MBTI explained

What is MBTI®?

The Myers Briggs® Type Indicator (MBTI®) is a widely-used and highly regarded personality questionnaire designed to make Jung’s theory of psychological types understandable and useful in everyday life.

MBTI results identify valuable differences between normal healthy people – differences that can be the source of much misunderstanding and miscommunication.

Taking the MBTI inventory and receiving feedback will help you identify your unique gifts. The information enhances understanding of yourself, your motivations, your natural strengths and your potential areas for growth. It will also help you appreciate people who differ from you. Understanding your MBTI type is self-affirming and encourages cooperation with others.

After more than 50 years of research and development, the current MBTI is the most widely used instrument for understanding normal personality differences. Because it explains basic patterns in human functioning, the MBTI is used for a wide variety of purposes including:

• Self-understanding and development
• Career development and exploration
• Organisation development
• Team building
• Management and leadership development

More than 3.5 million indicators are administered annually worldwide.

What is MBTI Step I?

MBTI Step I looks at personality type based on 4 fundamental dimensions of individual difference to create 16 personality type profiles:

• Extraversion (E) – Introversion (I)
  Where you prefer to get or focus your energy
• Sensing (S) – Intuition (N)
  The kind of information you prefer to gather and trust
• Thinking (T) – Feeling (F)
  The process you prefer to use in coming to decisions
• Judging (J) – Perceiving (P)
  How you prefer to deal with the world around you

A choice of reports is available depending on your objectives.

What is MBTI Step II?

MBTI Step II goes much further than Step 1 by tapping into the facets within each Step I type preference. It can help you to understand the unique ‘fingerprint’ of your personality, revealing what makes you different to others of your Step I type.

It works by drilling down into each of the preference pairs to reveal results on 5 additional facets of personality for each preference pair, highlighting how these fit with the overall Step I type, and where there are inconsistencies.

Step II has the power to help you see in great detail where your points of compatibility and potential discord lie, providing a valuable framework for teams and individuals at all levels.

The MBTI Step II Interpretative Report is a 22-page report which goes into a lot of detail about your type, what it might mean for you in practice and suggestions as to how you can make different choices of behaviour.

What is “Type Dynamics”?

Type is more than just the sum of the four preferences. The four-letter MBTI® type formula is a shorthand way of telling you about the interaction of your four mental functions and which ones you prefer to use first. This interaction is called “type dynamics”, and it is an important part of understanding your MBTI® results.

Each of the 16 personality types has a characteristic pattern in the alignment of the four mental functions. This pattern is referred to as a “hierarchy” because they typically differ in the degree of influence on the personality and the degree they are consciously experienced.

For example, your preferences will manifest differently depending on whether you are extraverted or introverted, judging or perceiving.

Alison is trained in Type Dynamics in addition to being a qualified MBTI practitioner. This adds to the richness of the conversation we have with you about your personality type.

How it works

Engaging with MBTI involves completing an online questionnaire which is then followed by a 90-120 minute “feedback” session with Alison, virtually or in-person.

This can be conducted as a stand-alone exercise or as part of Alison’s coaching programmes.