A company’s biggest and most valuable asset is its employees. Hiring the right people for the right position is imperative for the health of a business, and that is where the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) comes in. The Myers-Briggs type indicator is the most widely used personality tool in the world, and it includes the behavior, traits, and character of an individual based on theories developed by Carl Jung The goal of the MBTI is to identify a person’s natural tendencies.
Your MBTI type is made up of four preferences that tell a story about you and how you operate in the world. You generally show one preference for the world, and over the course of your life, your preferences can change as you develop and learn new skills. Companies use the MBTI indicator as a tool that helps them build strong and effective teams. Knowing an employee’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the way they intake and process information, helps employers build healthier organizations.
The MBTI assessment helps employers learn more about their employees, including how they prefer to work and who they work best with. Using this knowledge, you can put together groups of people who won’t have any problems working together and whose skill sets complement one another. Managing people is frequently more challenging than managing finances or mastering new technology, but with this knowledge, a company may put together a cohesive team that works well together. Knowing how to best communicate with your team members can help you inspire them to work together productively and with less friction. Because it helps people learn more about themselves, MBTI is a useful tool for professional development.
- On a personal level, knowing your MBTI type helps you reach your highest potential in life by helping you understand yourself and how you connect to the people around you. With this knowledge, you’ll start to understand your strengths and weaknesses, how you act, and how you talk to people. The four most important things about MBTI are:
- How you feel energized (extrovert vs. introvert)
- How you receive and process information (sensing vs. intuition)
- How you make decisions (Thinking vs. Feeling)
- How you organize your time and environment (judging vs. perceiving)
From these four indicators, there are 16 MBTI types, which are:
- ENFJ is known as the compassionate facilitator, which is made up of more women than men. This type thrives on harmony, and they’re skilled at conflict resolution.
- Strengths: encourages others by speaking their language and appealing to other values.
- Weaknesses: The need for harmony may lead the ENFJ to overstep boundaries and present as pushy or overbearing.
- ENFP preferences are enhanced by new people and challenges and are made up of more men than women.
- Strengths: connecting with others on an emotional level and creative problem-solving.
- Weaknesses: Lack of focus and follow-through, with a tendency to be hypersensitive.
- ENTJs tend to see things in black and white; they are competitive and highly motivated.
- Strengths: can handle stressful situations effectively with a calm and measured response and an analytical mind.
- Weaknesses: a proclivity to be rigid and single-minded without taking the time to understand the nuances of a situation or hear other ideas
- ENTP is innovative and entrepreneurial. They are in tune with details and are the first to notice patterns in a system.
- strengths: innovative thinkers and natural problem solvers with a passionate and enthusiastic communication style.
- Weaknesses: They can be hard on people who they view as incompetent or unmotivated.
- ESFJ has natural care-taking qualities. They are intuitive, modest, and traditional.
- Strengths: They care and work to make others feel special. They are planners and connectors.
- Weaknesses: They don’t give others the chance to take care of themselves, and being so focused on others, they tend to neglect taking care of themselves.
- ESFP are friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic. While being practical and sensible, they still try to make things fun. More men than women are ESFPs.
- They love and are loved. They are incredibly social and know what others need on the spot.
- Weaknesses: They tend to get distracted by new things and fail to stay focused or commit to any one thing.
- ESTJs are logical, organized, and results-driven, which makes them great at networking and organizing teams.
- Strengths: They are natural leaders with their analytical, data-driven minds and outgoing personalities.
- Weaknesses: They may come across as harsh or unfeeling because they put an emphasis on logic and facts and sometimes forget about the human element.
- ESTP are quick on their toes and logical problem solvers. They are natural risk-takers and dedicated to their projects. More men than women are ESTPs.
- Strengths: They are inventive and innovative disruptors.
- Weaknesses: They have a difficult time managing their time and get immersed in the current and immediate problems. INFJs are rare, with more women than men having this preference.
- INFJs are supportive and devoted with a strong moral code, often looking for the deeper meaning in things.
- Strengths: They want to positively affect the world, they are driven to make things better, and they enjoy helping others.
- Weaknesses: They get their feelings hurt easily, and they are critical of others who don’t seem to care as much as they do.
- INFPs are creative problem solvers, deep thinkers, and imaginative leaders. More women than men are INFPs.
- Strengths: They are in tune with their own morals and values; they are wonderful; and they encourage others to meet their goals.
- Weaknesses: They have trouble articulating their feelings and thoughts; they are quiet in group settings, which may cause them to be viewed as aloof.
- INTJs are forward thinkers and visionaries with grandiose goals while operating under the radar. More men than women are INTJs.
- Strengths: They are independent, idealistic, and resourceful as they passionately solve problems.
- Weaknesses: They can be fiercely independent and have difficulty making changes or decisions.
- INTPs are quiet, thoughtful, and analytical while being easygoing and genuine as they work behind the scenes to get things accomplished. More men than women are INTPs.
- Strengths: They keep their heads down and get work done, knowing how to separate work and personal feelings. They are kind, considerate, and keep to themselves.
- Weaknesses: They are often perceived as detached and may become frustrated when people are not aligned.
- ISFJ has a natural drive to understand others in a responsible and practical way. More women than men are ISFJs.
- Strengths: They are caring and considerate, sensing other’s needs and finding purpose and fulfillment when they feel needed.
- Weaknesses: They are too eager to please, exhausting themselves with the needs of others. They may become pessimistic or shut down when they feel taken for granted and avoid conflict.
- ISFP tend to be quiet, observing others in a non-judgmental way. They value the differences in people in a carefree and easygoing manner. More women than men are ISFPs.
- Strengths: They are more apt to give credit to others than take it themselves. They enjoy finding similarities and commonalities and treat people with kindness.
- Weaknesses: Their desire to be a free spirit may be perceived as unreliable or indecisive, and they don’t tend to handle criticism well.
- ISTJ relies on experience when making decisive, focused, and efficient decisions. More men than women are ISTJs.
- Strengths: They are dependable, straightforward, and tend to stick with what works. They are loyal to the people and traditions that matter to them.
- Weaknesses: They can appear to be rigid in their approach and focus more on tasks than people.
- ISTP is diligent and enjoys being experts in their field. They are calm and levelheaded and are slow to anger. More men than women are ISTPs.
- Strengths: With minimal effort, they rise to any occasion and prefer to focus on goals and avoid drama.
- Weaknesses: They have a hard time accepting feedback or criticism, and they prefer alone time.
The MBTI can help you gain insight into who you are and how you interact with the world, which can aid in your search for meaning and fulfillment in your personal and professional life. If you’re interested in learning more about how your own development and introspection can expand your horizons, Rachel Graham is a great place to start. Get in touch with Rachel today to learn how she overcame adversity and found her life’s true calling.