Today I met with a group of graduate students to teach and interpret the Myers-Briggs Typology Indicator (MBTI®). They learned the theory, made initial hypotheses about what their preferences are, and integrated that learning with the reports we generated from their online assessments. MBTI is a powerful tool that helps you learn how you prefer to gather information, make decisions, re-energize, and interact with the outer world. You can apply this self-awareness to conflict situations, team dynamics, and more.
Our group had a lot of fun, but also worked hard to apply the learning. We found ourselves focusing on conflict in particular, a thorny issue for work teams, congregations, and 2-person relationships. The students learned that their third and fourth MBTI preferences—Thinking vs. Feeling, and Judging vs. Perceiving—determine what they want and need in a conflict, how they enter and exit a conflict, and generally how they behave when they’re in conflict.
For example, people with preferences for Feeling and Judging (FJ) value harmony in relationships above almost everything else when they’re in conflict with others, so they might be satisfied with ending the conflict as long as the relationship is intact. In contrast, people with preferences for Thinking and Perceiving (TP) relish the debate that can happen in a fight, and may want to keep the conflict open for ongoing exploration of ideas, even if the other person is quite upset with them and wants to resolve the problem.
We study the MBTI in our College curriculum, and we have consultants certified in the interpretation of the instrument. Let’s discuss how this powerful tool can strengthen your congregation or work team!
—Stephen Crippen