TOWARDS - AWAY FROM Preferences

DIRECTION: This preference indicates the direction of a person's motivational energy - is it centred on goals or problems?

 

TOWARDS These people are motivated to achieve or attain goals. They have trouble recognising problems.

AWAY FROM They focus on what may be and is going wrong. They are motivated to solve problems.

move toward what they want and what they like. often have difficulty in recognising what should be avoided. often minimise negative consequences or even oblivious to what is not working or to what is going wrong. respond best to incentives and "carrots." tell you what they want set goals and targets motivated by success ignore/play down problems use 'positive' language 'carrot' people

move away from (avoid, get rid of, steer clear of) what they don't want or don't like. identify problems; have a tendency to focus on problems and what has, can or will go wrong. often have trouble defining and articulating goals; often tentative and/or confused with respect towards goals. are easily distracted by negative consequences. tell you what they don't want make contingency plans motivated by threats believe things will get worse use 'negative' language 'stick' people

MATCH - MISMATCH Preferences

RELATIONSHIP: This preference indicates how a person works with and compares data when faced with new information and how a person reacts to change.

 

MATCH Look for what matches what we already know. They want their world to stay the same.	MISMATCH They notice what differs or mis-matches their knowledge. They want change to be constant and drastic
look for "what's there" as opposed to "what's missing. look at things in terms of what they have in common, how things fit together. like to 'fit in' collaborative approach avoid conflict and argument start from 'yes' notice what is similar low tolerance for change value stability like to make steady progress prefer gradual change	notice the incongruities; how things don't fit together, how things don't match. emphasise how things are totally different. look for "what's missing." move from 'No' to 'Yes' will mismatch the data in order to understand it. embrace conflict and argument

BIG CHUNK - SMALL CHUNK Preferences

CHUNK SIZE: This preference indicates the size of the "chunk" of information that a person prefers when thinking, communicating, learning, etc. How large a picture is the person able to work with?

 

SMALL CHUNK Prefers details and sequences. They cannot see the overview

BIG CHUNK Prefers overview, big picture. Can handle detail for short periods

can be thought of as using a "microscopic lens." interested in details want the details first and must have them before they make any decisions based on those specific facts. need concrete examples take time to process as dealing with more information tend to perceive a task in terms of its constituent parts tend to break down tasks into smaller, more specific and definite steps... often they will miss the overall goal of a task because they get caught in the details. first need to have details on the sequence of what to do and when; where and how to begin and what to do next. And how each step contributes to achieving the whole task. Once they know how the parts work and if they'll work, then they'll consider the bigger picture...

can be thought of as using a "wide angle lens. prefer general principles need the global picture first before they can put the parts in their proper place. make mistakes with details not interested in details focus on key points use abstract examples. process quickly tend to talk in generalities generally convinced by an overall concept or idea. concentrate on the overall direction of a project or task. easier for them to understand how the parts of some task fit together. tend to summarise tasks and events. Consider tasks in general terms. have difficulty in perceiving and following through on step-by-step procedures. work best when details can be delegated.

INTERNAL - EXTERNAL Preferences

FRAME OF REFERENCE: This preference indicates how a person makes judgements - from external sources or by using their own internal standards?

 

INTERNAL They decide based on their own internal standards.

EXTERNAL They need outside feedback to know how well they are doing.

have standards within themselves tend to rely on their own criteria, evaluations and judgements... Validation and the source of authority and evidence comes from the inside them self-opinionated, possible arrogant tend to ignore feedback from others may be overconfident possess leadership qualities evaluate things on the basis of what they think is appropriate. use their own feelings to know that they've done a good job... decide when they've done a good job based on their own subjective criteria... provide their own motivation... are convinced when you appeal to things they already knows through their own experience.

rely on external input use external standards and feedback to develop their own opinions. Validation is sought from the outside; external approval... swayed by others' opinions need feedback from others may lack confidence possess 'followership' qualities rely on other people's evaluations and judgements. the source of authority and evidence comes from external sources. require direction from other people. tend to draw conclusions based primarily on the other person's reactions. let other people make decisions about what to do and how to do it... have to ask other people what they think of their work; they rely on others to tell them when they've done a good job (use the other person's criteria). find out what they should do by asking other people. conform to other people's beliefs

OPTIONS - PROCEDURES Preferences

ADAPTING: This preference indicates how a person deals with instructions or getting something done - does the person continually look for alternatives or prefer to follow established procedures?

 

OPTIONS They are compelled to develop and create procedures and systems. Have difficulty following set procedures.

PROCEDURES They prefer to follow set ways. They get stumped when they have no procedure to follow.

believe in alternatives dislikes choices being limited like writing procedures motivated by possibility change track easily and will take short-cuts if possible like decison-making motivated by "interest", "opportunities", "possibilities", "what could be", "what might be", "desire to learn"," desire to expand options". tend to be curious and interested in the unknown in terms of what opportunities are possible and what might develop. look for new options, new challenges; they are interested in potentials. good at developing new procedures and devising alternatives. compelled to improve procedures and seek new alternatives.

believe there is a 'right' way like following procedures motivated by correctness compelled to complete a procedure once started don't need choice motivated by "need," "obligation," "responsibility," "pressures." motivated to do something because they must , rather than by wanting to; because if they don't do it, they project a negative result or lack of a positive result. tend to take what comes and accept what is available, rather than look for what's possible. tend to be more interested in what is known and what's secure. ..Stay with known options, rather than venturing into unknown territory. may have difficulty getting involved in situations or activities for which there are no pre-planned or predetermined course of action.

EXTROVERSION - INTROVERSION Preferences

ENERGY SOURCE: This preference indicates where people direct their energy and attention, where they get energy, and where they do their primary processing.

 

EXTROVERSION Prefer action and the 'outer world' of people and things. Direct energy and attention most often and most naturally to the external world	INTROVERSION Prefer reflection and the 'inner world' of action. Direct energy and attention most naturally and most often to their internal world of facts, ideas, thoughts, feelings, and memories.
energised by being with other people like being the centre of attention act, then think tend to think out loud are easier to 'read' and know; share personal information freely talk more than listen communicate with enthusiasm respond quickly; enjoy a fast pace prefer breadth to depth	energised by spending time alone avoid being the centre of attention think, then act think things through inside their heads are more private; prefer to share personal information with a select few listen more than talk keep their enthusiasm to themselves respond after taking the time to think things through; enjoy a slower pace prefer depth to breadth

SENSING - INTUITION Preferences

GATHERING INFORMATION: This preference indicates the ways of perceiving - noticing, paying attention, taking in information.

 

SENSING Prefer to focus on immediate reality, notice events in the order in which they occur, and give information in the same way. They notice what is actual and present.	INTUITION Prefer to be abstract and imaginative rather than practical and are more excited about future possibilities than present realities. They look at the big picture to get an overall impression of what is happening.
trust what is certain and concrete like new ideas only if they have practical applications value realism and common sense like to use and hone established skills tend to be specific and literal; give detailed descriptions present information in step-by-step manner are oriented to the present	trust inspiration and inference like new ideas and concepts for their own sake value imagination and innovation like to learn new skills; get bored easily after mastering skills tend to be general and figurative; use metaphors and analogies present information through leaps, in a roundabout manner are oriented toward the future

THINKING - FEELING Preferences

MAKING DECISIONS: This preference indicates the ways of judging - prioritising the information, organising it, putting it into categories, and arriving at decisions.

 

THINKING Prefer in decision making to use logic, cause-and-effect reasoning, and impersonal analysis to come up with principles that will guide their decisions.	FEELING Prefer to make decisions through a process of valuing - personal values and empathy for others, which they use to assess the impact of options on people.
step back; apply impersonal analysis to problems value logic, justice, and fairness; one standard for all naturally see flaws and tend to be critical may be seen as heartless, insensitive, and uncaring consider it more important to be truthful than tactful believe feelings are valid only if they are logical are motivated by a desire for achievement and accomplishment	step forward; consider effect of actions on others value empathy and harmony; see the exception to the rule naturally like to please others; show appreciation easily may be seen as overemotional, illogical, and weak consider it important to be tactful as well as truthful believe any feelings is valid, whether it makes senses or not are motivated by a desire to be appreciated

JUDGING - PERCEIVING Preferences

LIFE STYLE: This preference indicates how people prefer to arrange their external lives.

 

JUDGING Prefer their lives to be planned and orderly.	PERCEIVING Prefer their external world to be open and flexible.
are happiest after decisions have been made have a 'work ethic': work first, play later (if there's time) set goals and work toward achieving them on time prefer knowing what they are getting into are product oriented (emphasis is on completing the task) derive satisfaction from finishing projects see time as a finite resource and take deadlines seriously	are happiest leaving their options open have a 'play ethic': enjoy now, finish the job later (if there's time) change goals as new information becomes available like adapting to new situations are process oriented (emphasis is on how the task is complete) derive satisfaction from starting projects see time as a renewable resource and see deadlines as elastic