Personality Matters Blog

Posted 07 August 2023 by
Melissa Summer and Kevin Wood

Unlocking Team and Leadership Potential through FIRO Certification

In the ever-evolving landscape of HR and training and development, organizations are recognizing the significance of assessments in unlocking individual and team potential. Among these assessments, the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation™ (FIRO®) assessment stands out as a powerful tool for team development and leadership growth.

Posted 03 August 2023 by
Melissa Summer

Overcoming team communication challenges

In this post, based on an interview with Myers-Briggs Professional Services Principal Consultant and Depth Psychologist Dr. Marta Koonz, we discuss communication in teams, the psychological needs of teams, and their impact on collaboration.

Posted 05 April 2023 by
Marta Koonz

Building leadership skills from home through interpersonal needs

Working from home presents both opportunities and challenges. A basic understanding of interpersonal needs from the perspective of the FIRO-B® assessment can provide insights that can lead to a deeper understanding of your own interpersonal needs and those of your team.

Posted 09 February 2023 by
Vanessa Bradford

Measuring the behaviors of successful, inclusive leaders with the FIRO-B tool

Did you know that interpersonal behaviors can be measured in an objective way? Through the FIRO-B® assessment, HR professionals and leadership consultants can check how well a person's behaviors cultivate inclusion and success in the workplace.

Posted 26 January 2023 by
Vanessa Bradford

How can you help managers develop an inclusive workplace for employees?

Inclusion in the workplace gives people a voice and drives performance. And the FIRO-B assessment can help your people understand how their interpersonal behaviors are tied to company culture and inclusivity.

Posted 08 November 2022 by
Melissa Summer

The psychological, emotional, and financial value of training & development

4 min read. If you’re in human resources, have a learning and development position, or are an independent trainer or consultant in these areas, you probably know the value of planned training and development initiatives for your employees. But when economies slow and budgets tighten, the training and development budget is often one of the first things to be cut. Why? Compared to manufacturing, sales, and other revenue generating parts of the business, many leaders have a hard time recogni...

Posted 26 October 2022 by
Melissa Summer

Finding a Career with Purpose

Career expert and coach Julie Gross shares her tips for finding a career with purpose in this episode of The Myers-Briggs Company Podcast.

Posted 28 September 2022 by
Melissa Summer

Connecting with the people you lead

Dr. Martin Boult shares his expertise on leadership and connection in this episode of The Myers-Briggs Company Podcast.

Posted 02 March 2022 by
Melissa Summer

Using interpersonal needs to make the hybrid model work for teams

Is it possible to get the best of both worlds with hybrid work?

Posted 10 June 2020 by
Sherrie Haynie, Director of US Professional Services, The Myers-Briggs Company

Is "work-life balance" just a myth?

The conversation over work-life balance began in the middle of the Industrial Revolition. After so much time and money spent, how do so many companies still get it wrong?

Posted 28 May 2020 by
Melissa Summer, Marketing & PR Manager, The Myers-Briggs Company

27 Tools Business Leaders Should Know About

Organizational psychologists and business leaders were asked about top tools for the organization. Here's what they had to say...

Posted 12 May 2020 by
John Hackston, Head of Thought Leadership, The Myers-Briggs Company

Inclusion, Diversity and Personality: Where Should Organizations Focus Most?

Inclusion can mean different things depending on the context. Which definition should company's focus on? 

Posted 06 April 2020 by
Nikhita Blackburn, Thought Leadership Lead Consultant, The Myers-Briggs Company

People Need People! Get More Out of Remote Working

Tips for working from home...

Posted 01 October 2019 by
Melissa Summer

The Changing Shape of Teams and Google’s Project Aristotle

With the advance of technology, how teams in organizations work in the modern world has shifted. Read about the changing shape of teams, Google's Project Aristotle and what's proven most important for teams to succeed.

Posted 22 August 2019 by
Pam Valencia & Melissa Summer

Understanding Motivation for More Effective Team Behavior

What does motivation have to do with effective team work and behavior? A lot, it turns out. Learn more about interpersonal needs and how they affect relationships and team interactions. 

Posted 10 October 2017 by
Global Marketing

Navigating the Labyrinth of Stress: Interpersonal Needs and Personality Preferences

This article was originally written for Training Magazine and appeared on their website October 4th, 2017. To read the article on the original website, click here.  In managing stress, the big first step is recognizing how you tend to act under stress. Once you recognize what it looks like for you—and consequently for those you work with—you’re empowered to manage it. Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when it’s sustained, it can be debilitating. It affects our ability to regulate our...

Posted 02 July 2017 by
Global Marketing

Helping U.S. Navy Teams Find Synergy

It's always interesting to us to know the story of where some of our assessments came from, and we wanted to share the FIRO-B assessment backstory because it's one of the most fascinating histories we've heard. In the 1950's, the United States Navy approached psychologist William Schutz and said, "We're having a really hard time with teams on submarines. We don't know how to put people together, and you can imagine being underwater in close quarters for six months can be a trying environment....

Posted 02 May 2017 by
Global Marketing

Combining Coaching Tools: Myers-Briggs & FIRO Assessments

Originally written by Betsy Kendall and Alice King at OPP Often considered a winning combination in coaching, what is it specifically about the FIRO and MBTI assessments that adds depth and complexity to coaching? The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator looks at four aspects of our personality that combine together dynamically to capture the fundamental elements of who we are and how we are motivated. This in itself is a powerful coaching tool as it indicates our preferred ways of taking in information,...

Posted 13 March 2017 by
Global Marketing

Leadership Development Initiatives 75% More Effective with the FIRO-B Instrument

ALD Corporate Development is a full-service corporate development and management consulting firm  that offers three tracks: executive coaching, small business consulting for growth and profit through results-driven actions, and executive leadership training and seminars. And in today's fast-paced business environment, HR and LD managers are often overwhelmed and stretched too thin but still need to continually assess and tweak how leaders are performing and how that affects the company...

Posted 03 January 2017 by
Global Marketing

MBTI® Users Conference—Type, Interpersonal Needs, and Stress: A FIRO-B® and MBTI® Workplace Culture Connection

My breakout session took place on the second day of the conference. I was glad to see so many familiar faces in the room, although it also makes me a bit more nervous to see so many people I know when I’m presenting. However, remembering that I’m presenting for the attendees and not for myself, helps temper my nervousness. In my session I addressed the stress we all face when our interpersonal needs are not being met. What we need, combined with what we fear, can have a huge impact ...

Posted 08 November 2016 by
Global Marketing

MBTI® Users Conference—From Diversity to Inclusion to Engagement

There was a short break in between the keynote and the first breakout session of the day. I planned my day out the night before and knew I wanted to attend Dr. Pete Hammett’s session. Dr. Hammett is the director of HR at Oklahoma Gas & Energy. In his session he asked us to consider how personality type can influence a culture of inclusion. Hammett made the point that culture is a matter of life and death at the organizations he has been a part of (including NASA and many others). He has f...

Posted 07 September 2016 by
Global Marketing

Allianz Global Improves Leadership, Teamwork with the FIRO-B Tool

Allianz Global Investors is a leading active investment manager with a strong parent company and a culture of risk management. With 25 offices in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, they provide global investment and research capabilities with consultative local delivery. Allianz Global has a rich history, started over 125 years ago they now serve over 82 million clients in 70 countries. With over 540 investment professionals in the high-stress position of managing billions in assets, Allianz was l...

Posted 22 July 2016 by
Global Marketing

Executive Office of the President Uses FIRO-B for Team Development

To provide the President of the United States with the support that he or she needs to govern effectively, the Executive Office of the President (EOP) was created in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The EOP has responsibility for tasks ranging from communicating the President’s message to the American people to promoting our trade interests abroad. Overseen by the White House Chief of Staff, the EOP has traditionally been home to many of the President’s closest ad...

Posted 02 February 2016 by
Global Marketing

16 Types in the Workplace

I’ve started off 2016 with a lot on my plate. I earned my Foundations of Dialogue Education Certification while also facilitating several MBTI® and FIRO® workshops. It has been a fun and busy way to get the year going, and I don’t see it letting up. That’s a good thing! In a recent training I was asked by a participant, “Which four preferences contribute most to an organization?” Interesting question I thought, before answering, “Any preference can c...

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