type and goal setting

by Shawn Bakker


People are involved in goal setting all the time. Sometimes the goals are broad and future oriented, and other times they simply guide our day to day activities. Personality Type heavily influences how people go about setting and working towards their goals. When people with different preferences start setting goals together, what starts out as a simple process can become filled with conflict and frustration.

Extraversion and Introversion
Extraverts approach setting goals in the same way they approach everything else.They talk. Setting goals for Extraverts is a group process where everyone speaks up and shares their ideas. After a period of discussion the goals are set and everyone should be committed. The assumption for many Extraverts is that silence equals agreement, and that if the Introverts didn’t speak up, they must be on board.

Of course Introverts would rather reflect and think about the process. They may even want to provide a written document for people to consider. When Introverts get together in a group to set the goals, they expect people to be prepared and only present well thought out ideas. As a result, Introverts will tend to hold Extraverts to the Extraverts initial thoughts or ideas, rather then using them as springboards for further discussion.

Sensing and Intuition
Sensors like to set goals that are practical, straightforward, attainable and focused on the here and now. Many of them live by the KISS principle: “Keep It Simple Stupid.” They want to have goals which they can quickly get to work on, and use to gauge their progress every step of the way. Inspirational, future-oriented goals that are out of sight are seen as exercises in futility.

For Intuitives, these same future-oriented, challenging and inspirational goals are the very recipe for motivation. Goals that are broad and nearly out of reach are what Intuitives aim for. Practical, clear goals may strike Intuitives as too obvious and do not need to be planned.

Thinking and Feeling
Thinkers set goals through an exhaustive thought process. They form objective commitments to objective goals, and are concerned about what is to be achieved and how it will fit in with other activities. Thinkers are often willing to work towards goals even when not in agreement with others.

Feelers on the other had set subjective commitments to subjective values. For Feelers the best goals reflect concern for everyone involved. They question who will be affected by the goals and will they be better off because of it.

Judging and Perceiving
Judgers rarely need a formal process to begin setting goals. Instead, goal setting occurs naturally as their approach to life. They prefer to set explicit goals and then begin crossing them off when they are reached. Judgers typically do not like to alter or adjust their goals in the near term, and often treat goals as carved in stone.

For Perceivers, goal setting is a continual process in which newer goals are constantly emerging. They prefer to view goals as guidelines that are open to reevaluation and adjustment.