Newsletter #24

 

In this issue:

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and INTPs and ESFJs in Organizations

About the Strong Interest Inventory®: Person - Environment Fit, Part VI

About the FIRO-B™: Team Mismatches I

 

INTPs and ESFJs in Organizations

This issue we'll consider INTPs and ESFJs and examine where they might fit best and some of the possible weak spots for each.

We'll start with INTPs. Many people of this type enjoy workplaces that give them privacy and quiet time to think. They often like work that encourages independent and original thinking. INTPs are generally attracted to jobs that have flexible policies and procedures, with little structure and bureaucracy. They would rather avoid going to meetings. Many INTPs are quite comfortable working on the most complex problems. They use logic, analysis, and critical thinking to solve most challenges. As you might imagine, they often like working with other independent thinkers. INTPs tend to respect people based on their competency or expertise, rather than on their position. They are more likely to relate to people intellectually than emotionally.

Some areas where INTPs can struggle include indiscriminately applying their highly developed critical thinking skills towards people and personnel issues and giving the impression they don't care. They can be drawn into theoretical models and overanalyze or intellectualize issues, forgetting the practical details or constraints. Complex explanations might confuse others, rather than illuminate the issues. Some INTPs can become nitpickers on minor inconsistencies, and alienate others on the major issues. They can overlook the necessary steps towards a goal in favor of the long-term implications.

Let's now turn to the ESFJs. Many of them enjoy working with cooperative and conscientious colleagues in a people-oriented environment. They like organization and efficiency, and respect authority and established procedures. ESFJs can appreciate jobs where friendship among colleagues is encouraged, people are outgoing and warm, and where people show appreciation easily. A good environment for this type would be filled with caring people who are sensitive to the needs of others. ESFJs generally like to please people, and can be effective where timely and accurate work is required.

There can be some trouble spots for this type as well. For example, ESFJs can avoid conflict because of their desire to please others and stay friends. They can try to smooth over personal differences out of fear of conflict. Likewise, they can ignore their own work or health because they focus so much on others. Since they usually want to help others, they can interfere and tell others what's best for them, sometimes without knowing all the facts. They can be so busy with daily tasks that they fail to step back and look at the big picture, something the military calls "making great progress marching in the wrong direction." ESFJs can forget to consider the logical or long-term consequences of their actions.

 

About the Strong Interest Inventory: Person - Environment Fit, Part VI

One of the foundations underlying the Strong is the idea that both people and environments can be sorted into six primary areas. While it's true that most jobs and people are more complex than a single category, it's likely the case that one of the six environmental types is dominant in a workplace. The concept is that the more closely a person's personality matches his or her work environment, the more likely that person is to enjoy a career, stay in a job, or persist in developing a career.

This time we'll examine how this interaction works with Conventional environments and people.

Conventional people tend to see themselves as having technical skills in business or producing goods or services, but lacking artistic skills. Other people can describe Conventional types as careful or conforming. They often value material or financial success and accomplishments, as well as political, business, or social power. Conventional people usually prefer to work with established, orderly routines and like to maintain or develop standards. This type tends to avoid ambiguous or unstructured workplaces.

As with the other five types, Conventional jobs are similar to Conventional people. These jobs often require clerical skills or meeting precise, well-defined performance standards. Organizational ability, conformity, and dependability are usually rewarded in these positions. Many of these jobs involve working with numbers, things, or machines to meet specific, predictable goals. Conventional jobs frequently involve paying attention to routines and concern for orderliness.

Examples of typical Conventional jobs include production editor, bookkeeper, medical records technician, bank cashier, IRS tax auditor, office clerk, proofreader, and office manager.

 

The FIRO-B: Team Mismatches I

A common occurrence in the workplace is learning how to interact effectively with those colleagues whose preferences are different from our own. As you know, teams can have a preponderance of people with common preferences. What happens when your preferences clash with the group's?

For example, if your lowest Wanted Need is Inclusion, but it's the team's highest Expressed Need, you might find yourself wanting to skip meetings, not paying attention to conversations, sitting away from others when possible, or trying to find a place to sit where you are not in full view of others. You might do other work during a meeting while appearing to be taking notes. Another common way people react to this scenario is to keep their heads down when others are speaking. These are all ways to distance oneself from others, particularly when it seems they are getting too close.

Consider the opposite scenario: suppose your highest Wanted Need is Inclusion, but the team is low on this Expressed Need. In this case, you might try sharing more information about what you know during meetings, or ask for more time to explain your position or what you've been considering. You might go around the room, asking each person to express his or her opinion so you know where everyone stands on an issue. You might sit in a central location during meetings, and try to stay completely involved in what's going on. It's possible you'll want to spend more time than the others on reviewing what has happened before so you can understand where the team is going next. Many people who are in this situation give the team a written proposal or commentary, as a way to demonstrate greater interest in participation.

With many mismatches, it depends on how important this need is for you. If your Expressed Need score is very low (0-2), you might not do any of the above. Likewise, if Inclusion is your lowest Wanted Need, you might tolerate a mismatch more than with your highest need.