What is MBTI theory?

The conceptual theory behind MBTI was first put forward by Carl Jung, a renowned psychiatrist. Later, a mother-daughter duo of Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers extended the research of C.G. Jung. They converted Jung’s theory into a type indicator. Today, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is used widely in the corporate world, public sector, and even educational institutes.

Sensing-Intuition

The second letter in the MBTI code tells where a person stands on the sensing-intuition spectrum – S denotes sensing, and N stands for intuition. The sensing-intuition preference explains where a person gets their information from.

Sensors use their five senses to collect data. Being more practical, they believe in what they see, hear, and smell. They live in the present and rely on facts and details.

Intuitive people are more interested in decoding patterns, connections, and possibilities. They are always exploring new ideas and options. Intuitive people can read between the lines and see the big picture.

Thinking-Feeling

The third pair of psychological preferences is thinking-feeling, which describes how a person organizes information and prefers to make decisions.

People having a preference towards thinking (T) rely on facts, statistics, and logic. They may overlook emotions and listen to their head rather than the heart. Thinkers are rational. Owing to their critical thinking and analysis skills, they are good at solving problems and identifying flaws in a system.

While Feelers prioritize their emotions, instincts, and values while making decisions. They consider the feelings and viewpoints of all stakeholders before taking any steps. Being tactful, feelers can maintain harmony within a team.

Judging-Perceiving

The last letter in the MBTI code shows a person’s position on the Judging-Perceiving spectrum. This tells how a person likes to live and work – either in an organized and structured or flexible and spontaneous way.

Judgers are flag bearers of organization, structure, and orderly way of life. Having a work-first mindset, they value deadlines and hardly miss them. Judgers feel overwhelmed by change and uncertainty. People with this type of personality make plans and decisions and love to implement them quickly.  

Perceivers keep their options open rather than confining themselves by routines or deadlines. They tend to put off decisions and solve problems only when they arise. Being flexible and open-minded, perceivers thrive during ambiguous times or when organizational changes are being rolled out.

Recruitment and Team Development

Another constructive use of MBTI instrument is to recruit and group together compatible people. Hiring managers analyze a candidate’s personality based on their dominant MBTI functions.

When building teams, it’s essential to not only include complementary but diverse personality types. While a team member with the dominant The (Extraverted Thinking) function is busy with reasoning and logic, the person with a strong Ne (Extraverted Intuition) function can brainstorm. This MBTI-enabled approach helps to get the best out of people.

Change and Conflict Management

Changes and conflicts are inevitable. They are bound to happen, but the better you manage them, the less troublesome they will be.

Organizational change always sees resistance, but smart change managers use personality assessments, such as MBTI, to understand the cause of the resistance and overcome it. Having insights into psychology, they understand people’s concerns and address them smartly.

Similarly, conflicts arise when people collaborate. But great leaders are excellent at resolving them. What makes them able to do so is their deep understanding of human psychology.

Communication Strategies

We all communicate, but differently. In the business world, where effective communication matters the most, it’s essential to use the communication strategies that suit all behavioral types.

By conducting organization-wide MBTI tests, managers can know how different personality types like to communicate and converse. When the environment is ideal for every team member, more ideas come to light. Apart from this, everyone feels heard and valued, motivating them to contribute even more.

Career Planning

Choosing the right profession lays the foundation of your thriving career. For individuals, the MBTI assessment can help them in choosing their career path.

Each personality has its strengths, weakness, and psychological preferences. For instance, a data-driven mind may be a better financial analyst than a photographer.

Personal Development

In the corporate world, rising through the ranks is a challenge. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test not only tells you about yourself but the dominant psychological functions of others. To be a better team player, one must equip themselves with soft skills like influencing, negotiation, conflict resolution.

These essential soft skills aid your personal growth within an organization, helping you reach executive positions.

Conclusion

Over the last few decades, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator has proven to be the most effective psychological instrument for organizations. The results of MBTI tests tell how a particular person likes to work individually and collaboratively.

At Marc Prager Conseil, we conduct MBTI assessments and help you use the results effectively. Get in touch with us and take the first step towards a warm, productive working environment.

Other MBTI Publications

• Free MBTI Test
• How much does MBTI cost?
• MBTI in English
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Personality Quiz
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Personality Test
• Online MBTI Test

This article has been written by Marc Prager.