Personality Matters Blog

Posted 23 May 2018 by
Global Marketing

For an Authentic, Effective Job Interview, You Must First Understand Your Own Personality Type (Part II)

In my previous blog, I discussed how you can leverage your preferences for either introversion or extraversion – preferences based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) – to present an authentic version of yourself during a job interview. Today, I’ll dive a little deeper and talk about how to leverage the other aspects of your personality type to improve your odds of getting a job that is an excellent fit for you. Before I begin, it’s important to remember the conc...

Posted 14 November 2017 by
Global Marketing

MBTI Step II Facets: Traditional or Original and the Holiday Season

The holidays are just around the corner. The music, decorations, food, smiles on people’s faces, and gifts (giving and receiving!), all make this season special. I love this time of year. Of course how people prefer to celebrate this season can differ quite a bit, and one way it differs depends on where they find themselves on the Traditional-Original MBTI® Step II™ facet. This facet is about the approach to traditions in the social context. People who have the preference for traditional tend th...

Posted 07 November 2017 by
Global Marketing

MBTI Step II Facets: New Experiences for the Experiential or the Theoretical

Second to last for the Sensing-Intuition preference pair facets are Experiential and Theoretical. These facets "emphasize the process by which we derive knowledge or meaning from our perceptions." (MBTI Step II Manual, page 24. As a reminder, the order of these Sensing-Intuition facets goes Concrete—Abstract, Realistic—Imaginative, Practical—Conceptual, Experiential—Theoretical, and Traditional—Original. Whenever I travel, I usually like to experience something new and different…something I w...

Posted 10 October 2017 by
Global Marketing

MBTI Step II Facets: Realistic–Imaginative

A colleague came into my office one day and asked me, “Why would someone send another person flowers?” I was a bit surprised by the question. She continued, “They seem like such a waste. I mean, they are really expensive and they are going to die.” I thought about it for a minute, not sure at first how to respond. I love to send and receive flowers, so I tried to explain that the cost and short life span of such a gift are not the point. Clearly not getting my message across very well, I deci...

Posted 26 September 2017 by
Global Marketing

The Importance of the Order of the Sensing–Intuition Facets

When interpreting MBTI® Step II™ facet results, practitioners sometimes forget about the significance of the order of the facets. When it comes to paying attention to things, Sensing–Intuition (taking in information) people start by using a Concrete, Midzone, or Abstract approach first. They then go down the list of the remaining facets, in order: Realistic-Imaginative, Practical-Conceptual, Experiential-Theoretical, and Traditional-Original. (If you want a great team exercise i...

Posted 26 January 2017 by
Global Marketing

Showing Appreciation—ISFP

In this series I’m delving into how each of the 16 types approaches being thankful. If you want to read a little about your own preferences ahead of time, feel free to visit this link: share.themyersbriggs.com/. Today’s type: ISFP. You may think that work well done is its own reward. Others may need more verbal encouragement and support. That description relates to the “get-it-done” attitude often displayed by individuals who prefer ESTJ. For them, checking things off th...

Posted 12 January 2017 by
Global Marketing

Showing Appreciation—ISFJ

In this series I’m delving into how each of the 16 types approaches being thankful. If you want to read a little about your own preferences ahead of time, feel free to visit this link: share.themyersbriggs.com/. Today’s type: ISFJ. You may think that work well done is its own reward. Others may need more verbal encouragement and support. That description relates to the “get-it-done” attitude often displayed by individuals who prefer ESTJ. For them, checking things off th...

Posted 10 January 2017 by
Global Marketing

Showing Appreciation—ISTJ

In this series I’m delving into how each of the 16 types approaches being thankful. If you want to read a little about your own preferences ahead of time, feel free to visit this link: share.themyersbriggs.com/. Today’s type: ISTJ. You may think that work well done is its own reward. Others may need more verbal encouragement and support. That description relates to the “get-it-done” attitude often displayed by individuals who prefer ESTJ. For them, checking things off th...

Posted 10 November 2016 by
Global Marketing

MBTI® Users Conference—Communication Breakthroughs: The Genesis for Better Understanding of Others

The next session of the day was led by Daniel Granchanin. Daniel is a cloud platform sales engineer at Google. He was also in one of the MBTI® Certification Programs I facilitated last year. It was great to see him again and to attend his session at the conference. Daniel’s session provided tips on how Google employees hypothesize different people’s MBTI® type preferences by “reading” their body language, conversation, and communication through text, email, and so on. Daniel works with many en...

Posted 06 October 2016 by
Global Marketing

Celebrating a 60th Wedding Anniversary—A Sensing vs. Intuition Challenge

The day feels like it is flying by too fast. I have to keep reminding myself, “Live in the moment, or the moment will pass you by.” In type language this means that I have to honor my preference for Intuition, but I will not let it rule my day. If I flex by using Sensing more often, those great moments won’t just pass me by. Still, Terri and Cindy leave tomorrow. Already. Mom, Dad, Kevin, and I leave the day after. It helps me to think that I can plan something again soon. My m...

Posted 20 September 2016 by
Global Marketing

Celebrating a 60th Wedding Anniversary—Live in the Moment

As we head back to the hotel for some downtime—nap, pool, walks along the beach—I start to feel that little bit of angst that our time together is going by too fast. It’s already Tuesday. We just have tonight and tomorrow together, and then our trip will be over. This happens to me on every vacation I go on, especially when I’m having a wonderful time. Instead of living in the moment, I let my preference for Intuition take over and start thinking about the future. Doing ...

Posted 09 August 2016 by
Global Marketing

Celebrating a 60th Wedding Anniversary—NF Blessing, NF Curse

It's about 6:30 a.m. when we drive through the entrance of Volcano National Park. There are very few cars around, so it feels like we have the place to ourselves. I see no way to pay for entering the park, so I make a mental note to do that on the way out. We first stop at the steam vents. It is incredible to see the terrain all around us seeping steam. Terri's eyes are growing bigger and bigger as she scans everything around her. We take the short trail to one side and come upon Kilauea volcano...

Posted 21 July 2016 by
Global Marketing

Celebrating a 60th Wedding Anniversary—INFP Preferences in Overdrive

The drive over goes by quickly, though at one point the rain and wind at 4,000 feet up is a little scary. Our destination is thankfully much closer to sea level, and by the time we get to the town of Volcano the rain stops. All around us is nothing but green...wet green trees, bushes, and moss. This is my second time to Volcano, and I’m so happy to be back. The driveway to our Airbnb home welcomes us down a curved passageway to finally come to a stop next to the large house. It has been ...

Posted 14 July 2016 by
Global Marketing

Celebrating a 60th Wedding Anniversary—Extraverted Intuition Meets Introverted Sensing

Hawaii (the Big Island) is like no other Hawaiian island. It has so many different landscapes from one part to the next. As we drive along the newly renovated Senator Daniel Inouye Highway, patches of lava rock intermingle with plants and small trees. We pass a few small neighborhoods as well and dream as we see an occasional “For Sale” sign. As soon as we got on a straightaway, I was sure everyone in the back seat will be sound asleep. Instead, we are all wide awake, looking around and not want...

Posted 07 June 2016 by
Global Marketing

Summer Vacation Decision Making—Introverted Sensing

Of course, using Sensing plays a huge role in any decision we make regardless of our preferences. In my previous post I covered extraverted Sensing. It’s now time to address introverted Sensing (Si). While it indicates a similar focus on facts and details, introverted Sensing most often perceives those facts and details as they relate to specifics from the past. As you think about where you might go for vacation this summer, consider the following Si questions: Where have I gone on va...

Posted 06 June 2016 by
Global Marketing

Putting E–I and S–N together to support student success, Part 3

By Catherine Rains  Again, since students have already heard from other students with their opposite preferences about what faculty members with those preferences want from them, they find it fairly easy to identify success strategies in such a classroom. Let’s explore how students who prefer Introversion and Sensing (IS) can thrive in a classroom taught by faculty members with their opposite preferences, Extraversion and Intuition (EN). The following are some of the suggestions I hav...

Posted 03 June 2016 by
Global Marketing

Summer Vacation Decision Making—Extraverted Sensing

When I think about the best decisions I have made in my life, it usually comes down to taking a more balanced approach to whatever I’m deciding. That balanced approach often comes easier when we consider using all four of our mental processes (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking, and Feeling) along with the attitudes of each (Extraversion and Introversion). Put that all together and you get the eight MBTI® patterns of mental activity (Se, Si, Ne, Ni, Te, Ti, Fe, Fi). If you want to read more ...

Posted 01 June 2016 by
Global Marketing

I’m Back and Summer Is Almost Here!

Hello, everyone. I’m back and writing again after my very busy travel schedule has finally slowed down just a little. Thanks so much to Mathew David Pauley for filling in on my blog duties with his very insightful writing. I loved reading his posts as I traveled from city to city. I’m going to continue Mathew’s emphasis on the mental processes in this next blog series. As I sit back and get ready to write once more, I’m a bit startled by how fast the year is going by. It ...

Posted 27 May 2016 by
Global Marketing

Type at the Family Conference Table: In the Grip

Written by Mathew David Pauley, JD, MA, MDR This is the final post in my 10-part blog series, “Type at the Family Conference Table,” and I would like to begin by thanking CPP for a great collaboration throughout my participation in the MBTI® Certification Program and throughout these posts. Certification Trainer Michael Segovia and his team went out of their way to assist me during the program (which was sort of a birthday present), increasing the pressure for me to have the...

Posted 25 May 2016 by
Global Marketing

Type at the Family Conference Table: Introverted Intuition

Written by Mathew David Pauley, JD, MA, MDR INTJs and INFJs, Introverted Intuitive types, tend to be big-picture, well-organized individuals who can bring both qualities to bear as they work toward their goals. They are often known for their uncanny insight and ability to anticipate things before they happen. However, unlike individuals with a preference for Perceiving, who typically are ready to respond to the unexpected and flex to meet new challenges, INTJs and INFJs would rather dimini...

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