Breanne Potter

Breanne Potter serves as a Regional Consultant for CPP, Inc. In this role Breanne consults with a myriad of corporate and governmental organizations, that make use of CPP’s numerous publications and assessments, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), Strong Interest Inventory®, FIRO-B®, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) and California Psychological Inventory™ (CPI™ and CPI 260™). As a Regional Consultant, Breanne aids organizations and individuals, by providing guidance in the areas of initial needs assessment, program development, employee development, and application training. Breanne joined CPP in 2006, and consults with organizations in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Breanne received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and her Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology. Breanne is a career human resources professional with experience in recruiting, team building, leadership development, training, conflict resolution, and organizational development. She also has significant experience in developing and revising selection systems. Breanne is a member of the American Society for Training and Development, Association for Psychological Type, and the Society for Human Resource Managers. Breanne Potter's blog is Speaking of the MBTI... http://speakingofmbti.blogspot.com

“Shhhh….I’m an ISTJ. Don’t tell.”

By speakingofmbti | November 5, 2009

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioners will be the first to tell you that all personality types are created equal. There is no one best or worst personality type. And yet, even the most experienced type practitioners may admit that at times, they wish they had a different personality type. Do we just want what we don’t have? Ladies, you will understand this analogy- if you have curly hair, what do you wish you had? Straight hair. If you have straight for, what do you spend hundreds of dollars trying to make your hair do? Be curly.

I don’t genera

lly think there’s a problem with type envy. When someone tells me they wish they were a different personality type, I typically begin by asking why. That discussion usually brings to light that the individual feels his/her blind spots are limiting. That’s a wonderful thing to realize. While you can’t change your type, you can certainly work to flex to other types more comfortably. So

instead of envying a type, try to emulate that type. Imagine what someone with that type would do in a given situation. Perhaps find someone to mentor you on that type.

Sometimes, though, we aren’t so vocal about envying a type. Instead, we try to put on a mask or act out a character in order to manage others’ perception of us. I’ve always thought of myself as being confident and secure in my type. Yet, this week I realized for the first time I desperately try to hide my J preferences.

One of my colleagues told me he believes I’m a closet ISTP, which fascinated me because my J preferences are extremely clear. Here are some examples that show my J-ness:

If I haven’t been to a location before, I drive there the day before so that I know what to expect. What will the traffic be like? Which side of the road is it on? What does the building look like? What if it’s raining and I have to park far away?
I have to be everywhere 15 minutes early or I panic.
Meetings without agendas freak me out.
Chit chat when something needs to be done annoys me
If I decide at midnight that my room should be rearranged, then I have to do it right then. And if that means I need to run to a 24 hour store for supplies, then so be it.
I have the same breakfast every single morning, and have the exact same routine every night before bed.
I start projects when they are assigned, and prefer to have them done weeks before the deadline.

So, how is it possible I could be confused for a Perceiver? Because I lie. I lie.

In my mind, all of those extreme Judging behaviors seem a bit wacky to the “cool, relaxed, spontaneous P’s.” In my mind I’ve decided to make my outward persona look calm and unstructured. I’m like a duck. I only let others see me looking graceful above water, but beneath the water, my legs are kicking like crazy just trying to keep me afloat.

How did I get so mixed up? How did I, a type practitioner who believes in the value and equality of all types, become insecure in my type? Actually, the reality is that I’m not insecure in MY type. I like who I am. I like being an ISTJ. But, I worry that my cool, relaxed Perceiving colleagues won’t enjoy my strong Judging behaviors.

But, the problem is that when I work so hard to cover up my natural J preferences, I give off the wrong cues to my coworkers. They may believe I truly do have Perceiving preferences and therefore change their behaviors to flex to my supposed P preferences.

Sir Walter Scott had it right when he said, “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”

When it comes to personality type, perhaps Shakespeare was more accurate- “To thine own self be true.”

The Obligatory Halloween-Themed Post- I’m Going as an ENFP This Year!

By speakingofmbti | October 29, 2009

Aside from the fact that it’s only 2 days until Halloween, and it’s necessary for all bloggers to write a Halloween-themed post, I happen to LOVE Halloween. It is by far my favorite holiday.

What’s not to like? Dressing up as someone/something else? Randomly bugging neighbors you would normally never acknowledge? Getting to peek inside of your neighbors houses? FREE

CANDY? The question of whether you will g

et a trick OR a treat? Wearing a mask so no one knows who you are? The ability to remain in character as long as you want? Making art out of vegetables? Watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” over and over again (one of the greatest movies EVER)? I mean, really, why do we only celebrate Halloween once a year?

In my family, we went BIG for Halloween. I’m fairly certain we never wore a store bought costume…ever. My mom made all of our costumes by hand, and they were almost

never something mainstream (vampire, ghost, devil, etc). My mom planned our costume at least a month in advance and to this day, my brother and I still dress up each year- even if only to pass out candy to the trick-or-treaters.

My mom knew how much work it takes to create a really great costume and she was always happy to make the most of the holiday. It take a lot of work to become someone else- if only for a day. The same is true of your personality (see how I did that….smooth transition, right?!). Our natural preferences guide our daily behaviors, but we are also forced outside of our comfort zone every day and have to use our non-preferred functions. That takes WORK.

I’ve been working almost exclusively outside of my preferences for a few weeks

now and I’m exhausted. As an ISTJ trying to perform like an ENFP, I find that I constantly have to remind myself that I need to do what is natural for me. Just like

wearing a Halloween costume, it’s so easy to slip out of character and go back to being “you.” I’ve been relying on two ENFP mentors along the way to remind me when I slip out of character and return to my natural ISTJ preferences. At one point last week I remarked. “This touchy-feely stuff is WORK!” I desperately want to point out when someone’s feelings are unwarranted because they’re responding to faulty information (like any clear ISTJ would)

but I didn’t because an ENFP would never invalidate someone’s feelings like that.

But just like the end of Halloween night, I’ve had fun but I’m ready to take off the wig and make-up and just eat some candy. It’s a good exercise, though. By forcing ourselves to wear the mask of another personality type, we train ourselves to see the world through that lens. We say and do things we wouldn’t normally say or do, and we see the difference in results. Just knowing there’s a different path you can take can help you remember that everyone sees the world differently and no one approach is right or wrong.

The more we force ourselves to “try” a different preference, the more we become comfortable with those behaviors. Keeping with the Halloween theme- the longer you stay in character the easier it is to continue with those behaviors. I’m not saying you will ever change your type. What you will do, though, is develop an acquired taste for that non-preferred function. In other words, it’s not your favorite meal, but if the chef isn’t serving your favorite dish, you will be satisfied with this alternative. The more you use your opposite functions, the more comfortable, less stressed, and more adept at that function when you must use it.

So, as a little exercise in type development, try living and working in character for a day. Pick a personality type that is not your own and constantly

think to yourself- what would this personality type do? You may even spook yourself with the results (another phenomenal Halloween tie-in!).

Words of Wisdom from “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”:

“There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin. ” -Linus

“Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker.” -Linus

Linus: “You’ve heard of the fury of a woman scorned, haven’t you? “

Charlie Brown: “Yes, I guess I have.”

Linus: “Well, that’s nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of trick-or-treats. “

Money, Money, Money, money, MONEY….and Type- a webinar.

By speakingofmbti | October 19, 2009

Sorry…every time I talk about money I get “For the Love of Money” by The O’Jays in my head.

Seriously, though, couldn’t we all use a little bit of money advice these days?

Well, the latest APT eChapter webinar talks about just that…

The 8 Functions of Money

Using the Function Attitudes to Understand and Improve

Your Money Management

Facilitated by Ray Linder, MBA, Owner of Goodstewardship and APTi’s Vice President of

Finance

TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. EDT/ 12:30 PDT

PLEASE CHECK DAY for PACIFIC RIM TIME ZONES (www.timeanddate.com) Friday in NZ, AUS, HK

The program: Money can wreak havoc as we have all seen in the last year and a half. However, if it is used in ways consistent with our personality type, it can bring serenity and security. Personality type can help orient your financial behavior to making psychologically satisfying financial decisions. To skillfully manage your money with less stress and more success, you must have an awareness and understanding of your preferred patterns of financial behavior.

About the speaker: With proven personal coaching, leadership development and team building programs and services that help people be themselves with more skill, Ray Linder has worked with more than 10,000 individuals across a range of both large and small companies, government and municipal agencies, non-profits and the military.

Ray’s work is internationally recognized and he has conducted hundreds of custom-designed teambuilding and leadership development workshops for clients that include Fortune 100 companies, the U.S. Army and Air Force, government agencies such as the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Health and Human Services, the District of Columbia, and major universities.

He is the author of three books, and his many media appearances include a feature story on CNBC, USA Today, the Washington Post, the Boston Herald, Leadership, and the Bulletin of Psychological Type. Ray is associated with several world-class organizational and leadership development consulting firms, has an adjunct faculty position at the Federal Executive Institute, and in addition to his current training and coaching work, his business experience includes corporate and investment finance, fundraising and development, and sales. For more information, please go to Ray’s website, www.goodstewardship.com

How to register: Registration can now be done through the APTi website or through a link on the eChapter website (http://www.apt-echapter.org/ ) We accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express.

Cost: eChapter members pay US$ 6. Cost for all others: US $25. Ensure your billing address matches that of the card you are using. eChapter members, please sure to log in (near upper right corner) to qualify for the member pricing.

Deadline for registration: Nov. 5

CEU: Our application for 1 MPCP CE is pending approval.

About the eChapter: The APT eChapter is a chapter of the Association for Psychological Type International. It operates in the same way as any traditional chapter of APTi, except that meetings and programs are virtual. Like any other chapter, it manages its own finances and membership. The eChapter’s primary charter is to meet the needs of under-served APTi members who are unable to join or participate in a local onground chapter. Questions: Contact Mary Charles Blakebrough, President (mcbreakthrough@mindspring.com ) or Kathy Howard, Co-VP of Programs (kathy@hdaconsultants.com).

Upcoming Programs: Watch for new and exciting programming in 2010. Also, visit our new blog by Katherine Hirsh by going to our website, http://www.apt-echapter.org/

Guest Blog Sharing an Activity for the FIRO-B or FIRO- Business instrument

By speakingofmbti | October 8, 2009

Readers have submitted questions over the past few months asking for new activities to help create those wonderful “a ha” moments during training. Specifically, one reader asked for help with the FIRO instrument. Because she is certified to administer the MBTI, she is also qualified to purchase and administer the FIRO-B and new FIRO Business tools.

I’ve asked Sherrie Hayne, a consultant with CPP, to share one of her favorite FIRO activities, and she was kind enough to agree. Sherrie is a MBTI Master Practitioner and is also a MBTI Certification Trainer. She has had extensive experience delivering the MBTI and FIRO instruments to large organizations as a one-on one coach, workshop facilitator and trainer. I’d like to thank Sherrie for sharing this activity with everyone and I hope you will find it useful.

Firo-B or Firo Business Exercise

Click or Clash?

Evaluating Firo scores alongside another person can shed light regarding how well your wishes align with another’s behaviors. While scores alone do not guarantee there will be conflict in an otherwise healthy relationship, it is a great way to predict potential red flags for new team members or help diagnose the root cause of existing conflict. For the sake of this example, Firo Business terminology is used, but if you are a Firo-B user, just substitute the terms with Inclusion, Control and Affection.

Instructions:

Compare person A’s wanted score to person B’s expressed score. If they are within the same range, they click! If however, they are not in the same range particularly if one is high and the other is low, they may clash.

Example:

Person A’s wanted Involvement score is high. Person B’s expressed Involvement score is low. Person A wants to be included in meetings and work activities and enjoys receiving recognition. Person B only includes others when it is critical and tends to keep to himself. Person A sees B as ‘aloof’, person B sees A as ‘too intrusive.’

This comparison can be done in the reverse, as well as for Influence and Connection.

Keep in mind if the two people already have a healthy working relationship the data may help them be alert of areas for potential disagreement or they may have already addressed the issue. For existing conflict, this is often an AH HA moment. Many individuals are able to clearly see the root of their disagreements. An action plan should be defined in which both individuals agree to specific behavioral changes. For new team members, prevention is the key! This data can bring to the surface areas to be aware of to reduce the potential for misunderstandings in the future.

And finally, if several team members have very compatible profiles with each other but clash with one person, there is much potential for isolation and ultimately derailing team behaviors.

More Ways to Extend Your MBTI Training Experience

By speakingofmbti | October 7, 2009

Check out these great programs by APT International for ways to extend your MBTI training knowledge and acquire Continuing Education Credits for MBTI Master Practitioner status:

___________________________________________

Register now for the APT International Final Trainings 2009

Application: Conflict Management is Self-Management: The Role of Psychological Type in Managing Conflict
November 5 & 6, 2009
in Seattle, Washington with Chuck Pratt
Cost: $550 APTi Members, $610 Non-Members

This two-day workshop will explore the connections between two powerful tools/models – psychological type and emotional intelligence. Participants will:

reframe conflict in ways that will be more helpful to them
recognize the role of type differences in conflict through a series of experiential exercises
recognize the role of type differences! in group conflict through a group process exercise
receive personal feedback about their conflict style from a sound assessment
apply their new knowledge to a real life conflict situation

E-Learning: Type & Relationships: Caring, Conflict & Meaning
October 26 – November 15, 2009 with Katherine Hirsh & Elizabeth Hirsh
Cost: $280 APTi Members, $350 Non-Members

How do Type preferences impact who you are in relationships? What are your goals for yourself and your loved ones? Combining active participation and reflective analysis, this online workshop is designed to help you become more aware of the role Type preferences play in your relationships as well as assist you in helping others (e.g., clients, or loved ones) become aware of the same in their relationships. Join us and take part in an online exploration that honors the complexity and richness of relationships.

E-Learning: Master Your Money Personality
November 30 – December 12, 2009 with Ray Linder
Cost: $89 APTi Members, $145 Non-Members

Money can buy happiness, but only if it is used in ways consistent with our personality type because it is psychological, and not material, satisfaction that we desire. Personality type can help orient your financial behavior to making psychologically satisfying financial decisions. If you are going to be able to manage your money with less stress and more success, you must have an awareness and understanding of your money personality – your preferred patterns of financial behavior. Master Your Money Personality is an insightful online workshop that will give you valuable self-awareness and help you increase your financial skills, enhance your influence with others, and enable you to have a greater sense of enjoyment with your money. You will then be freed to use your money in ways that bring you personal, emotional, and relational satisfaction.

To view the rest of our 2009 training calendar,

click here!

In a Recession, What Cut Backs Do You Refuse to Make?

By speakingofmbti | June 1, 2009

Several of my friends are out of work, and we’ve been discussing what they have had to cut out of their budget to make ends meet. Laurie Ruettimann even posted the question on her blog and had a great discussion in the comments: http://punkrockhr.com/2009/05/04/punk-rock-hr-recession-watch-toilet-paper/comment-page-1/#comment-8490

Thinking vs. Feeling- A little humor for your Monday…

By speakingofmbti | May 13, 2009

s you all know by now, I’m a big fan of Punk Rock HR and the author Laurie Ruettimann. She always posts something funny on Mondays, and today I couldn’t help but share.

This “Hurt Feelings Report” has to resonate with those who have a Thinking preference (and I’m positive some people with a clear Feeling preference will be appalled….it’s humor, folks!).

Link Love: All Things MBTI on the Web

By speakingofmbti | May 13, 2009

I’ve been bookmarking emails and items in my Google Reader for a while with the intention of sharing them. I finally got the motivation today, and plan to make this a regular monthly post.

Enjoy!

In honor of Mother’s Day, have you checked out MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths by Penley and Eble? It’s available here.

It’s an On-Demand World- Does your HR Department “get it”?

By speakingofmbti | May 13, 2009

This weekend, I celebrated Mother’s Day by taking my mom to Pella, Iowa for their annual Tulip Festival. It was a wonderful trip and a great little vacation just for the two of us.

Since I’ve been trying to convince my mom to get an iPhone for a month now, I urged her

to toy with the phone the whole trip.

Judging vs Perceiving: Making Home Decor Purchases

By speakingofmbti | May 6, 2009

I had one objective on Sunday- to put some finishing touches on our new home so it would feel “complete.” I had been running my schedule based on lists all week long (stuff to buy, stuff to do, stuff to clean, stuff to organize, stuff to put on the list of stuff!), and this was one of the few times when I genuinely needed my fiance’s contribution.

Thankfully we have similar taste in home decor, or else the whole experience would have been a disaster. Instead, it just highlighted our Judging vs. Perceiving preferences as usual.

Follow The Instructions…Or Don’t….Whatever….(Furniture Assembly- ISTJ vs. ENTP)

By speakingofmbti | May 1, 2009

I moved into my new home this week, and am proud to say I’m nearly settled with everything in it’s place. I wish I could say the same for my ENTP fiance. The basement is his game room and is still full of boxes and crates. Moving has definitely highlighted our S/N and J/P preference differences.

It Isn’t Always What You Do, But How and Where You Do It- Career Advice MBTI-Style

By speakingofmbti | May 1, 2009

One of the many reasons that an individual must be certified to administer and debrief the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument is to explain away many of the misconceptions about personality type. This also goes to the heart of why the “free” fake MBTI assessments online are so damaging- because they do not help people understand the depth of what personality type is (and is not).

Myers-Briggs® ThinkBox featured on Bersin & Associates Blog

By speakingofmbti | April 20, 2009

Here is an excerpt of an article at Bersin & Associate’s blog. It appears they are impressed with the effort to take Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment and self-development into the informal eLearning world. View the whole blog post here.

“With an increased appetite for informal learning at this year’s conference, I decided to share with you an interesting announcement from CPP, Inc- a company focusing on research, training and organizational development including the Myers Briggs® Type Indicator assessment.

Brand NEW Myers-Briggs tool: 24/7 On-demand online learning- Myers-Briggs Thinkbox

By speakingofmbti | April 15, 2009

CPP, Inc released a brand new on-demand, online, e-learning portal using the Myers-Briggs^® Type Indicator assessment.

The tool is called Myers- Briggs ® ThinkBox and was created through an alliance with learning solutions provider ThinkWise, Inc.

A Rebuttal to Punk Rock HR’s “Psychology of Work” Post

By speakingofmbti | April 15, 2009

About two years ago, I struck up a conversation with Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR when she wrote a post about her dislike of the Myers-Briggs® Type Indicator (MBTI®) tool. I commented on her post (probably confrontationally as that tends to be my nature) and we engaged in a great conversation about her experiences with Myers-Briggs® training. To summarize, the debriefs she received were below average and as a result she maintains a level of mistrust for these kinds of psychological tools.