BIG FIVE MODEL, MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI):Sub-Categories Defined, Information Gathering

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Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Lesson 14

BIG FIVE MODEL, MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI)

Continuing from previous lectures, we are still at personality part of individuals. One can ask question

is Personality Stable? Behavior is a function of the situation and the person in the situation

People's personalities can be described in a variety of ways.1). Personality is the pattern of relatively

enduring ways in which a person feels, thinks, and behaves. 2). Personality is an important factor in

accounting for why employees act the way they do in organizations and why they have favorable or

unfavorable attitudes toward their jobs and organizations.

Behavioral and social-cognitive theories: Reciprocal determinism: the person, the person's behavior,

and the environment all influence one another. Organizational Culture, Values, beliefs, attitudes and

assumptions put into Action through behavior. To understand it better, we need discuss other models on

this subject.

The Big Five Model of Personality: An impressive body of research supports that five basic

dimensions underlie all other personality dimensions. The five basic dimensions are:

Extraversion: Comfort level with relationships. Extroverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and

sociable. Interesting in getting ahead, Leading through influencing, Individuals are outgoing; Likes to

meet new people and willing to confront others. Introverts tend to be reserved, timid, and quiet.

Agreeableness: Individual's propensity to defer to others. High agreeableness people--cooperative,

warm, and trusting. Traits related to getting along with others. Characteristics include warm, easygoing,

compassionate, friendly, and sociable. Individuals typically are sociable and have lots of friends. Low

agreeableness people--cold, disagreeable, and antagonistic.

Conscientiousness: A measure of reliability. A high conscientious person is responsible, organized,

dependable, and persistent. Includes traits related to achievement. Traits include high credibility,

conformity, and organization. Individuals typically work hard and put in extra time and effort to meet

goals. Those who score low on this dimension are easily distracted, disorganized, and unreliable.

Emotional stability: A person's ability to withstand stress. People with positive emotional stability

tend to be calm, self-confident, and secure. The fine line between stable and unstable. Stable is being

calm, good under pressure, relaxed, and secure. Unstable is nervous, poor under pressure, insecure.

Those with high negative scores tend to be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure.

Openness to experience: The range of interests and fascination with novelty. Extremely open people

are creative, curious, and artistically sensitive. Trait related to being willing to change and try new

things. Individuals typically are willing to take calculated risks. Those at the other end of the openness

category are conventional and find comfort in the familiar.

What the MBTI? MBTI is an inventory of preferences for behavior and not a diagnostic psychological

test for identifying dysfunction or abilities. It tells you about your preferences for orienting yourself in

the world, and for gathering information and making decisions.

Katharine Briggs & Isabel Myers, mother-daughter team developed Jung's types into the Myers

Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). There are four categories, each with two sub-categories are as follows;

The 4 dimensions: Personality type dependent on 4 dimensions: It is a 100-question personality test

that asks people how they usually feel or act in particular situations. Individuals are classified as:

1. Extroverted or introverted (E or I).

2. Sensing or intuitive (S or N).

3. Thinking or feeling (T or F).

4. Perceiving or judging (P or J).

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

These classifications are then combined into sixteen personality types. For example:

INTJs are visionaries. They usually have original minds and great drive for their own ideas

and purposes. They are characterized as skeptical, critical, independent, determined, and

often stubborn.

ESTJs are organizers. They are realistic, logical, analytical, decisive, and have a natural

head for business or mechanics.

The ENTP type is a conceptualizer. He or she is innovative, individualistic, versatile, and

attracted to entrepreneurial ideas. This person tends to be resourceful in solving challenging

problems but may neglect routine assignments.

But also keep in your mind that each pair is of preferences for behavior. They are not measures of

ability.

History:

1920's Carl Jung posits that there are underlying personality types

1940's Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers build on Jung's work and create the MBTI

test

1970's Serious work to link MBTI types to careers, love matches, etc.

Today MBTI widely used in educational, corporate settings

Jung's Core Idea in Psychological Types: When your mind is active, one of two mental activities is

occurring:

Perceiving - taking in information

Judging - organizing that information & reaching conclusions

The MBTI Sub-Categories:

Extraversion -------------------- Introversion

Sensing ---------------------------- iNtuition

Thinking ---------------------------- Feeling

Judging --------------------------- Perceiving

Sub-Categories Defined

· Focus Attention:

Extraversion - direct & receive energy from outer world

Introversion - direct & receive energy from inner world

· Take in Data:

Sensing - data from the five senses

iNtuition - data from perception of meaning; gut-feeling

· Make Decisions:

Thinking - logical, objective, analytical approach

Feeling - value-centered, subjective (likes & dislikes)

· Orientation to Outer World:

Judging - live ordered, structured, planned lives

Perceiving - flexible, spontaneous orientation

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

MBTI Applications in Organizations:

· Management/career development

· Interpersonal communications skills

· Decision making/problem solving styles

· Management/leadership styles

· Organizational change

· Teambuilding

· Handling Diversity

· Conflict management

Energy

Extraversion

Introversion

The Extraverted person directs and receives

The Introverted person directs and receives

energy from the outside world.

energy from the inner world.

prefers action over reflection

prefers reflection over action

prefers oral communication

prefers written communication

shares thoughts freely

guards thoughts until they are (almost) perfect

acts and responds quickly

reflects and thinks deeply

enjoys working in groups

enjoys working alone or with only one or two

others

Energy Source:

Introvert

Extravert

Talkative

Meditative

Open

Reserved

External

Internal

With a group

Alone

Talks first

Thinks first

Information Gathering:

Sensing

iNtuition

The Sensing person prefers to gather

The iNtuitive person prefers to gather

information in a precise and exact manner.

information in an inspired or novel manner.

Likes specific examples

Likes general concepts

Prefers following an agenda

Departs from the agenda if necessary

Emphasizes the practical

Emphasizes the theoretical

Seeks predictability

Desires change

Sees difficulties as problems

Sees difficulties as opportunities

that need specific solutions

for further exploration

Focuses on immediate applications of a

Focuses on future possibilities

situation

of a situation

Wants to know what is

Wants to know what could be

Information Gathering

Intuitors

Sensors

Facts

Possibilities

Present

Future

Tangible

Abstract

Practical

Imaginative

5 Senses

"6th Sense"

Leadership & Team Management MGMT 623

Decision Making:

Thinking

Feeling

A Thinking person seeks general truths and

A Feeling person seeks individual and

objectivity when making decisions.

interpersonal harmony when making decisions.

questions first

accepts first

knows when reason is needed

knows when support is needed

wants things to be logical

Wants things to be pleasant

remains detached when making decisions

remains personally involved when making

decisions

controls the expression of feelings

expresses feeling with enthusiasm

overlooks people in favor of tasks

overlooks tasks in favor of people

Decision Making

Feelers

Thinkers

Objective

Subjective

Impersonal

Interpersonal

Justice

Mercy

Why

Who

Head

Heart

Lifestyle:

Judging

Perceiving..

The Judging person likes to come to closure

The Perceiving person prefers to remain open

and act on a decision.

and adapt to new information.

Likes things to be settled and ordered

Likes things to be flexible and open

Finishes tasks before the deadline

Finishes tasks at the deadline

Focuses on goals, results, and achievements

Focuses on processes, options, and openings

Establishes deadlines

Dislikes deadlines

Prefers no surprises

Enjoys surprises

Quickly commits to plans or decisions

Reserves the right to change plans or decisions

Life Style:

Judgers

Spontaneous /Perceiver

Decisive

Curious

Definite

Optional

Deadline

Guideline

Closure

Open-ended

Now

Later

The MBTI Sub-Categories:

Extraversion -------------------- Introversion

Sensing ---------------------------- iNtuition

Thinking ---------------------------- Feeling

Judging --------------------------- Perceiving

There are no "good" or "bad" type's only different types. Each preference type has a contribution to

make to effective teamwork. Each needs the opportunity to make a contribution based upon strengths.

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