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Informing and Directing

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
Informing and directing communication styles how do you spot them in daily life?
 

Jeffster

veteran attention whore
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
Messages
6,743
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx
"We have a meeting today at 3:00."

"You will come to a meeting today at 3:00."
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
"We are listening to what Sally has to say."

"Justin, stfu so that Sally can talk."
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
Okay I get it. Thanks.

I'd prefer to inform and be informed.

Screw the directors.

I've thought a bit about this difference--supposedly it's a difference between INFJs (directors) and INFPs (informers). Personally, I use both a lot (and probably most people who work a lot with people do, too). I prefer informing to a certain extent, but it can be ineffective and can become passive aggressive. Directing, on the other hand, can seem bossy and alienating. But sometimes Justin does need to be told to stfu and listen to Sally.
 

LostInNerSpace

New member
Joined
Jan 25, 2008
Messages
1,027
MBTI Type
INTP
Informing and directing communication styles how do you spot them in daily life?

INTPs often do both. Our Ne/Ti nexus causes us to present opinion as fact. We wear our intuition on our sleeves. People often find it irritating. I personally try to limit it with varying degrees of success.
 

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
I've thought a bit about this difference--supposedly it's a difference between INFJs (directors) and INFPs (informers). Personally, I use both a lot (and probably most people who work a lot with people do, too). I prefer informing to a certain extent, but it can be ineffective and can become passive aggressive. Directing, on the other hand, can seem bossy and alienating. But sometimes Justin does need to be told to stfu and listen to Sally.

I use both in my job. I work as a Gym Trainer. Informing can be ineffective I suppose but directing, well... it's just not my cup of tea.

I also teach English though. A lot of directing there! Now you've confused me. Which did I prefer again?
 

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
INTPs often have both. Ne/Ti often causes us to present opinion as fact. We wear our intuition on our sleeves. People often find it irritating. I personally try to limit it with varying degrees of success.

I find peoples intuition cool. I was going to say sexy but I'm not sure of your gender and all that.

Intuitions give me something to respond to.
 

Numbers

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
104
MBTI Type
INFJ
I think I use informing when I am relaxed and directing when I am feeling rushed and don't have time to be as polite.

I am relaxed most of the time sooo...

but yeah, it's about presenting the information and letting the other person reach their own conclusion vs deciding what needs to be done and vocalizing the decision.
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
I use both in my job. I work as a Gym Trainer. Informing can be ineffective I suppose but directing, well... it's just not my cup of tea.

I also teach English though. A lot of directing there! Now you've confused me. Which did I prefer again?

It's not what we prefer, always--it's what we need in the moment. I think that we in our teaching modes probably use more directing than we do in the rest of our lives. I am not by nature a bossy person, but when I've got a room full of fourteen year olds, there needs to be a little direction!
 

Alpha Prime

New member
Joined
Jul 18, 2008
Messages
250
MBTI Type
XXXX
Enneagram
XXXX
I've thought a bit about this difference--supposedly it's a difference between INFJs (directors) and INFPs (informers). Personally, I use both a lot (and probably most people who work a lot with people do, too). I prefer informing to a certain extent, but it can be ineffective and can become passive aggressive. Directing, on the other hand, can seem bossy and alienating. But sometimes Justin does need to be told to stfu and listen to Sally.

Well said. Except for that type related stuff, which is irrelevant.
 

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
It's not what we prefer, always--it's what we need in the moment. I think that we in our teaching modes probably use more directing than we do in the rest of our lives. I am not by nature a bossy person, but when I've got a room full of fourteen year olds, there needs to be a little direction!

A room full of fourteen year olds! A little direction is putting it mildly!
I don't teach 14 year olds.5-10 year olds in several different classes.
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
A room full of fourteen year olds! A little direction is putting it mildly!
I don't teach 14 year olds.5-10 year olds in several different classes.

Well - I teach 14 year-olds. But 5-10 year olds probably need fairly similar direction. Also, puppies need this same kind of direction.
 

iwakar

crush the fences
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,877
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I've thought a bit about this difference--supposedly it's a difference between INFJs (directors) and INFPs (informers). Personally, I use both a lot (and probably most people who work a lot with people do, too). I prefer informing to a certain extent, but it can be ineffective and can become passive aggressive. Directing, on the other hand, can seem bossy and alienating. But sometimes Justin does need to be told to stfu and listen to Sally.

Word.

But yeah, with NFs particularly (though it certainly extends to others) diplomacy reigns supreme. I will use whichever is best given my priorities and the individuals I am dealing with.
 
Last edited:

proteanmix

Plumage and Moult
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
5,514
Enneagram
1w2
I so don't want a potentially good thread to turn into a bunch of stereotypes.

Directive style communicators typically group in ExxJ or in the In Charge personality quad.

I would say I have a directive style of communication. I don't (usually...maybe sometimes) go bossing people around without regard. 'Please' and 'do you mind?' go a long way. I would look for how comfortable a person seems being in charge/leading, how willing they are to assert their opinion, how quickly they seem to reach a decision and the certainty of that decision.

iwakar and eileen also brings up a good point. Those with directive communication styles sometimes know when to fall back, and those with informing sometimes know when to come foward. Figuring which situations need you to step up or STFU can confuse determining a communication style. I would not use work as a place to decide if someone is primarily informing vs. directive. There is an element of telling vs. asking involved but I don't think it's very easy to discern. If my boss asks me to photocopy some stuff I really don't think I can say nah I don't feel like.

The way I figure out who's directive and informing with people is when we go out. I'll say I'm willing to do this this this and that. Some other person will say I don't care what we do. Another person will say, I'll do this and this, but not that and that. That goes on for a couple rounds and I just figured out who my directives (usually Js) and my informatives (usually Ps) are.
 

Haphazard

Don't Judge Me!
Joined
Apr 14, 2008
Messages
6,704
MBTI Type
ENFJ
what would person #1s style be?

#1 "Would you like to take the dog for a walk?"

#2 "No. Why would I want to do that?"

#1 *moans*

#2 "?"

#1 "You're grounded! Forever!"
 

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
what would person #1s style be?

#1 "Would you like to take the dog for a walk?"

#2 "No. Why would I want to do that?"

#1 *moans*

#2 "?"

#1 "You're grounded! Forever!"

That's Informative. Take the dog for a walk Haphazard.
 
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