Judgers LOVE deadlines; they invent them!  Perceivers HATE deadlines; they circumvent them.

 

WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE, STRUCTURE AND
SCHEDULE  or FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY?

Originally published in Today's Woman

By Anne Murray

 

The fourth and final dimension of personality captures how we prefer to live our lives. Are you most comfortable when life is ordered, scheduled and decided versus spontaneous, free and adapting? This lifestyle dimension is a real crazymaker for us at home and at work. Judging types like things closed and settled; they are never quite as happy as when a decision is made. Even if the decision is a bad one, they feel good!

Perceiving types, conversely, like things open and flexible; they are never quite as unhappy as when a decision is made. Even if the decision is a good one, they feel badly!

Perceiving types like to keep all the options open, constantly seeking new data and shifting with the circumstances. The motto of the judger is schedule and control; the motto of the perceiver is watch and wait.

Judging	Perceiving
May appear to others to be task oriented   Lives by the daily to-do list   Must work before play   Will persevere to the end   May decide issues prematurely   May focus on the goal so much that        the need to change directions is missed	Appears loose and casual to others   Likes a general plan, not too detailed   Will mix work with play   May not finish unimportant tasks   May procrastinate making decisions   May rely on spontaneity and adaptability        and fail to focus or plan

Judgers, or J’s, enjoy organizing and completing; Perceivers, or P’s, enjoy starting and observing! What you see may not be what you get. The J need to control schedules, things and sometimes, people is shown to the outside world. Inside there is some flexibility and shifting happening. The P need to fly by the seat of the pants is shown to the outside world. The report that the P appeared to begin only days before it was due has been written and rewritten in the P head for weeks. We see only the preference that is being extraverted.

To do lists are critical for the J. The J uses the lists to prompt action on specific tasks and to prioritize the constant demands on their time. The P uses to-do lists, too. The P uses the lists to remind themselves of possible things it would be good to do if time allows and if they are in the mood and if the J’s don’t do it first! P’s often make to-do lists and lose them. Or, having made such a list, they feel so good about it, they do nothing on the list and do something else instead. Resisting schedules and structure, which the P finds confining, is often misunderstood as rebellion by the J. I find it amusing that most time management systems are designed by J’s, for the J way of being, and the P’s are sent to be reformed! J time management systems are meaningless to the P. I once worked with the plant manager of a large manufacturing operation (an ISTJ culture) who was an ENFP. When I asked him about his strategies for coping with the J corporate culture, he agreed that conventional time management systems held no promise for him. He had learned, he said, to attend and to make his best effort. Invariably, within two days of the seminar, he had either lost his planner or found the system so cumbersome he was spending half his time trying to account for his time which he needed to do his job! Interestingly, he confided that he felt his strength as a manger was in problem plants or start-up operations where one had to be flexible and adaptable in order to succeed! A female engineer at the same plant told me that she had to hide the fact that she never made to-do lists; she just flowed with the process of the work. She was highly regarded and successful.

In communication, J’s expect agreement on schedules, timetables and deadlines. P’s are willing to discuss these things but resist tight deadlines. J’s LOVE deadlines; they invent them! P’s HATE deadlines; they circumvent them! J’s dislike surprises. When you tell a J about a change they will moan for a good long while before setting back to work again. It is called "J Moan time." When you tell a P about a change they continue working unfazed. J’s expect others to follow through as agreed; P’s expect others to adjust as the situation shifts and demands.

J’s state directives and positions as final. P’s speak in tentative and modifiable language. J bosses want to hear about results and achievements while the P boss wants to hear about options and opportunities. J’s focus on purpose and direction; P’s focus on process and autonomy.

How each is viewed by the other:

  The J may be viewed as dependable, deliberate, conscientious and conclusive.
  The P may be viewed as spontaneous, open, fun-loving, and "go with the flow."

Mutual needs of the J and the P:

  J needs the P to hold out for better team decisions;
  P needs the J to force closure in team decisions:
  P needs the J to stay focused;
  J needs the P to make sure people have fun!

 

For further information on personality type or The Association for Psychological Type contact the author Anne Murray, qualified type trainer, at 270 / 781-3677 or email.  Anne speaks on many topics around the country.