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According to the Personality Type Questionnaire you completed, the 'Type' that best describes your preferred style is:

Introvert Sensing Feeler Perceiving
ISFP

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The nickname for this Type is "Artist" or "Composer" and it is shared by approximately 6% of the population.  Thus, 94% of those you meet perceive the world around them differently from the way you do. 

As an Introverted and Feeling person, your quintessential personality is often overlooked by others.  

In order for you to feel comfortable opening up to others and exposing your sensitivity, you need to know people well.  Only then do you allow your trust to blossom, sensing that the recipients are insightful enough to appreciate your talents and being let into the richness of your inner life.

Compared to Extroverts, you may find you have a smaller circle of friends and may even limit your material possessions only to things that are truly meaningful for you.  Your trust in others runs deep and maintaining that trust is of supreme importance to you.  Any violations of trust can be devastating for ISFPs.  Maintaining friendships for long periods of time is quite easy for you, even if contact is not constant.  Feelings do not fade with time or distance.  The years may ebb and flow, but when a friend is in need, you are a friend indeed and will be there to help no matter what the day or year.

You are a person with a rich interior life, but are also deeply private.  As a result, many of your thoughts, feelings and creative ideas remain held inside of you.  The part you do often show however, is your optimism and your Sensing-Perceiving ability to pay attention to concrete here-and-now information, projects and tangible results.

This combination of Sensing, Feeling and Perceiving creates a pragmatic and realistic, yet spontaneous and amiable person--someone who knows how to have fun and enjoy life while side-stepping any rules and regulations that may cramp your style.  You tend to be happiest living life as it comes rather than being confined by schedules, commitments, obligations, duties, rules, regulations and others' narrow expectations.  For you, it is imperative to be free to experience life directly and be able to continually experiment with it.

Not one to sit around being idle, activity also makes you cheerful.  As you are working on a project, totally absorbed in the activity, others might describe you as very disciplined or results oriented.  In truth, however, you are probably doing things simply for the sake of doing them, and being highly focused as you practice and perfect some skill.

The ISFP person does not work for work’s sake, but plays at work.  Some of your greatest pleasure comes from experiencing peak moments when the work and the perfection of the moment come together. For you, your focus on the immediate present is so strong that the process and product become one as ends and means become inseparable.  This is why so many Sensing-Perceiving individuals excel as athletes, artists, craftsmen and musicians.

Most people with your particular combination of personality traits can work long hours on a task.  You can be persistent, patient and determined when you are motivated.  But when that desire wanes, you may have a tough time completing what you started.  If the nature of the work itself is slow, or if it involves long term projects, you may need to devise a few tricks to ward off boredom or your efficiency may suffer.

Now and then, when life settles into routines, you can become bored.  It is then that you experience flights of imagination and hear the call to change.  When life becomes difficult or there is too much anxiety, when demands from others seem overwhelming and there are too many obligations, you will be deeply affected yet might bury your head in the sand at first.  But eventually, you will move yourself out of the way.  Your goal is to recapture your good spirit and good times as soon as possible without hurting the feelings of others.

Your Introverted nature needs serenity, quiet and solitude in order to work best.  Regardless of the kind of job you have, you will want to think things through first before acting.  Your best work environments are those where you have the opportunity to calmly contemplate information, plans and actions.  As long as your interest about a project holds, you can easily work long hours until it is complete.  You take pride in your work, especially if you remain connected to the ideas and goals that your work fulfils.

If your Introverting preferences are very strong, working in busy environments with a lot of other people may be disruptive for you, unless you have an office where you can close the door and get some work done.  
As a Sensing person you prefer communications to be concise, precise, direct and easily understood.  But with your Introverting preferences, you may find it most comfortable to talk one-to-one with individuals or only in small groups with people you know than in large groups where you might have to fight for attention.  In fact, you may find yourself writing down your thoughts first before going into a meeting, or using written documents as a substitute for face-to-face communication.

Your combination of Introverting and Sensing may blend rather well to ensure that details are paid attention to and that you not stray beyond the facts when making a decision.  This could lead to a streak of conservatism on your part, however.  In general, people who make sweeping statements without enough detail, experience or proof make you uneasy.   You find it hard to trust their insights, especially those of Intuitive types, unless you’ve known them long enough to have confidence in the accuracy of perceptions.  However, combining your realistic nature and the ability to move quickly, with their ideas and view into the future, as a team the both of you could accomplish grand projects that have significant impact.

Because of your Feeling preferences, you are quite sensitive to the emotional undercurrents going on around you and easily perceive how others are feeling and what they desire.  Giving recognition to others comes naturally to you as you readily appreciate people’s hard work.  You are always available with a sympathetic ear and would rather avoid criticising others.  You certainly don’t want to be the bearer of bad news.  Harmony is important to you and highly political environments or settings where conflict is present causes you upset and distress.  The result could be a loss of efficiency and the ability to do your work well.

Even though your Sensing side prefers predictability and conservative moves, your Perceiving side provides balance, endowing you with flexibility, adaptability and spontaneity.  Changing course or shifting gears is fine with you and you actually prefer work that allows you to move from one assignment to the next. You prefer to keep your options open and you do not understand why a decision can’t be changed.

Repetitious or routine work is boring and you will try to avoid it.  When it is required however, that a project be continually revised, the patience of your Sensing side and the flexibility of your Perceiving side join forces to see you through to the end.  But beware:  your preference for change may lead you to never-ending revisions, most of which are probably unnecessary.  It is also sometimes too easy for Sensing-Perceiving types to get excited about a new project before the old one has been completed.  You may find yourself jumping onto the next bandwagon, leaving a trail of unfinished projects behind you.

Overall, your ISFP preferences ensure that you will always be inquisitive, open and sensitive to others, yet realistic and down to earth.  

Optimistic, artistic and fun loving, you have a tremendous amount to give and only need to find the place where you are valued most.

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Contributions to an Organisation

Each of the sixteen personality types has their own styles, strengths and blind spots.  The following items are the more obvious skills and talents you bring to an organisation, group or relationship.  These are your strengths.  Strengths often can turn into weaknesses if over-used and over-relied upon.  But used well, these strengths and talents can contribute to your success in career and relationships.

  • Likes challenge, variety and non-repetitious work.

  • Goes about work with quiet joy.

  • Is optimistic in attitude and outlook; enjoys private space and the freedom to work.

  • Desires to make an impact with his/her solutions and results.

  • Focuses on the human side of work and others' well being.

  • Is tactical by nature.

  • Is resourceful and uses whatever is necessary to complete the task.

  • Values efficiency and works to solve issues expediently.

  • Brings creativity and well-developed skills of artistry, craftsmanship and aesthetics to his/her work.

  • Loves to overcome obstacles.

  • Is action-oriented and practical, solving immediate and concrete problems.

  • Is uncomfortable with restrictions, limitations and constraints.

  • Brings people and tasks together in a co-operative style.

  • Can become totally absorbed in the project at hand.

  • Works in space that may look chaotic, but is easily able to find whatever is needed.

  • Can become so preoccupied with the present that the future is forgotten.

  • Provides positive and supportive feedback to others.

  • Avoids schedules and deadlines that interfere with the ability and freedom to choose the next move.

  • Values change, particularly if he/she induces it and can be involved first-hand.  

  • Is flexible and has a free spirit, yet is also a loyal follower.

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Your Leadership Style

Each personality type has its own leadership style, strengths and blind spots. The following highlights your approach to leadership, provides clues as to how you will act in a leader role, and pinpoints some of your leadership qualities.

  • Rises to any occasion and readily adapts.

  • Is driven to distraction with nothing to do.

  • Uses personal loyalty, along with gentle persuasion, in order to motivate others.

  • Seeks the efficient and expedient solution to a problem.

  • Enjoys a co-operative, team approach.

  • Avoids convoluted problems and believes that talk is cheap--show him/her results.

  • Is at his/her best when responding to a crisis.

  • Enjoys taking risks and challenges.

  • Allows others to take leadership roles whenever the opportunity arises.

  • Admires the creative initiative of others.

  • Prefers to praise more than criticise.

  • Likes to work independently and call the shots.

  • Believes that power and authority come through superior performance, not rank.

  • Expects co-operation and collaboration.

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Your Communication Style  

Effective communication is composed of two elements: how well you listen, and how you express yourself. Good communication skills are at the heart of success.  Being aware of how we communicate, how others communicate and how we prefer others to communicate with us, is a significant step in achieving this objective.  Your personality style has its own communication strategies that are more effective for you than other’s communication styles.  

  • Usually keeps energy, excitement and enthusiasm inside.

  • Prefers to think before replying and needs to be drawn out.

  • Prefers to receive information in writing rather than talking in person.

  • Uses concrete and specific language and prefers actions to words.

  • Is sociable and diplomatic.

  • Is humorous.

  • Begins communicating by stating areas of accord.

  • Offers presentations that progress in a roundabout fashion.

  • May consider a schedule, but avoids tight timetables.

  • Is persuaded by emotionally presented, personal material.

  • Communicates personal experiences to make points.

  • Focuses communication with others on the here and now.

  • Believes that whatever information is presented is tentative and adaptable.

  • Speaks of current possibilities and alternatives.

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Problem Solving Style  
Different people solve problems in different ways. Based on your personality type, you will probably use the following methods and skills in problem solving:

  • Is concerned primarily with the impact of the problem on people.

  • Quickly spies the most efficient solution to the problem.

  • Wants to know all the facts; searches to understand the exact nature of the predicament.

  • Considers what is currently being done.

  • Looks for creative and innovative solutions.

  • Seeks the value of a particular option and its impact on people.

  • Considers which values may cause concern for each possibility.

  • Finds solutions that make an impact and generally have an aesthetic component to them.

  • Figures out who is committed to help solve the problem.

  • Considers people first, then looks at the facts, next considers the big picture and finally applies logic.

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Stress Profile  
Stress plays a significant factor in our abilities to be effective at work and have healthy sustainable relationships.  The greater the stress, the harder it becomes to maintain quality work and quality relationships. Each personality type has strengths and blind spots.  Under stress, blind spots emerge and people rely on their least favourite functions to operate. Below are a few clues as to how stress affects your particular personality type (Note: you and one other type have matching patterns in manifesting and managing stress, so you may find someone with an almost identical profile).
Triggers

  • When they feel that they have not lived up to other people’s expectations.

  • Being surrounded by an atmosphere of negativity and extreme criticism.

  • Fearing the loss or separation of significant relationships.

  • When their attachments to others are belittled and invalidated.

Characteristics  

  • Becomes less tolerant, flexible and compassionate.

  • Is easily filled with feelings of self-doubt.

  • May feel inadequate and overwhelmed, unable to complete even the simplest task.

  • May isolate themselves from others.

  • Becomes hypersensitive, often taking innocent comments as criticism.

  • May create upsets where before there were none.

  • Tends to think only in black and white scenarios.

  • Can engage in destructive judgements and fantasies about anything and anyone handy.

  • They can nit-pick, relentlessly emphasising order, accuracy, analysis and legalistic logic.

  • Often becomes blunt and directive when talking with others.  

  • Feels compelled to take action to correct imagined mistakes or incompetence.

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Gaining Equilibrium

  • Letting events and attitudes run out of steam in their own time.

  • Giving them the space and time to reflect.

  • Solitary activities such as cooking, exercising, cleaning house, organising drawers or playing computer games.

  • Starting a craft project using familiar and well-practised skills.

  • Being able to talk to someone who is non-judgmental.

  • The painful awareness of the effect their actions and attitudes are causing others.

  • Having their feelings validated.

Lessons  

  • Understanding and accepting their need for power.

  • Growing self-confidence in their abilities and values, and increased comfort in logical decision making.

  • Tempered idealism and expressions of feelings.

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Motivators  
People are usually most effective when their environment matches their preferences and work style.  When a good match is not present, it will be more difficult to achieve results.  Below are some of your work preferences and key characteristics that you look for in work, or that you try to avoid.  These key characteristics also indicate how you would typically like to be managed or related to.  If you find these comments of value, it might be very worthwhile to share and discuss this section with your manager. 

  • Has the ability to work alone, enjoys interacting with others and appreciates aesthetically pleasing surroundings.

  • Prefers projects that focus on concrete, specific and immediate results.

  • Needs freedom rather than being tied down by rules, procedures, regulations, hierarchies and strict lines of authority.

  • Likes timelines and schedules that are movable.

  • Is somewhat intolerant of doom and gloom people.

  • Prefers action and hands-on activities rather than designing plans.

  • Welcomes surprises and crisis situations.

  • Seeks opportunities to please others with his/her results and make an impact.

  • Enjoys variety, challenge, excitement and opportunities to solve problems.

  • Does well in environments where he/she can become totally absorbed in the actions of a project.

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On a Team

Some people work well on teams, others work best on their own.  Understanding the personality types of team members provides information about how individuals are likely to carry out their work and interact with each other.  Given your personality preferences, the following are the strengths and possible blind spots you will most likely bring to a team:

  • Some people work well on teams, others work best on their own.  Understanding the personality types of team members provides information about how individuals are likely to carry out their work and interact with each other.  Given your personality preferences, the following are the strengths and possible blind spots you will most likely bring to a team:

  • Brings a quiet humour to the team, along with precise information.

  • Is dedicated to accomplishing whatever tasks are present.

  • Brings attentiveness and an appreciation for team members' view points.

  • Gets others to work together, collaborate and co-operate.

  • Brings a strong dose of common sense to projects and solutions.

  • Generates ideas which others can then pursue.

  • Focuses on the here-and-now.

  • May annoy others with his/her extreme sensitivity.

  • Irritates team members by sometimes being too nice.

  • Is intent on achieving results.

  • May go into a "tizzy" when faced with a team not collaborating, co-operating or sharing information.

  • Can become annoyed with team members who are intolerant of others' ideas and contributions.

  • Is severely irritated by people who are late and disrespectful to others.

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Learning Style

For many years it has been known that different personality types have different ways of learning.  Knowing how a person learns is a big advantage for structuring on-the-job training or classroom instruction.  Once again, you may find this section valuable to share with your manager.  Your learning style is as follows:

  • Likes subjects that focus on people the best.

  • Desires learning situations where he/she has flexibility, freedom, and can be spontaneous.

  • Learns best with hands-on experience.

  • Wants learning to be relevant to his/her life.

  • Is concerned with a subject's practicality and application instead of theoretical and conceptual material.

  • Thrives in an environment with caring instructors and lots of encouragement.

  • Does not function as well in structured environments with rules and procedures to follow--learns best when allowed to learn in his/her own way.

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Opportunities for Growth

As we have said before, each person has his or her strengths and blind spots.  Sometimes strengths are over-used and become blind spots.  We tend to simply ignore other modes of being as we rely on our favourite preferences.  When our strengths are over used, they can become our only tools, possibly becoming irritants to others, or blocking out other possibilities and choices that we may have when responding to situations.  As we grow and mature, it is important to pull back from our favourite ways of doing things and build skills in the areas of our least favourite preferences.  We thereby become a more balanced and versatile individual.  

The following suggestions address some of your more obvious blind spots and are areas to pay attention to if they have been ignored up to this point:

  • Focus on developing greater analytical and discernment skills rather than simply accepting information that comes your way, otherwise you are likely to be duped or taken advantage of by others.

  • Develop the ability to give critical feedback to counteract being so nice to others.

  • Practice meeting deadlines and following a schedule.

  • Learn to balance present-day realities with the "big picture"-- come up for air occasionally and peer into the future.

  • Try to be objective in your dealings with people instead of getting caught up in their dramas.

  • Focus on learning to feel comfortable with conflict and resolving issues before you simply get up and leave.

  • Pay attention to your own needs first so that you do not burnout.

  • Learn to acknowledge yourself for your contributions and accomplishments and then let others know.

  • Remember to consider how your spontaneous actions could affect or even upset others.

  • Do not always go for the quick fix-balance this tendency with longer-range solutions that are more permanent.

  • Learn to effectively evaluate all kinds of information since your optimism may blind you to unpleasant facts.  

  • Try not to over-extend yourself.  

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The Personality 'Type' Questionnaire
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