Approximately 80% of what a pastor does on a day-to-day basis involves inter-personal relations.

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1 If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau

2 Approximately 80% of what a pastor does on a day-to-day basis involves inter-personal relations. Roy Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 38.

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6 Four Temperament Plato 340 BC Aristotle 325 BC Hippocrates 370 BC Paracelsus 1550 Adickes 1907 Spränger 1914 Kretschmer 1921 Fromm 1947 Myers 1955 Keirsey 1978 Keirsey 1987 Idealist Ethical Choleric Inspired Dogmatic Religious Hyperesthetic Receptive Feeling Apollonian Idealists Rational Dialectical Phlegmatic Curious Agnostic Theoretical Anesthetic Marketing Thoughtful Promethean Rationals Guardian Proprietary Melancholic Industrious Traditional Economic Depressive Hoarding Judicious Epimethean Guardians Artisan Hedonic Sanguine Changeable Innovative Esthetic Hypomanic Exploiting Perceptive Dionysian Artisans

7 Early 20 th Century Debate People are born with dispositions People are not born with dispositions (behaviorists) Ivan Pavlov John Watson

8 Early 20 th Century Debate People are born with unique motives People are not born with unique motives (hierarchical motivation) Sigmund Freud Lust Alfred Adler Social Solidarity Harry Sullivan Social Status Carl Rogers Self Actualization Abraham Maslow Self Actualization

9 Carl Jung s Psychological Types Jung's book Psychological Types, published in 1921, studied ancient and modern cultures. The premise of his work was to discover How people take in information (sensing or intuition) How people make decisions (thinking or feeling). He also studied two core mental functions relating to how people get and expend their energy (extraversion or introversion).

10 Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator Katherine Briggs began researching personality on her own in 1917, later to realize that Jung s theory was similar to her own discoveries. Isabel Briggs Myers took her mother s thoughts and expanded them. Myers began creating the indicator during World War II to help women entering the work force to discover their most comfortable and effective job. The official Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator was first published in Myers and Briggs added a forth dimension to Jung's scheme focusing on how people deal with the outer world (judging or perceiving).

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12 Big Five Personality Theory Extraversion Agreeableness Conscientiousness Openness to New Experiences Neuroticism Energy, positive emotions, surgency, and the tendency to seek stimulation and the company of others. A tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. A tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behavior. Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience A tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability; sometimes called emotional instability. Extroversion/ Introversion in MBTI Thinking/ Feeling in MBTI Judging/ Perceiving in MBTI Sensing/ Intuition in MBTI Not in MBTI

13 S (Sensing) Process information with five senses What is Present focus Grounded in the practical, concrete aspects of life 70% of people What kind of information do you notice? N (Intuition) Process information by reading in between the lines for meaning What could be Future focus Rely on possibilities and imagination 30% of people

14 Sensing-Intuition Clergy Roles Sensing 43% of clergy Prefer dealing with facts and reality Immanence of God Immediate needs Asks Where is the church now? Provides groundedness in chaos Sermons are more practical Needs to reminded of new possibilities Intuition 57% of clergy Looks for meaning, possibilities, and relationships Transcendence of God Possible future Asks Where should the church be in the 21 st century? Provides change in staleness Sermons are more abstract Needs to be reminded of the facts Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 34-36, 45.

15 J (Judging) Prefer structure, order, and making decisions The matter is settled 55% of people S (Sensing) Process information with five senses What is Present focus P (Perceiving) Prefer spontaneity and taking in more information Our options are open 45% of people

16 Judging-Perceiving Clergy Roles Judging 70% of clergy Decisive, planned, orderly way Energy in organizing and scheduling (seeking closure) Organized religion important Brings stability and dependability Can be perceived as too decisive Sermons are predictable (outlined) Perceiving 30% of clergy Spontaneous, flexible way Energy in taking in more information (maintaining flux) Focus outside organized religion Brings options and freshness Can be perceived as indecisive Sermons are open-ended (options) Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership,

17 T (Thinking) Prefer to make decisions in a logical manner Objective and analytical Stand outside of the situation and analyze its cause and effect 60% of men; 40% of women N (Intuition) Process information by reading in between the lines for meaning What could be Future focus F (Feeling) Prefer to make decisions based on how much they care or what they feel is right Empathetic and compassionate Stand inside the situation to decide what they like and dislike 60% of women; 40% of men

18 Thinking-Feeling Clergy Roles Feeling 68% of clergy Harmony and warmth (tactful) Experience religion and become enveloped in it Keeps the church connected to the people Sermons are more sympathetic (persuasion and emotional impact) Needs encouragement in making tough decisions Thinking 32% of clergy Logical and analytical (truthful) Objectify religion to understand and explain it Keeps the church honest to its rhetoric and tradition Sermons are more objective and conceptual (logic, precision, and clarity) Needs support to arouse enthusiasm Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership, 36-39,

19 NF Idealist SP Artisan SJ Guardian NT Rational Authentic, Relational Pastor Action Oriented Pastor Conserving, Serving Pastor Intellectual, Competent Pastor 12% of people 41% of clergy 38% of people 8% of clergy 38% of people 35% of clergy 12% of people 16% of clergy Searches for authenticity and selfactualization Natural questors, in search of self, wanting to become who they really are Most idealistic and romantic of all types Wants to be engaged, involved, to do something now Bored with the status quo, being spontaneous and impulsive Great in a crisis Caretakers, dutiful to the social units they belong to More comfortable being the giver than the receiver Most responsible of all the types Power over content and surroundings Wants to understand, control, predict, and explain Loves abstract theory and architectural plans Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership.

20 NF (Idealist) -- Authentic, Relational Pastor Very adaptable and optimistic Strengths Pastoral Roles Attached to helping roles to deal with human suffering Love community life as a means of finding their authentic self High interpersonal skills and great empathy Personal growth coach Highly articulate and effective communicators Great at pastoral care Can become a people pleaser Can be seen as too idealistic and simplistic (not practical, down to earth) Sometimes follows the latest fad Pitfall Restless, always searching Can be perceived as insincere Not good at setting personal boundaries, saying no Gospel Failure Risks seduction the most Gospel of Luke (compassion) Failure of relationships Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership,

21 SP (Artisan) -- Action Oriented Pastor Always looking for options/possibilities over structure and order Strengths Pastoral Roles Great at observation (practical pragmatists) Good humor Great in crisis and negotiation Retreat speaker or interim/guest pastor Church planting or churches in rapidly changing environments (new work) Entertainers at heart Impatient with the status quo, theoretical discussions, and meetings (maverick) Loses interest or bored over time and with routine Frustrated with organized religion, confined by pastoral roles Pitfall Irritated when told how to do their work (wants to fly by the seat of their pants ) Careless with details Finds sermon preparation draining Gospel Failure Church and staff desire more follow through (not just new ideas) Gospel of Mark (action) Failure of action Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership,

22 SJ (Guardian) Conserving, Serving Pastor Stabilizing force and loyal (dependable) Offers practical, concrete ways to assist those in pain, need, or distress (common sense) Strengths Servant to all, faithful Brings order to the vision of others (specific over idealistic) Stress on community (belonging) Pastoral Roles Traditional protectors of the rich history of the church, emphasizing the fundamentals Trainer or facilitator Sermons are organized and practical Frustrated with things that are open-ended or unstructured Can become pessimistic Pitfall Vulnerable to burnout Perceived as constantly hammering on rules, regulations, policies (too cautious) Can drive others with little show of appreciation Gospel Failure Irritated with non conformity Gospel of Matthew (authority) Failure of procedure Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership,

23 NT (Rationalist) Intellectual, Competent Pastor Called to ideal of truth and justice Strengths Pastoral Roles Excellence in all they do Desire to understand the science of religion Up to date in every field (competent) Classroom teacher Resident religious authority Apologist Frustrated with laypeople who do not desire deep theological truth Lacks practical application in teaching Pitfall Can be too demanding of others, impatient Self-critical Wrestles with the non-rational side of ministry Gospel Failure Perception of interpersonal distance or theological snobbery Gospel of John (enlightenment) Failure of incompetence Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership,

24 NF Idealist SP Artisan SJ Guardian NT Rational 12% of people 41% of clergy 38% of people 8% of clergy 38% of people 35% of clergy 12% of people 16% of clergy INFJ Counselor 7.6% of clergy ISTP Crafter ISTJ Inspector INTJ Mastermind INFP Healer ISFP Composer ISFJ Protector 8.5% of clergy INTP Architect ENFJ Teacher 16.1% of clergy ESFP Performer ESFJ Provider 12.4% of clergy ENTJ Fieldmarshal 7.3% of clergy ENFP Champion 11.6% of clergy ESTP Promoter ESTJ Supervisor ENTP Inventor Roy M. Oswald and Otto Kroeger, Personality Type and Religious Leadership.

25 Temperament and Spiritual Disciplines You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart (feeling) and with all your soul (intuition) and with all your strength (sensing) and with all your mind (thinking), and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27, ESV

26 Resources Tieger, Paul D. and Barbara Barron-Tieger. Do What You Are. Rev. Ed. Boston: Little Brown, 2001 Oswald, Roy M. and Otto Kroeger. Personality Type and Religious Leadership. Bethesda, MD: Alban, Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II. Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis, 1998.

27 The greatest strength? The greatest liability?

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