ISFP Ability and Job Satisfaction Characteristics!

You are ISFP, Introverted with Sensing, Feeling and Perceiving, with ISFP ability, or you are interested in someone who is, and you are perhaps seeking information regarding how the ISFP personality type and associated ISFP ability gleaned from the Myers Briggs Test can perform optimally and at their very best in the workplace. You may also be seeking information as to how ISFP ability can be maximally used in the workplace and how all this knowledge of ISFP ability can increase workplace motivation and job satisfaction for you, and your organization.

You can also learn how knowledge of ISFP strengths and weaknesses in the workplace, that is ISFP ability, can insure that the ISFP will not fall victim to job dissatisfaction which has been termed “Falsification of Type” and which is the core reason an estimated 70% of all the workers in the world dislike (or hate) their jobs!

ISFP Workplace Strengths

ISFP ability and strengths are many and would mean for you in the workplace that you:

• are someone who reaches understanding by contemplating and thinking, pondering things, someone who wants to really think about it
• are reflective, quiet, and prone to consider before acting
• prefer physical work space which allows for privacy and concentration
• participate and speak up after observing and formulating your own impressions and questions; may need to be asked what you think or feel
• regard meeting as taking time away from work and as places where more work gets generated or assigned
• are aware of internal guiding principles, philosophy, and commitments
• focus first on and are most interested in specifics and the details of current or past reality; you notice the “trees” before noticing the “forest”
• are realistic, practical, and work with “what is”
• work on one thing at a time; like to begin from and use what is already known
• want the work of a team to be realistic and doable, and are less interested in (and may be impatient with) discussions about vague, unrealistic, or “theoretical” possibilities
• take things literally, at face value
• bring previous experience to bear on work at hand; keep things grounded
• are amiable and approachable; are sensitive to others, sometimes at the cost of being direct
• often want to spend some time getting to know others and build relationships before getting to the work at hand
• are naturally appreciative of people’s ideas and contributions
• believe that how a group works together is equally important as what is accomplished; expect the best ideas and solutions to emerge from cooperation; may experience give and take as disruptive arguments
• are sensitive to how others will react or be affected; promote harmony, conciliation, and well-being; seek win/win results
• urge actions that are congruent with individual values and the professed values of the organization
• are spontaneous, “go with the flow,” open to new experiences and not wanting to miss out on anything, fun loving
• bring in new information, perspectives, and options; are adaptable and often devise flexible or innovative approaches to work
• like to start things-motivation and interest may decline when it’s time to finish
• are comfortable proceeding without a definite plan; take a “let’s wait and see what rolls out” approach; may frustrate others by bringing up new information or possibilities after a decision seems to have been made
• are comfortable not having something definite to work toward, and may feel constrained by what you perceive to be narrow or rigid goals and deadlines; focus on processes and want a team to organize around the ways they will work
• initially welcome a new assignment or project, thinking there’s lots of time to get it done-and later feel pushed to fit everything in

Basically those jobs/careers that would allow the ISFP to use the strengths listed above, ISFP ability, as a natural part of doing the job would be the jobs/careers providing maximum workplace motivation for the ISFP. With increased workplace motivation normally follows increased job satisfaction. Likewise, jobs/careers not allowing the ISFP ability to be used will provide much less workplace motivation and consequently much less job satisfaction for the ISFP personality type.

ISFP Workplace Weaknesses

ISFP personality and ISFP ability would include a tendency toward the following workplace weaknesses:

• may need to be less sensitive to what others think or feel
• may view meetings as naturally negative events that cause more work that is accomplished by having them
• will have difficulty seeing the big picture
• may have difficulty focusing on one thing for great amounts of time
• may have difficulty seeing the organizational vision
• will be uncomfortable to troubled proceeding with strict plans
• hesitancy to finish things may be viewed as negative
• may feel stressed as workplace tension grows, too many people, no privacy, etc.
• may struggle with others who present natural impersonal approach to things

Now take a few moments and consider how ISFP’s behave and perform in the workplace from the following seven aspects:

What Others Might Observe First

• are kind, warmhearted, caring, accepting, tolerant, and patient
• are reserved, unassuming, unceremonious, and may appear laid back
• in their work areas, they may have distinctive features which reflect people, animals, or concerns that are important to them
• are realistic and observant, particularly attentive to what’s going on with people

Work Style

• want to be helpful, want their work to foster and further their people-oriented values in tangible ways
• have an active, hands-on style, and prefer to proceed based on direct experience
• are independent, preferring to have freedom from restrictive structures and rules, but also like to be involved with others (though they are not necessarily drawn to meetings)
• pay attention to details and can readily work with a lot of specific information

On Work Teams/In Groups

• prefer a cooperative, supportive, and participatory climate where everyone is regarded as equal and treated with respect
• are excellent gatherers of information, bringing data to bear on team deliberations
• accomplish much that may go unnoticed since they do little to draw attention to themselves and often work “behind the scenes”
• don’t like to give or receive feedback which they regard as criticism; as supervisors, may dislike evaluating others

Facing Change

• are usually open to change that is congruent with their values and commitments to people, but may have difficulty supporting changes that seem to go against these commitments
• are responsive, flexible, and pragmatic unless a deeply held (and possibly heretofore unexpressed) value is compromised
• focus their attention and energy on actualities and the concerns of the present, and may be less drawn to or comfortable with considering what “might be”
• are reflective, open, and willing to listen to all points of view

During Conflict

• often are barometers for conflict and are aware when discord exists in a relationship or group
• clearly prefer harmony, seek to reach win/win solutions, and may avoid distasteful situations or agree to premature solutions in order to relieve discomfort
• may assume responsibility for fixing what they did not break
• under stress, may get down on themselves and/or find fault with others

Workplace Contributions

• bring an awareness of people’s needs into the day-to-day deliberations of the work place, and naturally appreciate human diversity
• value and demonstrate loyalty to people, groups, and organizations
• champion the spontaneous enjoyment of life, particularly today’s special moments
• help keep things running smoothly by unobtrusively carrying out much of the less visible work of organizations

May Be Experienced As

• particularly attentive to the needs of others, often showing they care by doing something special for them and sometimes as not assertive enough about their own needs and deeds and having difficulty saying “no”
• so responsive to current needs that they become “side-tracked”
• ”free spirits” who take a very personal approach to life and create their own pathway through life’s adventure
• having deeply held values which they express through action but don’t communicate about very much

The Myers Briggs Test can be looked upon sometimes as an ability and personality test. Once you have identified your personality type via the Myers Briggs Test and have some understanding of the associated strengths, weaknesses, abilities and behaviors of your type you can better determine the kind of work environment and associated factors that provide the maximum workplace motivation and job satisfaction for you. Again, view the results of the Myers Briggs Test concerning work as a kind of ability and personality test.

If you would like to study a different personality type link here and go back to the Personality and Work page to find links to the other 15 personality types, follow those links and enjoy!

If you have questions regarding your personality type in the workplace as it relates to using the Myers Briggs Test as an ability and personality test, please do not hesitate to use the Support/Contact Request form on the navigation bar to the left. We would enjoy hearing from you and will try to answer any questions you may have about the Myers Briggs Test and its uses and/or the Myers Briggs focused consultation services offered by Solid Rock Consulting Group, LLC.

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