115: Leveraging Personality Differences in the Workplace

This month, I’m sharing pieces of programs I offer to corporations, non-profit organizations, professional associations, and community organizations.

This week, I’m talking about the MBTI, and how to leverage personality differences in the workplace.

I created this program as a quick overview of personality and how it plays out in the workplace.

I also do half-day and full-day retreats on the MBTI. In these instances, participants take the MBTI online prior to the retreat and I bring their results with me to the retreat. I spend the morning explaining the facets of the MBTI and what their results are telling them.

The afternoon is spent engaging in activities that bring the differences in personality to life through various activities. At the end of the day, we spend a fair amount of time processing what they’ve learned about themselves and their coworkers.

In the shorter version, participants don’t take the MBTI, but I explain the facets to them and give them some tools for recognizing the personality preferences of their team members. I also talk about how they can maximize their team’s effectiveness using personality type.

Research has shown that:

-You will get along better with those who are like you

-A balanced group will be more effective, if you can get everyone on the same page

THE PERSONALITY PAIRS

Extraversion – Introversion (How you recharge)

Sensing – Intuition (How you take in information)

Thinking – Feeling (How you make decisions)

Judging – Perceiving (How you structure your world)

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

Extraverts need Introverts so there’s someone listening

Introverts need Extraverts so there’s someone talking

Sensors need Intuitives so there’s creativity

Intuitives need Sensors so there’s attention to detail

Thinkers need Feelers so the humanity of the organization shines through

Feelers need Thinkers because there are tough decisions to be made

Judgers need Perceivers so they don’t always rush into a decision

Perceivers need Judgers because deadlines are real

Keys for recognizing the personality preferences of your team members, so you can maximize their effectiveness

If you have a team member who is great with details and deadlines, you probably have a Sensor-Judger

- Give this person complex projects

-Provide thorough information on project scope, timeline, deadlines, etc.

-You might feel like you’re micromanaging, but they won’t see it that way

If you have a creative team member who consistently delivers at the last possible second, you probably have an Intuitive-Perceiver

-Give this person as much leeway as possible in using their creativity to solve the problem at hand

-You may need to create “artificial” deadlines so you get what you need when you really want it

-Allow for flexibility in work environment, hours of work, etc.

If you have a team member who loves to talk and is great in interacting with others, you probably have an Extravert.

-Give them a front-facing role

-Make sure they aren’t in a back corner somewhere

-Compensate for how draining too much time alone will be for them

If you have a team member who loves to be in a back room with a research project, you probably have an Introvert.

-Provide them as much alone time as possible

-Give them meeting agendas ahead of time so they’re prepared

-Compensate for how draining meetings and groups will be for them

If you’ve never been exposed to the MBTI, consider this your first “foreign language” lesson!

To visit my website: www.exclusivecareercoaching.com

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Want to speak with an expert about your career/job search goals? Need help figuring out what’s holding you back from achieving your dream career? Let’s talk. Here’s the link to schedule a 45-minute consult call with me: https://my.timetrade.com/book/KRKLS. Hope to see you soon!