Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an instrument which utilises the theory of psychological types described by C.G.Jung. It is a tool which is used by many companies in a wide range of development and training programs focused on organisational effectiveness.

Personal Development
As the investment in employee development and training has grown, so has the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory, currently exceeding 860,000 administrations per year in organisational settings. (Briggs Myers, McCaulley, Quenk & Hammer)

Its usefulness as a tool in employee development is numerous:

MBTI results and interpretation focus on how people take in information and how they prioritise that information to make decisions.
MBTI type enhances people’s understanding and comfort with their own work styles, while constructively identifying potential areas of development.
Type theory gives a logical, coherent structure in many other work-related activities:
- Communication styles
- Project management
- Time management
- Preferred supervision style and work environment
- Responses and needs during organisational change

Team Development & Organisational Issues

Using MBTI with Teams
Analysis of team members’ type and the ways they may characterise the group can provide a valuable tool for analysing where the team is effective and its areas for development. An understanding of individual differences will also help teams identify the particular talents that each individual brings to their role and this knowledge will help reduce potential sources of misunderstanding and conflict.

The MBTI specifically supports team development by:

Reducing unproductive work by improving communication
Identifying individual and team areas of strength and weakness
Clarify team behaviour
Helping match specific task assignments to certain MBTI types
Developing an objective framework for dealing with conflict
Helping individuals understand how different perspectives and methods can lead to useful and effective problem solving
Predicting potential problem areas
Teaching team members to appreciate and work with the strengths of others

Improving Communication
MBTI identifies an individual’s preferred style of communication and provides guidance on how they can modify that style to be more effective and avoid areas of misinterpretation between people of different types.

Managing Change
For organisational change to be truly effective and beneficial it is crucial to have the support and buy in of the staff that need to implement it. This may appear to be an obvious statement but all too often the impact of change on the people of the organisation is ignored. The different ways in which people respond to organisational change, what they require to accept and support change and the particular strengths and weaknesses they may bring to the current organisational environment is commonly overlooked. It will therefore come as no surprise that it is the employees who are identified as the primary reason why organisational change programs do not achieve the desired outcome.

To implement and manage successful change, organisations must provide what people need to make fundamental transitions in their working lives. As with its other applications, MBTI provides a structure for understanding those needs and identifies ways they can be achieved.

MBTI can also be applied to a number of other organisational and team building issues such as leadership development, coaching and recognising and managing Stress

We can conduct the MBTI process as a stand-alone consultancy session conducted in your offices. Alternatively it can be very effective if incorporated into an outdoor team building exercise. To find out more on how Myers Briggs Type Indicator can help develop your organisation, contact Quest to speak to one of our MBTI practitioners.

Client Testimonials for MBTI training with Quest

"Quest provided a first rate service in helping us understand our team dynamics. We had a mixture of knowledge on tools such as Myers Briggs and they expertly ensured everyone was on the same page quickly. They also made these tools really come to life for our team by making them relevant to our everyday work. The end result was a detailed Development Plan for my team as a whole which far exceeded my expectations - the input from Quest was crucial here." - Phil Sheehy, Head of Products, RBS Cards.

See other client testimonials for Quest Team Building Exercises

Other Team Developmental Models - Tuckmans Team Development Theory

Other Team Developmental Models - Belbin's Team Roles

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves” - Edison