OKA’s Type Development Series—#1: The Value of Thinking

What is Type Development?

Jung said that Sensing tells us that something IS, Thinking tells us WHAT it is, Feeling gives it value, and iNtuition gives it meaning. Type Development is the primary goal.

So much surrounding Type emphasizes the preference for one end of a dichotomy over its opposite, but Type theory is actually a holistic theory of human cognitive development that illuminates the path we each most likely follow as we experience, develop, and ultimately build toward comfort and skill with all four mental functions (S, N, T and F) at the core of Type theory. Type suggests that our preferences are hard-wired and unchanging, but our Type development—the degree to which we can access and the skill with which we use all parts of ourselves—is continually changing, and hopefully increasing.

Usually an individual or organization’s Type development—good or bad—leads to predictable outcomes and observable behaviors that can signify likely successes and challenges. It is important to note the positive—indeed essential—qualities for effective individual and organizational life that each mental function provides. The underdevelopment of a function can block us from seeing the value or even the existence of that function. A great first step in any Type development effort is to establish the existence and the value of each of the functions and their respective, unique contributions.

What is the value of Thinking?

The Thinking function impersonally analyzes cause and effect, including all the consequences of alternative solutions—both desirable and undesirable. Thinking calculates the full costs involved and examines any misgivings suppressed because of loyalties, personal attachments, or reluctance to change. Thinking is logical, reasonable, critical, impersonal, and tough.

Individuals with well-developed Thinking tend to be:

• Problem solvers, who readily analyze issues for solutions
• Fair, logical and objective
• Effective conflict managers, expecting or even inviting conflict, but harnessing its power and learning from it
• Clear and organized decision makers
• Driven to be right

Organizations with well-developed Thinking tend to have:

• Efficient processes and controlled work flows
• Fair and consistent client and personnel policies
• Clear communication of decisions and procedures
• A shared intellectual drive—a striving to know and be “right”
• A rewards structure emphasizing clear, objective decision making, intellectual achievement and accountability
• A task and results focus

Individuals with under-developed Thinking tend to be:

• Overly or arbitrarily critical
• Indecisive
• Unconcerned with their own ignorance
• Unable or reluctant to weigh and analyze data
• Disorganized in their thinking and problem solving
• Unable or unwilling to disassociate issues or problems from self

Organizations with under-developed Thinking tend to have:

• Illogical, inconsistent decisions, policies, and/or product decisions
• No rewards system and maybe even active punishments that emphasizes accountability
• General business system disorganization and a lack of task accomplishment
• Wrong, ineffective, or unintelligent solutions to client needs or product and service offerings
• Inability or unwillingness to learn from feedback, experiences or mistakes, seeing all as reminders of shame rather than opportunities to learn and develop

Next Steps:

Long a thought and training leader in Type Development, OKA offers two compelling and completely different training approaches to anyone interested in better understanding and more powerfully using Type.

Pearman Certification introduces participants to the newest and sharpest Type tool, the Pearman Personality Integrator. This two-day class is offered in-person and online and empowers its participants to use this great new tool to support and drive focused Type Development.

Using Type for Coaching and Development is a rich and sophisticated deep dive into Type Theory, the MBTI and Type Development. In this interactive, two-day class, participants come to understand and learn how to teach and apply Type Dynamics (dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior functions), balance and Type Development–even getting to practice accessing and using each of the four mental functions.

OKA also publishes the Type Development Workbook, by Hile Rutledge to support the deep dive into Type Dynamics and Type Development.

Consider these other OKA Type Development blog titles

• OKA’s Type Development Series–Developing T
• OKA’s Type Development Series–#2: The Logic of Feeling
• OKA’s Type Development Series–Developing Feeling
• OKA’s Type Development Series–#3: The Possibilities of Sensing
• OKA’s Type Development Series–Developing S
• OKA’s Type Development Series–#4: The Details of iNtuition
• OKA’s Type Development Series–Developing N