ISFP MBTI® Personality Types and Decision-Making

Myers-Briggs Personality Type (MBTI®) Theory can transform how we think about decision making—how people choose to do what they do and how they do it. Different people not only make different decisions, but they also take into account different factors when making up their minds, or may be more or less open to changing their minds after they have made a decision. Varying MBTI personality types can even affect how individuals evaluate the success of their decision making—what determines whether a decision was strong or weak, or how it could be improved. Better understanding of how decisions are made reduces stress, increases interpersonal understanding, and can help make you stronger than ever.

Introverted-Sensing-Feeling-Perceiving (ISFP) MBTI personality types value peace and harmony above everything else. They look for ways to meet the needs of specific people as completely as possible, and tend to be realistic and practical about assessing the situation at hand. While they sometimes neglect their own needs, or lose the significance of long-term implications, their focus on the ‘here and now’ can be a valuable asset. As ISFP Personality Types begin brainstorming ideas and generating decision options, they make an effort to draw on the insights and opinions of others. They tend to avoid criticizing ideas, but may mentally compare others’ positions to a detailed set of facts about the situation at hand. They may find it helpful to implement a set procedure for evaluating contributions that is objectively applied to every one; that way, no one idea or individual is singled out, but are all evaluated in the same way.

When it comes time to commit to a particular option, ISFP MBTI personality types generally prefer options that promote interpersonal relationships, loyalty, and respect. Individual contributions are of the utmost importance, as are the feelings of those involved. This emphasis on individual contribution is also evident in ISFPs’ implementation style—they tend to encourage individuals to do things independently and in their own style, while providing flexible support as necessary. This flexibility may disconcert those who are more accustomed to more authoritative leadership styles or firm rules. As a result, ISFPs may benefit from making an effort to ask their colleagues or teams working under them what kind of guidance would be most beneficial for them.

Once the decision has been made and carried out, ISFPs often evaluate their decision and, according to Hirsh and Hirsh (2003) “examine where their own decision-making efforts missed the mark” (p. 27). In some cases, they can be overly self-critical, magnifying their own failures or shortcomings, while also taking responsibility for issues that may have been outside their control. In the same way, they may attribute success to something beyond their control, again under-estimating their own worth. To offset this tendency, ISFPs often benefit from others explicitly appreciating their contribution, or reinforcing their value to the team.

To continue to grow and progress, ISFP MBTI personality types should first consider efficiency and practicality of a decision to the same degree as consideration or harmony—after all, a decision or intervention cannot be successful if it is not sustainable as well as kind. Additionally, they should also make an effort to more accurately assess the value of their own efforts—are they being unnecessarily modest or are there actually ways that they could improve themselves? This will help them more accurately gauge the success of their behavior and continue to make progress in the future.

References

Introduction to Type and Decision Making. (Hirsh, K., & Hirsh E. CPP. 2007)

Visit Our ISFP Personality Type Information Page to Learn More About The ISFP Personality Type

ISFP Careers

Click on one of these corresponding popular ISFP Careers for detailed information including Career Stats, Income Stats, Daily Tasks and Required Education: Bill and Account Collector, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks, Cashier,Medical Transcriptionist, Nursing Assistant, Packaging & Filling Machine Operators, Pharmacy Technician, Physical Therapy Aide, Procurement Clerk, and Team Assembler.

Learn More About the MBTI ISFP Personality Type

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Click on a link below to read more about different MBTI Personality Types

ISTJ	ISFJ	INFJ	INTJ	ESTP	ESFP	ENFP	ENTP
ISTP	ISFP	INFP	INTP	ESTJ	ESFJ	ENFJ	ENTJ