What is MBTI? 16 Personality Types to Improve Teamwork

Understanding both yourself and others is fundamental to achieving optimal performance at work. Psychologists have developed various tools to evaluate personalities, helping individuals gain deeper self-awareness and understand others more effectively. This facilitates people in working in roles that align with their personality traits, enhancing both individual and organizational performance. One such widely adopted tool in HR and business environments is the **MBTI personality assessment**, which helps categorize people into personality types and assists companies in hiring decisions. Below, we’ll explore MBTI in detail.

What is MBTI?

The **Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)** is one of the most trusted and widely used personality assessments globally. Developed by **Katharine Cook Briggs** and **Isabel Briggs Myers**, MBTI is based on **Carl Jung’s psychological type theories**. It categorizes individuals across **four major dimensions**, which combine to form **16 personality types**. These personality insights help organizations, especially HR teams, better understand people’s working styles and preferences, enhancing team dynamics and individual development. The 16 personality types provide insights into preferences across four key dimensions: Extroversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. Many companies utilize MBTI to improve teamwork, enhance communication, and tailor employee development programs to suit individual personalities more effectively.

MBTI’s 4 Dimensions and 16 Personality Types

MBTI groups individuals into four broad dimensions. However, simply dividing people into four groups is too broad for accuracy. Therefore, **Katharine Cook Briggs** and **Isabel Briggs Myers** combined these traits into **16 distinct personality types** for better precision in assessments. Here’s how the dimensions work:

Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I)

This dimension describes how people interact with the world. **Extraverts (E)** draw energy from social interactions, while **Introverts (I)** recharge through solitude.

Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N)

**Sensors (S)** focus on facts and real-world experiences. **Intuitives (N)** prioritize patterns, possibilities, and the bigger picture beyond immediate facts.

Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)

**Thinkers (T)** base decisions on logic and objective criteria, while **Feelers (F)** prioritize emotions and human values when making choices.

Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)

**Judgers (J)** prefer structured, organized approaches. **Perceivers (P)** are more adaptable, flexible, and open to new experiences as they unfold.

MBTI’s 16 Personality Types Explained

By combining these four pairs of preferences, MBTI identifies **16 distinct personality types**. These types help clarify individuals’ internal and external tendencies, guiding organizations in aligning roles with personality strengths. Below are brief descriptions of each type:

• **ISTJ:** Reliable, responsible, structured, values stability and precision.
• **ISFJ:** Compassionate, service-oriented, dependable, values harmony and care in daily life.
• **INFJ:** Creative, determined, focused on meaningful impact and community well-being.
• **INTJ:** Visionary, strategic, confident in executing well-defined goals.
• **ISTP:** Practical, technical, enjoys hands-on activities and physical challenges.
• **ISFP:** Artistic, supportive, thrives in creative and community-focused roles.
• **INFP:** Reflective, values-driven, artistic, seeks deeper understanding of self and others.
• **INTP:** Analytical, inquisitive, enjoys theoretical problem-solving and innovation.
• **ESTP:** Energetic, adaptable, thrives on action and real-world experiences.
• **ESFP:** Outgoing, lively, excels at entertaining and bringing energy to social settings.
• **ENFP:** Innovative, people-centered, driven by ideas and creating vibrant environments.
• **ENTP:** Inventive, enjoys debating, excels at generating fresh ideas and leading change.
• **ESTJ:** Organized, responsible, excels in leadership and operational management.
• **ESFJ:** Supportive, community-minded, excels at conflict resolution and harmony-building.
• **ENFJ:** Charismatic, empathetic, excels at connecting and developing people.
• **ENTJ:** Assertive, strategic leader, motivates teams towards structured success.

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How MBTI Benefits Businesses

Many organizations worldwide incorporate **MBTI assessments** into recruitment or onboarding to enhance training, teamwork, and professional development. MBTI benefits businesses in several key ways:

• **Improved teamwork and collaboration:** Knowing team members’ MBTI types promotes mutual understanding, enhancing team dynamics aligned with business goals.
• **Better recruitment decisions:** MBTI helps match candidates to roles suited to their natural strengths, reducing hiring risks and improving organizational fit.
• **Employee development:** Understanding personality types allows for tailored professional growth plans, fostering greater self-awareness and collaboration.
• **Enhanced communication:** Knowing how different personalities prefer to communicate leads to more effective interactions and teamwork.
• **Stronger organizational culture:** MBTI fosters a culture of empathy, understanding, and accountability across teams.

Conclusion

MBTI is a highly accurate personality assessment tool, beneficial for both individuals and organizations. It enhances people management by aligning individuals with roles that suit their personality traits, helping drive business success. At Asia Search Solution, we incorporate MBTI to develop our team and deliver the highest level of service to our clients. Recommended Reading: Top 10 Advertising Companies in Thailand for Digital Marketing Excellence