A Tale of Two Sisters

Once upon a time there were two sisters, Amy and Candice. Amy’s mental function preferences are NF(Intuition and Feeling) and Candice’s are SF(Sensing and Feeling). Both extroverted their Feeling function. Amy lived in a big city and Candice commuted from a small town three hundred miles away. Candice drove in and stayed with Amy for three days and went back to her home town on the morning of the fourth day and stayed there until the next set of her work day schedule.
Amy and Candice were selling their parents’ house in a small town on the other side of state. The real estate agent faxed the contract to be signed and needed both Amy and Candice’s signature before starting the selling process.
Candice was working her third day. Amy needed to get the signatures but her Extroverted Feeling guided her decision not to bother Candice at work and to wait until she got home that evening. Her Introverted Sensing reminded her that Candice routinely left on the morning of the fourth day and she had time to ask Candice for the signatures. Candice worked an extra four hours and did not get to Amy’s house until close to midnight. Amy went to sleep and thought she could talk to Candice in the morning. Candice wanted to tell Amy she was leaving extra early but her Extroverted Feeling function guided Candice to not wake up Amy. Candice was very tired and didn’t consider leaving her a note.
On the morning of the fourth day, Candice got up earlier than usual 5:30 a.m. to leave for her home town to go with her husband to a doctor’s appointment at 8:30 a.m. Amy woke up and realized Candice was gone. She was in a panic and angry with herself that she had not tried to contact Candice at work or leave the paperwork out for Candice to sign before she left. She was also upset Candice had not told her about her plan to leave early which offended her need from the world of structure and organization.

What could have worked better for Amy and Candice in communication and decision-making?

Step 1 - Extroverted Sensing – what are the details and facts?
Amy had a contract that needed urgent signatures and Candice wass at work. Amy did not have all the facts specifically relating to when Candice was leaving town.
Step 2- Introverted Sensing – is there anything in the past that relates to this situation that either women can learn from?
Candice really didn’t always leave in the morning. She varied her leave time. Sometimes she would leave and drives all night. Sometimes she would go to church. It seemed to “depend” . Amy’s memory was that Candice “always” left the morning of the fourth but careful exploration of the past using her Introverted Sensing function indicates that was not the reality. Amy could improve her ability to really “see” past experiences in detail.
Step 3 – Extroverted Intuition – Explore possibilities and options. Amy could try to page her at work. She could leave the paperwork out for her to sign or try to wait up for her. Amy could also have called Candice to leave a voice mail or text message.
Step 4 – Introverted Intuition –Search within for meaning, insight or abstract association.
If Amy called called Candice during work hours, it might disrupt her work.
Step 5 – Extroverted Thinking – Look at logical steps and consequences. What’s the best method to contact Candice? Voice mail, text message or leave a note with the materials? What happens if Amy couldn't reach Candice? What happens if Candice doesn’t see the paperwork?
Step 6 – Introverted Thinking – What are other problem solving approaches that either are aware of internally? Risk/benefit? Process flow? Level of importance/prioritization?
Step 7 – Extroverted Feeling – How will both of their decisions and actions affect their relationship? If Amy calls Candice at work, it might bother her. When Candice is stressed, she doesn’t need interference with something that is of low importance at the time of the call. Amy could have spent more time gathering more information and determining the best time to present Candice with the contract instead of assuming her availability based on inaccurate prior information stored by her introverted Sensing function.
Step 8 – Introverted Feeling – Does the plan honor everyone’s core values? Amy thought so. Amy was trying to show concern for Candice’s work and work pressures so it honored her personal core values of harmony and caring about others. Amy really isn’t sure she knows all of Candice’s core values but she does know Candice’s family is important to her so the plan would not have to interfere with Candice’s plan to get to her hometown in a timely manner.

What kind of decisions have you made that didn't "work" - have the outcome you anticipated?

What do you think of first when you make decisions - processes or people?

If you could change one thing about how you make decisions, what would it be?

Out of the Box Thinking

The training department of a local organization received a shipment of two metal storage shelves. The storage shelves are unassembled. Two trainers are assigned the job duty to assemble the shelves.
Trainer #1 looks in the box for the manual and follows the assembly diagram instructions and has no leftover parts.
Trainer #2 prefers to spread out all the parts on the floor and assemble without the instructions but has a few parts left over.

What preferred mental function (s) is Trainer #1 demonstrating?
What preferred mental function (s) is Trainer #2 demonstrating?

Trainer #1 appears to prefer Extroverted Thinking to assemble the shelves. Extroverted Thinking involves organization, processes for efficiency, applying logic and structure, and using tried and true methods such as policies, procedures, and for this scenario, instruction manuals.

Trainer #2 – ah! this one may be a little less obvious! Is the trainer using Introverted Thinking for decision making- using internal resources to categorize and analyze data, in this case, parts. Introverted Thinking is also the ability to identify inconsistencies, know how things work and problem-solve. These internal processes can then be used in problem solving, analysis, and refining of a product or an idea. This process is evidenced in behaviors like taking things or ideas apart to figure out how they work. In this case, she is building. Is it possible, she is also relying on her information gathering mental function of Intuition to internally “brainstorm” to eventually create her own process for building the shelves?

As a manager, what insight would you obtain from observing and seeing the results of this activity? Are any actions required are your part? If so, what would you do? If not, why?

Hidden Potential

Dana is a 30 year old female out searching for her first home in a saturated market. Her best-fit Type is ESFJ. She loves structure and organization but tends to make decisions based on her emotions. She has worked closely with the mortgage company to determine her loan options and is prepared to find “just the right house”. She lives in a large metropolitan area so her two options are older mid-century homes within the city that may need updating or brand new homes in the suburbs that are at least 20 miles from her work. She prefers convenience therefore she is focusing on inner city options.

Dana has a keen eye for detail and can pick up on painted wallpaper, uneven floors and two plug electrical outlets. Many of the sellers have not staged their homes or made update attempts since 1980. Dana is getting frustrated because she had not planned a budget for cosmetic updates such as cabinets, countertops and removing 1955 pink and aqua tiles from bathrooms. Dana is having a hard time getting past the present of vintage wallpaper, blue carpet and antique brass doorknobs. What is happening and what can Dana do?

Dana could possibly benefit from an infusion of Intuition. Introverted Intuition or “visioning” is one of Dana’s least preferred mental functions. It is not conscious and therefore may need some encouragement to come to the surface. If Dana has a friend that can has Introverted Intuition as a conscious function, who can “see possibilities and vision the unseen”, she can ask her friend to go with her to visit houses and look past the present and see the hidden potential. Yes, it might mean some work but there may be a diamond in the rough just waiting for Dana!

One of Dana’s third most natural preferences is Extroverted Intuition or “brainstorming” that may not be fully developed. Partnering with a friend who has Extroverted Intuition as a preference might spark some ideas in regards to updating or creatively decorating within the context of the house until serious updating can be done.

Sound like a series on Home and Garden TV? Bingo. That’s exactly what Hidden Potential does. Capitalize on the strength of the designer with Intuition to see the hidden potential!

Mango Management

Cutting a mango is truly an art. To get the pleasure of tasting the moist, buttery, mild flavor of the fruit, to get as much of that luscious fruit into a bowl by itself for indulgent individual consumption or use in a salad or dessert, you have to basically cut squares out of a soft, round object. How do you do that? What mental functions do use if you have never prepared a mango?

You know what you have in front of you. Your Extroverted Sensing is “experiencing the moment” and lusting over a lovely, golden, soft, Autalfa Mango about the size of your fist. It is round on one end and has a stem on the other. It probably has a pit but you don’t really know the size if you are new to the mango world. How do you get into that mango?

You can always use Introverted Sensing and “review the past” for similar activities. What other fruit is ovoid in shape and, for best usage, requires cutting into square or rectangular shapes? What other fruit has a similar skin or outer covering? What other fruit has a pit in the middle that you have to work around?

You can always use Extroverted Thinking by using “tried and true” processes and go to an external resource such as Martha Stewart online or a YouTube clip for an expert demonstration. You might prefer models or sequential visual illustrations so you search under Cooks Illustrated magazine.

You might tire easily of thinking and use your emotions to manage the mango. You have “connected” with the mango. You love mango, love the texture in your mouth, its delightful smoothness. You feel you should just dive in and take a stab at the front - see how large that pit really is.

The knife goes in. The pit is “right there” - less than an inch you feel resistance. Now what? Do you keep going? Do you cut the mango, carving out chunks as you go? Try your best to preserve every bit of fruit? Or do you stop and peel? Do you take a step back, think about it, analyze it, and reconsider your course of action? Does Feeling/Emotion take over or does Thinking/Strategy take over? How do your conscious preferences initiate and how might your shadow functions antagonize or play with you?

Good luck and great eating!