Introduction to MBTI: verify best fit type, group exercises illustrating type differences, application to teams and problem-solving

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Understanding yourself and others using the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

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Roger Patterson
 LLB. BCom (New Zealand)
 Baker & McKenzie Director of Professional
Development
 Formerly litigation lawyer with Baker & McKenzie
 Five years before that in-house with a construction
group
 Qualified and Accredited Administrator of the Myers-
Briggs Type Indicator
Introducing…

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Please Tell Us
 Your Name
 Your job title, office and responsibilities
 Any experience with the MBTI
Please keep your comments brief

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At the end of this workshop you will:
 Appreciate differences as expressed in MBTI types
 Know your MBTI Type and of the others in the group,
and the benefits
 Understand the effect of Type on your legal problem
solving strategies and teamwork
 Identify ways to use our differences constructively
Aims & Objectives

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Method
 To achieve these aims, we need firstly to understand
ourselves and how we differ from other people
 To help us achieve this objective we will be using the
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the ideas
on which it is based

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What Is Psychological Type?
Psychological type is a model for
explaining how we perceive
and make sense of our external
and internal experiences.

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Why understanding Type can be useful
 Common language
 Self understanding
 Understand differences between people
 Work better together
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The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a widely used
instrument
 More than 60 years of Research and Development
 2 million people plus complete the MBTI each year
worldwide
 Does not measure skill, abilities, attitudes, emotional or
mental health
 No preference is good or bad, better or worse
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Session agenda
8.30am – 12.00pm
1. Introduction to Type theory
2. Self-estimate of your MBTI type
3. Verification of your Best Fit MBTI type
4. Exercises illustrating Type dichotomies
Coffee Break
4. The Type Problem Solving model
5. Type in Teams
6. Getting to know the Types
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10. Type dichotomies (pairs of preferences)
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Where do I prefer to get and focus
my attention and “energy”?
Extraversion/Introversion (E-I)
How do I prefer to take in
information?
Sensing/iNtuition (S-N)
What process do I prefer to use to
make a decision?
Thinking/Feeling (T-F)
How do I prefer to deal with the
world around me, my “lifestyle”
Judging/Perceiving (J-P)

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Type dichotomies
 Are innate, like “handedness”
 Are accessible to everyone, but usually not with the
same level of comfort
 Are not the same as skills, abilities or traits, which
have magnitude that can be measured
 Interact with and are shaped by environmental
influences:
 family
 country
 education…and others
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Type dichotomies
 According to MBTI Type theory, our preferences do not
change – they stay the same over our lifetime.
 What changes is how we use our preferences and often
the accuracy with which we can measure the clarity of
our preferences
 The confounding variable – environment!
Next: → Self Assessment

13. Direction we focus our attention and energy
- Think – Speak – Think
- Start the problem-solving
process individually
- Seek time for quiet
concentration
- Can appear quiet and reserved
(contained)
- Keep matters to themselves
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Extraversion
E
Outer world
vs.
Introversion
I
Inner world
- Speak – Think – Speak
- Start problem-solving as a group
- Like energetic environments
- Appear friendly and open
(expressive)
- Let others know what they are
thinking

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Self assess – which is your preference?
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Extroversion Introversion
E I
x

16. How we prefer to gather information
- Consider the wider impact of
information
- Patient with abstract theory
- Focus on change/improvement
- Easily convinced by the value of
innovation
- Strategic outlook
- End goal, Intuitive leaps and
bounds
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Sensing
S
Realistic, facts
vs
Intuitive
N
Abstract, theories
- Like to deal with practical matters
in the here and now
- Good at focusing on facts, detail
- Pragmatic problem solvers
- Favour conventional approaches
- Need convincing of the value of
new techniques
- Step by step, build to conclusion

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Self assess – which is your
preference?
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Sensing Intuition
S N
x

19. The way we make decisions
- Decisions with a person-
centered and values based
process
- Fit in with group and seek to
maximise group harmony
- Accommodating and helpful
- Supportive
- Won‟t fight every corner
- Subjective
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Thinking
T
Logical/analytical
vs.
Feeling
F
Personal, values
- Decisions based on logical and
reasoned analysis of the facts
- Try to remove sentiment from
decisions
- Not afraid to be unpopular in
pursuit of the truth
- Take a critical stance
- Value efficiency and accurate
analysis to achieve group goals

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Self assess – which is your
preference?
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Thinking Feeling
T F
x

22. How do you like to manage your
lifestyle?
- Joy of process
- Seek to experience the world,
not organise it
- Look at the world and see
options that need to be explored
- Want to keep taking in
information to make the best
decision
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Judging
J
Organised, planful
vs
Perceiving
P
Spontaneous, flexible
- Joy of closure
- Want the external world to be
organised and orderly
- Look at the world and see
decisions that need to be made
- Impatient with the unplanned and
unforeseen
- Enjoy making decisions and
completing tasks

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Self assess – which is your
preference?
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Judging Perceiving
J P
x

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16 Broad Personality Types
But Type does not put you in a box

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16 Room House
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Self-Estimate
– As a result of learning about the 8 preferences and
deciding for yourself which you prefer, you have
completed a „Self-Estimate‟ of your Type
• Write down your Self-Estimate.

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Levels of confidence
True Type (never 100% sure)
‘Best-fit’ (Verified) Type
Self-Estimate Type Reported Type
(questionnaire)

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Expectations of MBTI questionnaire
– 2/3rd any group will report general agreement with the
official MBTI profile
– 50% will differ on at least one preference – often where
they had a „slight‟ clarity score
– If you wish to change your Verified Type, the MBTI
distributor will reissue your Profile Report (in PDF
format) with your Best Fit (verified) type inserted (let us
know and we will arrange)

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Have I changed Type?
– When people report having „changed Type,‟ they are
most likely to have had an incorrect administration – the
mind set was not done properly, resulting in the reporting
of „Work Type‟ or an „Ideal Type‟
– Remember: MBTI scores do not measure strength or
development of your preference.
- only how clearly you indicated your
preference.

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Verification exercise
– Review your type as reported in your Profile Report (in
PDF format) (handed out now).
– If this is the same as your self hypothesis – see the profile in
your Report and decide if it describes (>85%) how you
usually think and act.
– If they are different, you may revise your Best Fit Type.

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Type population distribution
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16 Types and their frequency (approximate):
ISTJ
11-14%
ISFJ
12-14%
INFJ
3-5%
INTJ
3-4%
ISTP
6-8%
ESTP
5-8%
ESTJ
7-11%
ISFP
7-8%
INFP
3-5%
INTP
2-4%
© Oxford Psychologists Press
ESFP
8-10%
ENFP
4-6%
ESFJ
11-15%
ENTP
3-5%
ENTJ
3-6%
ENFJ
4-7%

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Group exercises
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A deeper understanding of E-I preferences
Instructions
1. Get into E and I groups (as directed)
2. In your groups, formulate a question that will give you better
insight into the opposite to your preference on this dichotomy
(5 minutes)
3. Elect a spokesperson who will ask the question then ask the
other group
4. I‟s then tell the E‟s what the E‟s could do to help
communication between them in a group or one to one
5. Now E‟s tell the I‟s what the I‟s could do to help
communication between them in a group or one to one
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Common E-I behaviours
• Prefer Extraversion
 Enthusiastic
 Talk more (“Look with their
mouths”)
 More animated
 Think out loud
 Talk faster, louder
 Are easily distracted
 Change subjects quickly
 Like to be around people
 Prefer centre stage
 Act first, think later
 Interrupt
• Prefer Introversion
 Calm, measured
 Talk less (“look with their eyes”)
 More reserved
 Think then talk
 Talk slower, more quietly
 Able to focus attention
 Stay with one subject
 Like to spend time alone
 Often shun the limelight
 More cautious (appear)
 Listen
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S–N exercise: What do you pay
attention to?
Look at the picture about to be displayed…
 What do you see in the picture?
 What do you notice?
 Write it down
 Don‟t confer
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Common S-N behaviours
• Sensing
 Clear, straightforward speech
 Sequential thoughts
 Literal, facts and examples
 Direct and to the point
 Include details
 Remember the past
accurately
 Listen to others to the end of
the thought
• Intuition
 Complex speech patterns
 Inspirational thoughts, “leap
around”
 Figurative, analogies and
metaphors
 Repeat themselves, recap and
rephrase
 Talk about global issues, big
picture
 Tend to finish others‟ sentences
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A Dilemma
 POV 1: “Anna is in my class.
She has a child with leukemia
and has had a really hard time
this semester. She took the
tests several times and she
really tried hard, but she still
failed them anyway. I want to
pass her anyway, not a high
grade but passing. She tried
really hard, but she just has so
much else going on. She
seems to be able to talk about
the information but can’t
produce on paper.”
 POV 2: “She has already been
given a chance to take the tests
several times. There’s no way
we can make an exception for
her. We have to be up front
about it. It’s not fair to the
others in the class to pass her.
It is certainly unfortunate what
she is having to go through, but
we can’t make exceptions.”

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Common T-F behaviours
• Thinking
 Act cooler, more distant
 May seem (to Fs) blunt,
tactless, insensitive
 May argue and debate
for fun
 Tough-minded
 Justice is equal
treatment for all
 Appear business-like
 Use names infrequently
• Feeling
 Act warmer, more friendly
 Sensitive to feelings/empathetic
 More gentle and diplomatic
 Justice is individuals treated in
accordance with their situation
 Avoid arguments, conflict
 Engage in small talk first
 Use names frequently
 Use lots of value words
 May seem (to Ts) to lack
assertiveness and have feelings
hurt more easily
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A deeper understanding of the J-P
preferences
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Finish work then play
Play while work

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Common J-P behaviours
• Judging
 More formal, conventional
 Like to take charge, control
 Like to make decisions,
decide quickly
 Are definitive, express strong
opinions
 Hurry, rapid pace
 Like a scheduled environment
 Usually well-organised
 Timely
 Make lists
 Can appear too rigid (to Ps)
 Comfortable moving toward a
fixed solution
 Find indecisiveness stressful
• Perceiving
 More casual and unconventional
 Are good at adapting
 May put off decisions
 Prefer leisurely pace
 Initiators of projects
 Want communication to be
spontaneous
 Can appear (to Js) to be
disorganised
 Comfortable keeping options
open
 May find premature closure
stressful
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Coffee Break
(Next: Type Dynamics, Problem
solving and Teams)

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Things to remember about Type
1. Our True Type i.e. our real preferences, may not be
expressed due to socialisation, our role, company culture,
education or background, personal style e.g. Americans tend
to ESTJ, Japanese are more F, Latin culture more P, 2/3
women are F (changing)), Gen X and Y prefer E and P
2. No right or wrong type
3. No better or worse combination of types in work or
relationships
4. Each person, irrespective of type, is unique
5. Everyone uses each of their preferences to some degree
6. Type does not explain everything
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Type Dynamics: Primary,
Secondary, Tertiary and Inferior
Extraverted Types
Type ESTJ ENTJ ESFJ ENFJ ESTP ENTP ESFP ENFP
Primary TE TE FE FE SE NE SE NE
Secondary SI NI SI NI TI TI FI FI
Introverted Types
Type ISTJ INTJ ISFJ INFJ ISTP INTP ISFP INFP
Primary SI NI SI NI TI TI FI FI
Secondary TE TE FE FE SE NE SE NE
Read: TE as Thinking that is extraverted, SE as Sensing that is extraverted, NI as Intuition that is introverted, and so forth.

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SENSING INTUITION
THINKING FEELING
Find the
objective
judgments.
What are the
relevant criteria?
Seek the subjective
judgments.
Who are the people
and what are their
interests?
Look for patterns
and relationships.
What are the
central themes?
Gather specific
information.
What are the
important
details?
Z Problem-Solving Model

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Applying the Z model: Exercise
 On your Individualizing Approaches with
Psychological Type Dynamics worksheet:
 First row: insert your primary, secondary, tertiary,
and inferior functions into the chart.
 Second row: write some of the strategies you
currently use associated with each function.
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Lawyer career development
 Initially:
 J : punctual, organised, planner
 S : factual, details, methodical
 T : logical, skeptical
 I : writing, thoughtful
 As becomes more senior:
 E : express opinions, network, share, show energy
 N : lateral thinking, future, big picture, patterns
 F : empathy, caring, insights
 P : responsive, adaptive
 As a leader:
 F : people manager
 NT : vision
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Type in team settings (1)
1. Similar types are quicker to understand each other;
Different types slower
2. Groups with high similarity reach quicker decisions but
are more error prone because of less views
3. Team members who are opposite on all four preferences
have special problems in achieving understanding
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Type in team settings (2)
4. The sole representative of a preference may be seen
as „different‟ and their views discounted
5. Teams that appreciate different types and use
accommodating behaviours experience less conflict
6. Leaders and teams that appreciate type diversity are
likely to overcome conflict and be more successful
than those that fail to recruit, understand and value
different type preferences
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 Exercise:
Personal Style Insights
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Personal style insights
• 10 minutes to read your reports some more.
• Make notes on the Now that you know your MBTI
Best-fit type worksheet:
• “Any observation is a good observation”
• Try to put at least 2 observations for each section
• Be as specific as possible about the situation or
person as illustration
• In groups of 3 or 2, share your observations, insights
and “new to try”s

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 Exercise:
It takes all types
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It takes all types
 Read through scenarios 1 and 2.
 Discuss in small groups (5 minutes per scenario) and be
prepared to report back
 Group debrief
 Read and discuss scenarios 3 and 4
 Group debrief

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Points to stress in closing
 MBTI is intended to increase self-awareness and
understanding of differences. It is not intended to put
you or anyone else in a box or label anything “good” or
“bad”. Myriad styles succeed.
 Paradoxically, awareness of your preferences helps you
to understand and access other styles – this is where
one can become a truly flexible, fluent professional.
 It‟s where strong managing – of yourself and your team
– will really start to happen.
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Thank you
We hope you have enjoyed your session
learning about Type