This is the first in a series of posts related to the “predictive” value of knowing your core behavioral preferences and being able to spot those in others. Yes, if you know your natural preferences (which we’ll help you determine), then you’ll know your core strengths and your potential in various careers and personal situations. We all have natural, inborn characteristics that are collectively called our “giftedness”. We all have areas in life where we are “wired for success” (gifted) and others where we are not. Wouldn’t you like to know yours and be able to spot those in others? You may think you have certain strengths and characteristics, and you may be right, but what if you “knew for sure”, based on nearly 100 years of behavioral studies? Would you be more confident, more determined to achieve your goals, and be able to work more effectively with others? Most that already have this knowledge feel this way, including this author.
We’ll start with a general introduction to “psychological typology” or personality profiling as it is more commonly called. It all sounds pretty complex, but it really isn’t and I’ll use a simple computer metaphor to help you more easily understand your preferences. Note – a “preference” means that you lean one way or the other between two end points, like a pendulum pointing to either Introversion and Extroversion as a source of energy. We all lean one way or the other and that tells us a lot about our natural wiring.
Psychological Typology is a categorization concept for various behavioral functions (there are four) and it all began back in the early 1900’s with Carl Jung, a Swiss Psychologist and Psychiatrist. His landmark book on the subject was published in 1930 and led to the popular Myers and Briggs model (named after the mother-daugther team that refined the model) that is now the premier profiling approach in use today. There are many other excellent models: Strengths Finders, DISC, MBS, AVA and more, but most owe their origins to Jung’s early groundbreaking work.
With that said, let’s look at what you need to know about yourself, and what will lead to the answers you need to gain predictive insights as to your strengths and your weaknesses, and your future potential.
Here are the four questions you can ask yourself. Which way you “lean” on each gives you your “preference” on each.
- Where do you get your energy? Internally or externally?
- How does your mind gather its input? Via the 5 senses or your “gut” intuition?
- How does your mind process that data? Via analytical thinking or emotional feeling?
- How do you present your mind’s output to the world around you? With organizational structure or adaptable flexibility?
Knowing any one of these preferences (tendencies) will help you better understand yourself and other others around you. Know all four and you’ll gain powerful insights into your natural behavioral characteristics (your giftedness) and gain a look into your future personal and professional potential. We’ll look at each of the four questions and the behavioral functions they equate with in the coming posts.
Steven Pfrenzinger is the co-founder of The Carrera Agency and has been an executive coach for 15 years. He is a well known author, and has been published in several technology periodicals including Software Magazine, Computerworld, and SIM. He speaks at numerous national conferences and teaches the popular “Personality Types in the Workplace” and “Brain and Brand” seminars, where you learn your Brain Type and your Person Brand all in the same session. Follow him on twitter @stevestwitterhandle for a weekly dose of coaching insights.