MBTI
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®)
MBTI® Step 1
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) questionnaire is the most widely used questionnaire for determining personality type worldwide. More than 3.5 million questionnaires are completed worldwide every year and there are over 13,000 qualified users in Europe. The MBTI® is based on over 50 years’ research and development and is available in 19 languages and is constantly revised to take account of social and cultural changes. It captures the fundamental differences between people, enabling them to interact more effectively. It provides a positive and constructive way of enhancing personal development and approaching challenges in different ways. The MBTI® is easy to apply in both occupational and non-occupational settings.
The MBTI questionnaire describes an individual’s personality preferences. It represents these in four dimensions:
| Extraversion Prefers to draw energy from the outer world of activity, people and things |
or | Introversion Prefers to draw energy from the inner world of reflections, feelings and ideas |
| Sensing Prefers to focus on information gained from the five senses and on practical applications |
or | Intuition Prefers to focus on patterns, connections and possible meanings |
| Thinking Prefers to base decisions on logic and objective analysis of cause and effect |
or | Feeling Prefers to base decisions on a valuing process, considering what is important to people |
| Judging Likes a planned, organised approach to life, and prefers to have things decided |
or | Perceiving Likes a flexible, spontaneous approach and prefers to keep options open |
Applications
The MBTI Instrument can be applied to business, educational, career guidance and counselling settings. It has broad practical applications including:
Developing Leadership Potential
Self-awareness is fundamental to good leadership. An understanding of the impact that personal style has on people’s motivation and commitment is essential. The MBTI instrument helps managers assess their strengths and development needs, their preferred style of problem-solving and also how their style relates to that of others.
Developing Effective Teams
Using the MBTI questionnaire, teams can evaluate their strengths and development needs and also clarify biases in their working practices. For instance, does the team over-emphasise logical assessment at the expense of personal issues, such as morale or does it focus too strongly on strategy and not enough on implementation? By assessing these biases, teams begin to appreciate the importance of valuing different approaches and perspectives.
Managing Change
Individuals with different type preferences tend to experience change and the process of transition in quite different ways. Building awareness of these different reactions can help managers and organisations support their staff and themselves through organisational change.
Improving Communication and Teaching Methods
The instrument can be used to help communicate better with people of different types, and to analyse and improve teaching methods. It provides a framework for understanding differences in learning styles and for creating learning situations which will appeal to different types.
Problem-Solving
The questionnaire gives an insight into potential strengths and blind-spots in problem-solving, encouraging individuals and groups to improve the depth and breadth of their analyses.
Counselling and Resolving Conflict
The instrument is very helpful in self-evaluation, explicitly emphasising the positive contribution that each type can make. It can also help in dealing with conflict in relationships as it focuses on valuing differences between people and improving understanding and co-operation.
Time required to complete: 15-25 minutes (although untimed) plus debriefing
Format: Online tool or paper based.
MBTI® Step II
Based on the same four areas as the MBTI Step I instrument, MBTI Step 2 takes type a step further. It uses a trait approach as well as a type approach. It has increased reliability and is now based on European norm data. It is easy to apply in occupational and non-occupational settings. It provides a positive and constructive way of enhancing personal development and approaching challenges in different ways. The MBTI Step II captures the fundamental differences between people, enabling them to interact more effectively.
Each of the four dimensions is subdivided into a further five components, or subscales, as shown below. A person is most likely to favour the pole associated with their overall preference. For example, an “E” will typically prefer most of the extraverted poles. Nevertheless, a person may favour the opposite pole or show a mixed preference. An individual’s pattern of component preference reflects their overall unique personality.
| Extraverted | Introverted |
| Initiating | Recieving |
| Expressive | Contained |
| Gregarious | Intimate |
| Active | Reflective |
| Enthusiastic | Quiet |
| Sensing | Intuitive |
| Concrete | Abstract |
| Realistic | Imaginative |
| Practical | Conceptual |
| Experiential | Theoretical |
| Traditional | Original |
| Thinking | Feeling |
| Logical | Empathetic |
| Reasonable | Compassionate |
| Questioning | Accommodating |
| Critical | Accepting |
| Tough | Tender |
| Judging | perceiving |
| Systematic | Casual |
| Planful | Open-ended |
| Early starting | Pressure-prompted |
| Scheduled | Spontaneous |
| Methodical | Emergent |
The MBTI® Step II instrument can be applied to business, educational, career guidance and counselling settings. It has broad practical application, including:
- Developing leadership potential
- Developing effective teams
- Managing change
- Improving communication and teaching methods
- Problem solving
- Counselling and resolving conflict
Developing Leadership Potential
Self-awareness is fundamental to good leadership. An understanding of the impact that personal style has on people’s motivation and commitment is essential. The MBTI Step II instrument helps managers assess their strengths and weaknesses, their preferred style of problem solving and also how their style relates to that of others.
Developing Effective Teams
Using the MBTI Step II instrument, teams can evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and also clarify biases in their working practices. For instance, does the team over-emphasise logical assessment at the expense of considering personnel issues, such as morale? Or does it focus too strongly on strategy and not enough on implementation? By assessing these biases, teams begin to appreciate the importance of valuing different approaches and perspectives.
Managing Change
Individuals of different types tend to experience change and the process of transition in quite different ways. Building awareness of these different reactions can help managers and organisations support their staff and themselves through the trauma of organisational change.
Improving Communication and Teaching Methods
The MBTI instrument can aid communication between different types. It can also be used to analyse and improve teaching methods. It provides a framework for understanding differences in learning styles, and hence for creating learning situations which will appeal to different types.
Problem-Solving
The MBTI® Step II questionnaire gives an insight into potential strengths and blind-spots in problem solving, therefore allowing individuals and groups to improve the depth and breadth of their analyses.
Counselling and Resolving Conflict
The MBTI Step 2 instrument is very helpful in building self-esteem as it explicitly emphasises the positive contribution that each type can make. It can also help in dealing with conflict in relationships as having identified the differences, it focuses on valuing those differences, giving a clear way of understanding them and enabling people to work together more effectively.
Time required to complete: 25 – 45 minutes (although untimed) plus debriefing
Format: Online tool or paper based
Additional feedback material:
Introduction to Type in Organisations, Influencing Using 16 Personality Types, 16 Personality Types at Work, Report booklet, Wallchart.
