ISTP Workplace should give this Myers Briggs type the chance to have an internal focus so that they get the opportunity to nurture their thoughts.
ISTP, as we all know, stands for Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving personality type. These individuals use logic and rationality to make concrete decisions while working on projects in their professional fields.
The topmost requirement of ISTP at a workplace is to get a feel of excitement and unpredictability. This quality tends to make their relationships quite challenging among close friends, family members, and relatives.
Unfortunately, those who only come to know them in the professional setup can become frustrated by ISTPs’ behavioral patterns.
Ideally, an ISTP looks for a workplace that enables them to use their resources, deal with crisis management and notice the tangible result.
In this article, we will discuss how an ISTP manages different roles in an organization, how they resolve conflict among colleagues and the unique communication style that helps set them apart from the other 16 personality types.
ISTP Workplace
In the workplace, ISTPs use their industrious nature to add immense problem-solving skills and value. They are presentable and practical people who are always on the lookout for specific kinds of work environments. Despite this desire, ISTPs can naturally adapt themselves to any situation.
The good thing is that people love having an ISTP as their colleague in an office. As they are good at solving problems, ISTP gives everyone a sense of assurance that they need not worry about issues hampering work.
These people do not make much fuss about their role as problem-solvers in an office. Still, their effort speaks for itself. They gain recognition for their proficiency in this area. The most important thing is that ISTPs love involving themselves in solving issues that sit in one place and do their work silently.
Moreover, this Myers-Briggs personality type does not prefer working under rules and regulations. They look to have a free run. Their secondary function of extraverted sensing provides them with the need for independence and autonomy.
ISTPs are good workers who do not need others to micromanage them. It is something that causes a lot of irritation among these people.
They will feel stifled and undergo phases of resentment. Their stubbornness comes to the forefront whenever anyone tries to make them work under a specific structure.
These individuals are always open to changes. They love to keep things open-ended. No one knows what each day might bring to the table, but these people hope for something new and exciting to greet them every day.
If they do not find new things with a pinch of excitement, ISTPs will find ways to engage themselves in activities outside office hours to rejuvenate themselves. This tendency makes them switch jobs frequently to seek novelty in a work environment.
They are great as colleagues. Even though they stay reserved and require spending time for themselves, ISTPs also love peeping into others’ activities to see if interesting things are going on.
Due to their inability to regulate emotions, their straightforward manner of communication can result in hurt feelings or misunderstandings.
If you manage a company, you will enjoy having a subordinate carrying an ISTP personality. Their laid-back approach, at times, can be misleading, but they come as one of the most loyal employees until you do not force them to do something they cannot undo the next day.
Let us now discuss the different roles of an ISTP person in the workplace and see how they deal with them to impress at the workplace –
ISTP as a colleague
When an ISTP personality type individual is your colleague, you will surely enjoy his presence in the team. He will be a quiet and reserved person. Working styles vary from one person to another. Therefore, they will need personal space to work at their own pace and deliver concrete results.
While working as a team, you would feel glad to have this person for his sheer ability to resolve problems effectively. An ISTP will never restrict himself from looking into others’ work to see if they can indulge themselves in something happening.
He is someone who will always call a spade a spade. They cannot sugar coat words for others’ liking.
Due to this reason, they often fall prey to hurt sentiments or misunderstandings. Therefore, if you want to put forward your viewpoint to an ISTP, focus on presenting your points with logical reasoning.
These people combine their quiet and rationalistic nature with a bit of spontaneity. It ensures that you create a sense of fairness. Moreover, they are always up for having fun with their colleagues, cracking jokes here and there. They even have the potential to retaliate during debates with facts.
None of their colleagues would ever manage to bully their ISTP colleagues. It is because of their ability to tolerate differences, which very few can match. They will accept others with different ideas and opinions while doing things with a friendly shrug.
These individuals are always willing to innovate while carrying out any responsibility. The good nature of an ISTP colleague tends to rub off on others, thus enabling the work toward the common goal of harmoniously achieving the organization’s objectives.
ISTP as a subordinate
ISTPs are calm and relaxed individuals who always try to stay cheerful under all circumstances. They will remain loyal to their seniors and work as per instructions. Once an ISTP sees their senior allotting work, which they will not manage to alter the very next day, this individual will look for another suitable job.
This Myers-Briggs type does not like to remain under strict rules, agreements, and guidelines. These things make them suffer from suffocation, feel stifled, and hence boredom set in their system.
It can make the day in an office for the ISTP if his manager asks him to fix a random long list of things. They have the unique talent of preserving their energy for handling these types of activities. The level of enthusiasm from them will surprise one and all.
The crucial aspect that results in satisfaction among ISTP individuals is their hands-on work. They do not like to make promises but rather act on them to get fruitful results.
Due to sound technical knowledge, an ISTP subordinate can become a leader among the employees and lead them effectively. He carries a vision for identifying practicalities along with other details, which enables them to make effective decisions at the right time.
Anything with a purpose possessing functionality and applying it to the modern world will get the best out of an ISTP employee. Team leaders and managers need to identify their potential and allot work accordingly to achieve the best results for the organization.
This type of people working as subordinates will not get accustomed to leadership styles that supervise, restrict their freedom, and need them to produce ideas for contributing toward an organization’s long-term plan.
Despite ISTPs enjoying numerous advantages while working as subordinates, one big problem always lurks around the corner for them. They tend to act too soon, take their easy-going nature for granted, and consider that their other colleagues have similar traits.
ISTP as a manager
While undertaking the role of a manager, an ISTP individual will always treat his subordinates the way he wants others to treat him. As he is action oriented, he will follow his instincts and encourage maximum work and minimum discussion. He will give complete freedom to his employees and let them work independently.
His lack of interference will ensure the best efforts from employees resulting in the fulfilment of organizational objectives with utmost ease and comfort. These managers do not favour having adulatory subordinates in the office.
All these attempts will not have any effect as ISTP gives more value to performance than anything else. Hence, focusing on delivering the best performances every quarter will attract accolades from an ISTP manager.
Just like he does not want any employees to flatter him in any manner, similarly, while working as a manager, an ISTP will never praise any of his employees if they perform well. Even if he is happy, he will not show any emotion to make others realize someone has impressed him with their performance.
On top of all these, he will give everyone the impression that he is staying aloof and not recognizing anyone’s effort in the organization. The reality is not that. You can rest assured that an ISTP manager will always keep a watch over the proceedings.
Some occasions can arise in an organization that requires a manager’s intervention for a quick resolution. Under those circumstances, if a manager is an ISTP type, he will use his technical skills to handle them practically. He would pay attention to understanding the details of problems and accordingly offer impartial solutions.
He will maintain a proper balance to undertake stakeholder analysis while keeping their best interests in mind. It will ensure that the judgment is fair and does not affect anyone’s sentiments. As a manager, he must consider all those things that will bring back sanity to the proceedings and not hamper his organization’s reputation.
ISTP Personality Type and Workplace Communication
Every individual has a particular style of communicating with others. It happens to be in line with their nature and type of personality. The case is no different for an ISTP person.
They carry a personality that does not allow them to share emotional or personal information at the workplace. It is also important that others must also present their points of view to an ISTP in a short, sweet, and objective manner.
There is no need to get into small talk or pretend to be nice to him before getting into serious business. These tricks will not serve any purpose, but you will only waste your precious time.
The kind of personality that an ISTP carries, keeping that in mind, they hate dealing with theoretical or abstract issues. Even if anyone presents the big picture and talks about global problems and their future consequences in their profession, they will not manage to make him act.
ISTPs prefer having communication when they can connect those global issues to any practical problem. Once that happens, you can tell them about the immediate measures one can take to solve them.
Another crucial aspect of communicating with an ISTP at a workplace is that they will always bank on concrete data and facts. They tend to focus on that information that carries a connection to what they are already aware of and trust. When anyone wishes to pass on new information to them, they should do so in a systematic manner.
If there is a possibility, one should always let an ISTP person use their five senses to accept new data rather than simply communicating to them about the same.
Moreover, ISTPs always stay motivated to come up with the most efficient way to move forward, talk to them about the task’s objectives and let them gain the freedom to operate independently. They will find the best solutions.
In this respect, remember not to tell an ISTP the methods they should adopt to attain their objective. They know them very well. Telling them will only stifle their instincts.
Business Meeting with an ISTP Personality Type
An ISTP person is not a fan of getting into meetings and discussions. They will prefer to act than sit back and discuss matters across the table. Therefore, if you are willing to have a business meeting with an ISTP individual, you must have a set schedule.
You must get straight to the point of discussion without beating around the bush. It is because an ISTP will never enjoy this. They will get bored and might soon end the meeting abruptly.
If the meeting is to find the solution to a problem, like a dip in sales or profit margin, then the ISTP person will only prefer discussing the issue and resolving it at the earliest. They might think of giving his team members more time to execute the set plans, or if they genuinely feel the need to act, he will formulate the action plan in the meeting.
You will only test an ISTP’s patience if you get into detailed discussions. Then, he might even neglect that they will have to work with others.
ISTP Personality Type and Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
ISTPs are calm and laid-back individuals who do not have time for loose talks but are always willing to act on plans with a practical mindset. When it comes to conflict in the workplace, they hate dealing with them. Hence, often, they tend to avoid them.
Their tendency to avoid situations remains, until any situation or an individual forces them to face the issue. They will use different means to avoid coming under stress from the conflict, which might also result in making sacrifices in life.
When they do decide to resolve the conflict inside the workplace, they tend to approach the problem from their logical perspective. An individual with an ISTP personality will not consult anyone else for advice but only act on those personal decisions which they feel would bring favorable results.
To Sum Up
It is a pleasure to have an ISTP at a workplace. He will only add value and contribute positively toward the growth of an organization.
Their ability to solve complex problems will attract the attention of colleagues and managers.
When they take up a responsible position, they will give complete freedom to let their subordinates work independently.
Their easy-going approach will rub off on others and ensure the build-up of a cordial atmosphere inside the organization.
