„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

wants to learn the theory or the concepts behind a lesson before trying to put them into
practice.
For example, a trainer who teaches conflict-management skills to introverts might
first familiarize them with theories of conflict and encourage them to read on the
subject; then the trainer could conduct activities that involve group processes. A trainer
teaching conflict-management skills to extraverts might need the opposite approach:
Group experience would precede any written text or theory because extraverts learn best
by trial and error and tend to have shorter attention spans.
The same consideration of E/I preference holds true for the working environment.
Extraverts may experience a distracting loneliness when not in contact with people.
They usually do not mind noise around the workplace, and some may even need noise
(such as music) in order to work. The introvert, however, is more territorial. He or she
may desire a defined space and may show a true need for privacy in the physical
environment. Understanding and accommodating these needs and differences will foster
the highest-possible productivity.
Case Study 3: A Perceiver and a Judger
Veronica, a perceiver, and Wayne, a judger, worked together on a project. Each time
they met for strategic planning sessions, Wayne felt that nothing of value had been
accomplished. However, Veronica felt satisfied that the sessions had unveiled many
possibilities—but she also sensed Wayne’s discomfort. Because they were aware of
their differences on the J/P scale, they resolved the conflict by establishing a clearly
defined agenda and setting strict time limits for each meeting; this satisfied the judger’s
needs. To satisfy the perceiver’s needs, they agreed to explore as many areas as possible
on a given topic and to reopen the topic at the next session to make sure that all of the
issues had been explored.
Case Study 4: Hiring Decisions That Reflect S/N Preferences
The way a manager interviews potential staff members may reveal his or her own
sensing/intuitive preference. A sensing manager will be inclined to rely on résumés and
on proven experience, but an intuitive manager will be inclined to rely more on an actual
interview and on the applicant’s potential. For example, an executive-employment agent
who wanted to hire an HRD manager for a major bank said that he wanted someone who
had already started an HRD department successfully, preferably for a bank in the same
state. This specificity indicates the agent’s sensing mentality. When he was unable to fill
the position according to his preference, he acceded to the bank’s request for someone
with the creative potential to deal with new situations and enough understanding of the
HRD function to be able to create new programs—a more intuitive approach.
Because a work team needs a mix of types, managers and HRD professionals must
not let their own S/N preference govern hiring decisions. For example, consider the
following two approaches to learning a new computer program: (1) reading the manual
and following the instructions closely, and (2) plunging into the task and looking up
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