Newsletter #31

 

In this issue:

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and Stress: INFPs and ESTJs

About the Strong Interest Inventory®: Types and Retirement

About the FIRO-B™: Team Work Environment – Total Need for Inclusion

 

INFPs and ESTJs and Stress

Let's start with INFPs.  How can you tell when an INFP is under stress, particularly at work?

Some signs include losing confidence in their self-worth or contributions to the group, having unrealistic expectations from situations or people, and seeming to be moody and hypersensitive.  Some INFPs seem to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, or become discouraged or lose heart.  Others appear to take on the role of martyr, acting as if no one loves or cares for them.  INFPs have reported feeling cut off from all that is important to them when they are feeling stressed.

Some things that can cause stress for INFPs are feeling like someone they care about has been victimized, feeling as if they must compromise their dearly held values to maintain harmony or peace, or if some cause they believe in has been criticized.  Another stressor might be the feeling they are being pushed around, then they decide they have had enough.  INFPs can react strongly to others who likewise have strong emotional reactions to situations or comments. 

As one would expect, ESTJs react differently to stress.  Many try to bend the facts to fit their preconceived notions or plans.  Others are a flurry of activity, being busy for the sake of being busy, without actually accomplishing much.  Some ESTJs turn their attention inward, doubting themselves, their authority, and competence.  Stress can cause ESTJs to become aggressive, demanding, and dictatorial.  Still others focus on accomplishing tasks at all costs.  Finally, ESTJs can become extremely sensitive to rejection, or ruminate about past mistakes.

What can cause this stress for ESTJs?  First and foremost, having their authority challenged.  Many ESTJs struggle to deal with emotional outbursts, particularly their own.  If an ESTJ believes someone has overlooked an obvious "fact" and is being illogical, they will likely feel stress.  Sometimes ESTJs cannot contain their anger inside and can lash out at others, becoming rather sarcastic and arrogant in an attempt to belittle others.  Other times ESTJs have trouble dealing with ambiguous situations.

 

About the Strong Interest Inventory: Types and Retirement

This issue we'll take a different turn.  Usually, we think of the Strong in relation to jobs, work environments, and careers.  However, it's no surprise that how a person works his or her whole life will likewise affect how he or she approaches retirement.

Two key factors that play large roles in how well retirement goes are having enough money and other resources to pursue one's interests, and the second is having a compatible environment in which to pursue those activities.  If the resources or environment is missing, retirement is likely to be a frustrating experience. Health is another issue that can be important.

It seems Artistic and Investigative types are best able to cope with retirement since they have comparatively open and independent dispositions, and can frequently continue their favorite activities into old age.  On the other hand, Realistic and Conventional types are more dependent upon their environments, have more rigid dispositions, and struggle more with the ambiguities of creating and maintaining an independent life outside of work.  Social and Enterprising types fall in the middle, with Social types having the advantage of having more relevant experience and skills for social activities in retirement.  Enterprising types often have a greater need for power and fewer social skills than Social types, so they are likely to have more difficulty.

Social types are the most likely, Realistic types the least likely, to adapt to life in a nursing home.  When retirees volunteer, they tend to do so in areas similar to their previous paid employment.

 

The FIRO-B: Team Work Environment – Total Need for Inclusion

This time we'll look at how your total Need for Inclusion score might affect your perception of your team’s mood or work environment.  In general, your highest total need score shows which aspect of the team will give you the most satisfaction.  If Inclusion is your highest score, then this will be the most important aspect of team work for you.  You will likely work hardest to maintain or improve this aspect of team work.

Here are some signs your total needs for Inclusion are not being met by your team.  You might complain about too little contact with the group, or people are withholding information from you, or that team decisions are made in secret.  You can feel as if no one realizes the team exists, that your contribution is marginal to the team's success, or that no one on the team is accessible.  Further, you might feel people do not appreciate the differences among team members, or that the group fails to realize everyone is responsible for the outcome, or that the group dislikes doing things together.  Finally, you might feel as if your contributions to the team are not recognized.

The more of the above statements you agree with, the more likely you'll need to address some key issues with your team.  For example, you might need to have a team discussion about the process for participation, valuing group differences, and clarity about the common goal.  With further clarity, you can redefine your team role or perhaps move out of the team entirely if no agreement can be reached.