Friday, December 21, 2007

Judging vs. Perceiving Activities for Trainers

Judging-Perceiving (J-P) (outward preference for structure or flexibility)
distinguishes an outward preference for having things planned and organized (Judging) versus a flexible style based more on staying open to options than deciding (Perceiving).

1. Reviewing what you did last weekend.
2. Discuss a topic. I usually use "the environment" because it's something everyone can contribute *something* to, is a very broad topic (which drives the Js crazy, and illustrates their need to structure everything), and is relatively boring to the Ps, which allows them to feel all right about straying from the topic.
3. I have used an exercise where I put signs on opposite ends of the wall: "I must finish my work before I play." "I can play anytime." Then have participants line up where they feel the fall on that spectrum and explain why they are standing where they are and what each statement means to them.
4. Ask them what they would do with $100 given to them. The Judgers pay their bills, save some, and perhaps have a nice dinner. The Perceivers gamble, make more, and then spend on vacations, gambling, new stereos, etc. Or you've just inherited a large sum of money. what would you do with it ?
5. Have the groups separate and have one go outside the room. Take the first group, put them in a 'fishbowl' and have the group discuss something fairly benign for your group. I have used the environment, or the difference between the east coast and west coast. Have the group write down on a flipchart what they have discussed. Let the group tell you when they are done. Hint: be sure to look at the makeup of I/E in this exercise if possible.
6. What do you plan to do this weekend? Planning a party will also bring a lot of insight. We've seen J groups approach this like a really serious business launch. "Organized fun" was a description.
7. Use a future event for them to plan. It seems to me that you can get a better view of the divergence of the P thought process and the convergence of the J process when you're doing a "planning" activity.

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