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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Use MBTI® language to find your fit in the civilian world

(Managing your transition home – Part 4)
Written by Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh 

Any time you make a career change, you may find it difficult to explain how the knowledge, skills, and abilities you acquired in your previous role(s) apply to a new job or field. This can be particularly challenging when you are moving from the military to a career in the civilian world. Even though your role in the service may be comparable to a job in business, you may struggle to describe how your military skills will transfer. Terms and titles are often dissimilar even if capabilities are much alike.

How can the MBTI® tool help? It offers service members a language in which to frame their approach to work and describe what sorts of environments bring out their best. You can search type descriptions and other materials on personality preferences to uncover key words and phrases that will help you paint a picture of the value you would bring to an organization, customer, or project.

For example, if you have a preference for Judging, let others know that you can contribute your best when you are able to devise routines, plan milestones and goals, and provide organization and structure. Explain that you value schedules, order, and decisiveness at work.

If, on the other hand, you have a preference for Perceiving, let others know that you can contribute your best when you are able to respond to new information, flex to meet changing demands, and handle unexpected opportunities as they arise. Explain that you value freedom, adaptability, and openness at work.

Describing who you are and the special talents you offer can be tricky. Knowing about your personality type provides a language to help bridge the gap between service and civilian life. Realizing that what you can contribute flows from your personal style can also help you overcome the service person’s natural tendency toward modesty and understatement. Remember, you are not bragging; you are simply helping potential employers determine fit by describing your style. 

You can learn more on the topic of psychological type and reintegration in our booklet Introduction to Type® and Reintegration.

Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh are coauthors of several publications, including Introduction to Type® and Teams, MBTI® Teambuilding Program: Leader’s Resource Guide, Introduction to Type® and Decision Making, and the MBTI® Decision-Making Style Report.


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Friday, February 8, 2013

Group Study Part II: How Extraverts can Bring the Introverts “Into the Fold”

Part 2 of our "Learning to Learn" series. 
By Jim Larkin and Jack Powers


In our previous post we discussed how people with a preference for Extraversion, who are energized by social interaction, tend to operate much more naturally in a group study situation than their Introversion-oriented counterparts, who have to expend energy for social interaction.

However, this doesn't mean that those preferring Extraversion will necessarily have an easy, or even a positive experience in group study. If you prefer Extraversion, you may feel frustrated with some of the other group members who aren't participating as readily as you. Furthermore, your grade may in fact suffer because you’re not getting input from 50 percent or more of your team.

Before you throw up your hands in resignation, consider that some of the lack of engagement you’re perceiving from some team members may have nothing to do with their level of interest or dedication to the project. Rather, it may stem from a natural discomfort in group study-type situations with those with a preference for Introversion. The following tips may help you manage the situation to the team’s benefit and bring the Introverts “back into the fold” per se, and contributing on equal footing with the Extraverts:
1) Pay attention to non-verbal cues. If you’re talking a lot, others may may feel like they can’t get a word in edgewise, or perhaps that you’re stealing their thunder by expressing what they’re thinking before they can say it. Watch body language -- if someone looks like they have something to say, give them a chance to say it.

2) Designate a facilitator. Let’s face it, sometimes you’re just having too much fun to notice that others aren’t. Therefore, in a group with mixed preferences, it’s often beneficial to designate someone as the facilitator and assign them the task of making sure that speaking time is more equally divided -- encouraging the more reserved members, and perhaps toning down the more aggressive ones.

By understanding how preferences for Introversion and Extraversion manifest themselves in these kind of group settings, you can more effectively harness the knowledge and creativity of everyone in your group to make it a positive, productive learning experience.
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Friday, February 1, 2013

Counseling to Type Strategies – Introversion (Part 3)


Written by Catherine Rains 

In my first two posts of this series, I shared some tips on how to tailor your career counseling strategies to students with a preference for Introversion.  Here are the last couple I’d like to share:

Pause when you ask a question.  Silently counting to 10 after asking a question will go a long way toward supporting a student who prefers Introversion  to sort through their possible options and respond with a well thought out solution.  As hard as it may be for counselors who prefer Extroversion, hold your breath and literally count to 10 in your mind – you will be surprised at how positively your students will respond with this simple technique.

Hold back on the number of questions. When a counselor who prefers Extroversion doesn't get an immediate response to their question, they quickly ask another question, often without giving a client who prefers Introversion time to thoroughly think through the first question.  Extroverted preference counselors also ask more and more questions when they don’t get an immediate response  because the silence makes them a bit uncomfortable.  Without immediate feedback, they think their client is not engaged, so they continue the questioning process hoping to find a way to engage their client, which could actually be pushing their client further away. breaking down communication between counselor and student.

So what have I missed?  Please share your suggestions for what has worked for you when working with students who prefer Introversion.  Next week we’ll talk about how to effectively work with students who prefer Sensing.

Read Part 1 here.
Read Part 2 here. 


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