[MBTI General] I need N questions!

[2XtremeENFP]

For a project at work, I need to develop a questionnaire to ask people about themselves. And not silly, immature questions like "When was your first kiss hehehehehe lolz?" or questions with one word responses "Do you like ketchup on french fries?"

Questions where you can really see where the core of a person lies. I am thinking of some, but I am hitting a roadblock. Any N's out there want to help create some deeper more personal questions suitable for a work place?

if it helps, some of people I am surveying are artistic people themselves. This survey would be one that would be copied and passed out to all...

I'd guess their types are: INFJ, ESFJ, ESTP, ESFP, ISFP, ENFJ, ENFP, ISFJ, ENTJ, and INFP.

 

[INTPness]

What is something really interesting that you like to do (or that you spend a lot of time doing) that most of us probably don't know? (This allows introverts to start opening up, if they choose to)

What is a talent/skill/ability that you have that you feel you are exceptionally good at?

If you were allowed to bring that talent/skill/ability to the workplace everyday and actually use it on a daily basis, how might it help the company and/or make you a happier employee?

What is an idea that you have had in the past that you believe would make this organization SIGNIFICANTLY better in some important way?

There's a few. I love questions like these, because I get to expand on them and put some thought into things. Generally speaking, I would think that INxx's would write fairly in-depth responses to these types of questions - or maybe it's just an INTP thing since it's our opportunity to express our "thinking" to others. We don't have much Te, but if you give us an opportunity to write down our thoughts (Ti), you can get some pretty interesting responses I would assume.

 

[Udog]

I think a bunch of "N" based questions could be at risk of completely missing the core of "S" types.

 

[Colors]

I have no idea what you mean by "N" questions. But I do like to learn about people and their unique qualities and asking questions to find them "out". The best questions for this a fairly free response and especially questions that don't have a right answer- questions that don't lend themselves to posturing or furthering any sort of social-hierachical agenda.

 

[Udog]

Good point, Colors. Most work based questionnaires clearly have 'correct' answers.

If you saw an employee stealing company supplies, what would you do?

Yeah, anyone with half a brain and desire to keep their job would know not to say, "Help them carry the supplies; they look heavy."

I really like INTPness' question: What is a talent/skill/ability that you have that you feel you are exceptionally good at?

 

[2XtremeENFP]

I think a bunch of "N" based questions could be at risk of completely missing the core of "S" types.

I suppose you are right, I guess when I think of questions "S"'s may like would be too surface level and I am looking for some that would help us get to know a person deep down and what they are all about.

That said, I am willing to use any suggestions that you think would reach S's at their level of comfortness to get to know them deeper.

 

[Snow Turtle]

I'd be surprised if people are willing to drop their soul onto a piece of paper for a general survey. Having said that while it might work out, I'd advise not making the question sound too high and mighty. There are some good questions, but I always feel like a pillock when asking something as intimate and private as "What events have really shaped your life?" or "If you could remove a fear/habit, how would your life look like?" and "How has the said habits/fears limited you?"

PS. Come on people. Most of us have been here for a while. Let's drop the whole S = surface stereotype already.

Figures if it's about work then the above questions aren't really appropriate as such. But I wouldn't even bother answering questions for companies. Some places look for stupid answers, it's so redundant to ask them since most of the time people would be lying.

Questions for knowing about the person and the work environment.

"What is your idea of a work life style balance? Why?"
"How do you express yourself in the work environment? Do you think/feel this appropriate?"
"Do you consider work as a job or a vocation?"
"What other careers would you have entertained? Why? What's the common factor between that job and this one?"

 

[2XtremeENFP]

INTPness, you are right on the ball! I used some of your questions. If you think of any more let me know!!

I asked this question in the NF section as well. To be more specific, I work with people in the arts, and their answers to my questions will help us market them better to the mass audiences, so we want to know what they're about and what their lifestyle is about. WHO ARE THEY. why should people care about them?

Also, this exercise is going to help them prepare for interviews from the public as well since they need to start knowing themselves better and do some introspecting.

 

[2XtremeENFP]

PS. Come on people. Most of us have been here for a while. Let's drop the whole S = surface stereotype already.

The S's I am interviewing are having a hard time opening up to show who they are so that's why I am asking.

 

[Snow Turtle]

The S's I am interviewing are having a hard time opening up to show who they are so that's why I am asking.

Most introverts don't really open up but usually the water runs deep. There's also a general perception that SJs are more cautious than their SP peers and thus unlikely to deliver information without trust. Anyhow back on topic, I've provided some questions that I'd personally be interested in finding out about someone, but as said they might be a little too intrusive in a questionaire.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

You have 2 different threads going with the exact same topic. So I'm going to leave this suggestion in both. Kokology questions are great fun.

 

[INTPness]

Most introverts don't really open up but usually the water runs deep.

For me personally, it depends on "how" I am given an opportunity to "open up". If you want me to open up in a group of people that I don't know that well by asking questions out loud and I'm expected to respond spontaneously/off the cuff, then it will be hard for me to open up. That's not because I don't WANT to open up, its because I'm uncomfortable with the method (probably because of a lack of Te).

On the other hand, if you give me an opportunity to express myself openly in the environment which I am most comfortable (i.e., my primary function - Ti), then it's quite possible that the floodgates will be opened - because, as you say, "the waters run deep". I express myself best on paper because I'm engaging in Ti, which is my natural function. If I'm put on the spot in front of a group of people, then I'm essentially being asked to engage in Te - and sometimes that feels really strange or foreign - like I'm looking for it, but it's not there. I know what I want to say in my head and I may even WANT to open up for the sake of the group but, sometimes I'm just not finding the right words or it doesn't come out sounding very articulate. Or, I may find it for a minute and then go off on some Ne tangent that nobody wanted to hear (except for the N's in the group).

Give me a paper and a pen and some really interesting questions, and then you will see precisely how I, as an INTP, think. Because I'm able to communicate through Ti.

Long story short, sometimes I don't want to open up - you're right. But sometimes I really do, but the method for opening up usually has to be a familiar/comfortable one according to my functions.

 

[SciVo]

INTPness, you are right on the ball! I used some of your questions. If you think of any more let me know!!

I asked this question in the NF section as well. To be more specific, I work with people in the arts, and their answers to my questions will help us market them better to the mass audiences, so we want to know what they're about and what their lifestyle is about. WHO ARE THEY. why should people care about them?

Also, this exercise is going to help them prepare for interviews from the public as well since they need to start knowing themselves better and do some introspecting.

Jesus Christ.

Okay. Try starting with, "Who are you?" Other good ones are, "What's important to you?" and "What do people find interesting about you?"

I hope you realize that those are the same questions you wanted to ask, just phrased so that people can actually answer them.

 

[tinkerbell]

In referenced to the Op...

You realise you put up this question on NF and NT sections of the site... The NT's ramped up a fair few posts in quite quick sucession... The NFs have hardly responded...

It was the other way round on the fidelity question I posed last week, the NF thread is way longer than the NT- who submitted their poll answers but didn't talk about it...

A thought... NTs want to solve problems, NF's want to console/engage with human dynamics...

sorry a bit off topic...
L

 

[SciVo]

Yeah, imagine that. Try a Thai dinner at the mall. No particular reason, just that Thai food is good. Buena suerte!

 

[Snow Turtle]

In referenced to the Op...

You realise you put up this question on NF and NT sections of the site... The NT's ramped up a fair few posts in quite quick sucession... The NFs have hardly responded...

It was the other way round on the fidelity question I posed last week, the NF thread is way longer than the NT- who submitted their poll answers but didn't talk about it...

A thought... NTs want to solve problems, NF's want to console/engage with human dynamics...

sorry a bit off topic...
L

Certainly odd, isn't it?
I figured that this comes so easily to NFs (trying to get to know someones deeper side.) that it didn't really spark that much interest in generating responses. At least that's the biggest reason I can come up with...

 

[tinkerbell]

Hai Kai...

I figured that NT types wanted to get the right answers.... by asking insightful questions... Where the NF, it's not so interstig asking questions because that is not how they relate to people...

T are fact based, F are feeling based...

Ok wide generalisation but interesting...

Lis

 

[wrldisquiethere]

I suppose you are right, I guess when I think of questions "S"'s may like would be too surface level and I am looking for some that would help us get to know a person deep down and what they are all about.

That said, I am willing to use any suggestions that you think would reach S's at their level of comfortness to get to know them deeper.

The S's I am interviewing are having a hard time opening up to show who they are so that's why I am asking.

Well, my biggest suggestion is add questions or phrase questions that aren't quite so hypothetical and don't require so much imagination. Questions regarding how things ARE as opposed to how things MIGHT BE in such-and-such a situation will be easier for S types to answer. Look at the difference between INTPness' questions and Kai's questions--even though Kai's questions have depth to them, they are worded in such a way that is "in the present" and would be much easier for me (as an S) to comprehend and answer, whereas just reading the INTP's questions made my head hurt. It's not so much a question of deep/shallow--it's how the questions are asked and how an S is going to struggle to process a question and generate an answer that's worded for an N. Perhaps ask things like, "What values are important to you?" or "What qualities do you consider an essential part of maintaining a good work environment?" or even "How does your personality and life differ at the workplace from your personal home and social life?" I would consider these to all be questions with depth, and we discuss them fairly often on the SJ forum with no problem.

Hope that helps.

 

[INTPness]

just reading the INTP's questions made my head hurt. It's not so much a question of deep/shallow--it's how the questions are asked and how an S is going to struggle to process a question and generate an answer that's worded for an N.

LOL. I didn't mean to make anyone's head hurt. The reason I posed those types of questions was simply because the OP asked for "N" questions. If the OP had said, "I need questions suited for N's and S's (a mixed crowd)", then I would have answered differently.

Edit: For what it's worth, I went back and read my 4 mind-numbing questions and they seem to be pretty basic, straightforward questions that could be answered very simply or with a lot of thought, depending on the preference of the person answering them.

 

[INTPness]

In the name of simplicity, here's how one could answer those questions:

1. What is something really interesting that you like to do (or that you spend a lot of time doing) that most of us probably don't know? (This allows introverts to start opening up, if they choose to)

I like to go to a lot of baseball games.

2. What is a talent/skill/ability that you have that you feel you are exceptionally good at?

I am good at meeting new friends.


3. If you were allowed to bring that talent/skill/ability to the workplace everyday and actually use it on a daily basis, how might it help the company and/or make you a happier employee?

If I worked outside of the office for 4 hours every week, I could meet new people, tell them what we do, and bring in new business.


4. What is an idea that you have had in the past that you believe would make this organization SIGNIFICANTLY better in some important way?

If we were able to have 1 flexible-hour day per week, employees would be happier.