Convenience

The Myers–Briggs Framework
Another interesting approach to understanding personalities in organizations is the
Myers–Briggs framework. This framework, based on the classic work of Carl Jung, differ-
entiates people in terms of four general dimensions, defined as follows:
•
Extraversion (E) versus introversion (I)
. Extraverts get their energy from being
around other people, whereas introverts are worn out by others and need solitude to
recharge their energy.
•
Sensing (S) versus intuition (N)
. The sensing type prefers concrete things, whereas
intuitives prefer abstract concepts.
•
Thinking (T) versus feeling (F)
. Thinking individuals base their decisions more on
logic and reason, whereas feeling individuals base their decisions more on feelings
and emotions.
•
Judging (J) versus perceiving (P)
. People who are the judging type enjoy completion
or being finished, whereas perceiving types enjoy the process and open-ended
situations.
extraversion
A person’s comfort
level with
relationships
openness
A person’s rigidity of
beliefs and range of
interests
266
Part 4:
Leading
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To use this framework, people complete a questionnaire designed to measure their
personality on each dimension. Higher or lower scores in each of the dimensions are
used to classify people into one of sixteen different personality categories.
The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one popular questionnaire that some
organizations use to assess personality types. Indeed, it is among the most popular selec-
tion instruments used today, with as many as 2 million people taking it each year.
Research suggests that the MBTI is a useful method for determining communication
styles and interaction preferences. In terms of personality attributes, however, questions
exist about both the validity and the reliability of the MBTI.