The Myers-Briggs



The Myers-Briggs

Myers-Briggs is about how the mind works.  The four cognitive styles, ST, NT, SF and NF combine two dimensions of cognitive style.  S and N answer the question of epistemology (How we know and perceive the world and take in information). S and N can stand in the same time and place and perceive two different worlds.  T and F answer the question of How We Decide? They will look at the same information and situation and come to different decisions. Before reading further take a Myers - Briggs or similar (Keirsey Sorter, Jungian) test.

Table 1 - 16 Personality Archetypes with links

|ST |SF |NF |NT |

|ESTJ |ISFJ |INFJ |INTJ |

|Decider (BUREAUCRAT) |Lone Ranger (SUPER) |Caregiver (REVOLUTIONARY) |Mastermind (POLITICIAN) |

|ISTJ |ESFJ |INFP |INTP |

|Inspector (BUREAUCRAT) |Guardian (SUPER) |Change Agent (REVOLUTIONARY) |Architect (POLITICIAN) |

|ESTP |ESFP |ENFP |ENTP |

|Promoter (OPINION) |Rebel (REFORMER |Crusader (HERO) |Engineer (PRINCE) |

|ISTP |ISFP |ENFJ |ENTJ |

|Sculptor (OPINION) |Adopter (REFORMER) |Charisma (HERO) |Valiant (PRINCE) |

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P and J answer the question, How You Like Life to be (2 life orientations)? Judgers prefer order, plans, decisive behavior and closure.  Perceivers want to be flexible, spontaneous, adaptive, and open to the enjoyment of life.  Extroversion and Introversion are two LIFE ATTITUDES and have to different answers to the question, What World Do You Live In? Extraverts inhabit the outer world of action, cause and effect - and introverts live in the inner world of consciousness, ideas, and reflection.

Frequencies

|MODALITY |Percentage | |

|SJ's Traditionalist |43 % | |

|NF's Catalysts |30 | |

|NT's Visionary |13 | |

|SP's Trouble Shooter |12 | |

|SUBTYPES: | | |

|DECIDER - (ESTJ) |11 % | |

|INSPECTOR (ISTJ) |10 | |

|GUARDIAN (ESFJ) |12 | |

|LONE RANGER (ISFJ) |10 | |

|CHARISMATIC (ENFJ) |7 | |

|CRUSADER (ENFP) |9 | |

|WORLD CAREGIVER (INFJ) |7 | |

|CHANGE AGENT (INFP) |7 | |

|VALIANT PRINCE (ENTJ) |3 | |

|PRINCE ENGINEER (ENTP) |2 | |

|MASTERMIND (INTJ) |5 | |

|ARCHITECT (INTP) |3 | |

|PROMOTER (ESTP) |3 | |

|SCULPTOR (ISTP) |2 | |

|REBEL (ESFP) |5 | |

|EARLY ADOPTER (ISFP) |3 | |

You can derive your Myers-Briggs (MB) letters, apart from any forced choice test, by answering the following four questions.

1. Where does your ENERGY come from? Introvert or Extrovert This is not about being shy or outgoing. This is a very different definition of the terms Introvert and Extrovert; it's about your energy.

  E Extraverts want to take a break by joining the party and interacting socially to get energized. Es can do solitary activity, but find it draining.  They are drained by solitary situations (being at computer, hiking). Es energy is directed primarily outward, towards people and things outside of themselves. Es keep up many friendships.  According to Jung, Es  are "more influenced by their surroundings than by their own intentions" (302). They are energized by belonging to some crowd, society, being around people, and their sense perceptions. They will express their views out-loud to hear what they are thinking. Extroverts prefer relationships and the world of other people.  Extraverts are the most resistant to burnout, while introverts are the most susceptible (Layman & Guyden, 1997). 

I - Introverts take a break and head for the beach, watch TV, or read a book. They are drained by social situations, and keep a few close friends.  Is can be life of party but find it draining. They like alone time, and thinking before they speak.  Is energy is more directed inward (the world within), towards their own thoughts, ideas, perceptions, and reactions. Yet, according to Jung I's are more into the subjective experience, the world within (rather than the external world), and see the external world as somewhat threatening.  Crowds to not energize them. They trust their own judgments and perceptions more than those of others, and will think an idea before expressing it.  Isabel Briggs Myers (1995: 56) says Introverts are "more at home in the world of ideas than in the world of people and things."  Introverts live in the inner world of thoughts and ideas. 

Choose E or I and write it here ______________

2. What are your ways of KNOWING the world? Sensing or iNtuitive Focus is on kind of information you select when you are making choices and are about to lead.

S - Sensing (concrete, specific, applied) using qualitative data from the five senses. Sensing is concrete and practical (what is the physical reality here?). Sensing gathers knowledge about the more immediate and specific details of affect, emotion, and humanity. S's take fact courses that help them keep their feet on the ground. Sensing is more detailed oriented, able to find the trees in the forest. Sensing archetypes make up about 75% of the world population, the rest are intuitives who operate more by flashes of insight, hunches and imagination. Sensing people may miss the emerging patterns, since they focus on the stability. They focus more on the short-term.

N - iNtuition (conceptual, abstract, theoretical) able to see the big picture.   iNtuitives are looking more at meaning from a gestalt (or big picture) view, more apt to explore connections, and ask why. Ns sign up for theory courses.  iNtuitives are able to find forests, but not see trees. They use telescopes more than microscopes.  iNtuitives see the gestalt and ask why the whole picture is the way it is. iNtuitives seek flashes of insight and imagination. They play a hunch without any practical facts.  Intuitives observe history and learn by experience. iNtuitives can see the chaos and complexity patterns and will trace nonlinear relationships. More long-term horizon.

Choose S or N and write it here _______________

3. What are your ways of making DECISIONS? Thinking or Feeling Recall the debates over values and data between Spock and Kirk in the Star Trek series over choices they must make in each situation and how they arrived at conclusions.

  T - Thinking makes head-oriented choices (rational & cerebral). They are cool, objective, and very direct; their head rules their heart. Jung says "Thinking roughly speaking, tells you what [something] is" (306). Logic wins out over sentiments.  Like Mr. Spock in the old series, and Mr. Data in the new Star Trek series, these are thinking (rational, organized, unemotional, logical, analytical and impersonal) choice-makers who calculate risk factors for each choice.  Notice wrong reasoning. What little leadership research there is relating to M-B suggests that Thinking archetype correlate with more 'analytic' problem solving and decision preferences (Mattlin, Wethington & Kessler, 1990). 

F - Feeling is the heart choice (emotions count), and correlated more with concern for people. The heart, not the head, rules. Sentiment wins out over logic. Fs are sensitive, concerned about people and being appreciated. They like things warm, harmonious, and friendly. They notice when people need support.  Decisions are based upon the personal consequences for other people.  Jung says Fs focus on choices "agreeable or not, to be accepted or rejected (306)".  Feeling is also more human-values oriented, wanting to decide issues based upon spiritual, emotional, and human values, rather than being limited to impersonal analyses of impersonal data. 

Choose T or F and write it here ________________

4. What is your ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE AND THE WORLD?  Perceiving or Judging.  It has nothing to do with whether a person is judgmental or perceptive. It is more about attitude and how they feel about closure.

P - Perceivers are flexible, like to keep their options open, are accepting of change, and very spontaneous. They have more of a play ethic, and will play with many possibilities before making a purchase, deciding on a mate, or choosing an occupation.  Ps like to experience as much of the world as possible. Ps are divergers, who expand the uniqueness and possibilities into endless variety and combinations, before deciding upon some plan of action. Perceivers take their time and keep their options open.  Perceivers have the attitude: I can create combinations that never were before if I am patient. They will change horses in midstream.

J - Judgers view life as a series of choices to be made with categories, and plans that should be organized quickly. Js prefer a more ordered, structured, and systematic environment.  Js are planned, orderly, and systematic, and driven by a strong work ethic.  Their attitude is to seek convergence and closure that they arrive at instantly.  They like to have an issue settled, instead of up in the air. They will find a horse they love, and ride just that one.

Choose P or J and write it here _________________

Write the letter choices to the four questions here ____  ____  ____  ____  

 

You can get some idea of validity of the basic pattern of your letters by looking at the main two-letter combinations. Until rather recently, it was felt that the main types were just ST, SF, NT, and NF.

ST - Sensing-Thinking Types - Stress systematic decision making with quantitative, not qualitative data (Nutt, 1986). They establish order, set up control and manage with certainty (Mitroff & Mitroff, 1980).  They prefer tasks that are structured and prefer to take very few risks. There is a focus on immediate problems, the quick fix, and the use of standard producers and playing by the rules. STs dive into the details and look for specifics and some say to find step-by-step progress (Haley & Stumpf, 1989; Haley, 1997). Once set with a decision, doubt and opposition do not deter them, and they may resist a reanalysis. 

SF - Sensing-Feeling Types - these are people oriented decision makers. They welcome people's opinions, and concentrate on qualitative and more affective and evaluative information.  More concerned with facts about people that about things. Short term focus on problems of today, but only with human implications. Harmony is preferred and they are quick to reconcile interpersonal differences (Haley & Stumpf, 1989; Haley, 1997). 

NT - iNtuitive-Thinking Types (Visionaries) - focus on nonlinear problems and studying patterns in the data (Nutt, 1986). Head for the more general information rather then the details and specifics.  Prefer analysis, but will make bold intuitive leaps into the unknown. More long-range in their thinking and strategic plans. Not big on implementation.  Will dive into a complex problem and try to organize them into simpler ones. Can be quite idealistic and even impersonal, and will ignore the nay sayers around them (Haley & Stumpf, 1989; Haley, 1997). 

NF - iNtuitive-Feeling Types (Catalysts) - focus on judgment and experience, and portraying their own personal views as the facts (Nutt, 1986). There are few rules in their decision-making and they rely on intuitive perception.  They will construct open ended, non-linear, and ill-defined problems and seek fresh, human possibilities.  More focus on the broad themes than on specifics and seek longer-term goals. May test their hunches (Haley & Stumpf, 1989; Haley, 1997). 

More recently, the four main types (most relevant to leadership and teams) are thought to be NF, NT, SJ, and SP (i.e. instead of ST or SF it is SJ and SP). 

Experiments by Mason and Mitroff (1981) found that managers of opposite styles (i.e., they have no letters in common) will create an organization that is the living hell of their opposite type. STs will tend to create something way too structured and short term and linear than NFs might create, for example.

 Below are the basic definitions of each of four dualisms that make up the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types.  Following Richardson (1996), we draw spiritual practice implications for each.  To wit, the spiritual challenge of a person is to embrace their opposite, to make what they are not yet, their spiritual quest. The E can learn from the I, and the S from the N, and so forth.

Associations of M-B with Spirituality

|Extraversion |Introversion |

|Starts with outer situation |Starts with inner situation |

|Energized by events in outer world |Energized by inner world of ideas |

|Likes novelty of experience |Deeply focused |

|Gregarious |Prefers inner life consciousness |

|Likes action |Deliberate |

|Enjoys variety |Relates the new to what has meaning |

|Likes talking and groups |Good listeners |

|Lots of friends |Center on reflection |

|Outgoing, Publicly expressive, Interacting, Speaks then thinks, Gregarious |Fewer close friends |

|SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to take time to go inside and reflect; stop |Quiet, Reserved, Concentrating, Thinks then speaks, Reflective |

|talking and start listening; Do more self-absorption; Take a break from the |SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to get back in touch with life and nature. |

|world of action and people. |Break out of the isolation and self-absorption; Make a difference in the |

|  |world. |

|Sensing |iNtuition |

|Base perception on what is present here and now in physical experience. |Base perceptions on the possibilities in situations for symbolic, |

|Prefer realistic actuality (what is) |abstract, and mental patterns |

|Practical and literal |Seek patterns (what might be) |

|Observe facts directly in experience |Hunches and inspiration |

|Go step by step |Imagination in collective unconscious |

|Have the common sense to Use experience |Read between the lines |

|Instincts drive action |Detached and impartial |

|Put up with it when can not control it |Dig archetypes |

|Prefers a life of action |Follow symbolic cues |

|Practical, Specific, Feet on ground, Details, Concrete |Dig abstract transformations |

|SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to appreciate the cosmos, the mystery of |General, Abstract, Head in clouds, Possibilities, Theoretical |

|inspiration. |SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to get in touch with life, take walks in the |

| |world |

|Thinking |Feeling |

|Decide by objectives, analysis, purpose and the logic of cause and effect. |Decide by subjective process |

|Aims for impersonal |Stays centered on people and values |

|Aims for clarity |Seeks worthwhileness of choices. |

|Like fairness |Champions and persuades |

|Aims for truth |Is tactful, unless passionate |

|Big Left Brain |Looks at nuances and tones of experience |

|Detached outputting |Aim for harmony |

|Sort it all out for honesty and truth |Wants trusty |

|Criticize it |Wants to be humane |

|Analyze it |Big Right Brain |

|Organize it |Attached outputting |

|Administer it |Seeks worth and meaning in experience |

|Analytical, Clarity, Head, Justice & Rules |Subjective, Harmony, Heart, Mercy, Circumstances |

|SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to get in touch with feelings, give the left |SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to get organized, be more analytic and take a |

|brain a break, follow a butterfly |break from people. |

| | |

| | |

|Judging |Perceiving |

|Prefers to live life in planned way |Prefers a life that is very flexible |

|Prefers an orderly way |Prefers to keep options option |

|Wants things settled |Prefers the more spontaneous way |

|Likes being decisive |Keep it adaptive |

|Seeks closure |Quite tolerant |

|Enjoys finishing things |Opens up to life |

|Lots of life control |Enjoys understanding things |

|Prefers organized religion with discipline, predictability, consistency, and|Enjoys life |

|closure. |Prefers non-religious, where life is the center of spirituality. |

|Structured, Time oriented, Decisive, Makes lists (uses them), Organizes |Flexible, Open ended, Exploring, Makes lists (loses them), Spontaneous |

|SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to play, break a few routines, and explore human|SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE - Needs to get some control over their openness to |

|nature. |life, and plan a few moments of peace and control. |

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