading the first chapter of this book, or reviewing another type resource.

■

Use the following suggestions for people with a given preference.1 Tailor your constructive feedback to meet that person’s communication style: Sensing: Describe the actual and specific unwanted behavior or unfulfilled responsibilities you have observed. Be concrete. Use factual data. Intuition: Relate the actual behavior to the big picture (team productivity, for example) and give your impressions about how this behavior has affected outcomes. Present this as your interpretation of the facts. Thinking: Determine and express the logical outcomes of this behavior and its consequences for you, the individual, and others in the work unit. Consider the pros and cons of any actions you might take. Feeling: Disclose your values and feelings. Explain why this behavior or responsibility is important to you and why it matters.

■

If the difficulty is between different members of the team, consider having each person work through the suggestions above. Then mediate a discussion of what went wrong from a type perspective and how the team could do things differently in the future (see chapter 5 for an example).2

■

Together, adopt an action plan that respects each type and gives specifics for improvement.

183

184

WORK IT OUT

ISTJ Commonsense Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Ruth asked for coaching. “I can’t seem to say ‘no’ to my boss, no matter how much work I already have. How can I delegate when he’s counting on me to do it right?” she lamented. As with many ISTJs we’ve coached, Ruth worked too hard, put in long hours, and consequently lost sight of the big picture. Not surprisingly, as her work mounted, her enthusiasm dropped. She felt burned out. While we were discussing Ruth’s situation with her boss, he commented, “She does everything I ask her to do, so I naturally thought she could handle more. I didn’t realize that Ruth completed these assignments by working evenings and Saturdays and on her vacation days, too.” As we coached Ruth, we reviewed her duties and tried to assess what could reasonably be accomplished in a normal workweek. We then helped her determine options for delegating tasks to others and strategized how she could say no to unreasonable requests. By periodically pausing, taking a step back, and looking at the big picture, Ruth gradually gained perspective and lowered her stress level considerably.

General Strengths ■

Learning and practicing until they have mastered their tasks or necessary skills

■

Being trustworthy with details in contracts, documents, time tables, events, and so on

■

Sticking with things, such as schedules and commitments, until they are done

■

Using past experience and the facts of a situation to make decisions

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Bring order and efficiency to whatever they undertake. Problem-solving style: Sensing (looking at the facts), then Thinking (applying logic), then Feeling (considering people), and last, Intuition (looking at the larger picture). When coaching ISTJs: Use systematic, step-by-step, practical, and proven methods. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Not being able to see the big picture, getting mired in the details or constraints of the current reality.

■

Look again at the situation. Ask yourself how the facts add up, how your perspective might change in the future, what inferences you can make based on the data.

■

Holding on to your own conclusion too long, becoming inflexible in your views.

■

Ask about the other stakeholders’ perspectives. What pieces are you missing?

■

Accepting more responsibilities rather than delegating them or saying “no.”

■

Say “yes” only if you have time or if no one else could do it or benefit from doing it. Ask yourself what else would benefit from your attention.

■

Making few exceptions for yourself or others with regard to standard operating procedures.

■

Recognize the reality of extenuating circumstances. Before you resist making an exception, think about whether anything will be harmed, or if a different rule should become the standard.

■

Failing to express approval or appreciation.

■

Write a note or say how much you appreciate or value the contributions of others. Work to personalize these expressions.

■

Being too work oriented or serious.

■

Open up to others, relax and take time away from work, or share your wry sense of humor.

185

186

WORK IT OUT

ISTP Factual Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

If most ISTPs we’ve encountered could have their way, their positions would allow them to work autonomously, with little interference. Many ISTPs prefer working alone and enjoy taking a task from start to finish. Fred was just such an ISTP. His supervisor, who thought highly of Fred’s technical work, asked us to coach Fred because he found Fred difficult to read. “Plus, if he wants resources and responsibilities, he needs to let others know the value of his work and how they might add value.” Fred admitted, “I’ve always been a man of few words. And shouldn’t my work speak for itself?” However, he understood the rationale for being more politically savvy and willingly agreed to be coached rather than put the job he enjoyed at risk. He believed it would, in the long run, yield him more job satisfaction. Fred took several short courses in interpersonal relationships. We also videotaped role-playing activities, using recent experiences from his work. As he roleplayed situations, we noted what he did well and brainstormed how he could handle other things differently. As Fred watched the videotapes, he commented, “That actually works. I felt strange, trying to be a bit warmer and more enthusiastic, but I sound believably persuasive!” That motivated him to practice his skills outside our sessions. Fred agreed to give his supervisor brief daily updates as well as weekly and monthly reviews of his work in progress. This allowed him to communicate what he was thinking to others.

General Strengths ■

Being a repository for facts and specifics that can be readily retrieved

■

Working around or through red tape to accomplish the seemingly impossible

■

Adapting realistically to extenuating circumstances

■

Using past experience and the facts of a situation to make decisions

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by quietly setting an example. Problem-solving style: Thinking (applying logic), then Sensing (looking at the facts), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), and last, Feeling (considering people). When coaching ISTPs: Use observation, example, and hands-on experiences that apply directly to developmental needs. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Being indifferent to the needs and wants of your managers, coworkers, or family; keeping important things to yourself.

■

Respect others’ need for communication. They may need to see outward signs of enthusiasm or commitment.

■

Being nonchalant about how others view your actions.

■

Take a moment to understand the logic or values behind the positions of others so you may determine whether autonomy is wise.

■

Having unrealistic expectations or being overly concerned that all things should be logical.

■

Remind yourself that many things in life defy the rules of logic. Therefore, factor in the impact on relationships of the decisions you make.

■

Taking the expedient, but not necessarily the most effective, route to getting things done.

■

Try project-planning methods. Think “Am I responding to the urgent or the important?” or, “If I do this quickly, what might I overlook?”

■

Not completing what was started.

■

Analyze things left incomplete. What do you gain or lose? What is important to finish and why?

■

Dismissing or withdrawing from a troublesome relationship rather than trying to fix it.

■

List concrete reasons why the relationship should be fixed. If it seems worth saving, say so, and then devise a plan to bring about the desired end result.

187

188

WORK IT OUT

ESTP Self-Starting Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Marcie was recently appointed director of security for St. Luke’s, a large suburban hospital. Her career had progressed with the growth of the hospital. She enjoyed her work immensely and was one of the most senior women there. Clearly, her boss saw her as a key performer, yet he felt she needed some coaching help. A series of hasty actions on Marcie’s part had resulted in some costly security problems for the hospital. Marcie loved to live life on the edge, and she frequently jumped into action at any hint of a hospital security violation. Others had tolerated this behavior when she was at a lower status in the organization. However, as her boss pointed out, “She’s the head of security now. She has to balance prudence, safety and cost.” In coaching Marcie, we thoroughly explored the ramifications of her ESTP personality type. She quickly contrasted her natural style with the meticulous security procedures established by the hospital board. A simple strategy helped her avoid acting too quickly: We coached her to count to 10 to give herself time to think before acting. Under our direction, she made her own checklist for the security breaches that occurred most often and began following that checklist to the letter. The vice president of administration also agreed to mentor her. By acting as a sounding board, he helped check Marcie’s rush to action when a potential security emergency loomed. Marcie was a quick study and put the coaching suggestions to good use. Thus, she reduced her hasty responses to security emergencies and their potentially hazardous or chaotic results.

General Strengths ■

Solving problems in straightforward, direct, and logical ways

■

Being resourceful, flexible, quick to act to save the day

■

Negotiating and seeking compromise in order to move things along

■

Reminding others, by their example, of pleasures of the moment

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by finding the most efficient way for people to work together. Problem-solving style: Sensing (looking at the facts), then Thinking (applying logic), then Feeling (considering people), and last, Intuition (looking at the larger picture). When coaching ESTPs: Use outdoor activities that provide hands-on skill development; let them try out new behaviors in real time. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Bluntness—calling it like it is without regard to the impact on others.

■

Ask, “If I say or do this, what impact will it have on others, and what might be the consequences for me?”

■

Being overly concerned with recreational pursuits or material possessions.

■

Communicate how committed you are to your work as well as how much your leisure activities heighten your work productivity.

■

Restlessness, indecision, leading to last-minute heroics.

■

Stop, think ahead, and see where forethought could improve results.

■

Overlooking or giving little thought to long-range planning or outcomes.

■

Ponder your goals or desired outcomes for the next year, year and a half, or five years. Then plan backward.

■

Competitive motivation, pushing yourself and others to do things before you or they are ready.

■

Remember, others may not have the same abilities, interests, or desire to do things quickly. Regard the caution of others as prudent for them—and occasionally for you.

■

Not owning up to your part of a problem.

■

Accept your role in the difficulty and then suggest ways to solve the problem.

189

190

WORK IT OUT

ESTJ Take-Charge Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Bill had switched industries, from heavy equipment manufacturing to designer clothing. An accountant and financial analyst by training, Bill assumed that his financial experience would transfer easily between the two industries. However, his new environment was completely different from the old one. In his previous job, he gave orders and people followed them, but that management style just didn’t work in the new job. When Bill called us for coaching, he said, “They’re about to fire me because I lack ‘teaming skills.’ I guess I’ve never managed and teamed at the same time.” Together, we reviewed his past experience to see what he could apply to his new environment and evaluated his knowledge and skill level with teamwork. Then we set action steps to develop teambuilding and problem-solving techniques for anticipating and adjusting to his new environment. At our suggestion, Bill attended several internal corporationwide programs on team development and team leadership. He also participated in an external adventure-style leadership school where he learned teamwork skills and principles that could be applied to his new job. Eventually, Bill met the challenge of adapting to the new culture. He became a team player, to his and everyone else’s satisfaction.

General Strengths ■

Stepping up to the task and getting people, things, and organizations mobilized for action

■

Providing structure, direction, and clarity of focus

■

Following through to see that tasks are done correctly and results are seen

■

Finding flaws and correcting them in advance

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by planning, providing direction, and assigning responsibilities. Problem-solving style: Thinking (applying logic), then Sensing (looking at the facts), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), and last, Feeling (considering people). When coaching ESTJs: Use structured, logically sequenced activities with stated, clear benefits. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Becoming so goal focused that you overlook the impact of actions on others.

■

Remember, people get things done and often work harder if their needs are considered in the plans. Acknowledge and reward the contributions of others.

■

Expecting others to have the same methods or goals as you.

■

Practice allowing some give and take. Start in small ways and work to increase adaptiveness and attentiveness to others.

■

Speaking out of turn and railroading things through, believing your course of action is the only one.

■

Watch what you say and the way it affects others. People often see you as tougher than you see yourself, often to your detriment.

■

When successful, you believe no improvements are necessary— the “you can’t argue with success” syndrome.

■

Practice humility even when you don’t want to. Consider if things could be better with input from others or by making some changes to the way you usually do things.

■

Not making exceptions when others would.

■

Explore why others would make an exception, then determine whether the standard should be changed.

■

Deciding before collecting all the necessary information.

■

Learn and use techniques of defining problems, brainstorming, and generating ideas before rushing to act.

191

192

WORK IT OUT

ISFJ Behind-the-Scenes Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Rosa worked in the production section of a large airplane parts manufacturer. The organization initiated a total team concept, and her section attended one of the first training programs. Rosa was instrumental in the team’s subsequent success in implementing the training concepts while continuing to meet the organization’s production goals. She worked in a quiet, yet directive way and made sure expectations and assignments were clear. The organization asked us to work with Rosa because, while all the evidence pointed to her key leadership role in the team’s accomplishments, she shied away from acknowledging her abilities and taking on an expanded leadership role. For Rosa’s boss, the last straw came when Rosa arranged a photo shoot for the three top teams in the organization. Her team was one of them, but Rosa wasn’t in the picture. She was so busy organizing the photographer and her teammates that she neglected to step into her spot! After an initial coaching session, we convinced Rosa to take a three-part series on leadership effectiveness offered by a large, off-site leadership training organization. The program included videotaping and a thorough assessment of leadership skills and competencies. Additionally, Rosa worked with us to find specific ways to enhance her leadership style. We put a plan in place to meet periodically over several months, acting as a sounding board as Rosa developed her leadership and assertiveness skills.

General Strengths ■

Honoring commitments—others can rely on them

■

Being painstaking and thorough in organizing so that everything is in the right place at the right time

■

Handling with ease those details that matter to others

■

Being cooperative, considerate of each person

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by encouraging others in tasks that suit them best. Problem-solving style: Sensing (looking at the facts), then Feeling (considering people), then Thinking (applying logic), and last, Intuition (looking at the larger picture). When coaching ISFJs: Use practical assignments with clear instructions and definite procedures that have demonstrable outcomes for the tasks at hand. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Not taking the credit that is due, thereby losing out on resources for yourself and others.

■

Say “I did that” and toot your own horn; practice seeking the spotlight you deserve.

■

Picking up the balls that others drop; feeling taken advantage of, undervalued, or stuck.

■

Have others complete their own assignments. This helps them grow while freeing you to do your own work.

■

Putting your own needs on the back burner while you help others.

■

Befriend yourself; put yourself on your list of those who deserve support and attention.

■

Neglecting to set priorities, doing things as they turn up, or working straight through a to-do list.

■

Prioritize those tasks that matter to you and to others and then do the most important things first.

■

Avoiding leadership roles.

■

Consider what projects might benefit from your leadership. Assume a low-stress leadership role and then move to larger ones.

■

Missing the larger picture; becoming lost in defending traditions, hierarchies, and procedures.

■

Practice using the facts to come up with several possible approaches. Could more than one work? Would a new approach be better?

193

194

WORK IT OUT

ISFP Gentle Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Michael, a lead auditor for an accounting firm, was in career transition when he sought our coaching help. He seemed down on himself and mused aloud, “I’m not sure I did the right thing in following in my parents’ footsteps and going into accounting. I spend my days getting information from people who are reluctant to give it or telling people about their record-keeping errors. I don’t know if my work is really useful to the clients—it only seems to upset them.” After some soul-searching, Michael determined that what he missed most was the chance to give concrete, positive feedback and service to people in need. We used a fairly straightforward career development intervention in coaching Michael. He completed several vocational assessments, a values clarification exercise, and the MBTI tool. With this new information and self-awareness, Michael researched the job market. After about eight months, he found a job that aligned more closely with his service-centered values. He became a business manager in a small nursing home, where he used his accounting skills in a caring environment. There, he also enjoyed interacting personally with the residents and their families.

General Strengths ■

Knowing the right word or action for just the right time

■

Exemplifying joy, kindness, and awareness of the precious nature of living things

■

Valuing and using sensual treats, such as color, form, and texture

■

Creating harmony, unassumingly modeling compassion so that others want to cooperate

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by encouraging others to cooperate. Problem-solving style: Feeling (considering people), then Sensing (looking at the facts), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), and last, Thinking (applying logic). When coaching ISFPs: Use tangible, relevant learning experiences with concrete steps that match the person’s abilities and directly augment his or her skills. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Being overly gullible, too easily persuaded.

■

Consider taking assertiveness training to learn to represent your needs as legitimate.

■

Living in the day-to-day world, neglecting to think about or act strategically for the future.

■

Consider studying project management or taking on a task with long-range planning requirements.

■

Not representing your accomplishments in businesslike terms.

■

Practice talking about your accomplishments appropriately with someone who knows you well.

■

Being overly self-critical.

■

Make a concerted effort to find your own value and worth by reflecting on your past good deeds or by consulting with others whom you trust.

■

Empathizing to the point of being unable to separate yourself from needy others.

■

Work on establishing boundaries with people. Give others ample time and opportunity to help themselves.

■

Sweeping conflict under the rug when you feel threatened, being reluctant to leave your comfort zone.

■

Accept conflict as a way to clarify your own agenda and those of others. Seek out support to help you bridge your comfort gaps until you feel more at ease.

195

196

WORK IT OUT

ESFP Exuberant Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Nils’s co-workers called him “Mr. Sunshine,” and he lived up to his name. When we met Nils at a restaurant near his office, he greeted us with a broad smile and a friendly wave and immediately stood up to shake hands. Over lunch, we discussed his coaching needs. He said, “You know, the people in my office don’t take my work abilities seriously. Just because I tend to be a little more outgoing and try to make the office more enjoyable, they look right past the quality output I produce.” His boss had told us that he wished Nils could be a little less lively and more serious at work. “I have to admit, though, that Nils is a real asset,” he added. “When he does tone down his exuberance, everyone listens to him.” Because Nils was a realist, he quickly caught on to the downside of being Mr. Sunshine. To coach him, we helped him contrast his natural style with several key on-the-job interactions. What were appropriate behaviors for his role as marketing director for office products? He decided that before a sales call, he would ask himself what impression he had to make. He would keep that impression foremost in his mind and then act it out during the sales call. Because Nils was a valued employee, his boss agreed to mentor him in learning the appropriate use of his serious side. Now Mr. Sunshine is earning the respect he deserves.

General Strengths ■

Being generous with people, accepting others in spite of their flaws

■

Taking an exuberant approach to work as well as play

■

Adding enthusiasm, energy, spirit, and spunk that enhance any workplace

■

Being observant and able to link people, practical information, and resources to the task at hand

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by encouraging the contributions of others. Problem-solving style: Sensing (looking at the facts), then Feeling (considering people), then Thinking (applying logic), and last, Intuition (looking at the larger picture). When coaching ESFPs: Use hands-on, adaptable skill development, preferably in an action-oriented group setting. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Being perceived as a social butterfly, party person, or company clown.

■

Ask yourself, “Of the roles I have at work, which ones allow others to see my serious side?” Keep your answer in mind to balance your work and playful sides.

■

Misjudging what is important versus what is urgent.

■

Use your person-centered values to determine what is important for others, your work, or yourself. Turn that knowledge into action.

■

Failing to see patterns or systems that explain your world and the things in it.

■

Stop and ask, “What do all these things add up to? What interpretations could be made? What is the larger picture? Is there order somewhere?”

■

Not following through to completion and thereby missing out on rewards.

■

Improve your project and timemanagement skills.

■

Avoiding theoretical learning.

■

Motivate yourself by listing the practical outcomes and benefits of learning theories that are relevant to your career.

■

In trying to be nice, failing to express your true opinion or preference in a situation.

■

When the situation calls for it, use your values to clarify your position and then state it. Guard against being “too nice,” or others may take advantage of your good nature.

197

198

WORK IT OUT

ESFJ Service-Oriented Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Charlotte was the new executive vice president of a small family-owned hotel chain. Because of her strong service orientation and her loyalty to the company’s founder, Charlotte had risen quickly to a senior position. The company’s founder considered her part of his family. When he died suddenly, with no succession plan, she landed the role of keeping his business affairs going during the executive search process. Charlotte was not used to making tough decisions; the founder had handled those himself. With the uncertainty created by his death, however, several weighty matters arose. Charlotte tried to keep things running smoothly, but the family accused her of meddling. They wanted to retain her because of her knowledge of the business, but they asked us to coach her regarding the appropriate boundaries for her role. We helped Charlotte separate her likes and dislikes from the family’s business needs and wants. She acknowledged that the new president would likely be a family member and that her responsibilities would change. Together, we planned for setting appropriate boundaries with the new leader. We also recommended that Charlotte pursue a degree in hotel management for career insurance. She worked diligently at her studies and graduated a few years later. In the meantime, she did an admirable job of staying out of the way of the new president and the family owners unless they asked for her help.

General Strengths ■

Responding consistently, compassionately, and carefully to each person’s needs

■

Being committed and loyal to people and organizations, a team player

■

Offering warmth, practical recognition, and harmonious ways of getting along

■

Working for accord, helping everyone fit in

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by paying attention to the needs of others and making sure they feel important. Problem-solving style: Feeling (considering people), then Sensing (looking at facts), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), and last, Thinking (applying logic). When coaching ESFJs: Use a variety of structured methods—observation, acting or role-playing, and step-by-step action plans. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Telling people what they need, attempting to help but instead being perceived as meddlesome.

■

Monitor others’ perceptions of your interventions; ask for other ways you might help or even if your help is needed.

■

Losing sight of the big picture— the long-term requirements and reasons for change.

■

Look for patterns by organizing material in terms of future value to you, to others, and to the organization.

■

Staying too long with the familiar; not being skeptical enough.

■

In adverse situations, ask who benefits the most from keeping things the same. Try asking “why?” more often.

■

Focusing on people and values to the detriment of the business.

■

Look at your values with workplace goals in mind. If there are conflicts, find ways to negotiate or compromise. If all else fails, consider finding a job that matches your values.

■

Talking too much.

■

Every now and then, try responding as concisely as you can. Remind yourself to be brief and businesslike.

■

Loss of boundaries, forgetting your own needs.

■

Put yourself first occasionally. Do boundary and/or role clarification for yourself and others.

199

200

WORK IT OUT

INFJ Visionary Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Cecil worked for a large international religious organization. Although he was an ordained clergyperson, his main responsibilities were administrative tasks and strategic planning. Cecil was bright, earnest, and dedicated to giving his best effort. However, he sometimes ran into trouble because his co-workers didn’t quite know what was on his mind. He had a reputation for showing up with a task fully accomplished when his teammates were still wondering if anything needed to be done! In one recent incident, Cecil actually developed and began funding a plan that no one else had heard about or passed judgment on. Cecil definitely needed to work on reducing his “surprise” factor in order to achieve more success in his calling. Part of our coaching plan for Cecil included weekly lunches with at least one other person from his immediate circle—his manager, a co-worker, someone who reported to him, or someone who represented the people he served— with whom he could discuss his current ideas. Additionally, he agreed to take a public seminar on influencing skills. As Cecil reflected on his tendency to go it alone, he said, “I didn’t realize I wasn’t sharing. When I’m incubating ideas I do get lost in my own world.” He decided to meet one-on-one with his boss when he came up with an idea so that they could interact before Cecil worked the idea through to completion. Cecil called us several months later, pleased at the progress he had made in inviting others into his work world.

General Strengths ■

Providing insights that sometimes approach clairvoyance, especially about what matters to people

■

Understanding how individuals and systems interrelate

■

Being a storehouse of integrity, uplifting those with whom they live and work

■

Contributing future-oriented ideas to planning and development

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by encouraging others to cooperate in working toward a vision. Problem-solving style: Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Feeling (considering people), then Thinking (applying logic), and last, Sensing (looking at the facts). When coaching INFJs: Ask people-oriented questions or assign readings with multiple interpretations and layers of nuance that they can use for reflection. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Failing to bring others into your world of ideas soon enough.

■

As you go along, share some of the richness of your insights and thinking process with others so that you may gain their support.

■

Being too sure you know what is best for others.

■

Hear others out and ask yourself, “What does it mean if they’re right?”

■

Neglecting to let others know how they might help you.

■

Remind yourself that accepting help early in the idea-generating phase may give you even more time for your first love—creating.

■

Being very optimistic and living too much in the future, forgetting to deal with the present.

■

Let someone you trust who lives spontaneously and for the moment plan your leisure time and perhaps even some of your work life.

■

Not advocating for yourself, thinking others should be able to guess your potential contributions.

■

Ask how big a difference your involvement would make. If it’s significant, get involved.

■

Lack of political savvy and assertiveness skills when presenting ideas.

■

Learn to watch your back even if you think everyone is on the same team. Strategize how you can win the support of those who could promote your ideas.

201

202

WORK IT OUT

INFP Inspired Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Grace was a trust officer at a large banking firm. She enjoyed customer contact and the opportunity to think creatively with the people she served. However, Grace’s supervisor, Anne, was displeased with her lack of attention to very necessary trust formalities and regulations. Anne appreciated the good relationships Grace had with her customers, yet she also knew that rules had to be followed. As we began coaching Grace, we underscored the importance of following bank protocol. Because she valued her relationship with Anne, Grace quickly realized that attention to procedures would not only benefit the bank but also maintain harmony between her and Anne. We tutored Grace on presenting new ideas to Anne, an ESFJ, in concrete, incremental steps, which would help gain Anne’s acceptance so that Grace’s ideas could become reality. In time, though, with the new information about her INFP type, Grace decided that her heart was really elsewhere. She loved the people side of the business but resented the time she had to spend keeping upto-date on the myriad of trust regulations. Eventually, she moved to an international economic organization that focused on fighting world hunger—one of her deeply held values.

General Strengths ■

Galvanizing people and organizations to action

■

Standing firm on their values in the face of formidable opposition

■

Reminding others in creative ways about human aspirations and goals

■

Focusing on compassion, caring, and harmony

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by promoting harmonious teams in which each person is valued. Problem-solving style: Feeling (considering people), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Sensing (looking at the facts), and last, Thinking (applying logic). When coaching INFPs: Use originality of expression and novel ideas; provide opportunities for creativity and deep exploration of topics. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Tending to consider your own values of greater merit than those of others.

■

Evaluate whether other people’s values are as appropriate to them or their situation as yours are to you.

■

Not being straightforward with others.

■

Try assertiveness training, especially for the tough messages you need to deliver or that others need to hear.

■

Missing deadlines while pursuing perfection.

■

Decide before you begin how well a job needs to be done. Give yourself a concrete deadline, or team with someone who will bring the job to a timely conclusion.

■

Harboring resentments.

■

Talk with the transgressor, stating the facts as you see them. Offer your interpretation and suggestions on how he or she could earn your favor again.

■

Being too idealistic.

■

When appropriate, temper your idealism with realism. Remind yourself that both are necessary and mutually beneficial.

■

Accepting salary treatment that may not match your worth.

■

Tell yourself that fair compensation for what you do allows you to give or do even more.

203

204

WORK IT OUT

ENFP Catalytic Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Alex came late to our first meeting, carrying an armful of books and files and looking rather frazzled. He had the potential to be a star performer in his organization but was also known for lack of focus and direction. At team meetings, he was often unprepared and seemed disorganized. His manager had told us that Alex sometimes took the team way off track through the force of his personality. “I need his creativity,” he said, “but Alex needs to develop some organizational skills.” In coaching Alex, we asked him to list his five key job requirements in priority order. Then we arranged his daily schedule and appointment book to reflect these five priorities. Alex also attended a time-management class. Additionally, he started watching for cues from his teammates that he was promising more than he could deliver, interjecting too many of his own faddish ideas, or otherwise pulling the team off track. While it was sometimes difficult for Alex to restrain himself, he realized that a less scattered approach, built around his top five priorities, was yielding him more real influence at work, something on which he placed a high value.

General Strengths ■

Being initiators and promoters for all kinds of ideas for human growth and potential

■

Tirelessly pursuing novel opportunities

■

Being resourceful and innovative in efforts to accomplish the nearly impossible

■

Celebrating and appreciating others

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by creating a vision, helping people see their potential. Problem-solving style: Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Feeling (considering people), then Thinking (applying logic), and last, Sensing (looking at facts). When coaching ENFPs: Use a variety of methods, experimentation, brainstorming, and what-if questions; provide plenty of opportunity to talk over what is being learned. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Not knowing your own physical, mental, and time limits.

■

List the practices you should adopt that will allow you to honor your spirit, mind, and body. Use healthful stress- and time-management techniques.

■

Being considered unbusinesslike; giving too much information to others, who may use it against you or without giving you due credit.

■

Assess the value of your ideas, your intellectual property. Are you receiving the credit you deserve and good information in return?

■

Promoting a new fad, leader, or idea without enough evaluation.

■

Use your values to weigh which claims are proven and how well promises are kept. Be wary in your selection and, considering your enthusiasm, what you encourage others to do.

■

Underestimating how long or how much effort something will take.

■

Ask someone with strong projectmanagement skills to help you set timelines.

■

Procrastinating while searching for the optimal answer; overwhelming yourself and others with options or ideas.

■

Find a trusted person who has a talent for decision making, or learn some of the skills yourself and then apply them.

■

Ignoring facts and reality.

■

Look for the givens or unalterables in a situation. Don’t shy away from what is.

205

206

WORK IT OUT

ENFJ Values-Focused Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Jesse was an entrepreneur in the software design and development industry. Specializing in user-friendly products, his business was booming. In the early days, he hired people based on their potential for camaraderie as well as their credentials. He asked for coaching when several employees claimed that he played favorites and reacted negatively to anyone’s disapproval. His staff felt that these problems made him less effective as a leader. Jesse quickly grasped the concepts of personality type and saw that he needed to be more businesslike and, as head of the firm, fair to all. We cautioned him that while he might wish to make everyone his friend, not everyone would want his friendship in return. He also realized that tough business decisions had the potential to affect the bottom line, as well as people, both positively and negatively. He wanted to make those decisions wisely. When Jesse sought to add another senior-level person, he looked for someone who would provide balance in decision making as well as technical expertise. Notice we didn’t say Jesse would hire a certain type, because hiring on the basis of type preferences would be unethical! Besides, even if Jesse did hire a certain type, that person still might not have the requisite skills for the job. Having a particular type doesn’t guarantee that a person can use those type preferences effectively.

General Strengths ■

Offering care, cooperation, and facilitation for people’s growth

■

Articulating messages that others want or need to hear

■

Reminding stakeholders of their mission and core values

■

Providing support, believing in the positive nature of people

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by facilitating, helping others plan and cooperate to meet goals. Problem-solving style: First, Feeling (considering people), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Sensing (looking at the facts), and last, Thinking (applying logic). When coaching ENFJs: Use a variety of information sources; allow time to talk and to work in groups on topics that are important for people. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Ignoring or not valuing your own natural decision-making process, leading to a caricature of logical decision-making processes.

■

Rethink decisions minus the business jargon. Which outcome is really better? Trust your own style and augment it with logical methods as needed.

■

Staying too long in a social mode and not getting down to business.

■

Monitor and ask for feedback on how quickly and efficiently you get to the point of the business at hand.

■

Taking work-related coaching as personal criticism.

■

Ask yourself how a sensible, impartial person would regard the critique. Then work to separate your work performance from your personal identity.

■

Thinking that most, if not all, relationships can be win-win and collaborative.

■

Develop a checklist of factors that allow people to operate in a lose-win or lose-lose way. Use it to be sure others are playing by mutually agreed-upon rules.

■

Becoming bossy or overly zealous on issues.

■

Especially when deadlines loom, take time to notice the reactions of others. Ask yourself what a given stance might cost you.

■

Becoming the caretaker for co-workers’ problems and office woes.

■

Practice detachment. Take care of yourself, too. Get away from work, take vacations, and find other diversions to rejuvenate yourself.

207

208

WORK IT OUT

INTJ Strategic Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Shelly, a senior vice president at a large engineering organization, was charged with developing a plan to reduce technical obsolescence for the engineers and scientists under her direction. Unfortunately, she implemented her plan without sharing it with other members of the executive team. Furthermore, she didn’t gather input from those who would be affected by the plan, namely the scientists and engineers. When rumblings of discontent began, Shelly called for coaching. “I think the plan is essentially right, but without buy-in, it’ll never work,” she admitted. When Shelly saw that a common area for growth for INTJs is “Not letting others in on your thinking until the very end,” she nodded slowly in comprehension. We helped Shelly understand that although working independently served her well in technical aspects of her job, not involving others could be detrimental for other arenas, such as management. We coached her in considering the impact of her decisions on others. We looked at each step of her technical vitality plan to see what effect it might have on people. With Shelly’s concurrence, we also held focus groups with the engineers and scientists so that we could gain their insights for the plan. Shelly set a goal for herself to involve others earlier in future plans that affected them. She also took an off-site class on interpersonal negotiating skills. At her request, we continued to meet with her on a periodic basis to see how things were going and to serve as shadow consultants for some of her major projects.

General Strengths ■

Envisioning an idea so clearly that it’s palpable

■

Acting as paradigm shifters, conceptual blockbusters

■

Seeing the relationship of each part to the whole

■

Using independent thinking, redesigning outmoded approaches in order to meet future needs

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by setting the course to make an idea become a reality. Problem-solving style: First, Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Thinking (applying logic), then Feeling (considering people), and last, Sensing (looking at the facts). When coaching INTJs: Use systems, theories, and constructs relating to universal principles and creative processes to stimulate original thinking. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Seeing outcomes so vividly that you become impatient and can’t understand how others miss them.

■

Practice patience. Think about what will capture others’ attention and then use this information as you outline your ideas.

■

Not letting others in on your thinking until the very end.

■

Bring others into your process before you work it all out. Write down others’ ideas and ponder their merits.

■

Detaching from interpersonal relationships, getting lost in your own world.

■

Develop the art of friendship; schedule time for building relationships and networking.

■

Doing team projects alone, believing no one else can do them as well.

■

Delegate parts of the project as early as possible—people will often learn from the experience.

■

Failing to take the necessary time to train or develop others.

■

Practice sharing tasks with others. Spend time training them. Realize that the net outcome is more freedom for you to dream.

■

Having a skeptical, challenging attitude and lacking awareness of its impact on others.

■

Make yourself think of some positives in others’ ideas before critiquing them. Where do you need to be more intentional in changing the impression you make?

209

210

WORK IT OUT

INTP Intellectual Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Nicole was a talented research scientist who could draw circles around anyone in her technical area. However, she often struggled to read people’s verbal and nonverbal behaviors. She knew that her lack of interpersonal skills jeopardized her prospects of becoming senior project leader in the laboratory where she worked. Because she wanted a crack at setting the course for a cutting-edge project with extremely high potential, she sought interpersonal coaching with us. Nicole wanted to understand the impact she had on others. We videotaped her interactions with us and with a small group of her team members who were also learning interpersonal skills. As we viewed the tapes together, Nicole took extensive notes on the suggestions we made. We also gave her reading assignments, as this was her preferred mode of learning. With that foundation, Nicole began to practice many of the tips and skills suggested during our coaching session and those she found in her reading. With her determination and intentional use of interpersonal skills, she soon received the project leader assignment she wanted. She noted that using the skills was draining but well worth it in light of reaching her true goal of leading more technical projects.

General Strengths ■

Being the strategists’ strategist, masters of complexity

■

Developing models and theories

■

Providing independent, critical, and logical analysis of traditions or new thoughts and systems

■

Finding the errors of logic and long-term consequences of plans or strategies

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by the merit and logic of their ideas, persuading others to join in. Problem-solving style: First, Thinking (applying logic), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Sensing (looking at the facts), and last, Feeling (considering people). When coaching INTPs: Use broad developmental models with intellectual/ scholarly underpinnings. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Intellectual snobbery.

■

Study the other types of intelligence, such as interpersonal, intrapersonal, and emotional.

■

Regaling others with abstract thought, confusing them with complex explanations.

■

Practice explaining your thoughts with three to five easily understood key points.

■

Appearing cold and aloof, with little awareness of your effect on people.

■

Remember that most work involves people. Finding ways to engage with them may ultimately provide more resources or recognition for you or your work.

■

Pointing out logical flaws in others’ reasoning.

■

While like-minded souls may appreciate your critique, others may choose to avoid you. Look for points of agreement and offer those instead.

■

Forgetting commitments and responsibilities when lost in thought.

■

Review and act on your obligations, take people breaks, put yourself on committees.

■

Being mystified by emotional expression—your own or that of others.

■

Recognize the value and strength of emotions, starting with your own feelings. Seek self-awareness classes or personal growth opportunities.

211

212

WORK IT OUT

ENTP Entrepreneurial Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Britta was on the faculty of an international training organization and often teamed with two or three other trainers when working with a client company. Britta’s boss, the head of consulting and training, asked us to coach Britta about her exaggerated Extraverted style and overly competitive nature. “She stays center stage when she co-trains—and her teammates complain that she upstages them. Plus, we work with many multinationals. Sometimes her style just isn’t appropriate for the different cultures we serve.” With Britta’s permission, we videotaped several training sessions so she could see the impact of her style on her colleagues. After watching herself, she said, “No wonder they think I’m competing instead of co-training . . . ” To control her center-stage tendencies, Britta agreed to solicit feedback from her colleagues periodically during the training day and adjust her behavior accordingly. Britta also enrolled in a university course on cross-cultural sensitivity in an effort to improve her effectiveness internationally. Through connections she made in the class, she joined an intercultural service organization that gave her a firsthand understanding of several different cultures’ interpersonal norms. Finally, because her energy was quite Extraverted, we suggested that Britta do some needed introspection, perhaps making her sporadic meditation practice a more regular part of her life.

General Strengths ■

Providing energy and thrust to new endeavors, starting things off with enthusiasm

■

Using synthesis as a strategy to work on or solve problems

■

Seeing possibilities even in the face of disaster

■

Strategizing to meet challenges proactively

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by developing novel strategies for new enterprises. Problem-solving style: First, Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Thinking (applying logic), then Feeling (considering people), and last, Sensing (looking at the facts). When coaching ENTPs: Offer ideas, case studies, or systems to challenge, evaluate, or debunk. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Competitive nature—stealing the show, needing to be the center of attention.

■

Ask others for feedback on your style. Consider who else deserves recognition. Remember, sharing the limelight may increase others’ support for you.

■

Glib responses to human needs.

■

Think through how others might interpret or feel about your remarks.

■

Impatience, questioning, and impulsive interference with productive processes.

■

Ask a question, then wait (count to 10 if need be) and listen. Practice giving others the benefit of the doubt.

■

Getting tied up in models or structures when explaining reality.

■

Remember that many people get lost with models and prefer more straightforward answers.

■

Bending the rules, taking advantage of loopholes.

■

Note the times when this practice gave you more trouble that it was worth. What were the actual costs?

■

Overextending yourself, your resources, and those of others or the organization.

■

Take time to reflect, recreate, and rejuvenate. Practice closing down options using logic to decide where you should place your focus. Determine what you need to let go of to make room for a new opportunity.

213

214

WORK IT OUT

ENTJ Master Plan Leaders

ISTJ

ISFJ

INFJ

INTJ

ISTP

ISFP

INFP

INTP

ESTP

ESFP

ENFP

ENTP

ESTJ

ESFJ

ENFJ

ENTJ

Miki earned her doctorate in business management in the shortest amount of time possible by being characteristically focused in her studies. After graduation, she moved into several troubleshooter assignments in which she was expected to turn things around. However, she often left people in pain in her wake. This caught up with her in her last assignment. She was on the verge of being terminated or plateaued because of her overbearing style. “But,” she explained to us, “I was told I had free rein. When I exercised this option, people got on my case. I realize I’ve been a bit heavy-handed, but I got the job done and in record time!” Rather than lose her, Miki’s boss asked us to coach her. In our first session together, Miki asked us to describe our coaching competency. We then did a thorough cause-and-effect analysis of her three most recent assignments and weighed the consequences of her actions, not only on the task but on the people involved. Next, we searched for a qualified mentor for her— someone who had similar accomplishments and had reached the same goals in a more productive way. We looked at areas in Miki’s work and leisure time where she could relax her standards and just enjoy the people or the circumstances. Of her own accord, Miki decided to take a project-management course that emphasized the people part of the planning process. After several months, Miki told us that she’d gotten some positive feedback about the “new Miki” and that she even liked her new self better!

General Strengths ■

Marshaling forces to achieve future goals

■

Thinking in terms of systems, bringing all elements to bear on a situation

■

Finding flaws and focusing on what can be achieved once the flaws are removed

■

Taking charge, dealing directly with problems

COACHING YOURSELF, COACHING OTHERS

Leadership style: Lead by presenting a plan and then energizing and directing others to achieve it. Problem-solving style: First, Thinking (applying logic), then Intuition (looking at the larger picture), then Sensing (looking at the facts), and last, Feeling (considering people). When coaching ENTJs: Use developmental activities that lead to mastery or the ability to get ahead or secure an advantage. Typical areas for growth

Coaching suggestions

■

Overstructuring and/or controlling people and processes.

■

Work on need for control. Practice being in the moment. Not every person or interaction has to have a goal.

■

Being overly confident of your strategies; shutting out others who are less assertive or logical.

■

Listen to others, even people you may not consider experts. Find the person most likely to challenge your views and then run your ideas past him or her.

■

Becoming impatient with processes or people when you are able to come up with a solution so quickly.

■

Try to manage your impatience by realizing that the implementation of your ideas may go more smoothly when the people involved have input.

■

Assuming the world is yours to run.

■

Develop and coach the leadership potential in others.

■

Overlooking the interpersonal, spiritual, and psychological needs of yourself and others.

■

Think about yourself and others as whole persons with needs beyond achievement and work.

■

Forgetting the basic day-to-day realities necessary for achieving your large-scale plan.

■

Take your focus off the goal and check to make sure the details are still in place.

215

10 A LEADER WHO PUT TYPE TO WORK Management Style with Type In these pages, you’ve seen business leaders tackle wide-ranging and very real issues such as problems with communication, deadline difficulties, rapid expansion, changing work cultures, and more. In each case, personality type provided a language for working through the dilemmas and a framework that made sense of complicated human interactions. As with any worthwhile tool, though, mastering the complexities of type takes time and effort, although benefits often begin to flow from your first efforts. To close, let's look at one leader whose knowledge and use of type grew with his responsibilities. As you read, note how working it out with type allows you to do the following: ■

Anticipate what others might need.

■

Acknowledge the strengths and leadership qualities of every team member.

■

Establish norms for working together that work for everyone.

■

Plan ahead for productivity.

■

Build bridges and coalitions right from the start.

■

Identify blind spots and adjust for them before making decisions.

■

Make constructive and wise use of differences.

■

Continue to grow as a leader throughout your career.

217

218

WORK IT OUT

Joel first learned about personality type when he was the director of curriculum for a large suburban school district. At the age of 32, he was one of the youngest people in the state to hold such a high-level district position. He asked for help with his elementary principals as they implemented site-based management together. The principals had several concerns about this new approach, including the role of the principal and the curriculum director, shared decision making, and how the system would allow them to work with their various constituencies, including teachers, unions, parents, and one another. Joel agreed to offer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment to each individual, taking it for the first time himself. His type preferences came out INTJ, and he confirmed that as his best-fit type. The elementary school principals were primarily ESFJs and ESTJs. He immediately went to work, using the type information about himself as an INTJ to interact with his team. He knew he had a good plan for the way site-based management could function and a well-thought-out model that could be applied in each school. However, he quickly recognized that if he wanted his complementary Extraverted Thinking principals to be committed to his ideas, he needed to dialogue with them so that they would be active participants in the planning process. We structured our teambuilding meeting to debrief members on their MBTI® results, work on issues of collaboration, and determine a plan of action for implementing site-based management. Joel started off the program with his hopes for the session’s outcomes. He said, “I guess I’ll be known as the ‘newcomer’ here for a long time to come, since the rest of you have at least five years in your positions. As we move forward into site-based management, though, I want to put to rest such issues as the ‘old guard versus new guard’ politics that have hindered this team. Those issues will only block each person’s individual effectiveness. That’s why we’re here today: to reach a better understanding of our strengths and to see how each of us can best be utilized in implementing these ideas.” Many of the team members nodded in agreement. They were well aware of the problems and appreciated Joel’s efforts to address them. The principals as a group believed that, so far, they were more trusting and supportive under Joel’s leadership than they had been before. But there was still room for improvement. After a group interpretation of the MBTI® results, we moved on to the issues. Joel had decided in advance to participate as a group member so that his thoughts wouldn’t unduly influence the others’ input, so we facilitated the discussion, working with each person on the concepts of psychological type and the following points.

A LEADER WHO PUT TYPE TO WORK

First, the participants listed ■

One accomplishment in their current position of which they were proud

■

What they saw as their strengths and areas for development

■

What they most admired in each of their colleagues

■

What each of their colleagues needed to do so that all would have better working relationships

Second, we worked on setting priorities for putting plans into action. The factors we considered included the interpersonal relationships on the team, based on the information we had gathered in the first exercise and through the MBTI tool. When the action plans were set, we moved on to the following questions: ■

How do we want to express support within our group?

■

How do we want to manage conflict and disagreement?

■

How can we value team operations as well as highly competent individual performance?

■

How do we handle competition among ourselves?

We worked through each of the questions in our two-day session. Joel easily wove the ideas and plans of others into an overall strategy for the district. He guarded against his natural INTJ tendency to find the flaws in others’ ideas, knowing it could interfere with the input of his staff—something he really valued. He did an excellent job of keeping the team on course and listened intently to members’ input in a nonjudgmental fashion. By the end of the meeting, the elementary school principals had developed a code of conduct for their team efforts, a unified plan for each school to use in introducing the concepts of site-based management, and a partnership system for managing the inevitable difficulties. They saw their Extraverted Thinking and Introverted Intuition differences as a strength for the tasks ahead. “Reality combined with vision,” they named it. The teambuilding process seemed to work well in Joel’s eyes—at least, that’s what he reported when we met several weeks after the session. He stuck with his plan that year, and it worked. Two years passed before Joel called again. By then, he had become the new superintendent of a large suburban community with very high educational standards. Joel was clearly perceived as a rising star in the state’s educational arena.

219

220

WORK IT OUT

For most of the previous superintendents, the position had been a capstone to their careers; they had not been at midcareer, like Joel. Joel had just moved to the district when he called for help in working with his new school board. He particularly wanted to build on the existing pride and sense of community in the district’s schools. The district took a very progressive approach to education, with 12 educational pilot projects under way when Joel arrived on the scene. However, he said, “We’re facing a huge bond issue vote, and I don’t want to alienate anyone who might support the bond. We need to be cautious about suggesting any more innovations and be unified as a board.” At Joel’s request, we met individually with all school board members and discussed: ■

Their view of education

■

What topics made them get up on their soapboxes

■

What they wanted to be remembered for

■

What mattered most to them in establishing their working relationship with Joel

Joel had also already conducted in-depth discussions with all board members, sharing with them his vision for the schools. Many of these board members were recently elected and anxious to support their new leader. We then administered the MBTI tool to each of the board members and found that the board had a mixture of the 16 types, with the majority preference being for Intuition. The teambuilding session began in a spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect between Joel and the board. Joel started the meeting by listing some of his hopes for their relationship. We then worked through the MBTI information. Before the meeting, Joel distributed nine different pieces of information to each board member, including what the school board could expect from a superintendent, why teams have problems, team commandments, and a selfassessment on his or her thoroughness and efficiency in relation to tasks. He joked, “I assigned the advance readings for those of you with a preference for Introversion so that you would be ready to give me your opinions today. They’re listed in priority order, and there’s also a synopsis of each piece for people (probably those with a preference for Extraversion) who might not learn as well by, or enjoy, reading articles. I hope that by now, everyone is set to go on to our big task today, crystallizing our vision for the district.”

A LEADER WHO PUT TYPE TO WORK

Joel’s advance planning paid off. By the end of the day, the group had come up with a 20-point plan. At Joel’s urging, they placed each goal and subgoal for the district in priority order. The plan also included timelines, specific implementation ideas, and assignment of responsibilities. The session demonstrated a clear collaboration between Joel and the school board. Joel was persuasive, yet remained open to the ideas and influence of board members. His clear thinking, ability to represent his viewpoints, and strong commitment convinced the others that he was on target. At the end of this meeting, board members discussed what they had accomplished. The team felt that it had moved very effectively and efficiently through the many issues it faced at the start of a new school year with a new superintendent. Board members universally praised Joel for his organizational skills, ability to listen, and clarity of vision, which was instrumental in helping the board develop its plan. Many commented that they had felt the group’s openness as they expressed their own positions. They had enjoyed the humor and trust evident in the session—and there was unanimous agreement that no one had a hidden agenda and that egos had been checked at the door before entering! After obtaining such clarity of purpose at the first meeting, Joel was off to a good start. He and the board enjoyed being perceived as a solid leadership team across the community. Exactly one year later, Joel called again. He had just issued the first annual report of his activities to the district and the local newspaper. Not surprisingly, as an INTJ, he chose to call it “The Road Ahead,” a visionary look at the district’s future. This time, he asked us to do a teambuilding session with his entire administrative council, which included the district’s administrative leaders as well as the principals from every school. Joel’s objectives were similar to those of the previous session with the school board. The goals for this administrative council were: ■

To help members become better acquainted

■

To strategize how to navigate “The Road Ahead”

■

To increase role clarity about each council member’s responsibilities, especially those of the district administrative leaders and the school principals

■

To establish higher levels of trust

■

To determine, from the council’s perspective, the immediate as well as more long-term needs for the continuation of educational excellence in the district

221

222

WORK IT OUT

As is common in teambuilding sessions, Joel worked with several other council members to define the objectives. We interviewed council members individually to gain their views on Joel, their own strengths, the challenges they anticipated, and their responses to “The Road Ahead.” Several key issues were identified in the interviews: ensuring that the new people on the council felt comfortable about speaking up; selecting the correct group of individuals for different “Road Ahead” projects; and meeting the need for quick communication methods (e-mail, interoffice memos, or voice-mail) that would facilitate effective communication across the sprawling district. We also decided to give the MBTI assessment to each team member. After each individual confirmed his or her best-fit type and a team type analysis was completed, the following data emerged: The team type was ES/NTJ, and its modal types were ENFP and ESTJ. The dominant functions (selected from the four functions of S, N, T, and F) were Intuition first, Thinking second, and Sensing third. No one on the team was a dominant Feeling type. As the meeting progressed, team members decided that, before making any major decisions, they would work on factoring in the characteristic Feeling emphasis on values and concern with the impact on people involved. Further, in examining the four-function framework, the team discovered it had only one SF. The council decided to invite that person to speak out and to incorporate the SF service focus in its work. The NT functional pairing was the most frequent, and it was Joel’s preference, too. The NF and the ST functional pairings were second and third, respectively. The MBTI data proved to be very compelling to the council members, generating lively discussion of Joel’s style and that of the group. Many issues revolved around the team’s Extraverted style and Joel’s preferred Introverted style. After seeking input on how he could better accommodate the predominant Extraverted communication style of the council, Joel listed some future action items for himself. Joel’s dominant Intuitive style matched the dominant Intuitive style of the team. Someone remarked, “No wonder this district has so many educational pilot projects going on!” To act as a check on Joel’s and the council’s majority Intuitive process, the Sensing types in the group were asked to pay attention to and remind the group about current operations and standards and to focus on the practical aspects of “The Road Ahead.” Without this check, the group might want to spend too much of its time on future planning. Joel and the team matched on their preference for Thinking. Some of the team members with a preference for Feeling asked for a bit more feedback from

A LEADER WHO PUT TYPE TO WORK

Joel at the start of a new project so that they could know that he valued what they were doing. Joel’s preference for Judging matched the team’s preference for Judging; however, the influential high school principal Andy, who had a preference for Perceiving, supplied a strong counterbalance to the majority of Judging types. Andy was a lifetime resident of the school district and enjoyed firm support from students, parents, and community leaders for his enthusiastic and creative manner. Council members agreed that they would call on Andy and the other Perceiving types before anything was absolutely solidified. They also set ground rules to give Perceiving types enough time to bring in new findings before any major decisions were made. Council members used the concepts of psychological type as they established a list of issues, assigned those issues to various team members, and drew up timelines. An overall sense of satisfaction permeated the session. We occasionally met with Joel, his board, or his council when problems arose. We asked Joel how psychological type helped him in working with people. He said, You know, I used to wonder why other people didn’t think like I did. All too often, I lost them with my ideas and brainstorming. I wanted to move ahead and get on to the task, but time and again, I’d find that others were digging in their heels on projects I knew were on target. Now, I understand that I wouldn’t want them to all think like me. If the world were full of INTJs, a lot of things would get left undone. Further, type helps me communicate with the other 15 types and explain my ideas in a way that they can understand. Then they ask me the right questions, which helps me. I truly can’t think of being in leadership without this understanding of myself and those around me. Take Andy, for instance. Knowing that one of his gifts is identifying as many options as possible is very different from thinking that he can’t keep focused on a single solution. Being a student of type, I think, is one of the things that makes me an effective leader.

Yes, Joel was a model student when it came to personality type. He found that his INTJ preferences and his understanding of personality type helped him understand 15 other valid styles and ways of doing things. This self-knowledge and understanding of the type model took the mystery out of working relationships and allowed Joel to achieve success by working it out. And that is what we wish for you!

223

APPENDIX A

THE TEAMBUILDING PROCESS A team may be defined as two or more people who coordinate their activities regularly to accomplish a common purpose or task. Teambuilding, as we see it, is a process for working with a group of two or more people to facilitate and make possible an enhancement in their working relationships. As a result, teambuilding may be described in any of the following ways: ■

It may be a one-time or an ongoing process.

■

It may involve the entire team, subteams, or a pair of individuals.

■

It may use instruments such as the MBTI tool.

■

It may occur when a team forms or at any other point in the team’s life.

■

It may happen when the group is in conflict or when the group is working well.

■

It may be part of an ongoing culture change effort or may occur in isolation.

In any one of these six scenarios, we might be called in to provide teambuilding consultation and coaching.1 Most teambuilding begins with a request from an individual team member, the team leader, or someone in the organization’s human resources department. This appendix will give you a flavor of how most teambuilding interventions go. When possible, we prefer to do teambuilding with another individual, either someone from within the organization or one of our colleagues in type work. Having another person helps ensure that the information gathered in the

225

226

WORK IT OUT

teambuilding process is as clear and complete as possible. The other person also serves as a check on our perceptions and evaluations.

INITIAL INTERVIEW The first phase of the teambuilding process almost always includes an initial interview with the client and/or the human resources person in the organization. One of the goals is to determine whether the process we offer fits the work that is to be done. We also want to hear the client’s objectives and hopes for the teambuilding process, learn how the company heard about us, and judge the appropriateness of a teambuilding intervention. (Other alternative interventions include one-on-one conflict resolution, coaching, training, or systemwide organizational development planning.) At this initial interview, we can determine whether or not it seems useful to use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) tool and the concepts of psychological type. Preferably, this meeting takes place at the client’s work site because it gives us a chance to read the organizational culture.2 Our primary goal at this early problem-definition stage is to obtain as much information as possible about the team’s or individual’s past successes, current needs, and future aspirations.

CONTRACTING In the contracting phase, we work with the client to develop a written contract that delineates his or her expectations and hopes for the teambuilding session. We also include our best guess as to costs, facilitation fees, steps in the process, and the use of the MBTI tool or other instruments.

FORMATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP TEAM If there is a match between our styles, skills, and abilities and the objectives and needs of the client, and if we agree to go ahead with the teambuilding process, the next step is to form a partnership or implementation team with the client and several others in the organization. The task of the partnership team is ninefold:

APPENDIX A

■

To model teambuilding from the very start

■

To be learners in a process designed to train and develop the team and its members

■

To define and fine-tune the teambuilding objectives and procedures as necessary

■

To assist in the interview process by: ■

Selecting or creating interview questions that have the greatest potential of yielding the most valuable information

■

Providing guidance to create a safe environment for the honest exchange of information by all those interviewed

■

Scheduling interviews, rooms, and so on

■

To serve as a communication conduit to the teambuilder(s) throughout the process

■

To provide reality checks and understand context as the data emerge

■

To offer guidance and assistance for future training designs or other interventions and to help with their delivery

■

To find a place for an off-site teambuilding session, to provide the necessary resources for that session, and to otherwise facilitate a comfortable climate for the teambuilding process

■

To be sure the teambuilding process continues once the teambuilder(s) leave the organization

On numerous occasions, the partnership team has saved our hides. Because they live and breathe in the organization, they often balance our perceptions, add suggestions for subsequent action, and aid in managing sticky issues that might come along (some examples we’ve experienced include uncovering a religious cult, an office affair, weapons at the work site, and, on a few occasions, a racial or ethnic conflict). Because the people on the partnership team also share in designing the intervention and have a sense of the way it will go, they generally are more committed to the process and are able to get their fellow teammates’ commitment, too. Members could also be selected for the partnership team by asking the client’s organization for volunteers who want to experience a teambuilding process firsthand and learn some skills that they can use later in their work.

227

228

WORK IT OUT

The partnership team is charged with the responsibility of carrying the teambuilding process forward and making sure the action items and the legacy of teambuilding continue in the life of the team or organization.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS The partnership team helps us select interview questions for each team member. Here again, the team assists the process in a very cogent way. The questions on the coaching process, listed in Appendix B, are similar to those we use in teambuilding. With that list to spark their recall or imagination, members of the partnership team modify the questions or come up with some of their own. Usually, we interview each team member, asking the same six to eight questions of everyone and recording their answers. Later, we synthesize the responses to each question and suggest possible solutions or actions. If the team is very large or there is not enough time to interview everyone, we may send out the interview questions to all team members and ask for their written responses. However, we’ve learned from experience not to enter a teambuilding session unless we’ve provided every team member with a chance to voice his or her concerns to us.3

INTERVIEWS AND DATA ANALYSIS Once we have determined the interview questions and the individuals who will be interviewed, we schedule approximately 30–60 minutes to conduct each interview. This book provides many examples of this interview process. During this interviewing step, we might discuss the MBTI results. The interview and data analysis process involves using Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling as we weave together comments and opinions, data from sights and surroundings, and our own intuitions into a synthesis about the key issues or problems facing the team. We also compare the team’s MBTI data to the interview data, looking for type-related clues that we can use in the teambuilding intervention. For the report on interview data, we use our impressions of the environment, the history of the organization, the organization’s annual reports (if available), mission statements, departmental objectives, job descriptions,

APPENDIX A

company newsletters, product information, and any other material that will help us understand and work more effectively with our client. That report on our interview findings and other data sources might be anywhere from 10 to 25 pages long, with the following typical format: an executive summary, a synopsis of each interview question with an overall impression of the findings, and then specific comments from people (with identities disguised in order to maintain anonymity) that help amplify the overall summary. We avoid words that would identify an individual in particular. For example, if a team member constantly says “I put my stake in the ground,” using that phrase in the written report would identify that person. At the end of the responses to each interview question, we add several action steps for the team to consider. Finally, at the conclusion of the report, we develop a list of potential action plans, some of which incorporate principles from psychological type data.

ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS Sometimes, during the interview and data-gathering stage, it becomes obvious that problems may exist between two individuals on the team or with just one of the team members. Our contracting allows for private sessions, known only to us and the individuals involved, with such a team member or, for conflict mediation and resolution, the two individuals involved. It’s usually a judgment call as to when, how, and with whom we intervene. (See the section on Dean and Gwen in chapter 5 for an example of how we go about this process.) These one-on-one consultations are often brief, since our role is not a therapeutic one. If therapeutic counseling is necessary, we make a referral to a counselor, and if the individual agrees that we may share the information, we will help lobby the organization for the required funds.

PLANNING SESSION After we have prepared the interview report, and while any necessary one-onone consultations are in progress, we meet again with the client and/or partnership team members to share our findings. In essence, they get a preview of what is going on. Then we work together to plan the teambuilding session and strategy. This planning session covers:

229

230

WORK IT OUT

■

The issues the team faces, as given in the report

■

Schedules, processes, and time needed for a teambuilding session

■

Agenda items and time frames

Here again, the partnership team plays a vital role in the ultimate success of the teambuilding intervention because team members provide extra information and an extra evaluation of the process so far. For example, in one especially contentious government agency, the partnership team decided that each person needed to see a copy of the report. They required team members to put their names on the report and return it to us at the end of the session because in an earlier teambuilding process, someone faxed another consultant’s report to the local newspaper! Luckily the local newspaper chose not to publish it.

THE TEAMBUILDING SESSION We plan the session so that we do the right things, in the right sequence, and in, we hope, an adequate amount of time. Decisions include whether MBTI results come first or follow the team interview report. Sometimes it’s best to start with the results of the interviews because those are first and foremost in people’s minds, and they may not pay as much attention to the MBTI data. More frequently, we work with the MBTI tool first, because it provides a language and a lens through which team members can understand the report findings. In many situations, we’ve offered individual MBTI interpretations during the interviews, which gives people a chance to think about and confirm their best-fit type before the large-group session. They then come ready to put this information into practice. One effective way to start the teambuilding session, after some basic introductions, is for the client to tell the group why he or she thought teambuilding was necessary. Additionally, the client might share the mission or vision for the team and the goals for the day. Next, we provide a chronological history of the endeavor, sharing our intervention activities to this point. Then, with the team’s help, we establish some norms of conduct for teambuilding. These norms of conduct often include:

APPENDIX A

■

Speaking for oneself using “I” messages

■

Critiquing the problem, not the person

■

Having only one person speaking at a time

■

Skewering no one (it’s not the purpose of the session)

■

Speaking about things from one’s own perspective

Throughout the day, we take note of additional process or action steps as we watch interactions and listen to comments. Often, we subdivide the team and ask each group to select the issue for which it has the most energy (see the example in chapter 7). They then form small, informal subteams within the team to set action plans. The following sample agenda for a typical teambuilding session might be spread over two days.

A TYPICAL TEAMBUILDING SESSION 1. Icebreaker and personal introductions (name, role, personal update since last meeting) 2. Why we are here (client’s presentation on the need for teambuilding) 3. Teambuilding definitions (if necessary) ■

Terms (what is a team, examples of team characteristics, and so on)

■

Norms of conduct

■

Our role in this session

■

The team’s role for the session

4. History of the endeavor ■

List of meetings and events prior to this session that can clarify what has occurred so far

■

Agenda for the session

5. Points of clarification, logistics, and “administrivia” for the session

231

232

WORK IT OUT

6. Basic introduction to personality type ■

History of the MBTI tool

■

Illustration of preference concept

■

Review of MBTI preferences

■

Selecting one’s best-fit type

■

Return of MBTI results

■

Selected type and reported type clarification

■

Review of scoring and other questions

■

Reading type description

■

Meeting with others of the same type (type-alike groups)

7. Team type exercise 8. Interview or teambuilding report 9. Use of MBTI data and interview data to solve problems 10. Action implementation planning 11. Closing activity ■

One thing I’ve learned about myself today

■

One thing I’ve learned that I will apply immediately

■

One thing I learned about the team today

■

One thing I will do to help the team work differently

12. Evaluation and wrap-up

FOLLOW-UP SESSION Few teams are able to smoothly implement what they learn from an intensive teambuilding session without follow-up. In fact, we usually include at least one additional follow-up session in our initial contracting so that the client understands the long-term commitment necessary to work it out effectively. The followup session may take place several weeks to several months after the teambuilding session. The main purpose of the follow-up session is to determine progress toward goals. The partnership team is typically responsible for the

APPENDIX A

actual implementation of plans. The partnership team knows from the start that implementation will be a large part of its work, but this follow-up session allows us to give appropriate suggestions. At the follow-up session, we plan the next steps the team should take and determine which people are the logical choices for carrying out these steps. Believe it or not, we view our job as working ourselves out of a job. We like to leave the organizations, teams, and individuals we serve with the tools and skills to continue to work it out on their own!

233

APPENDIX B

THE COACHING PROCESS We approach each coaching opportunity with the important and deeply held value of supporting the people and organizations involved in the process. Our role is to care for individuals, teams, and organizations as they master the intricacies of working it out more successfully and effectively, either alone or with others—no small feat! In the work of coaching, boundaries become important. Coaches aren’t therapists, nor are they magicians. Our usual tack is to find what the individual is doing right and enhance it, on the premise that it is better to augment strengths than to try to overcome weaknesses. Part of the coach’s job is to facilitate a greater awareness of the individual’s personal and professional expertise. As coaches, we want to present as full a picture as possible and represent accurately any data that we gather. In delivering that data to a client, we take care to ensure that it is relevant and fair. We also need to assure the person of confidentiality in all that we do and to strive to help him or her make necessary changes and perhaps find time to heal as well. Finally, any coaching endeavor is a partnership with the client. Whatever we ask the individual to do is for the purpose of enhancing his or her well-being. If we find that the situation might compromise our values, for whatever reason, we either decline the opportunity or discuss that values conflict with the client or organization in the hope that we can resolve it and proceed. Coaches are most effective when they follow their hearts as well as their heads, allowing their work to reflect their principles and values.

235

236

WORK IT OUT

If this sounds like a decidedly NF approach to coaching, well, that’s because it is! Being NFs, we seek to achieve a win-win situation for all involved, enhanced self-esteem for the client, and as many possibilities as we can generate for his or her future development and growth.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COACH Here are some general principles we think are essential when providing professional coaching to another person: ■

Determine the objective for the coaching process. What does the organization want to achieve? What does the person want to achieve? How do both the client and the organization see the coach’s role in meeting this goal? And how will we evaluate change and/or success with the process?

■

Determine who the client is. Often, individuals are referred for coaching by management or by someone in human resources. It’s necessary to be absolutely clear with the referral source and with the person to be coached about the differing loyalties and responsibilities. Privacy is a key point to contract and negotiate: Which data go back to the organization, and which reside with the coach and the individual?

■

Is the person aware of the coach’s skills and competencies? Does the person know what coaching implies? Decide if there is buy-in and a relationship of trust between both parties.

■

Find out if the person to be coached is a victim of selective feedback—in other words, if negative feedback has been withheld from him or her. This happens in some organizations when people are reluctant to pass negative information up the ladder, which results in people at higher levels being uninformed. For managers who have not experienced openness from others in their work lives, it may be necessary to establish that part of the coaching process might involve relaying information they have not heard before— and may not like hearing.

■

Before starting the process, make sure that coaching is the best strategy for the individual. Perhaps he or she would be better served by therapy, support group meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous, or a specific training or skills-development course.

APPENDIX B

■

Establish that you are on the person’s side and that this process is one of reciprocity. Listen, and then listen again to what he or she is experiencing. While our job is to offer suggestions and support, we do expect something back—commitment to the coaching process, to trying out new skills, and to giving us feedback about the merits of the process as we go along.

■

Learn about the culture or climate of the team or organization where the individual works. When coaching, be aware of the various ways in which organizational or team climates operate and affect the person. Also, from a psychological type perspective, how does this person’s type interact with the predominant psychological type of the job, team, or organization? Use Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) concepts to judge the match or mismatch between the individual’s type and the organization’s style.

■

Finally, appreciate the seriousness of this task. The people you are coaching often have jobs on the line or relationships in serious disrepair. People need to understand the amount of trauma they may be causing themselves or others. At times, you may need to move beyond giving people what they want and make sure they are getting what they need.

THE CLIENT’S RESPONSIBILITIES The person to be coached needs to provide input to the coaching process: planning our work together and deciding on how to measure the success of the work. The client is responsible for doing the following: ■

Determining the objectives for the process and why changes in skill or behavior are necessary

■

Ascertaining who else has a stake in the outcomes of this coaching relationship, such as a boss, teammates, and so on

■

Finding an on-site sponsor or organizational coach who can help with practicing the coaching tips

■

Demonstrating commitment by following through with the coaching suggestions and assigned tasks

■

Giving direct feedback to the coach about how the coaching process is proceeding toward the targeted goals, needs, and wants

237

238

WORK IT OUT

THE ORGANIZATION’S RESPONSIBILITIES Finally, the organization has responsibilities for the coaching process. Some of these are listed below: ■

Provide resources. For example, make tuition available for off-site courses or arrange for private meeting spaces on-site.

■

Decide who is to be involved in the coaching process, what their informational needs are, and what the confidentiality arrangements should be. Aim to have clear communication among all parties.

■

Determine what constitutes success in the coaching experience and how it will be evaluated.

■

Assist in finding a mentor within the organization to help and support the person being coached.

QUESTIONS FOR GATHERING INFORMATION Before determining a coaching plan, we interview the person to be coached and as many people who work with that person as possible, for example, boss, coworkers and peers, employees, and outside vendors. By altering the wording slightly, the following questions can be used with the person being coached and his or her co-workers. We usually choose six to eight questions for an interview. ■

What do you do well? Describe your interpersonal, leadership, or management skills and other key strengths.

■

What do you do that is less than effective in terms of interpersonal, leadership, or management skills?

■

What are your greatest current needs for development? Future needs?

■

Which of your skills or talents are particularly helpful to others?

■

What things do you do that get in the way of your having effective relationships with others?

APPENDIX B

■

If you could wave a magic wand, what would you want to accomplish in this coaching process?

■

Describe how you solve problems.

■

Discuss the factors within the organizational or team environment that lessen your effectiveness.

■

Describe how you handle change.

■

Tell me about your personal goals and aspirations.

■

What barriers do you perceive as keeping you from achieving your goals and aspirations?

■

What steps would you be willing to take to remove these barriers?

■

Tell me your thoughts about conflict. How do you approach resolving conflicts?

■

What are your views on why we need to work together?

■

What information would help me be more effective in coaching you if I were to know it right now?

■

If your boss, colleague, or spouse were to describe you in 25 words, what would those words be?

■

Have I omitted asking you any questions that I should have asked? The next set of questions deals with psychological type:

■

Think about your personality type preferences, and determine which ones are assets and which ones offer you the greatest challenges.

■

How have your personality type preferences influenced your life and career?

■

Which of your preferences make you feel good? Why?

■

Which aspects of your personality type most often cause relationship problems between you and others?

■

Based on your self-analysis, articulate the fundamental things about your personality type that people need to understand if they want to build a working relationship with you.

239

240

WORK IT OUT

■

Think about your personality type and identify which aspects of it are most difficult for you to accept or change.

■

Think about the personality types of your colleagues, teammates, or organization. Which ones do you have the most difficulty with, which ones are you drawn toward, and which are the most complementary? Why?

■

In order to be more versatile, which part of your personality type needs to be strengthened or modified?

■

What are the greatest insights you have attained about yourself by learning about personality type?

THE COACHING PLAN The MBTI tool is a vehicle for greater self-awareness and self-acceptance and is therefore an excellent beginning for the coaching process. A typical process has the following steps: 1. Before the initial meeting with the client: ■

Review and record the person’s general strengths in relation to his or her psychological type preferences.

■

Study the typical areas for growth using chapter 9 of this book, prioritize what is most important for this individual’s development, and use these areas as a springboard for early discussions.

■

Select from resources such as the MBTI Step II instrument; other instruments (such as the Strong Interest Inventory® and Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation–Behavior™ [FIRO-B®] assessments); audio or reading resources; biographical data; counseling professionals; college, technical school, community, or in-house educational offerings; rolemodeling exercises; videotaping; or shadowing someone in the organization who has mastered a certain skill.

2. In the first meeting, interpret the client’s MBTI results: ■

Have the person choose a best-fit personality type.

■

Read about the general strengths and areas for growth for that personality type.

APPENDIX B

3. Develop specific action items with timelines based on your own knowledge and resources. 4. Have the person you are coaching practice the necessary skills or behaviors in coaching sessions and then on the job. 5. Meet to report back on skills practice. Determine the next steps for coaching sessions. 6. Evaluate progress toward goals. Decide if and when follow-up should occur.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE COACHING PROCESS Here are several suggestions for resources to use in addition to the standard MBTI instrument: ■

The MBTI Step II instrument is particularly helpful for executive development and for individuals who are having trouble clarifying their best-fit type.

■

The Strong Interest Inventory assessment used with the MBTI tool offers a combination of perspectives when coaching people about their careers.

■

The Perception Checklist can be helpful in gathering information on others’ perceptions of the client. It is published in the Strong Interest Inventory® Resource: Strategies for Group and Individual Interpretation in Business and Organizational Settings training program.1

■

Try using instruments that take a 360-degree feedback approach or interviews with people who can assess how the client manages various interpersonal and functional business interactions.

■

Discussion of an individual’s psychological type dynamics (the order of dominance of Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling) helps clients understand whether they are experiencing tension with or attractions to the various aspects of their type dynamics at work or in life.

■

Add a values clarification exercise to see which values are most important to clients and how those values influence their work or other parts of their lives.

241

NOTES Chapter 1 1. For more information, you may also contact us, at www.lifekeys.com, or CPP (formerly Consulting Psychologists Press), which publishes the MBTI® instrument, at 800-624-1765 or www.cpp.com. 2. N is used for Intuition because I is already used for Introversion. 3. For more information about this “functions lens” for viewing team dynamics, see Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, and Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI® Teambuilding Program: Leader’s Resource Guide, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 2003).

Chapter 2 1. William Bridges, The Character of Organizations (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 2000).

Chapter 4 1. Robert E. Kaplan, Wilfred H. Drath, and Joan R. Kofodimos, High Hurdles: The Challenge of Self-Development, Technical Report 25 (Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership, 1985). 2. Sandra Krebs Hirsh and Jane A. G. Kise, Introduction to Type® and Coaching (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 2000).

Chapter 5 1. Exercise adapted from Margaret U. Fields and Jean B. Reid, Shape Up Your Program (Gainesville, FL: CAPT, 1999).

Chapter 7 1. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/stresswk.html on June 1, 2005. 2. Sandra Krebs Hirsh and Jean M. Kummerow, LifeTypes (New York: Warner Books, 1989) and Naomi L. Quenk, Was That Really Me? (Mountain View, CA: DaviesBlack Publishing, 2002). 3. Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, The Situational Leader (New York: Warner Books, 1984), p. 160.

243

244

WORK IT OUT

Chapter 9 1. Adapted from Sandra Krebs Hirsh and Jane A. G. Kise, Using the MBTI® Tool in Organizations, 3rd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 2003). 2. For more help on coaching using the framework of type, consider purchasing Introduction to Type® and Coaching, available from CPP (www.cpp.com).

Appendix A 1. Definitions adapted from Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, and Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI® Teambuilding Program, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 2003). 2. See C. Williams, D. Armstrong, and C. Malcolm, The Negotiable Environment (Ann Arbor, MI: Facility Management Institute, 1985), for discussions and illustrations of the office layout and furniture that STs, SFs, NFs, and NTs prefer. 3. Our teambuilding approach is detailed in Elizabeth Hirsh, Katherine W. Hirsh, and Sandra Krebs Hirsh, MBTI® Teambuilding Program: Leader’s Resource Guide, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 2003); some but not all of these steps are featured in the chapters of this book. For more detailed information, consider purchasing Introduction to Type® and Coaching, available from CPP (www.cpp.com).

Appendix B In the section “The Organization’s Responsibilities,” we are indebted to John C. Buchanan, of Buchanan and Associates, Minneapolis, for his coaching expertise. In the section “Questions for Gathering Information,” we are indebted to Douglas Peters, of Douglas Peters Associates, Minneapolis, for the formulation of many of the typerelated coaching questions. 1. Sandra Krebs Hirsh, Strong Interest Inventory® Resource: Strategies for Group and Individual Interpretation in Business and Organizational Settings (Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc., 1995).

INDEX auxiliary function, 16–17, 160–161 Blanchard, Ken, 158 boss, 165, 177 coach: client partnership with, 235; description of, 183; responsibilities of, 235–237 coaching: boundaries in, 235; client’s responsibilities, 237; of ENFJ type, 207; of ENFP type, 205; of ENTJ type, 215; of ENTP type, 213; of ESFJ type, 199; of ESFP type, 197; of ESTJ type, 191; of ESTP type, 189; for Feeling skills, 74–77; individual, 34–36; of INFJ type, 199; information-gathering–related questions, 238–240; of INFP type, 203; of INTJ type, 209; of INTP type, 211; of ISFJ type, 193; of ISFP type, 195; of ISTJ type, 185; of ISTP type, 187; for Judging–Perceiving type differences, 103; organization’s responsibilities, 238; process of, 240–241; resources for, 241; situations that need, 181–182; for stress management, 158–159; stress management by, 154–156; for Thinking skills, 77–78; of yourself, 182–183 coaching plan, 240–241 communication: description of, 25; by NFs, 127, 135; by NTs, 127, 135; by SFs, 127, 135; by STs, 127, 135 conflict, 9 conflict resolution, 99–100, 107 criticism, 74–75 critiques, 75–78 decision making, 66 documentation, 48 dominant function: description of, 14–16; Feeling as, 15, 172–176; interventions for

differences in, 177–178; Intuition as, 14, 167–170; problem-solving uses of, 178; Sensing as, 14, 166–167, 169–170; Thinking as, 15, 170–172 ENFJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 207; dominant function of, 138, 142, 173–174; inferior function of, 138, 142; leadership style of, 207; problem-solving style of, 207; strengths of, 206 ENFP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 205; dominant function of, 138, 143; inferior function of, 138, 143; leadership style of, 205; problem-solving style of, 205; strengths of, 204 ENTJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 215; dominant function of, 138, 141, 170–171; inferior function of, 138, 141; leadership style of, 215; problem-solving style of, 215; strengths of, 214 ENTP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 213; dominant function of, 138, 143; inferior function of, 138, 143; leadership style of, 213; problem-solving style of, 213; strengths of, 212 ESFJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 199; dominant function of, 138, 142, 173–174; inferior function of, 138, 142; leadership style of, 199; problem-solving style of, 199; strengths of, 198 ESFP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 197; dominant function of, 138, 142, 166; inferior function of, 138, 142; leadership style of, 197; problem-solving style of, 197; strengths of, 196 ESTJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 191; dominant function of, 138, 141, 170–171; inferior function of, 138, 141; leadership style of, 191; problem-solving style of, 191; strengths of, 190

245

246

WORK IT OUT

ESTP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 189; dominant function of, 138, 142, 166; inferior function of, 138, 142; leadership style of, 189; problem-solving style of, 189; strengths of, 188 Extraversion–Introversion type differences: intervention for, 30–36; understanding of, 37; wait time demonstration for, 38 Extraverts: characteristics of, 5; intervention for, 30–36; Introversion practice by, 40; Introverts’ view of, 27–30; natural style of, 38–39; in team setting, 41; in type table, 10; view of Introverts by, 24–27; workplace settings for, 22 feedback, 236 Feeling types: communication style of, 183; decision making by, 67–68; dominant, 139; natural style of, 86; problem solving by, 15, 60; in team setting, 88; Thinking practice by, 87–88; Thinking types’ view of, 69–71; traits of, 7; in type table, 11; view of Thinking types by, 71–73; workplace settings for, 66 Feeling–Thinking type differences: case study of, 68–81; coaching of individuals, 74–78; exercises for, 82–88; intervention for, 73–80; plan for working out, 79–80; understanding of, 73–74, 78–79 function pair(s): definition of, 12; types associated with, 114; workplace settings for, 114. See also specific function pair function pair differences: case study of, 115–129; exercises for, 133–134; intervention for, 123–129; plan for working out, 127–128; understanding of, 123–127 goal setting, 76–78 Hersey, Paul, 158 INFJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 201; dominant function of, 138, 142; inferior

function of, 138, 142, 154; leadership style of, 201; problem-solving style of, 201; strengths of, 200 information-gathering questions, 238–240 INFP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 203; dominant function of, 138, 141, 173–174; inferior function of, 138, 141, 155; leadership style of, 203; problem-solving style of, 203; strengths of, 202 interview, for teambuilding, 226, 228–229 INTJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 209; dominant function of, 138, 142; inferior function of, 138, 142; leadership style of, 209; problem-solving style of, 209; strengths of, 208 INTP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 211; dominant function of, 138, 141, 170–171; inferior function of, 138, 141; leadership style of, 211; problem-solving style of, 211; strengths of, 210 introspection, 75 Introversion–Extraversion type differences: intervention for, 30–36; understanding of, 37; wait time demonstration for, 38 Introverts: characteristics of, 5; Extraversion practice by, 40; Extraverts’ view of, 24–27; intervention for, 30–36; natural style of, 38–39; in team setting, 41; in type table, 10; view of Extraverts by, 27–30; workplace settings for, 22 Intuition–Sensing type differences: communication practice for, 60–61; dynamic tension, 58; exercises for, 57–62; intervention for, 51–56; plan for working out, 53–55 Intuitive types: characteristics of, 6; communication practice for, 60–61; communication style of, 183; description of, 44; dominant, 139; natural domain for, 45; problem solving by, 14, 59; Sensing practice by, 61–62; Sensing types’ view of, 49–51; in team setting, 62; in type table, 10; view of Sensing types by, 47–49; workplace settings for, 44–45

INDEX

ISFJ type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 193; dominant function of, 138, 143; inferior function of, 138, 143; leadership style of, 193; problem-solving style of, 193; strengths of, 192 ISFP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 195; dominant function of, 138, 141, 173–174; inferior function of, 138, 141; leadership style of, 195; problem-solving style of, 195; strengths of, 194 ISTJ type: characteristics of, 13, 184–186; coaching of, 185; dominant function of, 138, 143, 166; inferior function of, 138, 143; leadership style of, 185; problemsolving style of, 185; strengths of, 184–185 ISTP type: characteristics of, 13; coaching of, 187; dominant function of, 138, 141, 166, 170–171; inferior function of, 138, 141; leadership style of, 187; problem-solving style of, 187; strengths of, 186–187 Judging types: characteristics of, 8; natural style of, 108; Perceiving practice by, 109; Perceiving types’ view of, 96–98; in team setting, 110; view of Perceiving types by, 94–96; workplace settings for, 92 Judging–Perceiving type differences: coaching for, 103; conflict caused by, 98; description of, 92; exercises for, 105–110; intervention for, 98–103; plan for working out, 101–103; understanding of, 98–101 Jung, Carl, 2 leadership style: description of, 35, 156; of ENFJ type, 207; of ENFP type, 205; of ENTJ type, 215; of ENTP type, 213; of ESFJ type, 199; of ESFP type, 197; of ESTJ type, 191; of ESTP type, 189; of INFJ type, 201; of INFP type, 203; of INTJ type, 209; of INTP type, 211; of ISFJ type, 193; of ISFP type, 195; of ISTJ type, 185; of ISTP type, 187

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® assessment, 1–2, 23, 93, 183, 218, 222 negative feedback, 236 NF: case study of, 116–117; characteristics of, 133; communication preferences of, 127, 135; organizations for, 114, 131; strengths of, 116–117; types associated with, 114 NT: case study of, 118–120; characteristics of, 133; communication preferences of, 127, 135; organizations for, 114, 131–132; strengths of, 118; types associated with, 114 partnership team, 226–228 Perceiving types: characteristics of, 8; Judging practice by, 109–110; Judging types’ view of, 94–96; natural style of, 108; in team setting, 110; view of Judging types by, 96–98; workplace settings for, 92 Perceiving–Judging type differences: coaching for, 103; conflict caused by, 98; description of, 92; exercises for, 105–110; intervention for, 98–103; plan for working out, 101–103; understanding of, 98–101 physical preference, 3–4 problem solving: description of, 14; dominant functions for, 178; by ENFJ type, 207; by ENFP type, 205; by ENTJ type, 215; by ENTP type, 213; by ESFJ type, 199; by ESFP type, 197; by ESTJ type, 191; by ESTP type, 189; by Feeling types, 60; by INFJ type, 199; by INFP type, 203; by INTJ type, 209; by INTP type, 211; by Intuitive types, 59; by ISFJ type, 193; by ISFP type, 195; by ISTJ type, 185; by ISTP type, 187; by Sensing types, 59; by Thinking types, 59 Psychological Types, 2 reflection, 25 selective feedback, 236 self-advocacy, 158

247

248

WORK IT OUT

self-awareness, 181 self-coaching, 182–183 self-correction, 17 self-esteem, 4 Sensing types: characteristics of, 6; communication practice for, 60; communication style of, 183; description of, 44; dominant, 139; Intuition practice by, 61; Intuitive types’ view of, 47–49; natural domain for, 45; problem solving by, 15, 59; in team setting, 62; in type table, 10; view of Intuitive types by, 49–51; workplace settings for, 44–45 Sensing–Intuition type differences: communication practice for, 60–61; dynamic tension, 58; exercises for, 57–62; intervention for, 51–56; plan for working out, 53–55 SF: characteristics of, 133; communication preferences of, 127, 135; organizations for, 114, 130–131; types associated with, 114 situational leadership, 158 ST: case study of, 120–123; characteristics of, 133; communication preferences of, 127, 135; organizations for, 114, 130; strengths of, 120–121; types associated with, 114 stress: case study of, 140–159; health effects of, 137; intervention for, 152–159; signs of, 137; situational, 137; type and, 138–140; understanding of, 152–156 stress management: coaching for, 154–156, 158–159; by Extraverted Thinking, 150–151; by Introverted Feeling, 148–150; plan for, 157–158; for teams, 161–162 “success syndrome,” 75

tangible records, 48 team: definition of, 225; partnership, 226–228; strengths of, 9; stress management for, 161–162 team setting: Extravert in, 41; Feeling type in, 88; Introvert in, 41; Intuitive type in, 62; Judging type in, 110; Perceiving type in, 110; Sensing type in, 62; Thinking type in, 88 teambuilding: contracting phase of, 226; interview for, 226, 228–229; one-on-one consultations, 229; overview of, 225–226; partnership team, 226–228; planning session, 229–230; sessions for, 230–233 Thinking types: characteristics of, 7; communication style of, 183; decision making by, 67–68, 84; dominant, 139; Feeling practice by, 87; Feeling types’ view of, 71–73; natural style of, 86; problem solving by, 15, 60; in team setting, 88; in type table, 11; view of Feeling types by, 69–71; workplace settings for, 66 Thinking–Feeling type differences: coaching of individuals, 74–78; exercises for, 82–88; intervention for, 73–80; plan for working out, 79–80; understanding of, 73–74, 78–79 time, 91 time management, 101 type: benefits of determining, 9–10, 217; descriptions of, 12–18; self-awareness and, 181; stress management and, 138–140. See also specific type type development, 14 type table, 10–11 type theory: description of, 2; principles of, 2–4 values, 175 work relationships, 100–101 work style preferences, 31–32