The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® is a dynamic personality assessment leading to greater self-awareness. It helps us understand our unique gifts along with areas for personal growth. The MBTI describes differences between people that can be the source of much misunderstanding and miscommunication. It helps us understand four key areas: Extraversion & Introversion-how we gain or lose energy, Sensing & Intuition-how we learn, Thinking & Feeling-how we make decisions, and Judging & Perceiving-how we organize our lives. Most people enjoy completing the questionnaire and taking part in workshops or one-on-one counselling. Clients have said doing the Myers-Briggs felt like a day at the spa since the emphasis is solely on you.
The MBTI is based on the personality theories of Swiss psychologist C.F. Jung and his book Psychological Types, first published in 1921.
After reading this book a mother-daughter team, Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs devoted their lives, largely without being paid to developing the MBTI, believing so strongly in its potential. Isabel focused on the gifts and unique contributions each person brings to the world and wrote the classic book Gifts Differing in 1980. Isabel hoped people would use type to help choose a life work that would make the greatest use of their natural gifts. She wanted people to use it as a tool in understanding and improving communications and teamwork. She believed our unique differences are valuable and interesting, and that there is truly a “mutual usefulness of opposites.” Isabel hoped people would see type differences as a key to enlightened thinking, a way to gain greater control over their lives, and to pursue excellence.
She wanted parents to raise children in ways that would help each child develop their gifts to the fullest, preventing problems that come from constantly being expected to be what one is not!
The first Myers-Briggs Inventory was administered in 1943 and is now the result of over 70 years of research and development. It’s constantly being re-evaluated and is the most widely used and reliable personality inventory in history. It’s been translated into more than 30 languages, because as C.J. Jung discovered, personality type is universal. He travelled around the world discovering we’re all hard wired with the same personality characteristics, whether you’re living in a remote African tribe or large city like New York. Today it has multiple applications; self-understanding, self-awareness, personal development, academic counselling, career planning, changing careers, conflict resolution, team building, management and leadership training, marriage and relationship counselling, education and teacher training, curriculum development, and multicultural training.
The MBTI is inclusive and non-judgmental. Often we go through life feeling there is something wrong with us, or that we lack certain skills or abilities. The MBTI leaves people feeling positive about who they are. The questionnaire is not a test, and numbers do not indicate excellence or superior ability–instead they indicate how often or how clearly someone chooses a particular personality preference. One of its greatest uses is in accepting and honouring the unique talents of everyone, and teaching tolerance and understanding. I believe if everyone had the opportunity to do the Myers-Briggs, we would have a safer, saner, more accepting society, with less conflict, miscommunication and misunderstanding. We would honour and respect each other in a more informed way. If we desire a balanced world, we need all 16 personality types.
BENEFITS OF THE MBTI ® TO INDIVIDUALS
- Provides greater self-awareness and understanding
- Provides insight into human behaviour
- Promotes diversity
- Helps us know which jobs are best suited to our personality type
- Helps us to understand emotional issues in a positive way
- Helps identify sources of conflict
- Improves communication
- Helps people value their unique contributions
- Can improve interpersonal skills
- May restore energy and reduce stress
- May improve motivation and commitment
- Is rewarding and fun!
BENEFITS OF THE MBTI ®TO ORGANIZATIONS
- Can reduce conflict in the workplace
- Emphasizes the value of diversity
- Identifies strengths and blind spots in a non-judgmental way
- Helps with job placement
- Helps companies become aware of small changes that can be made to promote greater productivity and harmony
- Helps employees to work more effectively as a team
- Can be used for management training, team building, career development, time or stress management, and creative problem solving.
Part One Myers-Briggs Introductory Workshop
This is a full day interactive workshop designed for anyone seeking greater self- awareness. It is also a valuable took for both large and small companies, who need assistance in conflict resolution, team building, stress management or diversity training. During the workshop participants are introduced to the Myers-Briggs, then are given a self-scoring questionnaire. The questionnaire contains 93 multiple choice items and takes about 40 minutes to complete. Once the questionnaire is scored we learn our unique personality profile which contains four letters. For example you may be an ENFJ or an ISTP. The eight letters used in the Myers-Briggs describe personality preferences.
Our personality type tells us how we get our energy either through Introversion or Extraversion, how we learn, through Sensing or Intuition, how we make decisions, through Feeling or Thinking and how we organize our lives through Judging or Perception.
People with a preference for Introversion are energized through solitary activities and require time alone to be recharged or re-energized.Those with a preference for Extraversion are energized by the external world; people, activity, and things. They prefer to work things out by talking and discussion, while Introverts require time alone to make important decisions.
People with a preference for Sensing rely on their five senses to learn. Their preference is doing things in a step-by-step systematic way, and they enjoy jobs or activities that involve repetition. A Sensing type personality could stay in the same job for 20 years and be completely fulfilled. They work in long steady bursts of energy. Grounded in the present, they prefer tradition, the tried and true and are not comfortable with change. Intuitive type personalities are just the opposite. They learn “intuitively” and seem to pull information out of thin air! They despise routine and enjoy changing their jobs or lives frequently. Intuitive types are visionaries, future oriented, and may have great difficulty staying in the present moment! They work in shorter bursts of energy and need frequent breaks to recharge.
Thinking type personalities base their decisions on the facts. They make most decisions based on what they believe is fair and just, hardly ever taking feelings into account. Feeling types base most decisions on how they feel, and rarely rely on facts or data. Often Thinking type personalities believe Feeling types are overly emotional or flaky, while Feeling types perceive Thinking types as cold hearted with hearts of stone!
Judging type personalities like to run their lives in a planned, orderly way. They don’t like surprises or spontaneity. A judging type person prefers to control their lives so there will be no surprises. A Perceptive type person is just the opposite. They love surprises, spontaneity, and prefer to go with the flow.
Once we have learned our personality type much of the workshop revolves around group activities exploring the eight personality types and how they affect our lives. Often we assume everyone thinks, feels, and makes decisions the way we do, and there is something wrong if they don’t, so it’s often a revelation understanding the innate differences in people. For example Thinking type people enjoy debating and conflict, seeing it as a challenge, while for Feeling types, any type of conflict is stressful, energy draining, and is avoided at all costs. Extraverts love parties and being with people, while for a true Introvert, parties are stressful, draining, and can only be faced after having a few drinks! Extraverts loves to talk about their day as soon as they get home, while Introverts need peace and solitude at the end of a day, so it helps knowing the importance of giving Introverts time alone. Only then can they rejoin life recharged, happy and energized, rather than bitter, angry and annoyed because we’ve forced them to participate! Another example would be a Perceptive type boss, parent or teacher who assumes everyone can adapt to last minute requests or information. Since Judging types need time to adapt to any new idea or request, if they’re told that tomorrow they’re going to Chicago this will send them into a mild panic attack! They haven’t had the necessary time to plan, think it through, and pack in leisure. A Perceptive type boss who is always giving a Judging type employee last minute things to do, may be contributing to their nervous breakdown! Seeing and understanding these innate differences during workshops is often the source of much good hearted laughter! Once we understand these differences, and learn how to respect other personality types, life can change dramatically, leaving behind frustration, anger, and misunderstanding. Understanding these differences leads to greater tolerance, understanding, and balance.
Workshop and Individual Fees
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is taught during a full day workshop of approximately 5 to 6 hours, or over two afternoons or mornings. The questionnaire may be completed during the workshop or the day before in a one to two-hour session. It my also be completed on your computer at your home, school or workplace. Fees will vary depending on the number of participants taking the workshop but range from $80 to $100 per person. Each participant receives their scoring questionnaire and the book Introduction to Type. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or are interested in booking a group workshop. I have been certified to administer the Myers-Briggs since 1998. marina.quattro@bellnet.ca
Individual Counselling for Adults or Teens
Individual Myers-Briggs consultations are also available. This type of session is recommended for secondary students who wish to determine which careers are best suited to their personality type, or adults who are changing jobs. Since I am a former secondary school teacher, I have especially interested in working with teenagers and helping them decide on the best careers for their personality type. One and a half hour sessions are $150, where the questionnaire is completed and clients learn over 50 careers suited to their personality preferences. Three hour sessions are $200 where clients receive information on over 50 careers suited to their personality, along with a teaching session where all eight personality types are explored. Clients also receive the Myers-Briggs scoring questionnaire, the book Looking at Type and Careers, and the book Do What You Are. If you are unable to meet with me, you can complete the Myer-Briggs online and will receive a computer generated career report.
Three or four hour sessions for couples are available for marriage preparation, or as a tool to enhance and bring greater understanding to your marriage. Fees for these sessions is $400 and lunch is provided. In these sessions couples complete the questionnaire, and once personality types have been determined we explore all eight personality types, clarifying the differences and challenges this brings to a marriage. These type differences are discussed with the goal of bringing harmony, understanding, and less conflict to your partnership. Couples receive, the questionnaire, booklet Introduction to Type, and may receive the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Won’t Stop Talking. After the session, a summary report is e-mailed to participants containing an overview of their personality differences with tips and suggests for working together to bring greater love, honour and respect to their marriage.
The individual sessions are most effective for anyone seeking greater awareness, teenagers and adults trying to decide which courses or careers best suit their personality, or individuals who are having communication, relationship or marriage problems. For more information or to book a session please e-mail me at marina.quattro@bellnet.ca
Part Two Myers-Briggs Advanced Workshop Step 11
The Step 11 Workshop is recommended for anyone who has already completed a Myers-Briggs Part One workshop, however it is not a prerequisite. The Step 11 workshop allows participants to gain a more in depth understanding of their unique personality.
This workshop requires two sessions. In the first session participants complete an in depth questionnaire of 140 items that is sent away and computer scored. Once the Step 11 profile is scored participants receive a twenty-three page expanded Interpretive Report offering detailed and specific information on their personality. The second session is usually two to three weeks later.
Since the Myers-Briggs recognizes that no two personality types are exactly alike, the Step 11 report breaks down each of the eight personality types into five subscales. Where the introductory Myers-Briggs gives us a general overview of our personalities, Step 11 is more specific helping us develop a fine tuned understanding of our personality.
The report also gives valuable information for each participant on their communication style, how they problem solve, their decision making style, how they adapt to change, and tips for better conflict management.
After each participant has had an opportunity to read their expanded interpretive report, the remainder of the workshop can be individualized depending on the needs of that group. Teachers may study how to teach most effectively to reach all personality types. Other groups may choose to focus on conflict management, time management or improving communication. Several options are available which can be discussed prior to booking the workshop.
DREAMSCAPES 