Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most popular personality assessment used by companies. Myers-Briggs looks at how we prefer to interact with others, how we prefer to process information, how we pref

Ways to Analyze Your Audience

The more you know about your audience the better able you are to put yourself in their shoes – to take their perspective.

1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

The first individuals you want to analyze are your boss and co-workers. How do they prefer to get information? Some people prefer an email, while others prefer face to face interactions. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most common personality assessment used by American companies. In this class you will take a simple version of the MBTI assessment. MBTI identifies your preferences on four paired dimension.

Extroverted or Introverted

Sensing or Intuitive

Thinking or Feeling

Judging or Perceiving

Your preferences are indicated by a combination of four letters. For example my Myers-Briggs type is INFP (Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling and Perceiving). The majority of business executives are ESTJ types.

What is your type and what does it say about you? How do you prefer to receive and send information? How do you prefer to make decisions? What are the preferences of your boss and co-workers?

Strategies for Communicating with different Types (Based on Figure 2.1 in the textbook)

Introverts prefer to think before they speak. They prefer to communicate in a written format and speak one-to-one rather than in a group.

Strategy: Write an email to the Introvert to let them think about your proposal before responding.

Extroverts prefer to talk out an idea rather than write it; they like to engage people in their thinking/talking. Strategy: Try out your idea orally with an Extrovert in an informal setting.

Sensing types prefer facts/data and a step-by-step process. Strategy: Present your idea with facts/data. If you are an Intuitive and sensing is not your strength, get other Sensing types (accountants, technicians, researchers, etc.) to gather the data for you.

Intuitive types prefer to be creative and think about the “big picture.” They can get impatient with details. Strategy: Present the “big picture” first. Stress the innovative and creative aspects of your proposal.

Thinking types prefer to make decisions based on logic. They are often uncomfortable with emotions.

Strategy: Use logic, not emotions, to persuade.

Feeling types prefer to make decision based on the needs of people and their emotions.

Strategy: Show how your proposal values the needs of people (employees, customers, etc.), as well as the dollars and cents needs of the company.

Perceiving types prefer to look at all the options. They may postpone coming to a decision.

Strategy: Show how your proposal has considered all the alternatives. Ask for a decision by a specific date.

Judging types prefer making quick decisions. Strategy: Present your request quickly (to the point) and ask for an immediate decision.