Understanding the Organizational Character Index

If you haven’t done so, take the survey (it’s a little long, but all questions are necessary) HERE and record your four-digit code. You’ll use that code to create and roll out your communications plan.

There is a possibility of 16 different Organizational Character Index codes that can be broken down into four major categories of organizational thinking:

• Enthusiast/Visionary = ENFJ, ESTJ, ENTJ, ESTP

• Pragmatist = ENFP, ESFJ, ENTP, ESFP

• Conservative = INFJ, ISTJ, INTJ, ISTP

• Skeptic = INFP, ISFJ, INTP, ISFP

The table of how each of these groups break down into extraverted or introverted, intuitive or sensing, thinking or feeling, and judging or perceiving is shown below:

	Extraverted	Introverted	Intuitive	Sensing	Thinking	Feeling	Judging	Perceiving
ENFJ	X		X		X	X
ESTJ	X		X	X		X
ENTJ	X		X		X		X
ESTP	X		X	X		X
ENFP	X		X		X		X
ESFJ	X		X		X	X
ENTP	X		X		X		X
ESFP	X		X		X		X
INFJ		X	X		X	X
ISTJ		X		X	X		X
INTJ		X	X		X		X
ISTP		X		X	X		X
INFP		X	X		X		X
ISFJ		X		X		X	X
INTP		X	X		X		X
ISFP		X		X		X		X

In a study conducted with over 2,000 participants1, Nancy Barger and Linda Kirby asked “what does each preference need during a time of change?” The introduction of having to comply with outside rules and regulations brings change (that dreaded word) to any organization. That means that the organization must transition from not even knowing what the rules are – to following them. Ugh.

Communication of change, in any form, is a political process. Why? Knowledge is power. And if you subvert the power of certain people in the organization by communicating new or updated policies and procedures for their group but without their blessing, you are creating a political embarrassment for them (in their eyes). Therefore, you’ll need to develop a strategy that meets your organization’s and staff’s needs. If you don’t, then you’ll face stern resistance to change.

Before you can understand the best strategy for communicating your policies and procedures, you must understand a bit about how people accept technological change and how your relationship to these people affects your ability to communicate with them – which is why we had you fill out that survey. The point is to understand that communication is not about what is said, but about what is heard. And what is heard is derived from the listener’s background and the prejudices and opinions that the listener brings to the conversation. In order to be successful in the world of compliance management, you need to understand that there are those who adopt change semi-readily and those that do not wish to adopt it at all.

The answers are below, and you’ll want to take them into consideration when planning your communications strategy:

Extraverted – focuses outward, responds to external stimuli

• Time to talk about what is going on during the change process.

• They want something to do as a part of the change process.

• Communication, communication, communication.

• They want to be heard – to have a voice in the change process.

• They desire action, getting on with it, keeping up the pace

Introverted – takes cues and draws power from within, is fairly closed

• Time alone to reflect on what is happening.

• To be asked what they think.

• Thought-out, written communication and one-on-one discussion.

• Time to think things through before discussions and meetings.

• Time to assimilate change before taking action.

Intuitive – concerns itself with possibilities, attends to the big picture

• The overall rationale – the global realities.

• A general plan or direction to play around with and develop.

• Chances to paint a picture of the future – to create a vision.

• Options – a general direction, but not too much structure.

• Opportunities to participate in designing the future.

Sensing – concerns itself with actualities, attends to details

• Real data – why is the change occurring?

• Specifics about what exactly is to change.

• Connections between the changes and the past.

• Realistic pictures of the future that make plans real.

• Clear guidelines on expectations, roles, and responsibilities.

Thinking – depends on impersonal procedures and principles

• Clarity in the decision making and the planning.

• Demonstration that leadership is competent.

• Fairness and equitability in the changes.

• The logic – Why? What are the goals? What systemic changes will there be?

Feeling – reaches conclusions on the basis of values and beliefs

• Recognition of the impacts on people.

• Demonstration that leadership cares.

• Appreciation and support.

• Inclusion of themselves and others in the planning and implementing on change.

• Know how individuals’ needs will be dealt with.

Judging – likes things spelled out and definite, seeks closure

• A clear, concise plan of action.

• Defined outcomes, clear goals.

• A clear statement of priorities.

• A time frame, with each stage spelled out.

• No more surprises!

Perceiving – likes to keep options open, distrusts too much definition

• An open-ended plan.

• The general parameters.

• Flexibility, with lots of options.

• Information and the opportunity to gather more.

• Loosen up, don’t panic, trust the process.

(“Using the Myers-Briggs® Assessment to Deal with Organizational Change” n.d.) ↩︎