MBTI in Conflict Management
Written by Anna Hessellund Diedrichsen
Abstract
The article provides an examination of the application and benefits of MBTI in conflict management relevant to project management. Conflicts are inevitable between stakeholders defined as individuals who affect or are affected by a decision, activity or output of project management according to Project Management Institute [1]. Conflict management is crucial to foster healthy conflicts to improve effectiveness and productivity. An application of Myers–Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI) provides insights about differences in perception and judgement of all team members , valuable to determine appropriate behaviour, communication style and conflict management style when conflicts occur [2].
Firstly, the concept of MBTI is emphasised explaining the 16 personality types and four preferences, Extraversion vs. Introversion, Sensing vs. Intuition, Thinking vs Feeling and Judging vs. Perceiving, which combined assesses the way an individual prefer to perceive information and make decisions. Secondly, the article defends the application of MBTI in conflict management by emphasising the MBTI personality preferences linkage to the core activities in managing conflicts. Lastly, limitations of MBTI are discussed. Concerns about feasibility, flexibility, reliability are questioning. The project manager’s interpretation and assessment of an individual must not be limited to the MBTI type.
Conflict Management
From a pluralist viewpoint organisations consist of stakeholders having different values and goals where conflicts can be constructive. Conflict management is as the process of which the PM identifies and handles conflicts and is crucial to create effectiveness and productivity, further justified and elaborated by K. Popovic and S.G. DaugaardCite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
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[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
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