This week marks part five of our sixteen part series of blogs where I focus on a different Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) every single week and examine a famous person throughout history that matches those preferences.   Previously, I looked at Steve Jobs and the MBTI ISTP type.  Today I will look at the Myers-Briggs ISFP type, which includes Introversion + Sensing + Feeling + Perceiving, and Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known as Eminem.

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, aka Eminem, has been heralded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, named the best selling artist of the 2000’s. He has been criticized for being overly vulgar while insulting fellow artists, movie stars, the President, and even his own family.  He is un-doubtfully one of the most polarizing musicians of this generation.

The Myers-Briggs ISFP type prizes freedom. They also prefer to do things at their own pace, and follow their own course.  Eminem’s focus on his freedom of speech and artistic freedom is a great example how the MBTI ISFP type can manifest itself (CPP, 2007).

Eminem is also a great example of what happens when a Myers-Briggs ISFP type doesn’t find a place where they can be appreciated for their contributions and fully utilize their gifts.  During the early years of his life, Eminem struggled in school and ended up dropping out of high school at 17 after repeating the 9^th grade twice for truancy and having near failing grades.

ISFP types tend to learn best by doing rather than reading or through lectures so the combination of a traditional education combined with his external musical interests helped explain his resistance to structure and rules, leading to a withdrawal from his academic responsibilities.

Eminem is also a great example of what happens when an ISFP type puts their best foot forward.  Myers-Briggs ISFP’s don’t enjoy routines, but they work with energy and dedication when dong something they believe in.  Eminem uses his rapping and songwriting as a way to express his feelings and his dedication to his profession is clear.

Another tendency of the Myers-Briggs ISFP is to underrate themselves while taking for granted what they do well . Eminem has made a living of expressing his feelings about his life and how he sees his experiential tribulations, singing of his direct and self-deprecating response to criticism.  MBTI ISFP types really can be their own critics, but Eminem channeled that energy into artistic and financial success.

Eminem is truly a great success story of an individual that molded the best and worst of his development as a Myers-Briggs ISFP type and channeled it into personal growth and achievement.

If you would like more in depth information on The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ISFP type, or if you would like to find out what your Myers-Briggs Type is, then head over to the Assessments Page of Career Assessment Site, or choose one of the categories at the top of any page of the website and choose the MBTI Profile or MBTI Interpretive Report, and take the MBTI Assessment for an analysis of your type.

Don’t forget to check back for our continuation to part six of our sixteen part series of famous figures and the MBTI types they personify.

The Strong Interest Inventory includes a detailed section scored to assess how people learn, work, play, and live named The Personal Style Scales. Comparatively speaking, less than the other parts of the Strong Interest Inventory Sections that assess educational and work settings, at times, the Personal Style Scale, or PSS, can assess how people prefer to work and learn in general (CPP, 2005).

There are five PSS’s and these consist of:

1. Work style
2. Learning Environment
3. Leadership style
4. Risk taking
5. Team orientation

The scoring result behind these five scales lie in two opposite measurements, or what is known as poles.  Those people who complete The Strong Interest inventory and score in the following manner would have the following results in conjunction with the five PSS’s:

A score of 55 and above on the work style scale would mean that the assessment taker would generally work with ideas/data and should search for an occupation that coincides with this result. A score of 45 and below would generally sort an assessment taker in a category of persons who enjoy working with others. We can see how a low score on the work style PSS can coincide at times with the extroverted type on The Myers-Briggs Type indicator as the extroverted type also enjoys working with others. Those that score in the mid-range between 46 and 54 usually occur for people who have no preference for one PSS or the other, and usually are okay with both sides of the pole.

The learning environment style scale places an assessment taker either with a 55 and above as practical or 45 and below as academic, or as stated above within the mid-range which coincides with no particular preference either way.

A high score in the leadership style scale is reserved for those that lead by example, while lower scorers usually prefer to direct others.

The risk taking scale is scored with the higher scorers playing it safe and the lower scorers preferring to take more chances.

Higher scorers in the team orientation scale coincide with those assessment takers who accomplish tasks independently while lower scorers accomplish tasks as a team.

In reference to the work style scale, some sample occupations for those that score lower then 45 and tend to prefer to work with people include:

• Special Education Teacher
• Community Service Director
• Human resource Manager
• Sales Manager

Those that score above 55 on the work styles scale and typically work with ideas /data and things prefer to work in the following areas:

• Biologist
• Chemist
• Computer Scientist
• Geologist
• R & D Manager

The Strong Interest Inventory PSS learning environment practical pole includes people who prefer to learn in more practical settings and show interest in health care service, technical, protective service, and office-related activities. The practical pole usually includes students who study areas such as accounting, finance, business, engineering, and computer technology. On the other side of the practical pole one will find the academic pole which usually includes people who tend to learn in academic settings and show interest in verbal and research settings. In addition, students who score in the academic pole area usually have a major that includes an emphasis in cultural/artistic, verbal, research, language, literature, history, journalism, physical sciences, and social sciences (CPP, 2005).

The PSS leadership style scale directing others pole includes those who show interest in politics and public speaking, marketing, advertising, and management. While the opposite pole, the leading by example pole, includes those persons who usually show interest in mechanics, construction, science, computer hardware, electronics, and mathematics.

The Strong Interest Inventory risk taking scale includes persons who prefer to take chances and risks and those who prefer to play it safe. Risk taking in this category can include emotional and social risks as well as physical safety risks as higher risk taking hobbies, financial risks (playing the stock market), exotic destination travel, auto racing etc. Occupations in high-risk categories include firefighters, military officers, realtors, and law enforcement officers. Occupations included in the playing it safe pole usually feel fulfilled by following career path similar to being a college instructor, musician, librarian, administrative assistant, speech pathologist etc. (CPP, 2005).

The Team Orientation Strong Interest Inventory PSS includes those that prefer to partake in team activities and those that prefer to work more independently. Those that score high in this area tend to prefer to work in teams and take interest in areas such as human resources, training, management, marketing, and advertising. The opposite pole, the accomplished task independent pole, includes people who prefer to work more independently and take interest in areas such as visual arts, design, nature, agriculture, and science. It is important to point out that those that score high in the accomplished task independently pole have not shown an inability to succeed in team settings.

To learn about your Personal Style Scales and Strong Interest Inventory results please visit our Assessments or Career Assessment Category Page and complete The Strong Interest Inventory, and remember to achieve and acquire personal and professional success each and every day!

Starting this week, along with our celebrity blog series, which focuses on Myers-Briggs Personality Type and celebrities, we will be writing an additional series of blogs entitled The Hallmark of The Myers-briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Personality Type in Teams.  This series of blogs is based on The Booklet, “Introduction To Type And Teams” by Elizabeth, Katherine, and Sandra Hirsh (CPP, 2003). In this series, we will discuss each of the sixteen Myers Briggs Personality Types and how each type relates to business and leadership teams in the following manner:

• Team Communication & Type
• Team Culture & Type
• Team Leadership & Type
• Team Type & Change
• Team Problem Solving/Conflict Resolution & Type
• Team Type & Stress

Each topic listed above will be explained in the following ways for each type:

• How a certain Myers-Briggs personality type can contribute to a team and lead
• What behavior by an individual with a certain MBTI personality type might affect other team members in a negative fashion
• What behavior by other team members might negatively affect an individual with a certain Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality type
• How an individual with a certain MBTI personality type can maximize effectiveness
• Personality team and leadership in Times of Change
• Personality type in problem solving and conflict resolution
• Personality type and stress

The first MBTI Type we will discuss is The ISTJ Type, or more definitively The Introvert-Sensing-Thinking-Judging Type. The Hallmark of The ISTJ Personality Type is Dependability. So if you test-out as an ISTJ, people can be certain you are dependable.

How can a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Introverted-Sensor-Thinker-Judger (ISTJ) best contribute to a team? What are some of the simple Type Dynamics that take place within a team that includes at least one ISTJ?

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ISTJ personalities contribute to teams communicatively by classifying data in explicit and understandable chunks. They also use logical arguments backed by specifics and realism. ISTJ types may affect team members negatively by withholding viewpoints until late in the process and neglecting interpersonal gestures.

On the other hand, ISTJ types might be affected negatively themselves by team members who interrupt and over speak or by other members who waste time by discussing personal issues unrelated to the task.

ISTJ personalities are most effective in team settings and can boost a team’s communication effectiveness by keeping people informed, considering the human element and communicating well-deserved appreciation  (Hirsch et al. CPP, 2003).

How does a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ISTJ personality Type view team culture and how does an ISTJ handle the progression of that culture? How do other team members view ISTJ types ways? How can an ISTJ improve in these areas?

ISTJ types find tradition and the chain of command important. They tend to stay focused to the task at hand and lead by example as they consistently follow through. Hence tweaking their team culture toward their traditional values as best they can. MBTI ISTJ types can at times negatively affect team culture by being overly serious and by having an unsupportive view towards innovation by expecting others to conform to strict operating procedures. With this said, on the other side of the coin, ISTJ personalities can become dislodged and can be affected negatively by team members who lack focus, accountability, thoroughness or practicality.

At their best, ISTJ types can maximize their input towards positive team culture by having some fun, allowing some spontaneity, giving some leeway, and appreciating those who use nontraditional methods (Hirsch et al. CPP, 2003).

How do Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ISTJ personality types lead? What issues can arise within teams caused by this leadership style? How can ISTJ types be most effective as leaders?

ISTJ types contribute to teams in a leadership position by staying highly organized while usually doing so in somewhat silent fashion. In addition, ISTJ types model efficiency and dependability causing a team to stay efficient and dependable. However, ISTJ types may affect other team members negatively by overly focusing on the task at hand, rigidly working between the lines while neglecting to provide reinforcement to others for their contributions. Other team members who are non-committal may negatively impact ISTJ types in leadership roles. In addition, those who are less serious and who often propose non-pragmatic plans of action can cause ISTJ types to become distracted and derailed.

ISTJ personality Types can be most effective if they learn to be more open to new ideas and alternate team business methods and procedures. They can also be much more effective by showing more appreciation of others (Hirsch et al. CPP, 2003).

How do Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ISTJ personality types contribute when change occurs in business and leadership teams? What actions and behaviors by other team members during a time of change cause an ISTJ to stress? What about team members? How do they feel about an ISTJ during times of change? How can ISTJ types best culminate their effectiveness?

ISTJ types contribute to teams in times of change by paving a way for a stable future as they are mindful of what has worked for he team in the past. In addition, being detail oriented, ISTJ personalities check the details involved in change in order to have a good understanding of what can be reasonably accomplished.

An ISTJ may negatively impact other team members by resisting change while favoring the status quo. Additionally, ISTJ types depend too much on plans and schedules when flexibility is required.  Team members who want change for no particular reason other then for changes sake can negatively impact ISTJ types.

ISTJ types can be most effective in a team change scenario when they can recognize that change is a natural progression in life and is a usual progression for any long term task or business entity. It is also helpful for ISTJ types to realize that not every part of change can be planned for (Hirsch et al. CPP, 2003).

Next week we will continue The Hallmark of Personality Type in Teams with The ISTP Type.

Remember To Acquire Personal and Professional Success Each and Everyday!

The MBTI Work Styles Report was created to help two co-workers function more effectively and efficiently within a work setting.   The Myers-Briggs Work Styles Report can help employees in the following ways:

• It can help two co-workers better understand how they communicate with each other.
• It can help you and your co-worker understand each other’s differences and similarities.
• It can provide you with a better focus and understanding of healthy and unhealthy conflict.
• It builds upon combined strengths and promotes a better and more productive working relationship.
• It teaches you how to resolve and avoid communication conflict.

Each Report includes two separate MBTI Type summaries for you and a colleague, or two subordinates and contains the following sections:

• MBTI Type at Work; similarities and differences between you and your co-worker or subordinates.
• A summary of you and your co-workers MBTI Dichotomies (differences and similarities).
• Communication style differences and similarities
• Potential problems in communication style
• Joint action plan in communication style
• Information gathering differences and similarities
• Potential problems in information gathering
• Joint action plan in Information gathering
• Decision making differences and similarities
• Potential problems in decision making
• Joint action plan in decision making
• Project management differences and similarities
• Potential problems in project management
• Joint action plan in project management
• “Next steps” to enable each person to develop new behaviors
• A questionnaire to mutually agree or discuss steps in moving forward                                     (Hammer, A. 2001)

Two particular sections of The MBTI Styles Report include The Communication Style’s Section and The Decision Making Style’s Section:

Communication

                   Communication Style refers to how you prefer to communicate your ideas, opinions, or feelings to others (Hammer, A. 2001). The Report begins its review of two co-worker’s communication style by comparing The Extroversion-Introversion (E-I) Dichotomy to one another. It helps you understand potential problems and pitfalls.  Some potential problems for two Extroverted Types at work include having trouble listening to each other as well as being prone to interrupting. Two Extroverted Types might also act too quickly without taking time to reflect when making decisions.

When one co-worker is Extroverted and another Introverted, The Extroverted Type might be more outspoken and discuss whatever comes to his or her mind, while The Introverted Type would prefer to think things through prior to discussing his or her opinions with others. At times, Introverts can come off standoffish in-group settings. Understanding each other’s Communication Style makes unneeded conflict and misunderstandings much less likely.

Decision making

The MBTI Styles Report explains Decision Making as how you and your co-worker go about making a decision, forming an opinion, or settling an issue. The Thinking-Feeling Dichotomy (T-F) determines a Decision Making Style. If it so happens that one co-worker is a Thinking Type and another a Feeling Type, one can assume that the following will take place.

The Thinking Type will:

• Form opinions after logical analysis.
• Strive to be Objective.
• See argument as a good way to bring issues out in the open.

While The Feeling Type will:

• Form opinions after considering their own or other’s values.
• Strive to understand the positions or opinions of others.
• Think that arguments are always counterproductive.

                  The Work Styles Assessment is one of the most effective assessments available. It compares two individuals in a structured, but user-friendly fashion. It relates many aspects of Type including decision making, communication, personality, project management and your MBTI Type at work, making it one of the most thorough reports available with two identical reports given to two different people.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and remember to acquire personal and professional success each and everyday!

Today marks part three of our 16 part series exploring the sixteen MBTI personality types and related notable figures throughout time.  This week we examine the ESTJ, Extraversion-Sensing-Thinking-Judging, and John D. Rockefeller who many argue to be the world’s most successful industrialist with an inflation adjusted estimated net worth of 663.4 Billion (Forbes 2008).  Yes, that’s Billion with a “B”.

From a very early age John Rockefeller exhibited strong features of The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ESTJ type.  His mother taught him to be thrifty and efficient.  In school he was reserved, methodical and had a great mind for numbers and detailed accounting.  This fits in perfectly with the Sensing and Thinking preferences that cater to logic and objective analysis of the here and now.

When it comes to work, The ESTJ Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Type prefers to focus on jobs where results are immediate, visible, and tangible.    John Rockefeller’s first major career move was in the produce commission business where he helped raise $4,000 (a substantial amount of money in the mid 1800’s).  He then partnered to build an oil refinery in 1863.  Like other ESTJ personality types, he had no problem working with others, but he expected others to be responsible about meeting deadlines and completing assigned tasks.  He also was a great administrator and his great understanding of logistics and the systems behind his business and worldwide trends helped him foresee the huge oil boom and in a brilliant move, he bought out his majority partners in 1865.  With majority control of his oil business he was able to better control the direction of his company by borrowing heavily, reinvesting profits, and adapting rapidly to changing markets.  Based off his success Rockefeller formed Standard Oil of Ohio in June of 1870 and so Standard Oil was born.  Without the freedom to make decisions pertaining to responsibility assignment and resource management John Rockefeller would have quite possibly never had the chance to develop his empire to the extent that he did.

MBTI ESTJ Types thrive in an environment where they have freedom to form a systematic approach to problem solving.  This allows them to have a very straightforward battle plan that is focused on bottom line results.  Sometimes this can make an ESTJ come off as overpowering, but the ESTJ has a tendency to come off as dependable, decisive, and self confident.  This leads people to naturally look toward ESTJ MBTI Types to take charge and get things done.

John Rockefeller was also a great example of how an ESTJ Type values competence and efficiency.  In fact, he was a strong believer in the Efficiency Movement of the early 20^th century.  This movement aimed to identify and eliminate waste (inefficiency) from all areas of the economy and society.

John Rockefeller’s combination of financial brilliance, great administrative skills, proper timing, and operational efficiency all combined to in a perfect storm to truly showcase what a properly channeled ESTJ is capable of accomplishing with the correct tools and opportunities.

If you would like more in depth information on ESTJ personality types, or if you would like to find out what your Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality type is, then head over to the assessment page and take the MBTI assessment for an analysis of your type.  And don’t forget to check in next week when we continue to part four of our sixteen part series of famous figures and the MBTI types they personify.

According to the text Introduction To Conflict Management, the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) Profile and Interpretive Report is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure your tendencies in dealing with interpersonal conflict (Thomas, K. 2002). The TKI measures five conflict-handling styles in the form of a percentage as compared to a sample of 8,000 working adults who have been administered this assessment.

The five conflict handling styles are:

1. Competing
2. Collaborating
3. Compromising
4. Avoiding
5. Accommodating

The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument relates these five conflict styles with two basic dimensions in which conflict-handling modes are located. These two dimensions are Assertiveness (the degree to which you try to satisfy your own needs during conflict) and Cooperativeness (how much you try to satisfy the other person’s concerns during conflict). These two dimensions are not opposites of each other, but are separate and independent measurements. The following are descriptions of how these two dimensions relate to the five conflict handling modes:

• Competing is assertive and cooperative. The competitor attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns at the other person’s expense.
• Collaborating is both assertive and cooperative. The collaborator searches for a win-win situation.
• Compromising is intermediate in both assertiveness and cooperativeness. The compromiser tries to find a settlement.
• Avoiding is both assertive and uncooperative. The avoider sidesteps the conflict without attempting to satisfy any concerns.
• Accommodating is unassertive and cooperative. The accommodator tries to satisfy others’ concerns at the expense of his or her own concerns.

(Thomas, K. 2002).

When you complete the TKI, your results will include the conflict resolution and interpersonal uses as well as descriptions and contributions of each of the five styles. Questions “to ask yourself” are also included to help you discover if you are perhaps overusing or underutilizing conflict management modes.

The five conflict style uses, descriptions, signs of overuse, and underutilization are as follows:

Competing

Competitors value tough-mindedness, up-front honesty, and courage. They see others with different points of view as their opponents and they try to win in conflict management situation.

The TKI Assessment Report explains that the Competing Style is useful in two ways: when you are dealing with people who tend to take advantage of non-competitors and when unpopular action is required.  As a Competitor it is important to ask yourself if you are overusing your competitiveness. You can be sure you are overusing this style if you are surrounded by people who consistently agree with you without any analysis of the situation. In addition, you might be overusing your Competitive Style if the people around you are afraid or insecure to present vulnerability, lack of knowledge, or slight uncertainty in subject matter.

Regarding underutilization as outlined in the TKI, if you answer yes to the following two questions, you are probably underutilizing your competitive style:

• Do you feel powerless in situations?
• Do you sometimes have difficulty with firmness in your beliefs and opinions? Especially when you feel that it is the right time to take action?

Collaborating

Collaborating Style uses include but are not limited to:

• When you want to combine different people’s theories, beliefs and perspectives on a problem.
• When you want to gain commitment by accepting the concerns of others into a shared decision.
• When you need to work through hard feelings that have been getting in the way of an otherwise positive relationship.

Questions to ask yourself as signs of overuse of your Collaborating style include:

• Do you spend an excessive amount of time discussing issues that do not warrant such discussions?
• Does your collaborative behavior fail to elicit collaborative responses form others?

Questions to ask yourself as signs of underuse of your Collaborating Type as outlined in The TKI Instrument include:

• Is it difficult for you to see differences as opportunities for team gain, learning or problem solving?
• Are others uncommitted to your decisions or policies?

Compromising

Compromising Style uses as outlined in The TKI Instrument include but are not limited to:

• When goals are not vital enough to use more destructive conflict handling modes.
• When a temporary decision is adequate.
• When a solution-based short time frame is needed.
• When competition and collaboration has failed.

Questions to ask yourself as signs of overuse of your Compromising Style as outlined in The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument include:

• Do you focus excessively on pragmatic compromises that you lose sight of the “big picture”?
• Does focusing on bargaining and trading create a cynical culture of gamesmanship?

Questions to ask yourself as signs of underuse of your Compromising Style include:

• At times, do you find yourself shy, sensitive or embarrassed to partake in the give-and-take of bargaining?
• Do you have a hard time making concessions?

Avoiding

Avoiding Style uses include but are not limited to:

• When an issue is less important and other important issues are waiting.
• When you are presented by something that is very difficult to change and you lack the power to do so.
• When more information gathering is required to make an informed decision and an immediate decision is not eminent.
• When other people can conflict resolute more efficiently.

Questions to ask yourself as signs of overuse of your Avoiding Style include:

• Do people have trouble getting your input on issues?
• Do people often walk on eggshells with you whereas issues that need to be resolved and confronted are not forcing others to waist energy being overly cautious?
• Are important issues sometimes made by default without your input and critical thought analysis?

Questions to ask yourself as signs of underuse of your Avoiding Style include:

• Do you find yourself stirring up hostility in others and/or hurting people’s feelings?
• Do you often feel overwhelmed by a great number of issues?

Accommodating

Accommodating Style uses include but are not limited to:

• When you realize you’re mistaken, allowing a more prudent solution for consideration, become educated by others, and show reasonability.
• When it is time to satisfy others and make goodwill gestures to keep a cooperative relationship.
• To build up credibility or social credits so that you may be more effective in later issues.
• When further competition would further damage you wants and needs.
• When you want to aid and develop your employees, allowing them to learn from their mistakes.

Questions to ask yourself as signs of overuse of your Accommodating Style include:

• Do you feel that your ideas, concerns and input don’t get the attention you want?
• Is discipline lacking?

Questions to ask yourself as signs of underuse of your Accommodating Style include:

• Is building goodwill with others a problem?
• Are you often seen as unreasonable?
• Is it difficult to admit when you are mistaken?
• Do you know when it is time to give up and move on?

(Thomas, K. 2007)

If you are under using or overusing a conflict handling style, completing the TKI Assessment can shed light on how, when, and where you can become more efficient in using your five interpersonal conflict modes. The TKI Assessment is a valuable tool in this area and has been administered to over 4 million people over the 30 years since inception and creation. I highly recommend the TKI as the leading tool in conflict management and handling behavior. To complete this assessment, click over to the the TKI section, choose the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) Profile and Interpretive Report, and get started!