Shadow Coaches

Your shadow is the side of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) that’s out-of-preference for you. For example, if you’re naturally Extroverted, your shadow is Introversion. As you gain awareness of your shadow, you can practice flexing it and developing greater agility with those around you.

If you complete a type table (the chart that shows how your peers line up against the 16 types), you have the additional advantage of knowing where to go to get insight into your shadow. For example, if you’re a Thinker and have to send an email that could trigger sensitivities, identify a Feeler you could share it with prior to hitting Send. Or, if you’re an iNtuitive and are faced with a task requiring scrupulous attention to detail, consider soliciting help or advice from a Sensor.

If you practice looking at day-to-day challenges through the lens of the Myers-Briggs, you can more objectively identify triggers and frustrations AND come up with solutions that involve flexing your shadow or building helpful relationships with others. Shadow coaches are great way of maintaining your momentum and developing your interpersonal skills.