MBTI Bite: 3 Tips for Working With "Sensors" ("S" in Myers-Briggs)

Sensor

When I was first getting into executive coaching, I could not tell the difference between Myers-Briggs preference types.  I began working with a client who was a high “S” (“Sensor" in Myers-Briggs language).  Sensors are typically concrete.  They love details and facts.  They often search for all available data before making decisions.  They also tend to be literal in their language.

I am a high “N” (“iNtuitive").  Us N’s tend to love the big picture.  We are fascinated by ideas and new possibilities.  We typically tune out when a “ton of details” are being discussed.  We are known for seeing patterns and principles behind the data and jumping to conclusions.  While we may be much more accurate than not, at times we do jump to the wrong conclusion.

Based on the descriptions above, how do you think our first meeting went?  

You guessed it.  He was going on and on with details and facts.  I wanted to “cut to the chase.”  I interrupted at times.  I tried to steer to conclusions sooner than he wanted.

He did not feel like I heard him.  I did not feel like we made much progress in that meeting since we did not complete his stated goal for that first meeting.  I am fairly sure he had doubts as to how well we would work together.  I was confused as to how communicate with him.

A mentor who was well-versed in Myers-Briggs helped me understand my client a lot better.

There were three tips my mentor and I came up with during our meeting that I want to share with you in case it helps you with what you do.

What To Do When You See the Signs That You Are Working with a Sensor 

  1. Send out an agenda ahead of your meetings with them. When creating an agenda for an “S,” especially a high S, make sure that it leaves plenty of room for the exploration of facts and details.  If the person you are meeting likes to plan and be prepared, they will often start to gather the facts ahead of time and will start to sift through them on their own.  If you tend to tune out when there are too many details, turn on your curiosity.  Say to yourself, “I want to understand how he comes to conclusions.”  There may be times when you need to set a limit to the amount of exploration, but allow yourself to understand them.


  2. Start with the highest priority item. Even if you set an agenda that has plenty of room for the exploration of details, you may find you don’t get through all the items on the agenda.  Often times the first item on the agenda gets the most amount of time.  Then each successive item gets less and less time as the meeting winds down.  Some items could get postponed.  Therefore, always start with the most important item.


  3. Make things tangible.  Get practical with Sensors as soon as you can.  Sensors take things in through their five senses.  Leverage that.  Show them charts and drawings.  If there are videos or audio recordings that can be used in a meeting, use them.  Be specific.  Say what you mean.  Mean what you say.

If you practice adjusting your style to another it will go a long way toward building a great relationship.

Chew On This: Which stakeholders are High S’s?  Choose one.  How will you adjust your communication style when you engage them?

Ryan C. Bailey is an Executive Coach who helps business leaders develop in-demand high performing teams.

Leadership: What's Personality Got To Do With It?

Personality Affects Leadership How well do you know your employees?  Do you get how they are wired?  If you understood how they were wired, how would it impact the way they serve one another, your clients, the company as a whole?

As businesses grow, you as a leader cannot do everything on your own.  You must delegate to other people, which requires working with various personality types.  This can be a good thing.  Hopefully those who report to you have a variety of personality types that can benefit the company.  The more diverse the personality types, the better; they can catch blind spots, they have a wide variety of strengths benefiting the company, and more growth can happen for all.

However, different personality types can also present challenges.  For example, there can be more conflict than you are comfortable with as people misunderstand why other personality types communicate the way they do or work the way they do.  Some can seem frustrated or stressed by an assignment while others are energized by the same assignment.

Most leaders use the one style they feel most comfortable using or the style they believe will be most effective.  Some employees respond and others don’t. This leads to spending time and energy trying to bring up those who are lagging or to higher turnover in the hopes of finding more motivated employees.  Without realizing it, these leaders may be working harder than they need to be.

Quick Fix to Help Understand Differing Personalities

Want a simple fix that really works?

Administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).  It is the most-used assessment across the globe with over 2 million taking it every year.  It only takes ten minutes to complete, yet the results are powerfully long lasting.

You will gain insight and understanding on how each of your employees is wired and you will quickly learn:

  • How to work successfully with each of your employees
  • How to motivate them
  • How to avoid frustrating them
  • What pitfalls they need to work on
  • What the warning signs are when they are stressed out
  • What they look like when their stress has reached a chronic level

Think of how this would impact your leadership.  You would know how to adjust your style to empower those who work with you.

Using Myer-Briggs Personality Test in Hiring Process

Now let’s take it a step further.  What if you used this as part of your hiring process?  Among the other things you do to determine if someone is a good fit, the MBTI can also help you find the right personality type for the current needs of your company.

Leadership is about bringing different personalities to work successfully together to reach a vision.  When leaders understand how those different personalities are wired, they are more than well on their way to achieving their greatest goals with less effort than they have done so in the past.

Chew On This: How would knowing the way each of your employees is wired impact 2016?
 How would each of them knowing how the others are wired impact your company?

If you have any questions feel free to email me at  ryan@ryancbailey.com or call (404) 421-8120.

Ryan C. Bailey is an Executive Coach who helps business leaders develop in-demand high performing teams.