Typing Fun during Workplace Interaction

[Totenkindly]

I was just sitting in an all-day project meeting for a government agency, involving how to make sure that data grabbed by the front-end was connecting with data needs on the back-end, and ended up wondering how many N's were in the room.

Quick head count gave me about 25% N, at best:

• 3 INTPs
• 1 INFJ.

The rest was something like

• 5 ISTJs
• 1 ESTJ (the project manager)
• 2 ESFJs
• 1 ISFJ (the note taker)
• 1 ESTP (the division director)
• 2 ISTP
• 1 ISFP

Even more interesting to me: Listening to all the people in the room, I typically get really bored and struggle to stay awake, except for when a few people talk... and I realized that the people who don't put me to sleep are the N's. Otherwise the entire meeting just feels like one huge slog through a morrass of detail.

I never realized before I was keying in on S/N communication style -- I guess the N's are structuring their data discussions in a way that gives me a framework to work with (or a basic skeleton on which to hang/orient data). Meanwhile, the S's typically just proceed in some linear fashion, one piece of data after another, and I have no idea where it's going, and struggle to take notes.

Anyone have any similar or contrasting experiences? Especially in how data is approached in the technical workplace?

I also noticed that the two INTPs are very "informative" and not directive -- I'm not sure how I come across, but I think it's similar, wherein if asked a question we all circle around the data from all sides and explains how a particular item works (or what the particular problem is), but we don't really stress any decisions within the data... if asked we will provide multiple solutions and prioritize them but seem reluctant to adocate for one. And it's instinctive.

 

[gromit]

Do you know they are Ns and Ss or are you typing them yourself?

 

[Totenkindly]

Do you know they are Ns and Ss or are you typing them yourself?

I'm typing them myself, but I'm very sure about the types -- these are people I have worked with for 2-3 years now. (except, ironically, for the two INTPs -- they're not your hardcore stereotypes but it's the best fit I have for them... I know what they're NOT).

 

[Anew Leaf]

I notice a lot of distinction at my work. I used to have two INFJs working for me, and with them I could say a garbled sentence like "AMGS we have ovens now can we." And they would know I was asking for them to check online orders.

I now come across more issues with the Te/Fe issue. I have two ESFJs who work for me, and they are very useful in that they are sickeningly wonderful to my customers. However, they occasionally mess things up. It's not a big deal but I wish to address it in a very simple and straightforward manner and be done with it. I nearly brought one to tears because she was so worried I was secretly mad at her. I had to explain over the span of many weeks that I speak my mind and if I haven't said something, then you shouldn't worry.

Of course, there is the corollary to this that when I am beyond irritated I don't say anything and I just work to get rid of them by taking away their favorite things.

/don't work for me

 

[gromit]

I'm typing them myself, but I'm very sure about the types -- these are people I have worked with for 2-3 years now. (except, ironically, for the two INTPs -- they're not your hardcore stereotypes but it's the best fit I have for them... I know what they're NOT).

Just sayin. It's suspicious that you self-type the Ns and Ss and then surprisingly it is only the "Ns" who do not bore you.

 

[Eric B]

This is what I've come to notice, especially from getting involved with the type community. I've been in a pretty solid S environment, and now, N's stand out because they are the ones who can discuss stuff like type; more than just one piece of [experiential] data after another.

 

[Cellmold]

I dont notice any distinctions really.

But I treat my workplace like a house on fire...I need to go in, get things done and then vanish. Although I like the staff and find them pleasant enough, there isn't any lasting connection there.

 

[Coriolis]

Just sayin. It's suspicious that you self-type the Ns and Ss and then surprisingly it is only the "Ns" who do not bore you.

So if you, presumably a native speaker of English, were in a meeting with people who spoke many different languages, and managed to identify several as strong or native English speakers, then said these were the ones you understood best, would that seem odd?

 

[greenfairy]

I have noticed the differences you mention. N's tend to like to talk about ideas more than S's- they tend to talk about activities. I'm pretty sure I work with 3 S's and 1 N, but one girl (ISFJ) could possibly be N. I think S though because she notices everything in her environment and about the customers, and remembers what regular customers order; and she pays attention to sports and prices of things. She and I talk a lot and have things in common, but she's kind of serious and uptight. I get along really well with the INTJ guy, but we don't talk as much because he's always busy. The ISTJ girl and I get along ok, but she's really quiet and I think secretly gets annoyed with me for making mistakes.

S's like data. N's don't care about it but like to do stuff with data.

 

[Standuble]

I do not know of any Ns (or could not confidently say of any) in my workplace so I can't comment in regards to different intra-office communication. However I am experienced in the difference between workplace communication styles and communication styles on type theory websites (as I'm sure a number of people here are.)

I have a reputation for being "random" or the "office eccentric" which I am proud about. However the lack of challengers to the title makes me wonder whether I truly am the only N or if there are others who don't express it as much (thinking Ni-users mostly.) Either way I find myself being "cut in half" so to speak. I can never put my all into either work related or personal communication. I find myself having to bite my lip and tolerate the manner of communication used and the decisions my colleagues make. If I try and be my whole self any constructive views are mostly dismissed or joked about under the classification of random/eccentric mentioned above. I just don't glue much with it at all and find myself looking down on my colleagues. My operations manager basically admitted to me for one that every department focuses on their own affairs and no others with nobody really monitoring the communication between them. Would a company built around Ns dismiss the connections so readily?

Although I am dis-organised and am exhausted by too much number crunching and impersonal logic part of me feels I could do their jobs easy (perhaps even run the company itself) if I could be bothered (though that may just be hubris on my part.) I just feel on a different wavelength, but perhaps not necessarily on a better one.

 

[/DG/]

So if you, presumably a native speaker of English, were in a meeting with people who spoke many different languages, and managed to identify several as strong or native English speakers, then said these were the ones you understood best, would that seem odd?

This is a terrible analogy. It is immediately obvious if a person is fluent in English, whereas a person's type is not immediately obvious.

 

[/DG/]

So if you, presumably a native speaker of English, were in a meeting with people who spoke many different languages, and managed to identify several as strong or native English speakers, then said these were the ones you understood best, would that seem odd?

This is a terrible analogy. It is immediately obvious if a person is fluent in English, whereas a person's type is not immediately obvious.

 

[Coriolis]

This is a terrible analogy. It is immediately obvious if a person is fluent in English, whereas a person's type is not immediately obvious.

To some people it is. We often communicate most easily with people who are on the same wavelength as we are. Same or similar types often share this, which is why it can be such an effort to communicate with people of dissimilar types. Language is just more obvious to more people. It's like comparing the MB dichotomies to handedness.

 

[/DG/]

To some people it is. We often communicate most easily with people who are on the same wavelength as we are. Same or similar types often share this, which is why it can be such an effort to communicate with people of dissimilar types. Language is just more obvious to more people. It's like comparing the MB dichotomies to handedness.

I'd like to meet someone who can do this. I have a hard time believing anyone would be able to tell a person's MBTI by hearing them speak fifteen words or less or by simply looking at them (as your handedness analogy suggests).

 

[Coriolis]

I'd like to meet someone who can do this. I have a hard time believing anyone would be able to tell a person's MBTI by hearing them speak fifteen words or less or by simply looking at them (as your handedness analogy suggests).

I am right-handed, but watch me at mealtimes, and you might think me a lefty. And yes, I have met two people who can tell someone's type most of the time after a brief conversation.

 

[/DG/]

I am right-handed, but watch me at mealtimes, and you might think me a lefty.

What does this have to do with MBTI? You said that for some people, figuring out MBTI dichotomies is as easy as figuring out someone's handedness. Or did I interpret this wrong?

And yes, I have met two people who can tell someone's type most of the time after a brief conversation.

Oh really?

 

[Coriolis]

What does this have to do with MBTI? You said that for some people, figuring out MBTI dichotomies is as easy as figuring out someone's handedness. Or did I interpret this wrong?

You claim to be able to identify handedness just by looking at someone. I am pointing out that even that "simple" observation requires you to spend a little time with someone, as you might spend with colleagues in a meeting, or in a short conversation where my two contacts would likely pick up your type.