Have you ever been really angry at someone that you knew did not mean to offend you? Sometimes, a person's intention does not match the impact they have on others. The S (Sensing) and N (iNtuition) preference pair of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can help us better understand where the other person is coming from, how they can best hear us, so we understand each other.
For example, good students have a great deal to do with good teachers. Excellence in education comes from knowing how your students will learn. Sensing students like real and tangible data using their five senses. They want to see it, hear it, smell it, taste it and/or touch it. They pay close attention to details and attune to practicalities. Intuitives are more focused on relationships and connections. They look for patterns and possibilities. There are people who have situational preferences and people who are more adaptive and can do well with both. If a teacher only uses their own learning preference, the others may struggle.
Try this. Show an image to a group of people, turn it off and then ask them what they remember. If they know their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), you should see some patterns in their responses. The sensors will remember specific details. They tend to be more concrete and recall information that is directly related to their five senses. Intuitors may also recall some details of the image but are likely to make guesses as to what things mean and not stay to the specifics. They tend to me more abstract in the information they remember.
As an example, imagine a supervisor discussing with her team a new project. She is discussing the specifics of the project including the timeline, milestones and evaluation criteria but does not discuss the larger goals and ideas. The sensors will be content and can proceed. The intuitors are more likely to start asking questions about why the project is happening and about larger scale ideas. Conversely, if the supervisor is giving the big picture and not attending to the details, sensors are likely to disengage.
Smart leaders will make sure that both approaches are addressed so that all involved have what they need to succeed. The challenge is that people with strong preferences tend to struggle with the other side. While addressing the needs of a sensor, the intuitives are likely to disengage and vice versa. The idea of giving separate information sessions to teams based on their information intake preferences is usually impractical. This can be more time consuming, can create distrust based on differences of information and likely, the supervisor may demonstrate an unconscious bias in their presentation based on their own preference.
One other benefit of knowing your MBTI preference is to help colleagues understand how best to communicate with you. As an intuitive, I need to remember to include details which utilize the senses when planning with my sensor partners. This can reduce or eliminate communication challenges at work.
Many workers are no longer in school but most of us continue to learn for most of our careers. Understanding our MBTI preferences and those of our teammates can help us be more effective and productive. Knowing how to connect your intentions to the other person's impact will help us all get along better.
To learn more your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator from a certified MBTI Practitioner, email Mako & Associates at DeeAn@MakoEd.com or text/call 206-992-7484 to develop customized training opportunities.
