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You Might Be Surprised

BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Thinking or Feeling – Part II

by Ron Potter May 23, 2016

You Might Be SuprisedAfter years of being totally compatible in almost every area, are Dave and Charlie discovering that they’re really quite different?

Spoiler alert!!!  To fully appreciate this blog take just a minute and read our last blog that sets the stage for understanding the apparent conflict between Dave and Charlie and how they view each other.

After Dave erupted in utter disbelief which was turning into complete distain for the validity of the Myers-Briggs instrument we tried to calm things down long enough to turn this into a good learning opportunity.  After a few false starts we finally hit on a question that fairly and accurately painted a picture of the differences between Dave and Charlie.

We asked Charlie if he felt he was located in an accurate position on the Deciding (Thinking-Feeling) scale now that he had learned the difference between the two approaches.  With Dave still staring at him in disbelief Charlie indicated that he felt it was a fair and accurate assessment and he actually felt very comfortable with the outcome.  Once again Dave couldn’t contain himself with a very loud “No Way!”

But then the question:  Dave, what process do you use to purchase a new car?  Dave was quick and precise; he would first determine the class of vehicle he currently needed (truck, SUV, sedan, etc), then he would research all new entries into the market, do a complete analysis of performance, maintenance and long-term care and finally use all the modern tools available on the web to find the absolute best price before finally approaching a dealership armed with all of the ammo he needed to make his purchase.

Charlie, what process do you use to purchase a new car?  “Well, I’ve had one car salesman that I started using right out of college.  He’s taken good care of me through the years and we’ve actually become pretty good friends.  I trust him and I believe he has my best interest at heart so when he calls and says it’s time for me to purchase a new car, I ask him for his recommendations and have always purchased what he suggested.  It’s always worked just fine for me.”  Charlie made his decision based on the values of friendship, loyalty and trust.  It works for him.  Charlie comfortably fit on the Feeling side of the Deciding function.

Dave of course sat there with his mouth wide open.  When he regained his composure enough to control of his jaw muscles, he finally said to Charlie “You have always seemed to have cars that fit your need and personality so I guess we can still be fishing buddies.”

Be very careful when you think you really know someone and their Myers-Briggs functions, they might just surprise you.

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Thinking or Feeling – Part I

by Ron Potter May 2, 2016

You Might Be Surprised
Dave and Charlie had been best friends for most of their lives. They had met in college and seemed to share common interests in both the classes they were taking and in the great outdoors. Both of them loved camping, hiking and most of all fishing. As their careers began their work took them in different directions but they used their outdoor activities to stay connected and would schedule at least one fishing trip together each year. Families began to grow and the distractions increased but their annual fishing trip was never abandoned.
And then a wonderful thing happened about half way through their careers. All of a sudden they were working for the same company and ended up in the same city. As it turned out their children had all gone away to college and they had a bit more time to spend together and they took full advantage of it by adding some weekend outings and expanding their fishing adventures to all kinds of venues.
You probably couldn’t find two guys more compatible then Dave and Charlie. They knew their similarities added to their mutual bond.
Then one day Dave and Charlie ended up in one of my Myers-Briggs team building sessions. As I run the sessions I rearrange the people in the room around the conference table based on their positioning within each scale. This allows me to talk with those in the middle of the scale about their ability to adjust their behavior depending on the situation. It also allows me to talk with those who are solidly on one side or the other of the scale about how clear their preferences are and how they will default to those preferences in many situations and often without even much thought. It’s just natural.
As we progressed through the scales of Energizing (Extraversion and Introversion) and the Attending/Perceiving functions, Dave and Charlie weren’t far apart and I could often see them exchanging knowing looks. Then we came to the deciding function, the one identified by Thinking and Feeling.
Once we’ve taken in our information through either our Extraversion conversation or Introversion reflections and processed it through our Sensing attention to detail or our iNtuitive conceptual view, we then will decide. This Deciding function shows us how we approach decisions from either a very logical, practical angle or a Values based approach. While Thinking types will consider emotions and feelings as data to weigh their decisions will be made based on logic. And while the Feeling types will consider logic and objectivity as data to value, in the end they will make their decision based on values.
Well now the dynamics between Dave and Charlie had changed. Dave was solidly on the Thinking side of the table and Charlie was well into the Feeling side of the table and Dave was staring at Charlie in utter disbelief.
Finally, Charlie almost erupted. “There is no way this instrument can be valid! Charlie and I have known each other all of our lives and we are completely alike. There is no way he could be on the Feeling side of this category. That’s not who we are!!!”
Can you guess how Charlie reacted? Did he truly belong on the Feeling side of this preference? Did Dave really not know Charlie after all of these years? In our next Myers-Briggs based blog we’ll continue the story of Dave and Charlie. Please join us. You might be surprised.

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Intuitors Acting Like Sensors – Part II

by Ron Potter April 25, 2016

You Might Be Suprised

Is Sally the data miner a Sensing type or Intuitive type?

Spoiler alert!!!  To fully appreciate this post take just a minute and read our last post that sets the stage for understanding Sally.

When we left Sally she was preparing a presentation to the leadership team.  She really wanted them to “get it” so she had asked her staff to gather every shred of data available on the issue.  After her staff had assured her that there was no more data to be had, Sally went to work pouring over the data, learning and understanding every piece of it.

At this point it might be easy to assume that Sally is a Sensing type.  Sensing types like to present the details of their work first, they usually proceed step-by-step and seldom make error of fact.  But what we haven’t yet seen is how Sally views and uses the data that she so meticulously gathered.

Sally always wants her projections to be fact-based.  She knows that several members of the leadership team will check her facts and she wants to be prepared.  But what Sally actually does with the data is to look for trend lines, inflection points and other “implied” results that the data can suggest.  She is always looking into the future.  “What does this data produce in the long run?”  “What opportunities or threats does the data lead us to think about ahead of time?”  “How does this align with our long-term goals?”  Sally isn’t worried about what needs to be done by Friday, she wants to know of we’re preparing ourselves for the future.  Sally is a very Intuitive thinker.

It’s not just the Sensing types that make sure the facts are correct or are the only ones who base their decisions on the facts.  Intuitive types are fact based as well.  But they want to both start with the long-term projections and implications and understand where the trends are going to lead us.  They also want to know about the decisions we’re making today and if they will lead us in the intended directions.

Sally is an Intuitive type on the Myers-Briggs scale.  That doesn’t mean she ignores the facts or makes her decisions on “gut instinct” only.  It simply means that her search for meaning and direction in the data will influence her decision making.

Most of the mistakes that amateurs (and even some Myers-Briggs practitioners) make is bases our assumptions on behaviors that may lead us to assume that a person is a Sensing or Intuitive type.  Be careful.  You might be surprised!

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Intuitors Acting Like Sensors – Part I

by Ron Potter April 11, 2016

You Might Be Suprised

Sally runs a division of a company in a highly technical industry.  At her disposal is a team and technology that can dig into any question and come up with reams of data to support the analysis.  Sally with collect this data, cross-reference it, put as much of it into spreadsheets and data base systems that would blow your mind.  At her fingertips she can go deeper and deeper into any question or issue until she reaches the base level of data and facts that support the whole structure.

When her people approach Sally they know where the question is going to head:

  • Where’s the data on this issue?
  • To what level of depth have you uncovered?
  • How recent is the data?
  • Have we gathered it from more sources than just our own?

And on and on.  Sally wants to be sure that we have all of the data that’s available to us as we search for answers and directions.

Once Sally feels that she has all the data to be had, she’ll spend hours poring over the spreadsheets of data looking for the insight and understand that she needs to present her finding to the leadership team.  She really wants to make sure they “get it” based on the facts.

What do you think?  Is Sally as “Sensing” or an “Intuitive” type?

Myers-Briggs gives us some quick sketches for each type:

  • Sensing
    • Like to present the details of their work first
    • Seldom make errors of fact
    • Like using experience and standard ways to solve problems
  • Intuition
    • Like to present an overview of their work first
    • May make errors of fact
    • Like solving new complex problems

So, what do you think?  Sensing or Intuition?

In our next Myers-Briggs based blog we’ll continue the story of Sally the data miner.  Please join us.  You might be surprised.

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Extravert or Introvert – Part IV

by Ron Potter March 28, 2016

You Might Be Suprised

Is Rob the talker an Extravert or Introvert?

Spoiler alert!!!  To fully appreciate this blog take just a minute and read our last blog that sets the stage for understanding Rob.

As we closed our last look at Rob, he was preparing to share a presentation with colleagues by

  • Pulling concepts together
  • Reordering ideas
  • Thinking through the time allocated and what concepts will provide the greatest value
  • Noting a great deal of backup and background material and research but
  • Summarizing and putting the best idea into a framework that’s quick to understand and easy to remember

But, the part that we missed were those quick conversations that Rob often had with his colleagues along the way or in specific preparation for his presentation.  After Rob would do a great deal of reading, recording, thinking and noting ideas he often felt nearly there.  He was comfortable with all of the data he had gathered but he just needed one more piece.  He needed to talk.  You see Rob was an Extraverted thinker.  And even though Extraverted thinkers may gather a great deal of their data through means that appear to be very Introverted in nature, in the end they need to talk it through with someone.  Rob would seek out several individuals and small groups of people to “bounce his ideas” off them.  As Rob would begin to explain the gest of what he wanted to present, other people would begin to chime in on their reactions, thoughts, questions and ideas about his work.  Rob would find this incredibly stimulating and right during the conversation would finally “see” the close, the hook, the hammer, the main point that needed to be clarified or driven home.

Rob was an Extraverted Thinker.  He needed that final conversation to help him conclude and solidify his final beliefs about all of that data he had gathered.  Don’t conclude that just because Rob spends a great deal of time reading or isolated thinking or seems to spend a great deal of time preparing for presentations that his is an Introvert.  He still needs that final conversation to help reach conclusions on his own thinking.

Extraversion and Introversion are functions related to energy, not behavior.  While you may see some of the classical talkative extraversion or quiet introversion don’t assume you know how they rank on their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.  I’ve worked with quiet extraverts and talkative introverts but if you know when they reach their final conclusions, finally solve that tough problem, come up with that great new idea you’ll begin to get some insight of their Extraversion Introversion preference.

Rob was a quiet Extravert.  It might surprise you.

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Extravert or Introvert – Part III

by Ron Potter March 7, 2016

You Might Be SuprisedRob is a reader.  You’ll almost always catch him getting in a few more pages while waiting for an airplane or waiting for the oil change on his car.  He will often (sometimes too often) respond to an idea or a question with “I was just reading about that…”.  Reading helps him think.  Often after reading in the evening Rob goes to bed with ideas about how to apply what he has just learned to his work and personal life.  Many times it will result in him rising back out of bed after 30 minutes or an hour to write down a few of the thoughts that clarified in his head.  Usually to be followed by further thoughts as soon as he hits the shower in the morning.

Rob not only reads, he takes notes.  While reading he will often highlight key points and afterward collect all of those notes into a Word document that becomes his personal “cliff notes” on what he reads.  Many of the people he works with have discovered this little treasure of book summaries and often ask Rob for a copy.  Rob averages fifty plus books a year.  Rob is a reader.

Rob is also called upon to present ideas, concepts and mental models before his colleagues on many occasions.  Teams that are exploring how to be more innovative or become more agile or face great change in their structure or market place will often use Rob’s insights to help them navigate an uncertain future.  One such team even gave Rob the title of “Explorer/guide”.

When Rob is preparing for these opportunities to share with colleagues, he’ll spend a great deal of time

  • Pulling concepts together
  • Reordering ideas
  • Thinking through the time allocated and what concepts will provide the greatest value
  • Noting a great deal of backup and background material and research but
  • Summarizing and putting the best idea into a framework that’s quick to understand and easy to remember

What do you think?  Is Rob the reader an Extravert or Introvert?

Myers-Briggs would offer these quick sketches for each type:

  • Extravert
  • Communicate energy and enthusiasm
  • Respond quickly without long pauses to think
  • Focus of talk is on people and things in the external environment
  • Introvert
  • Keep energy and enthusiasm inside
  • Like to think before responding
  • Focus is on internal ideas and thoughts

So, what do you think?  Extravert or Introvert?

In our next Myers-Briggs based blog we’ll continue the story of Rob the reader.  Please join us.  You might be surprised.

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Extravert or Introvert – Part II

by Ron Potter February 22, 2016

Is Tom the talker an Extravert or Introvert?

Spoiler alert!!!  To fully appreciate this blog take just a minute and read our last post that sets the stage for understanding Tom.

You Might Be Suprised

As we closed our last look at Tom we had just spent the day walking around one of Tom’s plants listening to him tell stories and respond quickly to problems presented to him.  After all, Tom was the president, who else to better solve the problems that had been presented?  But then we were headed to the next plant visit.

So we buckled in and I remained quiet for a good half hour of our drive.  At about that point in time Tom would get on his phone, give the plant manager a call and reverse about 70% of the decisions he had made on the spot while we had walked around the plant that day.  Satisfied that the plant manager and he were now on the same page Tom would hang up.

I had to ask Tom what had just transpired.  Tom’s response, “Well now that I’ve had a chance to think about it, I believe the latest decisions are the best in the end.”  When I asked him what was now going on back at the plant, his response was “Ron, I trust that team.  I know that after they had time to think about it they probably came to the same conclusion that I did and I was just confirming with them that we were on the same page.”  No Tom, they’ve been telling me how disruptive your visits are because they’ve been carrying out the decisions that were “made” during the walk around and now they’re trying to figure out how to reverse all those actions.

Tom was an Introvert.  Tom needed some quiet time to think about and process decisions.  Tom was also a talker.  Don’t assume that talkers are Extraverts.  It may surprise you.

We changed Tom’s whole routine.  We still did the plant walkabout but when people tossed him an issue to solve he would say, “Give me some details and then let’s talk about it at the staff meeting later this afternoon.”  Tom now had the time to think about the issues and speak more intelligently with his team about it “now that he’s had a chance to think about it.”  Tom was an Introvert.  It might surprise you.

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BlogMyers-BriggsYou Might Be Surprised

You Might Be Surprised: Extravert or Introvert – Part I

by Ron Potter February 15, 2016

You Might Be Suprised

Tom is a real talker.  A Scotsman by heritage he has that wonderful Scottish brogue which makes the stories even more enjoyable.  Tom will tell stories almost all the time.  They are humorous, often heartwarming, sometimes tragic but almost always educational.  It seems like each time you hear one of Tom’s stories it penetrates your thinking almost instantly or sometimes even over a few days.  But in the end, you always seem to learn something from Tom.  You always come away with the impression that Tom is very wise, knows what is going on around him, a great teacher and most of all, a real talker.

Tom was a client of mine and the president of a manufacturing company.  During one great experience I had the opportunity to ride with Tom as we went on a little road trip to visit a few of his manufacturing plants.

As we entered each plant you could see the reaction in almost everyone’s eyes as they saw Tom walk in the front door.  Tom was in the building!  We’ll be able to talk with Tom and his wisdom and answers will help solve many of the nagging issues of the day.

Off on our plant walk we would go, Tom out in front, leading the way, greeting people as he went and telling stories.  Always telling stories.  Then I saw the problem-solving discussions begin.

“Tom, we’ve been having a lot of poor quality parts delivered by that new vendor we started with a year ago.”  Tom would listen to the tale which included numbers, dollars and timing and finally he would say “I believe it’s time we shifted back to our old vendor.  Give this one notice and make the shift ASAP.”

“Tom, really great to see you.  I’ve been wanting to talk with you about the poor productivity that we’ve been getting from the third shift.  They just don’t seem to be interested in putting in the effort to keep productivity up.”  Again, Tom would listen to the numbers, dollars and timing issues and then proclaim his edict “It’s time to get the union leaders in here and read them the riot act.”

“Tom, I’m so glad you’re here.  That new piece of equipment that we ordered from German last year and waited so long to be installed is just not giving us the productivity they promised us.  What should we do?”  Tom would almost instantly respond with “Let’s get that sales guy in here and let him know that we’re done ordering equipment from his company if he doesn’t get this thing up to speed.”

And so it went.  Walking, storytelling, quick conversations, problems solved.  Then we got in Tom’s car and headed off to another plant to repeat the scene the next day.

What do you think?  Is Tom the talker an Extravert or Introvert?

Myers-Briggs would offer these quick sketches for each type:

  • Extravert
    • Communicate energy and enthusiasm
    • Respond quickly without long pauses to think
    • Focus of talk is on people and things in the external environment
  • Introvert
    • Keep energy and enthusiasm inside
    • Like to think before responding
    • Focus is on internal ideas and thoughts

So, what do you think?  Extravert or Introvert?

In our next Myers-Briggs based blog we’ll continue the story of Tom the talker.  Please join us.  You might be surprised.

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