In the image above, do you see the forest or the trees? Last week we talked about the difference between introversion and extroversion. The next dimension on the Myers-Briggs MBTI is Sensing vs. Intuition. This dimension is about the way people take in information. Essentially, people who prefer sensing want the facts and specific details. People who prefer intuition look for patterns and focus on the possibilities. In any company or project it is essential to have both, but the differences can cause some conflicts.

According to the Myers-Briggs Company, approximately 3 out of 4 people prefer sensing. It is the most lopsided of their four dimensions. That might explain why many Intuitive types report feeling like outsiders – the workplace wasn’t built for them. Interestingly, I am one of ten children and at one of our family reunions I had all of my siblings take the assessment. All ten are Intuitives! My household while growing up was very interesting.

The Difference and the Friction

People with a Sensing preference focus on concrete observable facts. If they look at a forest, they might count the trees and categorize them by species. People with an Intuitive preference are more likely to look at patterns and ponder why the trees are distributed the way they are.

It also affects how they share information. Sensing types want to share what is concrete and will give you facts and data – as much of it as you would like. People who are more intuitive want to share the pattern and the context, so they are likely to tell you the story or the “why.”  When the two types share information with each other, both types will be frustrated that the other left out the good parts. Intuitives will give the big picture and leave out details.  Sensing types will give the details but may leave out the context of why the details matter.

In relationships, the difference shows when people describe their day. If an N is asked about their day, they’ll talk about one major win or loss, why it happened and what it means for going forward. If an S is asked, they are likely to start at the beginning and go through the day chronologically.

Defining Problems

If there is an issue at work, say someone is consistently late to meetings, there is a distinct S/N perception difference. Sensing types will define the problem by what actually happened, the concrete events. They may then start tracking who arrives on time or late for all future meetings and document it. Their solution may be to declare that everyone must be on time, or there will be some negative consequences. To the intuitive type, that may seem arbitrary and unproductive.

The intuitive types are more likely to look for a pattern. Why is that person consistently late? If they look at the data for who else has been late, they will think about why the meeting itself is causing people to be late. If the people who are consistently late aren’t needed until the second half of the meeting, the N will think there is a meeting problem. The S will stay focused on the behavior.

How to work together

As mentioned at the beginning, any organization or project requires both types to be successful. You need the context and the why to figure out which direction to go. You need the details and specifics in order to see the potential problems which could derail the project.

If you are a detail person working with a big picture person, think about the result you want from a conversation and start with that. Are you looking for approval to move forward or the person to do something? State what you want the result of the conversation to be. Period. You will want to give the background information and how you arrived there but save it. If you immediately get what you need, walk away. If the person asks for the background, go ahead and share it.

If you are a big picture person, take time before your conversation to lay out the details and steps for how you arrived there. Assume the person will challenge your request and ask why. I still recommend simply starting with the outcome you want but be prepared to share the details. “Just trust me” isn’t going to cut it.

How Do You See the Map?

Both the S and the N are looking at the same thing, the same map. It’s just that one is paying close attention to the terrain and which passes may be difficult, the other is focused on where to go and the shortest way to get there. You need both to reach your destination.

Is communication a challenge for your team? Are there intelligent people on your team who “just don’t get it?” When two smart people don’t understand each other, it’s usually because they are looking at things from two different angles. Same map, different legends. If you’d like help getting people to understand one another better, let’s talk. I’d love to learn more about your challenges and explore how I might help.