How to use personality type to identify and strengthen organizational effectiveness among boarding school staff. Identify blind spots or areas to better understand type and how to effectively optimize workplace tasks and interactions.

1. Your Team:
Go With Your Strengths
Salem Academy
SBSA
March 14, 2014

2. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Agenda
Background
MBTI© Overview
Type Explained
Salem Academy Process
Findings
Conclusions and Implications
Salem Academy Feedback
Questions?
6/12/2014
2

3. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Background
SBSA call for presentations
Trip Darrin’s dinner suggestion
Thoughts about BS organizations
Using MBTI© for small business
analogy
6/12/2014
3

4. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
MBTI©
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
instrument reports some of your key . . .
 Preferences
 Tendencies
 Characteristics
But not all of them.
6/12/2014
4

5. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
The four preferences scales are . . .
Extraversion or Introversion
Sensing or iNtuition
Thinking or Feeling
Judgment or Perception
6/12/2014
5

6. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Where do I get my energy?
6/12/2014
6

7. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Where do I get my energy?
 People who have a preference for
Extraversion get their energy and
essential stimulation from the
environment—the outer world of people
and things.
 People who have a preference for
Introversion get their energy and
essential stimulation from within—the
inner world of thoughts and reflections.
6/12/2014
7

8. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
What do you see?
6/12/2014
8

9. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
What do you see?
6/12/2014
9

10. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
How do I take in Information?
People who have a preference for the
Sensing function take in information by
way of the five senses, concretely and
sequentially and live in the moment.
People who have a preference for taking
in information through the iNtuitive
function do so by way of insight and
relating to the big picture and looking
ahead to the future.
6/12/2014
10

11. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
How would you decide?
You are the coach of a championship
basketball team, the season is over
and you must select the best player.
Possible choices:
Sophomore that broke the single season
record for the team and is first team all-
state in your division
Senior that has been with the team for four
years. Solid performer and field/ locker
room leader
6/12/2014
11

12. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
How do you use information
or make decisions?
People who have a preference for Thinking
use their mental processing function to make
decisions on the basis of logical analysis.
Principles
People who have a preference for Feeling
use their mental processing function to make
decisions on the basis of evaluating relative
worth. Values
6/12/2014
12

13. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
How do I live my life?
6/12/2014
13

14. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
How do I live my life?
6/12/2014
14

15. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
How do I live my life?
A Judging person prefers a lifestyle
is decisive, planned and orderly.
A Perceiving person prefers a
lifestyle is flexible, adaptable and
spontaneous.
6/12/2014
15

16. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
MBTI Type Table
6/12/2014
16

17. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
The MBTI Sixteen Types
6/12/2014
17

18. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Salem Academy Process
 Participants were the head of school, the admissions
director and assistant, the college counselor and the
dean of student life.
 Each completed the MBTI assessment online
 Each person’s type was verified via Skype
 A four hour workshop reviewed the findings
 By individual
 By group
 Examined strengths and blind spots
 Discussed implications
 Group assessed findings and provided feedback
several days later
6/12/2014
18

19. TOTAL
ISTJ
11-14%
ISFJ
9-14%
INFJ
1-3%
INTJ
2-4%
E
45-53%
S
66-74%
T
40-50%
J
54-60%
I
47-55%
N
26-34%
F
50-60%
P
40-46%
ISTP
4-6%
ISFP
5-9%
INFP
4-5%
INTP
3-5%
ESTP
4-5%
ESFP
4-9%
ENFP
6-8%
ENTP
2-5%
ESTJ
8-12%
ESFJ
9-13%
ENFJ
2-5%
ENTJ
2-5%
Type Distribution (US)
6/12/2014
19

20. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Salem Academy Staff Types
Represent only 2 of the 16 types
2 ISFP Types
You’ll observe value based behavior
Their practical side may not be obvious
3 ISFJ Types
You’ll observe practical, in the moment
behavior
Their belief strong value systems may not
be seen
6/12/2014
20

21. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Energy Source
SA senior staff all prefer introversion
Energy is drawn via from within
Positives:
Self-driven and self-sufficient
Well managed or non-existent conflict
Contributions will be thoughtful/reflective
considerations
6/12/2014
21

22. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Energy Source
SA senior staff all prefer introversion
Energy is drawn via thought and reflection
Possible blind spots:
Isolation in ideation
Discomfort with “people” people
Comfort zone may be too much so
6/12/2014
22

23. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Taking in Information
All of the SA Senior Staff have a Sensing preference
Positives
Always deal with facts/tasks real-time (in the
moment)
Adept with detail
Organized information acquisition
Proficient with known processes and likely to
improve them
6/12/2014
23

24. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Taking in Information
All of the SA Senior Staff have a Sensing preference
Possible blind spots
May neglect possibilities or creative
approaches
May not be able see beyond facts/details
May be difficult to look at, imagine or
perceive the future
iNtuitives may be misunderstood or not
valued
6/12/2014
24

25. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Decision Making
SA staff are all Feeling types
Positives:
Harmony with little to no conflict
Values are highly respected and drive
decisions
Collaborative efforts build upon the
team’s strengths
6/12/2014
25

26. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Decision Making
SA staff are all Feeling types
Possible blind spots:
Objective or third party views as well
constructive criticism may not be
considered
A necessity, such as impersonal
analysis, may be missing
Making objective decisions may be
very difficult and stressful
6/12/2014
26

27. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Lifestyle: three J and two P preferences
Positives:
On task, balanced and sensitive to others
Hard workers that are dependable and loyal
With effort, important decisions will meet
deadlines
Strengths for each preference can be
leveraged
6/12/2014
27

28. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Lifestyle: three J and two P preferences
Possible blind spots:
Unspoken issues relative to
task/project completion/quality
Level of work effort may be
misunderstood
Need for outward work appreciation
may not be met
6/12/2014
28

29. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Positive Conclusions
Group is likely to love their current assignments
Group seen as action oriented
Routine work will likely be accomplished with
excellence
High potential for a conflict free (within group)
workplace
Group tasks or projects are likely to be handled
in a balanced manner
6/12/2014
29

30. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Positive Conclusions
Group is likely to be seen as likeable and
competent
Group has a strong commitment to values
Group is extremely perceptive and likely to
handle and master details well
Group is service oriented, truly cares about
people and has a desire to please
6/12/2014
30

31. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
Possible Organizational Concerns
How to:
handle change
handle theoretical or abstract information
handle confrontation
deal with those of differing type
deal with strategic planning
make objective decisions
handle external stresses
award and recognize staff and others
6/12/2014
31

32. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
SA Staff Feedback
 Observation: “Our meetings are either very
tense...when there are non ISF people in the room...or
very relaxed when it's just us ISF P/J's” How to handle external
stresses
 “We've also had interactions since that have gone a
great deal more smoothly than they may have gone
prior to our enlightenment.” How to handle external stresses
 “We all plan to be a great deal more aware of what
our colleagues are and are not saying when they
disagree or make a point.” How to deal with those of differing type
 “If we can be successful at this, then the meetings that
sometimes fill with tension have the potential of
running a lot more smoothly.” How to handle confrontation
6/12/2014
32

33. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
SA Staff Feedback
“We risk becoming stagnant if we're not
particularly good at imagining future
possibilities. Fortunately, we do have creative
and innovative people, and we all work hard to
be open to their ideas. This process has helped
become even more so, because we recognize
the importance of hearing those new and
innovative ideas from others...because it's less
likely that we'll come up with them on our
own...at least not naturally.” How to handle theoretical or abstract
information/How to handle change
6/12/2014
33

34. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
SA Staff Feedback
“We are definitely better able to recognize
"type" in others. And the way that we honor
their strengths more effectively is by being
able to separate our personal feelings...initial
reactions...that well up whenever there's a
challenging conversation. We're better able
to see that there are simply two ways of
approaching the conversation and both are
equally valid.”How to deal with those of differing type/How to handle
confrontation
6/12/2014
34

35. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
SA Staff Feedback
“We are planning to change the way we do
our strategic planning. Knowing what we
know now will help us to give careful
consideration about who has a voice in the
conversation.” How to deal with strategic planning
 “This process will help us look for ways to
ensure that all of our folks are still having a
good experience...even if they don't
approach work in the same way that some of
us do.”How to award and recognize staff and others
6/12/2014
35

36. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
SA Staff Feedback:
“We would tell you that it's definitely worth
the time commitment! If you have never
done this sort of work in the past...as a
team...then you should go ahead and do
it. Self awareness is always a good goal, but
this process goes well beyond that...it's team
self-awareness. How the parts work
individually is always helpful, but learning
how they work together as a whole is critical
to building a successful team.”
6/12/2014
36

37. © 2014 Educational Avenues
All rights Reserved
QUESTIONS???
6/12/2014
37