Personality Types and Multitasking                                                       By Carol Kallendorf, Ph.D. Have you ever noticed that some people seem to thrive on multi-tasking and others find it frustrating? Several readers of BizWatch have chimed in that personality type influences a person’s approach to multi-tasking. Some shared deep-felt experiences of how their own personality type impacts the way they approach the challenge of multi-tasking.

Carol Kallendorf  multitasks work with R&R on a recent trip

We wholeheartedly agree with these readers. And since the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the practice areas of The Delta Associates, we thought some comments on this were in order.

Of the preference sets in the Myers-Briggs, the two that most influence a person’s approach to multi-tasking are Extraversion and Introversion and Judging and Perceiving. A little context: Extraverts draw their energy from outside themselves—especially from other people. Introverts draw their energy from inside themselves. Judging types like closure—making decisions sooner rather than later. Perceivers like to keep their options open and make decisions later, rather than sooner.

Many Extraverts state that they love multi-tasking. They are energized by the unanticipated interruptions of people dropping by, phone calls, emails. They find that the external pull of people and events jazzes them during the day. Some even say they find it difficult to concentrate on one thing at one time, because their energy for that task seems to sink. Elaine Thomas a business writer and public relations consultant, who operates Calla Communications, Inc.), and is an Extravert, wrote this: "I thrive in a multi-tasking work environment. The constant give-and-take of simultaneously managing different projects feeds my creativity and stimulates my energy. Lock my door, forward the phone to voicemail, turn off the cell phone and put email off limits and I'm as likely as not to get very little done. I'm more likely to get bored! Introverts, on the other hand, often say that multi-tasking is a burden that keeps them from  giving their best concentration to any of the

People with a Judging preference often prefer to "plan their work and work their plan." As a result, they frequently tend toward a more sequential approach to managing projects and issues. Financial Adviser, Darrell E. Rupert, Managing Director of Rupert & Penhall, P.C., whose preference is for Judging says, "I try to be a realist and recognize that sometimes we have no choice but to deal with the crisis at hand. But if given a choice, I prefer to focus all of my faculties on one project at a time. I find that I produce my best results, I am most efficient, and much more creative if I deal with one thing at a time. In our office we have implemented a practice we call ‘uninterrupted time’ for each of our TEAM members. Each of our professionals have a two hour block of time each day that they are not to be interrupted by phone calls or other TEAM members. They close the door to their offices and concentrate on the projects that have the highest priority to them."

Jim Sackman, Chief Technology Officer for Advanced Fibre Communications, who has preferences for both Introversion and Judging, notes that some multitasking is inevitable and even valuable. However, he adds, "There are the daily interrupts. This includes people stopping by, unplanned phone calls, and other unplanned shifts in focus. I find this stuff as horribly negative in time. Then there is the ‘loss of focus’ multitasking. This occurs in groups primarily and is part of the ongoing dialogue and shifting topics. This can be very counter-productive for many as it means that they are wholly unprepared for this new topic and it causes people to lose their ability to contribute effectively."

Perceivers, on the other hand, tend to enjoy the adrenaline rush of juggling multiple priorities concurrently. They enjoy exercising their sense of timing, choosing the opportune moment to act on or complete each task. Randall Dockery, Planning Manager of Advanced Fibre Communications, a Perceiver wrote, "Decisions are not just a logical thought that you come to. They are about the timing and delivery. How many resources would be used to create a complex schedule for a (yawn) day to day routine? How many more resources would be required to police this?"

To be sure, these are generalizations that will not be true in all cases. Other forces—such as the nature of our jobs, the culture of our organizations, and our own upbringing and training—also impact our preference for either multi-tasking or sequential planning.

But the impact of human personality on the issue of multi-tasking is undeniable. And it certainly provides food for thought on how we structure our own days, as well as the work of our teams and employees.