Training

How the MBTI® Works 

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) is the world's most widely used personality indicator, with over 2 million people taking it annually. It is the pre-eminent instrument for giving you a deep understanding of yourself and others. It explains how differences between people can be observed and described. It therefore gives you very clear and obvious advice on building better interpersonal relationships, building an effective team dynamic and developing your leadership style. The MBTI® is therefore the choice of the world's leading management trainers, leadership coaches and employee counsellors.

It is a forced choice, self-report, personality questionnaire used to measure and describe people's preferences for taking in information, making decisions and orienting their lives. It is based on Carl Jung's theory of perception and judgment and classifies people into 16 broad personality Types. The MBTI® tool provides a simple way of seeing how people are alike and how they differ. You are invited to celebrate your own strengths then value and respect others for the different gifts they bring to life and work.

The MBTI® instrument helps determine an individual's preferences on four dichotomies

A person either prefers

 

E, Extraversion - Prefers to draw energy from the world of activity, people and things

or

I, Introversion - Prefers to draw energy from the inner world of reflections, feelings and ideas

 

S, Sensing - Prefers to focus on information gained from the five senses and on practical applications

or

N, Intuition - Prefers to focus on patterns, connections and possible meanings

 

T, Thinking - Prefers to base decisions on logic and objective analysis of cause and effect

or

F, Feeling - Prefers to base decisions on a valuing process, considering what is important to people

 

J, Judging - Likes a planned, organised approach to life and prefers to have things organised

or

P, Perceiving - Likes a flexible, spontaneous approach and prefers to keep options open

 

The various combinations of these preferences result in 16 personality "Types", each associated with a unique set of behavioural characteristics and values, which provide an excellent starting point for leadership and team development.

 

Applications of the MBTI® Compared with other psychometric instruments of similar quality the MBTI® is remarkably good value for money , and is therefore used extensively in organisations in the following areas:

• Leadership development – identifying leadership style and developing management skills

• Team building and team development – improving communication, enhancing team problem solving and building team synergy

• Organisational change – developing resilience to change and guiding change management initiatives

• Persuading and influencing – developing selling and influencing skills

• Coaching and giving feedback – identifying motivators for different individuals and motivating appropriately

• Resolving conflict – improving the quality of relationships, improving communication and removing misunderstandings.