When you think of business owners and entrepreneurs, do you often assume that in order to be successful, you have to be an Extrovert (E)? 

You know, the idea that it takes a lot of time and energy to start a business of your own and you really need to be able to put yourself out there. 

And “Introverts” (I) aren’t naturally drawn to this, so there’s no way you could be an entrepreneur or small business owner if you are in fact, gulp, an Introvert...? 

(This is the part of the movie where the scary, doomsday music would start to play….)

But wait...hold on...before you turn your computer back in and shut down the office, keep reading...especially if you, yourself, are an Introvert...rest assured...all is not lost.

I’m here to tell you that Introverts also make very successful entrepreneurs.

Although putting yourself “out there”, promoting yourself or your business, along with networking does burn up more energy for Introverts, there are lots of incredible traits they also bring to the table to balance things out.

For example, Introverts (I) are great at reflecting and being intentional about their efforts. They know everything they are doing for their business has a purpose and are highly committed and focused on their ideas. 

This is also true for other preferences within the Myers-Briggs Personality tool too.

Those with a “Sensing” (S) preference are adept at paying attention to the nitty gritty details of plans and projects. They are excellent at routines and systems and carrying out the myriad of details required to run a business. 

Intuitives (N), those with a preference for Intuitive learning, are able to easily see the bigger picture and are often quite innovative. These are the “out of the box” thinkers, the visionaries, the “big idea” people. 

Some businesses need fine details sorted out to be successful, other businesses need innovation and a holistic approach. Both of these MBTI type preferences bring unique strengths to the table that will benefit their business.

Thinkers (T), those with a preference for a more logical decision making style, are practical and down to Earth. Thinkers are great at applying logic and analysis to the task at hand. They are incredible at analyzing information and applying it to the bottom line.

Feelers (F), those with a preference for a more value-centered decision making style, thrive off of relationships and make excellent ambassadors of a brand.

Feelers can establish great professional relationships for their business and are naturals when it comes to developing meaningful connections within teams as well as the customer base.

As you can see, every personality type has the potential to be a successful business owner or entrepreneur. It really all comes down to knowing who you are and how you tick. 

Once you unlock these insights into who you are and your strengths as well as areas of growth, it’s easy to create a specific and effective plan for both your team as well as your overall mission, that includes growing your team with the “rite type” of people doing the “rite type” of work. 

Personality type is not about pigeon-holing you, or putting you in a box and predicting how you are going to act or succeed in your future.

As human beings, we are dynamic and no one “paper and pencil” test is going to adequately capture all of who you are. That said, learning about  your Myers-Briggs Type is an excellent jumping off place to learn more about who you are and what you need to thrive and be a successful entrepreneur and business owner.

It’s like acquiring your own personal “guide book” for your success. Priceless, huh? I think so.

Let’s chat. It’s time to grow!

Here's To Your Success,
​Kate

Knowing your personality type allows you to know where you need to grow as an entrepreneur.

If you take "whole-type" out of the equation for the moment and just strictly look at differences between preference pairs when it comes to entrepreneurship, there is an incredible amount of invaluable information that you can learn!!!!

For example, the preference type pair Judging & Perceiving represents different abilities for business owners.

Those with a preference for a Judging (J) preference find time management and organization a naturally easy task. Those with a preference for Judging as a way of organizing in the world are methodical and systematic, often developing routine approaches to work.

In this sense, Judgers are natural managers.

Perceivers (P) on the other hand often have a "different" way of managing that is not always appreciated in a traditional work environment.

Perceivers have a preference for being adaptable and often come up with flexible and innovative approaches to work, improvising as needed.  Those with a preference for Perceiving, loooove to start things but might struggle a little bit when it comes time to finish or follow through.

Perceivers also may find it easier sometimes to pivot when things are working out as planned. Which is definitely an essential skill when it comes to entrepreneurship.

Judgers are also great at meeting deadlines and following through on important projects. Again, a necessary skill of an entrepreneur. 

Not better, just different.

Being a small business owner and entrepreneur means that many challenges and obstacles will be thrown at you.

Knowing who you are and how you tick will allow you to leverage your skills and play to your strengths as well as know when to bring in outside help to fill the gaps where you might lack skills needed to grow or scale your business.

Everyone has the ability to be successful at entrepreneurship and business ownership. The more you can know about who you are and how you tick, the better able you'll be to maximize your teams and accelerate your results!!!

If you’re ready to grow and scale yourself so that your business can follow, let’s talk.

Yours in Innovation,
Kate

One of the "go-to" questions in an interview is "what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses". It's a question that is asked in some variation in pretty much every single job interview.

The truth is, we all have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to work and our professional life. Knowing what these are and how to work with them is the key to success in your career and your life.

Well...so what does this have to do with being a business owner or entrepreneur?

Grab a cuppa and read on…

Are you exploring your strengths and weaknesses as well? Your business is only going to grow as far as you are willing to grow your own skills and abilities.

It’s true: leadership sets the tone and level of productivity through who you are and how you lead and engage your people.

Learning about why you react the way you do, your leadership style, your gifts, your areas for growth, even learning about how and why you are more productive in certain situations compared to others, are powerful skill sets to have as a leader.

If only there was a tool, or a manual of some sort that could help us dig deeper within ourselves to understand why we are the way we are and why we are better at somethings in the workplace and need improvement in other things.

Check this out….drum roll please.....there IS one!!!!!!

Would you be interested in learning how to leverage who you are in order to become the best leader you can possibly be?!?!?

What if I could give you the secret password to unlock your own “personal manual” to life so that you could gain an unfair advantage over your competitors?

Imagine that you could learn how to engage your employees in a way that genuinely created loyalty and productivity for the long haul…

Or imagine this...you’d be able to quickly and easily engage your customers with “messages that matter”, building those kinds of long-term and loyal relationships that are so essential for businesses to thrive…?

Well, I’m ready to give you the inside secret that is going to help you unlock your own genius inside so that you can do all this and more.

You ready…? Are you listening…? Here goes…

Your own personal manual is called your Myers-Briggs Type!

Are you having a bit of an “ah-ha”, light bulb moment? How could it be so obvious??

Did you know that your personality type is the manual to go to when you want to learn everything about yourself, including your strengths as well as areas for growth?

It’s also the number one tool for learning how to tap into your sweet spot so that you can thrive in your business and life.

Yup. It’s true.

Knowing how you like to work, the environment you work best in, how you get along with others, as well as, what kind of management style you respond best to...all these nuggets are things you need to know to properly represent and promote yourself and your business.

It's an essential practice for you to engage in as a business owner. Here’s why:

Your team is only going to be able to grow and thrive to the level that you are doing so for yourself.

As a business owner and entrepreneur you may not always consider how your strengths and weaknesses impact your teams and your business success. You might not even know your personality type or really who you are as a person.

And this is what is going to hold you, your teams and ultimately your business back from achieving the kind of success you’ve always dreamed you would have.

Each MBTI type has its own strengths and weaknesses and to be a successful business owner, you need to understand your own personal strengths and weaknesses just as any other member of your team.

It’s time to learn about your own personality and work style. That is, if you truly want to get where you dream of going.

And that’s what I am here to help you do. Let’s talk.

Here's To Your Success,
​Kate

For a lot of people, continuing education involves going back to school. Whether it is finishing a level you have not completed, or adding more to your previous education. For a lot of people, they don't have the time, money, or resources to continue their education. 

With this amazing tool, the Internet, it has become possible for more people to continue to learn everyday without the commitment of going back to school. They can take classes for certificates, do research, or get involved with groups or people who are also interested in learning about specific topics.

I challenge you to take part in expanding your knowledge by taking a class in your free time, reading an article, or joining a group like my Rite Type Coaching Facebook Group to get involved with a topic you have been passionate about or something you can apply to your everyday life.

Yours in Innovation,
​Kate

Can you think back to a time when life seemed much more simple? When you were a kid and one of your biggest priorities was the playground? 

On the playground, there always seemed to be two types of kids. 

There was the type that was always organizing the kickball game. These kids would tell others where to stand or tell others what position they were playing. These kids always seemed like the ones in charge.

There were also the type of kids who stood in the outfield and picked daisies. Or if they did not want to play kickball that day, they would go over and see what the four square kids were up to. It really depended on the day and how they were feeling; there seemed to be no care about which game to play on the playground that day.

Well as we are all adults now, those preferences from when we were younger often follow us throughout our lives.

These preferences in our personality are the Judging and Feeling MBTI types. These types really have distinct energies between them and how each type lives their lives and how these types play out in the workplace.

When it comes to management, we think back to those kids who organized every part of the kickball game. Those types would be Judgers. They are the more natural managers, especially in the United States culture. This type reflects the more typical management style we see. Judgers thrive off of structure, systems, routines, checklists, and are skilled at time management. 

The kids who picked daisies or changed what game they played everyday would be typed as a Perceiver. Perceivers are more spontaneous and go with the flow; they live their lives more flexibly. 

A common difference between the two types is that Judgers manage their lives and Perceivers live their lives.

I, for example, am a Judger. 

I can pretty much tell you everything I am doing tomorrow based off of my schedule. I really need to separate out work and play. I will not be able to relax at the end of a long workday if I did not get everything done on my checklist; it would disrupt my ability to unwind. 

My partner on the other hand, is a total Perceiver. If you asked what they were doing tomorrow, they would tell you it really depends on how they feel when they wake up. Play and work can be easily intertwined for Perceivers.

As you can see, there are two totally different energies and distinct differences between the two types. 

But that does not mean Perceives cannot be managers. 

Perceivers as managers just have a much different style of managing. It's often classified as “out of the box”. Perceivers as managers have an atypical management style that is more flexible, easy-going and maybe even more innovative. 

Perceivers also have a harder time finishing things. A lot of their energy is focused on starting a task, in which they are really easily motivated. However, deadlines and finishing the task are where P’s struggle. 

Judgers are the opposite, they do not feel accomplished until the task is finished.

With all of these differences, it is really not a matter of who is a “better” manager when it comes to Judgers versus Perceivers. 

However, we do live in a culture that traditionally values Judgers as managers. 

Perceivers as managers may often receive a lot of grief or bias towards their management style due to the untraditional aspects of it.

Management styles may also make more of a difference when looking at success across various industries. If you think about it...J’s are more likely to thrive in business or financial worlds, compared to P’s who may get more out of a creative sphere. 

Again, it is not a matter of what type is a “better” manager. It's about recognizing and valuing the differences. 

So who were you on the playground...? 

A little Judger who made sure the kickball game ran smoothly? Or a little Perceiver who was able to be flexible and play any game you chose?

Yours in Innovation,
Kate

It is an ugly truth that we need to face...Conflict is inevitable. 

Honestly, you can’t get along with everyone. (As much as you might like to.)

As I mentioned in my last email, we know that most conflicts (especially in the workplace) are a result of differing MBTI personality types. Think of an Extrovert working in a quiet work environment or a Thinker working in a group project. There are going to be some disagreements and conflicts because it is out of their comfort zone in relation to their personality type.

So yes, you will have to deal with conflict at some point in your life in the workplace.

But how do you deal with it? 

Well, that's going to depend on your personality type too!

Just as with everything else, differing personality types really see the opposite sides of the actual conflict as well. Thinkers want to get to the facts of what is happening whereas Feelers tend to focus on the interpersonal relationship and how that affects the dynamic of the conflict.

Judgers focus on how the argument will impact the future and will be relieved when the conflict has ended. Perceivers value other’s input who are also involved in the conflict. 

Each style of conflict resolution is unique to each personality type. It can even mean some types are more likely to speak up when there is a conflict, while other types like to remain more passive.

One of the most noticeable places conflict shows up in MBTI is between Thinking and Feeling types. 

Thinkers feel rewarded when the job is well done; overall team "wellness" isn't top priority. The bottom line is really the biggest indicator of success for Thinkers. On the other hand, Feelers feel rewarded when everyone’s needs are met first and foremost. 

As a very gross generalization, Thinkers may be more likely to speak up when there is conflict. Feelers will be drained of energy if there is conflict and will be less likely to bring attention to the issue.

I am not a fan of generalizations as everyone is different when it comes to their personality types and the impact that has on their overall experience. That's why I also look at someone's Enneagram type as a significant role in the way they deal with conflict.

Think of it this way...

Conflict is a stress point. No matter how we deal with the conflict, it causes some sort of stress for a person. So, dealing with conflict in the workplace has much more to do with your Enneagram and how it is nuanced by your MBTI type. 

Your approach to handling conflict resolution in the workplace requires you to understand how the different types react to conflict.

Personally...as a Feeler, I notice when others I am working with aren’t as receptive to relationships and bonding beyond the work. I take note of that as something that can affect my work negatively. While it does not always necessarily mean that there will be a conflict, my productivity of work and ability to be creative may be lessened.

Another example in my distant past (I have gotten much better about this!) was when it was hard for me to tell people “no”. 

If my friends invited me out to eat, I would have a hard time declining the offer when all I really wanted to do was go home and put on my fuzzy pajamas. Because I am really aware of how much my actions will affect other people, I like to "keep the peace" so to speak. 

Feelers really tend to go against themselves to make sure that everyone is happy. (Raise your hand if you can relate...!)

So all in all, some personality types avoid conflict like the plague. Others are more open to addressing it. 

The reality is that in the workplace conflict will need to be addressed sooner or later. It can't be avoided - no matter how hard we may try sometimes!

To do so, it's valuable to start recognizing how you typically deal with conflict. 

Will your usual means of resolution be effective with an opposing personality type? If not, it might be time to dig deeper and learn how to handle conflict in the workplace through a place of understanding. 

Learning more about personality types is a great place to start!

This is all about working with people in a way that suits each individual person's style!

Yours in Innovation,
Kate

Recently, I’ve been hearing lots of people asking “how can I help” in response to the rioting and violence that is happening in response to the heart-wrenching brutality and subsequent death last week of George Floyd. 

Being a mental health clinician (someone once called me a “soul farmer”), a human committed to living connected to my heart and someone who cares deeply about deep, systemic, embodied emotional change for others as well as of our world, I felt called to share some of my uncensored thoughts about this.

I woke up this morning thinking, as I often do, about how there really is an easy answer to how to fix these “unfixable” problems. 

In fact, the answer to this is so simple. Although it’s simple, it’s not easy and likely something many people are not going to want to hear, let alone begin to do.

And yet, this is the way.
Listening is only the beginning. It’s a great start, but it is not going to be enough to bring about the deep and lasting paradigm shifts that our world so desperately needs.

Our efforts need to go a step further than just listening. 

Hate and violence that is acted out onto others, both from our leadership as well as the groups that are instigating all the violence in the protesting, as well as the ongoing subtle hate and violence that gets perpetuated through stereotypes and preventing others from having equal opportunities….

Every single molecule of hate and violence that we are seeing right now is because we as a nation, a world and most importantly individuals are NOT ABLE to actually feel our hate and violence and so it gets acted out upon others. 

When we oppress or discriminate, we are doing to others what is unable to be felt inside of ourselves. We are spreading that energy outward and perpetuating the very problems we are all exclaiming "this needs to change"...! 

Change doesn't start "out there". This ain’t really about an “outside job”. Yea, there are issues with our system that need to change. 

But if we only work for this first-order change around outside systems, it’s not going to go very far. Look at our past.
That change that we so desperately need right now is a deeper, second-order change kind of process. That takes more time and energy upfront, might even “hurt” a little bit but brings that systemic lasting change our country desperately needs. 

This deeper systemic change starts inside each one of us with a willingness to take a deep breath and dive underneath the waves of violence and hatred that are flowing throughout our country. 

It requires each of us to dive underneath the waves of systemic discrimination and oppression that has become easier for a large majority of people to "go along with".

We do this because it is easier and less painful to act out on others than to have to feel the deep, personal places where you were hated or marginalized energetically somewhere in your past and no one was there to hold you and support you as you breathed through that and cleared it out of your body.

That is the only way that deep and lasting change can happen: for each one of us as individuals to go inward and dive underneath the surface of our lives with a willingness to explore the depths of our unconscious pain that we did not get the support to feel at the time of its happening. 

All it takes for trauma to take up residence in our bodies is for something to happen and then feelings about it are not allowed or supported.

It’s easy to keep looking “out there” for answers to our problems. But those solutions will not fully address the core of these issues.

We are a country that in theory, believes it is important to pay attention to your heart. However, in practice, we’ve become a society that lives without connection to your heart.

If you don’t believe me, look around. Violence. Hatred. Oppression. All this being acted out on others. Keeping someone else marginalized.

These urgent social issues stem from an “inside job”; our “outside world” systems are merely reflections of our inner world. 

Talking about feelings is one thing. It's like pulling weeds out at the surface of the ground. 

They are cleared away for a temporary amount of time but will always come back. 

In order for deep and lasting systemic change to happen, we have to be willing to get on the ground, stick our hands in the dirt and clear these weeds out at the root. We have to be willing to reconnect to our hearts and feel, truly feel in your body, how these exist inside of you. 

This solution takes more time, energy and hurts a whole lot more. But that is the only way these problems will ever go away. The more you make room for yourself and all your experiences, the more room you will organically be able to make room for others. 
So, how do we help? 

It's like Ghandi said: "Be the change you want to see". 

Start now with you. Desire to know how your unowned violence and hatred inside are impacting our systems and the perpetuation of oppression and hate.

Be willing to look inward and begin the necessary, painful and courageous journey of a lifetime. Breathe into your own hate and violence, feel it, own it so that it can be on its way.

It’s not always fun, but this is the way.

Be safe and well. I look forward to meeting you sometime in the near future.

In Healing,
​Kate

There aren't many things more anxiety-inducing than not getting along with someone in the workplace. 

We've all been there...You and a co-worker don't quite mesh well together, but you each play instrumental roles on the team. 

You don't enjoy the tension during team meetings, but you desperately don’t want conflict to mess with your professional life either.

It's an all-around uncomfortable situation to be in.  

But it's also something that's difficult to avoid when we often interact with so many different people over the course of our careers. There's bound to be some sort of conflict along the way.

But what causes work conflict? Is it the competitive environment? Is it the workload that pushes people over the edge?

There are certainly all kinds of reasons; however, the lasting, pervasive, and most stressful causes have to do with the inside world rather than the specifics or details of the outside world.

I like to call it an inside job. 

Well what does that mean? Does it mean that you let your emotions or inner feelings strongly affect your work?

No, not necessarily. 

It's more about how we approach our work in alignment with our personality types. It means that these long-lasting, deep-rooted conflicts at work are often caused by differing Myers-Briggs types. 

An example of MBTI types causing work conflicts could be a Sensing boss and an Intuitive worker. 

A Sensing boss may prefer his employees to be linear and work off of agendas with a clear plan and process. 

However, as an Intuitive employee, you tend to think more generally and “out of the box”. Working off of agendas is just not how you get your work done. 

This conflict is focused around what your boss wants you to do and what they think is most important versus what you believe is the right way to do things.

A clash of styles. And guess who wins most every time? (This is EXACTLY how power issues can also interfere with morale and productivity too.)

Another example is the differences between Introverts and Extroverts. 
Their productivity levels may vary drastically based on the actual physical environment. 

Introverts tend to need their own space to focus and concentrate. Alternatively, Extroverts often work well in a communal environment with the opportunity to bounce ideas around. 

And then consider this: some employees may be Thinkers and others, Feelers. Working as a team, Thinkers may not care as much about the harmony of the environment. Their priority is to get the work done. 

Feelers, on the other hand, want to get the work done, but prefer to have everyone involved. Have you ever experienced a situation like this? 

You may not have realized at the time, but it was quite likely attributable to differing MBTI personality types. And easily fixable using type as well.

Who'd have thought?!

I am personally a Feeler when it comes to workplace relationships. 

I really value a coach or a mentor that is interested in relationships and me as a person. If the relationship is not there from my coach or mentor, it doesn't matter how qualfied they are, I will find other resources that best fit the values that feed me. That's just how it works for me.

So here's the thing...

There will always be differing personalities at work. 

It's what gives our world such vibrancy and makes each workplace different than the next. It's in the acknowledgment of this that we can really make a difference with improving overall company culture.  

Interested in learning more? 

Schedule a time with me to find out more about how to best deal with your workplace conflicts. Understanding MBTI types truly makes all the difference! 

Yours in Innovation,
​Kate