How to Use the MBTI for Leadership Development

Can introverts become good leaders? Is it better to have an “N” or a “T” take a leadership position? You may recognize some of those terms from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, the personality preference assessment, often called the MBTI®, that examines the different ways people interact with the world. Developed by Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers and based on the work of Carl Jung and his theory of psychological type, the assessment is often misunderstood. But it’s a powerful tool when used correctly. For example, in leadership, it can help determine how a person may lead, not whether or not she should be put in a leadership position.Here at Success Labs, we use the MBTI as a tool in our leadership development and coaching efforts to help leaders better understand themselves and their colleagues, and to focus on employing their strengths and improving on their weaknesses.

What Can You Learn From the MBTI?

The MBTI consists of a list of questions; the answers build a profile of the person’s personality and preferences. It’s important to remember that the result:

• Describes traits rather than prescribes them, and is used to open possibilities, not to limit options.
• Identifies preferences, not skills, abilities or competencies.
• Assumes that all preferences are equally important and can be used by every person.
• Is well documented with thousands of scientific studies conducted over 60 years.
• Is supported by ongoing research.

A Brief Explanation of MBTI Types

MBTI personality types describe a person’s preferences in four separate categories, with each category composed of two opposite poles. The four categories describe key areas that combine to form the basis of a person’s personality:

• Where you focus your attention, where your energy comes from: Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I).
• The way you take in information: Sensing (S) or Intuition (N).
• The way you make decisions: Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).
• How you deal with the outer world: Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).

The result is a four-letter descriptor, such as ESTP or INFJ, and a report that shows the relative clarity of preferences – how clear the respondent was in expressing preference for a particular pole over its opposite. Although every person has a natural preference, the MBTI theory suggests that anyone can exhibit or use behaviors that are opposite of their preferences. It may just take more work.

Using MBTI for Leadership Development

The real power of personality type in leadership development comes from self-knowledge. Going through an MBTI assessment can help provide leaders at all career stages with insights into how they think, make decisions and interact with others. Effective leaders must possess enough self-knowledge to know when they need to adjust their leadership style and behaviors for the good of the organization. The MBTI is a tool that can help identify ways to leverage their natural preferences and identify how to stretch themselves to work outside of their comfort zones so they can lead more effectively.The power of the MBTI is identifying natural preferences and capitalizing on them; but at the same time, learning how to effectively use opposite preferences when necessary. The tool also allows for leaders to recognize the differences between themselves and others, and to make adjustments in their approach to have greater communication, greater influence with their teams and direct reports.Interested in using the MBTI assessment in your company’s leadership development programs? Contact us to learn more.Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to explore their business potential and improve their company and cultural performance. Contact us to get proactive about your people strategy.