University of Surrey

The university asked The Myers-Briggs Company to create a series of developmental activities to assist research engineers in their transition to the workplace.

The Myers-Briggs Company worked in close partnership with the IDC to address all aspects of this personal development. The resulting programme, based on the MBTI^® instrument, aimed to:

• Explore the impact of interpersonal style on professional development
• Recognise the importance of managing professional relationships
• Learn how to adapt approaches to a situation based on its context
• Enhance individuals’ relationships with colleagues
• Appreciate and take full advantage of the diversity within work and study groups
• Give students an early opportunity for networking.

Using the MBTI process to increase self-awareness, the workshops were designed to help students build a greater understanding of their own behavioural drivers, interpersonal style and likely managerial approach, as well as an appreciation of why others may prefer to work in different ways. Each workshop was built around a series of experiential activities, offering a fun but challenging and thought-provoking learning environment.

Action planning played a key part in each event, with participants exploring the practical actions they wanted to take in order to shape their career paths and achieve their full potential.

The sessions were a resounding success. 93% of participants judged that the workshops would have a positive impact on their future performance. This level of satisfaction is reflected in the university’s eagerness to continue running the training sessions as part of the students’ induction week each year.

The concept of MBTI type has created a new buzz within the EngD programme, becoming part of the researchers’ vocabulary and working process. Thinking in terms of type has broken down some barriers too, such as addressing stereotypes around what are ‘female traits’ and ‘male traits’. These are, instead, being considered as type traits, not based on gender, age, etc.

Students are able to use the acquired knowledge to interact and empathise with people at all levels in an organisation, using enhanced interpersonal and leadership skills. These are areas that, traditionally, have not been addressed by people for whom academic training has been the sole objective. It therefore presents a new challenge, and a new skill – even for the most academically gifted students.

The sessions have become part of a very positive student experience – something central to the aims of a university enjoying great success in a competitive world of fees and league tables.

The Myers-Briggs Company is also running follow-up sessions that address key areas such as stakeholder management.

Noelle Hartley, Manager of the IDC, commented: “Having experienced it myself, I came back to the MBTI tool with enthusiasm and commitment, but I was concerned about the appetite that my community might have for it, as the academic culture and tone is so very different. My reservations were unfounded, and feedback confirms that our students consider type fascinating – and, best of all, useful in their time at the university and their sponsor company.”