Introduction to type and the MBTI

Jung, Myers and Briggs
Personal development
The MBTI at work

Jung, Myers and Briggs

The pioneering Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung, explored the theory that what looked like random behaviours in people were not truly random, but followed identifiable patterns.

These patterns vary from person to person, according to the individual's own psychological makeup: their "Psychological Type". Their psychological personality, if you like.

Each "type" has its own "natural" set of preferred behaviours and mental functions. Psychological Type is about how each of us, in his or her own way, uses these preferences to relate to the environment and the people and the information around us.

Your psychological type affects everything you do: your learning style, your teaching style, your management style, your counselling style, your parenting style, your loving style, your sexual style, your style of communication, the way you are at home, at work, and under stress. Type influences the way you plan, the way you react to things, the way you solve problems, and the way you deal with people.

Carl Jung's theories — as they apply to normal, everyday people — were explored and expanded, and interpreted, and made usable, by two Americans: mother and daughter, Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers. They spent 40 years at it. Their goal was to help people to be happy and effective in whatever they chose to do.

One result of their work and study was the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, which has been constantly tested and validated and refined ever since.

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Personal development

We use the MBTI® in TypeQuest's workshops. It will help you figure out which of 16 different psychological types is "the real you".

From there, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator offers a significant catalyst to develop greater understanding of yourself and others, to develop more fruitful ways in which you interact with others (and they with you), to improve communications, to develop smoother family and couples relationships, and to assist in career planning. The MBTI is also an excellent foundation for other personal development programs.

Type in practice is dynamic and complex. It is not a black-and-white system of defining, or labelling or predicting. People are dynamic individuals, not just "types".

Type gives us, though, a very useful analysis of patterns. It provides a useful first step toward understanding ourselves and others, making allowances for others; learning how to communicate better with them; understanding our own behaviours, and uncovering our blind spots. From there, we can take steps to polish off our rough edges. And to understand and accept other people's rough edges.

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The MBTI at work

The MBTI has important applications at work: in communication, in management and supervisory training and development, in team-building and in the development of leadership, managerial style, and interpersonal skills. It is also a solid foundation for other work-related human resources programs.

The MBTI is used by top companies and agencies in Canada, the U.S. and around the world.

All psychological types work in, and are successful in, virtually all jobs. But people do tend to "self-select" into jobs that allow them to make their best use of their most preferred and most "natural" psychological functions and type. Understanding of type will help you to work better with and for others, and to get the most out of them, out of work teams, and out of yourself.

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