MBTI and what to do with the knowledge about your employees’ personality types

2 kwietnia 2012

You already know your MBTI type. You can use this knowledge to understand your own behaviours better, but what’s even more important, you can improve your organization’s performance by utilizing MBTI personality types in managing employees.

It would be easy to jump into conclusion that one type is better than the other, but you need to keep in mind that MBTI model recognizes 16 personality types and each of those types has its own strengths and weaknesses.

By learning more about an employee’s personality type, you can identify your employee’s blind spots and manage your staff effectively.

It starts at the beginning of each task, a „J-person” would rather prepare lists and start projects earlier, while a „P-person” at the same time may seem more lazy, but is just gathering more information before he/she takes action.

You can make communication a lot easier if you find out what the audience understands, for example an INFP person tends to avoid jumping into easy conclusions, such person will perform more effectively when he/she gets information in writing and is given some time to brainstorm and consider all possible consequences.

During meetings an „I-person” isn’t usually eager to speak up, he/she needs time to process the given issue, but that doesn’t mean he/she is disconnected. At the same meeting you may listen to an „E-person” talking about every aspect of the given matter, an „N-person” asking questions regarding its results or a „J-person” wanting for the meeting to be over.

As you can see, there’s no easy way to handle all personality types. A key to a successful HR management is recognizing people’s diversity and trying to develop a strategy to help each individual succeed.

Glossary:

to jump into conclusion – pochopnie wyciągać wnioski

to keep in mind – mieć świadomość

blind spot – martwy punkt

to seem – wydawać się

lazy – leniwy

to gather – zbierać

to take action – podejmować działanie

to brainstorm – zastanawiać się, rozważać, przeprowadzać burzę mózgów

eager – gorliwy, chętny

to process – przetworzyć

disconnected – oderwany

to be over – to finish

to handle – radzić sobie

diversity – różnorodność

Task:
Below there is a chart with some of the 16 personality types (according to the MBTI test) and the blind spots related to these types. Choose the action which in your opinion is better in a given situation.