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The Delta Associates' MBTI Advanced Applications Center
A Guide to MBTI® Preferences
16 Types Guide For Organizations

Type Table with Percentages

What is the Type of the Person You are Talking To?

Applying MBTI to Organizational Roles
Types that Concentrate in Different Professions
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A Thumbnail Sketch of Type

What is Your Type? . . . What Other Types are on the Team? Brief Descriptions of the 16 Types

When you combine your four preferences, they become your type. Type, when properly assessed, is one of the most accurate predictors of how a person will react in different situations.

ISTJ Practical, dependable, detail-oriented, and preservers of any institution. The person you can always count on to meet a deadline or contribute to the team effort. Tend to be serious-minded. They are motivated by thoroughness, fairness, reliability, stability, and justice. Loyalty is a defining value. Function is more important than beauty. Tend to see traditional events—from weddings and funerals to the office party—as important ways to connect.

ISFJ These are people who are intensely motivated by the needs of the individual and will be fiercely loyal to the people they are close to. Service to individuals is the primary motivation. Hard workers, ISFJs derive much of their sense of worth from the value they feel they contribute to others. This type prefers stability to constant flux.

INFJ Extremely empathetic—even able to understand the motivations of others before they themselves do. Reserved, often very private people. Tend to have a small inner circle of close friends with whom they share at a deep level. Conflict is extremely painful to the INFJ—they may even experience physical symptoms of pain when they observe conflict. Tend to be highly imaginative.

INTJ The most theoretical of all types, they are builders of systems and models. Their process is empirical logic. Their litmus test of people and events is that they be useful. They are therefore unimpressed by position, title, or authority in and of themselves. Their ideas and vision and models have more validity to themselves than external reality. So external reality can always be made to conform to the model in their minds. They are extremely strong at generalizing, classifying, summarizing, building evidence and data, proving the case, etc. Utility is a supreme value. May appear aloof and unapproachable and, because they drive others as hard as themselves, they may seem demanding and difficult to satisfy.

ISTP Perhaps the most action-oriented type. Life is action for the ISTP. Whether that is detonating a bomb or doing stand-up comedy—life is action. And they are good at it. Fierce adversaries of hierarchy, one can never manage an ISTP by micromanagement or telling them what they need to do. But painting a threat they must conquer, they will always rise to the occasion. ISTPs are often oriented toward the physical manipulation of things—especially tools.

ISFP They tend to express their feeling through action and artistry. They tend to be oriented toward a goal for their artistry—and are contented with that plan of action. Most of the greatest visual artists were probably ISFPs. The ISFP is considered the kindest and most caring of all types—and is drawn to express compassion in others.

INFP Have a deep sense of integrity and honor derived from their internal value system, which must not be violated. Appear calm and even-handed to others, may even appear shy. Have a small number of intense relationships. Idealistic, they may become deeply committed to causes. Often prefer to work alone, but are open to change and new ideas at work. May become bored with routine and detail very quickly.

INTP Architects of systems, structures, and ideas. Can detect subtle contradictions that others cannot observe. Official authority—of boss, position, etc.—is irrelevant to the INTP. True authority is only derived from the integrity of the system and the thought. Can diffuse their intellectual energies pursuing so many pursuits. More interested in thought than practicality. Extremely impatient with routine—such as paperwork. Often prefer to work alone.

ESTP ESTPs make things happen—it’s their definition. They are charming and socially skilled. For them, life is a game. They make extraordinary entrepreneurs. They keep life and work exciting. While thinkers, they are such keen observers of human emotion and reaction that they can appear empathetic in a way they truly don’t feel—this can cause some confusion. Ends tend to be more important than means. They live in the moment—not the past or the future. Can be very successful as turn-around people.

ESFP ESFPs are the attractive performers of society. They show warmth and optimism and people feel good to be around them. They are fun and are great performers. ESFPs often try to avoid being alone, and so will seek out companionship for most times of the day. They make life exciting for others—creating the mood of "eat, drink, and be merry."

ENFP See life as an exciting drama—see significance in everything that happens. Tend to be optimistic and fun to be around. Seek intense emotional experiences, and always strive consciously for authenticity and congruence in their lives. Keen observers of everything in their environment. Wonderful change agents and developers of innovation, they can become easily bored by maintaining a project once it is launched.

ENTP Innovation and future thinking characterize the ENTP. Enjoy complexity and are strong at analysis. Tend to be enthusiastic and visionary. Always looking for a new, unconventional way to do things better than they have been done before. Outcome-oriented like the ENTJ, they need to see a practical result to their visioning. Great at improvisation, they can be outstanding in a turn-around situation. Often highly verbally oriented, they can be great conversationalists but can also make people feel they are engaged in a debate. For the ENTP, rules are made to be challenged, and they can be extremely competitive—even in their personal relationships.

ESTJ Perhaps the best practical problem-solvers of all the types. ESTJs can look at a practical problem—whether involving deploying resources or moving a bureaucracy forward—and see instantly how to do it. They know their external environment---and their community (whether that is the organization or an external community) and know where to tap resources and how to get through obstacles. Great organizers, they want to see things done according to spec or procedure. While loyal to the institutions they are involved with and people they are close to, ESTJs can come across as abrupt or abrasive. Because of their orientation toward institutional loyalty, breaking out of old paradigms can be a growth area for ESTJs.

ESFJ Highly sociable. They seek harmony and avoid conflict. They are the great supporters of institutions—whether that’s the department, the company, a club, or a religious organization. Their drive toward service can make them take the opinions of others overly seriously. And while they have a very positive outlook toward institutions, the particular type of environmental scanning they do—and the high expectations they place on themselves—may lead them to a type of sadness in day-to-day interchanges. They are quite willing to take on the blame for anything that goes wrong in an institution or relationship they are involved in.

ENFJ Outstanding leaders of groups because of their personal charisma and empathetic understanding of the values and needs of others. Value harmony and cooperation. Often feel responsible for the emotions of others. Communicate genuine concern and caring. Often find it difficult to say no to the emotional needs of others. Tend to be excellent communicators who can lead by persuasion and influence. One strategic threat is a tendency to over-idealize . . . . especially about interpersonal relationships.

ENTJ More than anything else, the ENTJ must lead. Often feel that leadership is thrust upon them, and they must reluctantly accept it. Highly intolerant of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and redundancy. Very strong at visualizing strategic direction and new opportunities. Their outcome-oriented approach may sometimes appear overly expedient to other types. They work from plans—both short-term and long-term and may become so focused on professional achievement that they pay less attention to other areas of their lives.


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