ISTJ
On A Team

The following is adapted from Linda V. Berens, Linda K. Ernst and Melissa Smith, Quick Guide to the 16 Personality Types and Teams (Telos Publications, 2005) *Used with permission.

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How ISTJs Build Relationships
For them, team relationships are about responsibility and follow-through. They enjoy giving their time and experience and want to set an example of a good worker for associates. They often have a natural feeling of loyalty to their roles and take themselves very seriously, sometimes tolerating conditions most people would avoid. Thoughtfulness and steadiness are the cornerstones of their relationships. They are very private people who don’t like a lot of attention. They tend to be observers in a group and will withdraw or stand back rather than press their point if not readily understood.

How ISTJs Deal with Conflict
They tend to put up with conflict rather than confront it—often to the point of personal stress. To deal with conflict they first move away from it, often physically, then they may come back to make the situation better with a calmer focus. They appreciate having conflict managed in a calm, thought-through manner.

To Forge Better Relationships with ISTJs…
Provide a team environment that honors their need for solitude and periods of time for learning, reflection, and planning. For them, change requires time to sit back, take it all in, and think about it—a process that will require patience on the part of teammates. To help that process, be certain to present change in terms of usefulness or practicality. Acknowledge their attention to duty and exceptional use of quantitative and standardizing skills. Make incentives tangible, tried, and proven. On a team, they usually welcome opportunities to develop their interpersonal communication skills and will appreciate anyone who “gets” their subtle sense of humor.

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How ISTJs Approach Doing Work
They will focus first on getting an orderly and systematic plan in place. They want roles clearly assigned, recognizing the importance of clear lines of authority with clear expectations. They are likely to feel responsible for the work of the whole team and may wind up overworked. Being prepared and able to follow through is very important to them.

How ISTJs Make Decisions
They tend to decide quickly when they believe they understand the situation and the desired outcome. The decisions that come easily for them are ones about the logistics of a situation, so their focus will go to those kinds of situations. When more complex strategic decisions are needed, they may feel overwhelmed and exhausted or impatient. When decisions related to members of the team are called for, they tend to be as helpful as possible.

How ISTJs Respond to Change
They face change cautiously. When the situation is unfamiliar, they first try to relate it to their previous experiences. Once they’ve made a decision, it is not easily changed unless it can be shown to be impractical and unworkable. Being able to describe the end product of the change in as much detail as possible helps them get on board with the change.

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The following is adapted from Linda V. Berens, Linda K. Ernst and Melissa Smith, Quick Guide to the 16 Personality Types and Teams (Telos Publications, 2005) *Used with permission.