The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® Personality Types in Senior Managers of a Fortune 500 Company

Darwin Nelson, Gary Low, and Richard Hammett

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The International Journal of Transformative

Emotional Intelligence:

Research, Theory, and Practice

Contact Information:

Emotional Intelligence Training & Research Institute (EITRI)

P.O. Box 271877

Corpus Christi, TX 78427

888-680-7983

www.eitri.org

Editors:

Richard Hammett

Gary Low

Darwin Nelson

© 2014 by the Emotional Intelligence Training & Research Institute. All rights reserved.

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The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® !67

The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® Personality Types in Senior Managers of a Fortune 500 CompanyDarwin Nelson, Gary Low, and Richard Hammett

Since the beginning schools of psychology have postulated the essence of personality. The problem with most definitions is that personality is fixed from an early age, allowing for relatively few options for positive change and growth. The purpose of this article is to provide a new research-derived definition of personality that allows for life-long learning, development, and improvement. A transformative theory of emotional intelligence (EI) provided the theoretical framework for the study to address how a new EI-centric measure of personality, the Life Style Type Indicator (LSTI®), is related to the popular Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®). The quantitative study involving senior corporate managers (N=93) resulted in 13 significant correlations between LSTI® and MBTI® measures. These findings will be useful to anyone who is interested in helping people change and develop in positive ways.

Introduction

By the beginning of the 21st Century the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator had a 40 year published history and by now, 14 years later, many people have firsthand experience with the popular MBTI® measure of personality. The MBTI® is based on the original work of Carl Jung (1921) who theorized the personality traits of introversion and extroversion, as well as four principal ways that people experience the world using sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking. The MBTI® was extended through the long term research (1940-1961) of Katharine Cook Briggs with her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, and is used worldwide to help people better understand themselves and others in terms of MBTI® personality types. The four MBTI® types published by Myers and Briggs (1961) are provided in Table 1 for quick reference. The four MBTI® continuums are sometimes referred to as dichotomies because they are theoretically inversely related. A person scoring high in extroversion, for example, should naturally score low in introversion. In practice, however, people often score in relative balance on the dichotomies, and so it may be helpful to think of them as continuums.

In contrast to the MBTI®, the Life Style Type

Indicator (LSTI®) is a new EI-centric measure of personality based on the work of Darwin Nelson (2011). The LSTI® is a very brief positive assessment instrument and learning process to help explain personality in terms of another positive paradigm for experiencing the world. The LSTI® process and measure is based on a transformative approach of EI (Nelson & Low,

1977-present) and like their approach, the LSTI®

seeks to demonstrate personality not in terms of rigidity, but rather by viewing personality in terms of positive change that people can engage themselves to improve their quality of life. Like the transformative theory and learning model of EI, the LSTI® asserts that people can change habits to become happier and more effective without changing who they are as a person.

Table 1

The Four Continuums (Dichotomies) of the MBTI®

Dichotomies

Extraversion (E) ! (I) Introversion

Sensing (S) ! (N) Intuition

Thinking (T) ! (F) Feeling

Judging (J) ! (P) Perception

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According to Nelson (2011), people are already perfect and their mission is to per-fect themselves. The LSTI® philosophy aligns with the best tenets of Maslow’s self-actualizing tendencies for healthy being in the world. The transformative approach to EI also agrees with the philosophy of John Dewey who described people not as coins in a box, but as plants in soil which have the potential to grow, develop, beautify, and flourish.

The LSTI® is a 60-item forced-choice positive assessment instrument that measures personality type along four ways of learning and being. The four types are (a) Believer, (b) Achiever, (c) Creator, and (d) Supporter. The 60 items are presented in fifteen groups of 4 items each. The respondent is asked to rank each item in the box on a scale of one-four. In each group the items are presented in the same order with the items that relate to the Believer personality type being

presented first, followed by those for the Creator type, the Achiever type, and finally the Supporter type. The items are extremely brief with some items consisting of only one word. The longest item on the assessment is only four words. An example item from the LSTI® is “Express Strong Emotions Quickly,” an item which assesses the Achiever Type. The scale code for ranking of answers is provided as follows:

1 = Least Descriptive of Me 2 = Sometimes Descriptive of Me 3 = Descriptive of Me 4 = Most Descriptive of Me After responding to the items in each group, the scores are tallied for each type and the respondent is led through a process to determine their major, secondary, tertiary, and minor types. Figure 1 illustrates the LSTI® process for scoring to rank the four types.

INTERPRETING the LIFE STYLE TYPE INDICATOR (LSTI)

By Darwin Nelson

The Life Style Type Indicator (LSTI) is a positive assessment and reflective learning system to help you explore, identify, understand, learn, and apply WELL-BEING skills in your daily living and working. The assessment is positive because the results are for your use and benefit as you create a healthy and happy way of being in the world. The learning is person- centered and meaningful to the end that you use this time to: (a) reflectively think about and understand yourself and others (personality

types),

(b) develop a new way to think about human emotions, (c) create a personal view of healthy personality and wellness, (d) indicate your present level of satisfaction with your current life style, and (e) learn a daily process of constructive thinking, relaxation, and action goal setting that will improve your productivity, achievement, and level of personal well being.

The LSTI is unlike any assessment instrument (test) that you have completed in the past. The results are a personal map or guide for you to use in developing a wellness life style (a way of being in the world that you find healthy, happy, and wise). I use the LSTI as my personal guide

Figure 1. Scoring matrix to identify one’s LSTI® Life Style Type.

The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® !69

for planning positive changes in my life. The uniqueness of the LSTI is that it is based on an integrated and holistic theory of human behavior. If you approach the LSTI with honesty and openness, your results will be meaningful and valuable, and you will see easy and specific ways to bring more health, happiness, and wisdom into your life.

In the sections that follow, I go through each of the parts of the LSTI so that you can see how I apply the results to increase self-awareness and mindfulness. Each of us creates our own story by how we live our lives. My story is not your story, and my truth is not your truth. I do hope that you become more excited about your strengths and potential as a person. Mind, body, and spirit are one not three. Each daily goal that you set and achieve moves you toward health, happiness, and wisdom. I hope that you will join me in the journey to create a wellness life style that gives us every opportunity to live a long and healthy life.

The Emotional Learning System (ELS) provides a systematic and interrelated process of learning through five steps - Explore - Identify - Understand - Learn - Apply. The steps and interpretive discussions are designed to facilitate personal understanding and positive personal change using the LSTI assessment and learning system.

STEP 1: EXPLORE (Positive Self-Assessment)

You are unique and unlike the other six billion people who now inhabit our earth. No other person believes, thinks, feels, and acts like you. The purpose of the LSTI is to provide an opportunity for you to identify your unique personality type and to better understand your behavior and the behavior of others. The question answered is: “What type of person am I?” Read and follow the instructions and quickly complete the LSTI. Do not worry about the “right” answers because there are none and the only possible error is thinking out of the box. Focus on one box of four words at a time. Follow my example and mark your responses to the first four items.

STEP 2: IDENTIFY (Accurate Self Awareness)

Identify your personality type by totaling the scores for all the B items, C items, A items, and S items. Go to page 12 (on the instrument) and check your scoring. Place a dot by the number closest to your score for each personality type.

Read the descriptors for each dominant personality type: Believer, Creator, Achiever, and Supporter. Notice that all these personality types are positive and that our current personality type is a blending of all types. Like me, you will remember your past and recall when your personality type was different. Personality is not a “mask” or persona, and it is not an enduring and unchanging pattern of characteristic traits or factors. Personality is a reflection of your current life style and how you are as a person has evolved from all the things that you have learned (cognitive) and all the things that you have experienced up to this date.

Your current life style reflects your current personality type. To think of yourself as a pure “type” is not helpful and tends to be just another word label to accentuate how you are different from others. Your current personality type is a reflection of how you are believing, thinking, feeling and behaving. The important thing is that we are all more alike than different. These four dominant personality types portray all human beings that have lived in the past and who are living in the present. As we go through life, different personality types become dominant at different times. To change your personality is to change your beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Only using our unique human ability of reflective or constructive thinking changes beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviors. You can change at the speed of thought.

The LSTI definition of personality is quite different from traditional trait and type theories of personality. The theory of human behavior inherent in the LSTI is that each individual is perfect and beautiful. Personality is not persona (mask) but rather protection from the outer world.

Go to the LSTI instrument Part II: The Four Human Emotions (instrument - page 5). Think inside each box and place the number by each item to indicate how descriptive the word is of your emotional behavior. Emotions are the key to physical and mental health. Accurately identifying your emotions is the prerequisite to developing healthy emotional self-control. The words that we use to label our emotions confuse more than they clarify. Emotions are the words that we use to describe the direction, intensity, and nature of the mind energy that moves us to action. Your emotional mind is the source of energy (limbic system of the brain) and is a compass for your behavior. Your cognitive mind

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is a clock and is deliberate, consistent, logical, and practical.

Reflect on the diagram of mind/heart energy. If we simply think of our emotions as energy we avoid all the confusion and complexity of the many English words that are used to label emotions, feelings and moods. Energy is moving constantly. Energy moving up is light and white and feels pleasant (love, joy, happiness, interest, and contentment). Energy moving down is blue then heavy and black. Energy to the East is cold and yellow (fear). Energy to the West is hot and red (anger). Our goal is to focus our energy on increasing positive emotions and decreasing and minimizing the negative emotions of anger, fear, and sadness. Developing Emotional Intelligence (EI) skills builds healthy emotional self-control.

Go to the LSTI instrument Part III: Healthy Personality and reflectively think about the person that you are now. Identify your current life style type: Believer, Creator, Achiever or Supporter. Be aware of the positive qualities that are the focus of each of the four major life style types. Begin to think about qualities that you want to develop and express more frequently. Think about how you would change your current life style so that it is more healthy and happy for you. Healthy personality is the result of harmony in beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Life is simple and it is people who make it difficult.

Healthy personality is not so much about the “I” or “me” but rather about harmony and balance in our mind, body, and spirit. When our beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are in balance and harmony we experience a positive flow of energy. Healthy personality involves constructive thinking, healthy and effective intra and interpersonal relat ionships, and neural congruence (peace of mind). Empathy is the key skill that connects us to others so that we can accurately understand their thoughts and feelings.

The four life style types are distinct yet interrelated. Believers, Creators, Achievers, and Supporters make sense out of the world through the four different orientations of believing, thinking, acting, and feeling. Believers are dominated by internal values. Creators combine thinking and emotions to understand their world, and creativity and a sense of adventure dominate their life style. Achievers are focused on the external world, and their life style is dominated by personal goal achievement. Supporters are relationship oriented, and close caring

relationships with family and friends shape their life style.

The key to healthy personality and physical wellness is balance and harmony. All four life styles and their characteristic orientations are positive and offer meaningfully and healthy ways of being in the world. Life style is a much broader concept than personality and involves physical as well as mental health. A wellness lifestyle includes a balanced personality, physical health, and healthy spirituality. Spirituality is a way of believing that brings happiness and meaning to self and others.

Go to LSTI instrument Part IV: Personal, Career and Life Satisfaction and mark your responses. Reflect on your current level of satisfaction in personal, career, and life style dimensions. Is there balance or imbalance in your current levels of satisfaction? If there is balance what things would you increase and enhance? If there is imbalance what thing would you decrease or change? When your personal life, career and style of living is in balance you experience meaningfulness and positive emotions. Your definition of work is important. When work is passion driven and satisfying, you experience a positive flow and are energized by work. If your days are a struggle ending in fatigue and exhaustion, you begin to think of needed changes that would bring more enthusiasm and relaxation.

Reflect on the awareness that you have gained from this focus on how you are now as a person and how you are directing your emotional energy. Becoming mindful of your behavior and the behavior of others can increase satisfaction. Emotions are healthy when there is laughter, play, and relaxation in your days. Use your LSTI results as a guide for planning positive personal change.

STEP 3: UNDERSTAND (Increased Self-Understanding)

The LSTI model for developing personal wellness skills is a new way to think about personality, emotions, life style satisfaction, and human behavior. As a human being you have one ability that is unique and not shared by any other life form. You have the ability to think reflectively and constructively.

We elevate our lives through a daily process of reflective thinking, relaxation, and personal goal setting. This conscious endeavor is a creative process that is self-directed and personally valued. We can create a healthy and happy future

The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® !71

by focusing on the strengths that we have developed in the past and by learning and applying new skills to improve the quality of our lives.

Reflective thinking is our most unique and important human ability. Completing the LSTI and reflectively thinking about the person that you are in the present is the first step in planning and achieving a positive and healthy future. You may complete and score your LSTI in less than an hour and this is more time than most people ever spend in reflective thought and personal planning. In the rapid and sped up pace of the 21st Century most people get through the day on the automatic pilot of their emotional mind. The majority of their behavior is reactive as responses to the stressors of day-to-day living and working. Their eyes are open and yet they are still asleep. Reflective thinking develops mindfulness and mindfulness makes intentional behavior a positive habit.

Our present world is out of balance and living is quick and stressful. A sobering example of this imbalance is the fact that the most pressing physical and mental problems that people encounter in the 21st Century involve the most basic human functions that are supposed to occur naturally without conscious thought: breathing, drinking, eating, sleeping and healthy play (exercise). In a world that no longer has clean air, pure water, fresh and nutritious food, the natural rhythm of night and day and the absence of meaningful work that builds physical strength and stamina, people become imbalanced and simple behaviors become problematic and self-destructive. Our goal is to become mindful so that we can choose a healthy path to happiness and wisdom.

As you develop a more accurate understanding of your behavior and the behavior of others, you will become mindful about how you think, express and manage your emotions, and choose your behaviors. This is the value and benefit of your LSTI results. In this third step we have answered the question, “What do my LSTI results mean and how are these understandings helpful and valuable to me in my daily life?

STEP IV: LEARN

The LSTI views personality as a reflection of your current life style. How you live and work has been influenced by your past learning and experience. Understanding the strengths of your current personality type is the beginning point for

planning positive changes to enhance a wellness lifestyle and improve your levels of achievement and productivity. By understanding your current strengths you will begin to see specific ways to improve the quality of your life and work.

As we manage the transitions of life we need to change our beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to effectively meet challenges in the present. The LSTI clarifies the positive contributions of the major personality types and emphasizes the potential that you have for positive personal change. The major personality types of Believer, Creator, Achiever, and Supporter illustrate the four major ways that people approach life and work. Each type has unique advantages as we manage life transitions and change.

The LSTI focuses on the positive contributions of the emotional mind and views human emotions as the major sources of energy that move us to action. The emotional mind is the key to health and happiness, and understanding the role of emotions in personal wellness is essential. The words that people use to describe emotions are inaccurate and confusing. There are thousands of words in the English language to describe emotional experiences. The LSTI defines emotions as mind energy and provides a very simple and practical explanation of emotions.

Four human emotions are identified and labeled: love, anger, fear, and sadness. Love is happiness, contentment, peace of mind, and passion (personal interests). The positive emotions are light and white and move us upward. The LSTI focus is on learning how to create and direct positive emotions. Increasing positive emotions and decreasing and eliminating destructive emotions is a key to happiness and the creation of a wellness life style.

Once you can accurately identify and direct your emotional experiences you benefit physically, emotionally and spiritually. Balance in beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviors are the key to personal wellness. Our life style becomes positive and healthy when we set and achieve daily goals that are personally meaningful. Applying the AWAKE process daily develops intelligent self-direction.

STEP V: APPLY

The LSTI is unique to the end that it is a reflective learning tool that allows the individual to make positive changes and improve their levels of achievement and productivity. Traditional

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personality assessments provide a type or general description of behavior, and they do not provide a model for improving human behavior. The LSTI is a holistic and integrated wellness model that provides a systematic and practical process for positive personal change. Part V of the LSTI presents the AWAKE process of reflective thinking, relaxation, and personal goal achievement. The AWAKE process is the key to high achievement, career success, and personal well being.

Use your LSTI results to reflectively think about you current level of physical, mental, and spiritual health. Are your beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviors in balance? What sphere of your life and work can be improved so that your life style is healthy and happy? What changes will improve your relationship with self and others? This is the practical value of the LSTI assessment. Set daily goals to create healthy beliefs, constructive thoughts, positive emotions and effective behaviors. Each positive goal that you achieve moves you toward health, happiness and wisdom.

The human mind learns best in relationships that are accepting, respectful, safe and filled with challenge to be the best person that you can be. Use the AWAKE process to set daily goals that improve your physical health and personal well being. You will find that small positive changes will result from each goal that you achieve and that your life and work will be more positive and satisfying. The LSTI is a map and guide for you to use in achieving a way of being in the world that is happy and healthy for you.

Relating the MBTI® and LSTI® Dimensions

A congruent study of the LSTI® and MBTI® was conducted with senior management officers of a Fortune 500 company during scheduled leadership development training. The study was run concurrently during a series of four 2-day Emotional Intel l igence (EI) leadership development workshops provided for senior managers. The EI Workshops were based on the transformative theory of EI (Nelson & Low, 1977-Present), conducted by principals of Emotional Intelligence Learning Systems, Inc. (EILS), and convened at corporate residence training campus in Pune, India.

During the same period of leadership development training, resident corporate trainers were conducting MBTI® training with senior managers at the same location. The MBTI®

training was oriented toward developing team building and problem solving skills for the participants. The LSTI® was a new instrument and had not previously been validated with any other measures. Since the LSTI® is a theoretical measure of personality type, the MBTI® was a logical choice for a congruent validation study. While EILS had previously collected a limited number of concurrent MBTI® and LSTI® cases, the number was not sufficient to move forward with statistical analysis. The collaboration with MBTI® trainers in Pune presented a unique opportunity to collect a significant number of cases over a short period of time and greatly facilitated this study. We are grateful to our colleagues and senior managers who volunteered to help with this study.

The LSTI identifies your current life style type (Believer, Creator, Achiever and Supporter) and is based on a positive, integrated and holistic theory of human behavior. The four LSTI Life Style Types are significantly related to some of the dimensions assessed by the MBTI. Unlike the MBTI, the LSTI is a positive self-assessment instrument that provides a model of healthy personality and a systematic model for encouraging healthy life style changes.

The LSTI provides a guide for a self-directed emotional learning process that develops physical wellness, emotional intelligence, healthy relationships and stress management and resiliency skills. LSTI results can be used to develop personal change and action plans to learn and apply healthy and effective behaviors through self directed mentoring and coaching. Unlike the MBTI that types personality based on a Jungian theory of human behavior, the LSTI views personality as preconscious and automatically learned patterns of beliefs and behaviors that individuals develop for protection and adaptation to their unique life experiences. The focus of the LSTI is on positive behavioral changes that engender well-being.

The results of the LSTI can be used to increase self-awareness and mindfulness by providing a personal map or guide for developing healthy life style skills. Because the MBTI is the most well-known measure of personality type, it is helpful to understand the relationship of LSTI Life Style Types to the personality types and functions identified by the MBTI.

A congruent validation study exploring the relationship of LSTI Life Style Types and MBTI personality types was completed with a sample

The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® !73

(N=93) of senior managers of a Fortune 500 corporation. A scale by scale correlational analysis was completed to establish the relationships of the measures provided by the two instruments. The results of the correlational analysis are shown in Table 2.

An average profile was discernible for the senior managers based on their mean scores. On

average, the senior managers exhibited LSTI® types of (a) Believing (µ=42), (b) Supporting (µ=38), (c) Achieving (µ=35), and (d) Creating (µ=34). The typical LSTI type claimed by this group of senior managers, therefore, was BSAC. Notice also that the difference between Creators and Achievers was only fifty-five one hundredths of a point.

THE LSTI® BELIEVER TYPE

The LSTI® Believer Type is significantly negatively correlated to Extraversion as measured by the MBTI (r= -.32) and significantly positively correlated with Introversion (r= .34). BELIEVERS look inward for direction and meaning and tend to be introspective and reflective. Believers as identified by the LSTI make sense out of their world in a unique learning process that is not related to the Jungian functions of Sensing and Intuiting, Thinking and Feeling and Judging and Perceiving as measured by the MBTI. Believers turn inward for enlightenment, purpose and meaning. Their internal beliefs and values guide their behavior and for them, reality is created from within and the outer world is seen as a less important domain.

THE LSTI® CREATOR TYPE

The LSTI® Creator Type is also significantly related to MBTI measures. Creators as identified by the LSTI are significantly positively correlated

with the MBTI Extraversion scale and significantly negatively correlated with Introversion. Creators are focused on using both cognitions and emotions in making sense out of their world. Creative thought and creativity expressed in the external world require non traditional ways of being in the world.

LSTI Creators are significantly negatively correlated to Sensing and significantly positively correlated to Intuition as measured by the MBTI. Intuition (unconscious knowing) is a function of the emotional mind and is characteristic of how creative people deal with external stressors and interpersonal relationships. Spontaneity in thought and action describes the LSTI Creator.

LSTI Creators are significantly negatively related to Judging and significantly positively related to Perceiving as measured by the MBTI. Judging by the MBTI describes or refers to people who like a planned and organized approach to life and prefer to have things settled. This is very much opposite the preferred life style type of Creators as identified by the LSTI. Perceiving on the MBTI refers to people who prefer a flexible and spontaneous approach to life and prefer to keep

Table 2

LSTI® Life Style Type and MBTI® Personality Type Correlations

LSTI® Extrov Introv Sensing Intuition Thinking Feeling Judging Perceive

Believer -.32** .34** .043 -.04 -.13 .17 .02 -.03

Creator .26* -.28** -.30** .31** -.03 .05 -.26* .28*

Achiever .33** -.33** .08 -.06 .33** -.34** .19 -.18

Supporter -.21* .20 .14 -.17 -.14 .15 -.03 .02

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).

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their options open. This is a characteristic and preferred style of the LSTI Creator.

Creators are most related to the ancient Vedic type of VATA and they are highly energetic, creative, innovation and sensitive. CREATORS process both cognitions and emotions and are able to demonstrate high levels of creative energy. People with a predominant vata dosha display physical and emotional characteristics linked to the elemental qualities of space/akasha and air/vayu. They are very active - mobile, restless and energetic.

THE LSTI® ACHIEVER TYPE

The LSTI® Achiever Type strongly positively correlated with Extraversion (r= .33) and significantly negatively correlated with Introversion (r= -.33). The LSTI ACHIEVER TYPE is significantly positively correlated to Thinking (r= .33) and significantly negatively related to Feeling (r= -.34). The LSTI ACHIEVER TYPE is focused on behaving in the external world and relies strongly on Thinking and seldom relies on the Feeling function to guide behavior.

The LSTI ACHIEVER TYPE is most strongly related to the ancient Vedic type of PITTA. In temperament, they are extroverted and love to be the focus of attention. Although they can usually control their emotions, they may become irritable, angry and judgmental under stress. Money is prudently managed. They are decisive, aggressive, ambitious and determined, often aspiring to positions of leadership. They enjoy competitive sports and games, either as spectators or participants. Their intelligence is high, and they have good insight and a keen sense of discrimination. PITTAS are Fiery.

THE LSTI® SUPPORTER TYPE

The LSTI® SUPPORTER TYPE significantly negatively correlated with the MBTI Extraversion scale. The LSTI Supporter is not related to any of the other dimensions measured by the MBTI and is a new dimension that is most related to the Vedic Type, KAPHA. In temperament, they prefer familiar surroundings and tradition. They learn slowly, but have excellent memories. Money is closely guarded (or they are thrifty) and they are good, stable providers.

Supporters typically are serene and tranquil and their emotions are slow to become excited or aroused. Supporter types can be sentimental, nostalgic and romantic in nature. They are highly

tolerant and forgiving. They prefer to belong to a group, club or community. They cling to their family or familiar associations.

LSTI® INTERPRETATION

The LSTI Life Style Types reflect a person’s current way of behaving in the present. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was developed as a self-assessment of personality types based on Jungian theory. Jung’s brilliant thinking expanded tradit ional Freudian psychoanalytic theory by integrating Vedic type theory and constructs such as the collective unconscious, the creative self and the process of individuation.

The MBTI captures Jungian personality types at the surface level and presents an accurate mirror image that encourages reflective thinking and accurate self-awareness. The LSTI results serve a similar purpose and clarify pathways for making positive life style changes. The LSTI Types are characteristic behaviors that can be learned and applied to enhance personal well-being and increase productivity, achievement and career/life satisfaction.

The four major LSTI Life Style Types are related to how beliefs, thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are balanced in an individual’s current way of being and behaving in the world. These four LSTI Life Style Types indicate how a person uses beliefs, thinking processes, behaviors, and emotions to establish a stable, consistent and personally meaningful world view. The major LSTI Life Style Types reflect the person’s lead system in learning and behaving.

The primary or lead system in the individual’s behavior is learned automatically and out of awareness through direct experience. The combinations of the four primary types provide a description of the characteristic pattern of behaviors that make up the person’s current life style. Additional research is needed to expand and enrich the meaning of LSTI Life Style Types.

LSTI® APPLICATIONS

The LSTI has been f ield tested in corporations and schools in the US and India. Research studies are in progress to clarify the relationship of the LSTI and the MBTI in management training and coaching. Initial field tests at Coca Cola and Bimbo Bakeries indicated major application in management training, team building and executive coaching. In depth research with the LSTI and MBTI is being

The Relationship Between MBTI® and LSTI® !75

completed with senior managers at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, a Fortune 500 Company in India. The meaning and value of the LSTI measures will be identified and the applications and limitations of the instrument will be clearly defined in an on-going research program. The MBTI is the most well-known and used personality assessment in the world. The LSTI Life Style Types are significantly related to some MBT

I measures and further research with the two instruments is needed to clarify the value and applications of the LSTI.

Your behavior is a reflection of your beliefs and your attempts to meet your needs in emotionally satisfying ways. Achieving one positive and personally meaningful goal each day will change your beliefs, thoughts and behaviors. The goal of the Well-Being Program is to change how you think. What you believe, think, feel and do is a personal right. My personal focus is to develop healthy beliefs, constructive thoughts, positive emotions and healthy behaviors.

Beliefs may be positive or negative, constructive or destructive, rational or irrational and realistic or unrealistic We can change our current beliefs in ways that are more healthy and emotionally satisfying to us. Beliefs do not change easily and our beliefs will become clear as we examine our emotions and our behaviors. Remember that beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviors are an interactive and interconnected system. A change in any one area affects the others.

As you begin the Well-Being Program you bring your past experiences, beliefs and ways of behaving with you. Human beings have a unique quality that separates them from all other life forms. You and I have the ability to think reflectively and direct our mind to the past, present or future. We can learn to use our mind to focus on our positive past, to be mindful and aware of our present and to create a future that is healthy and happy.

Research and experience thus far indicates that the LSTI may be applied purposefully with individuals and organizations to achieve a new way of viewing personality, understanding how personal change can be facilitated, learning how life style types influence personal and work interactions, and how to better understand personal skills and strengths. Well-Being programs aimed at physical-mental-emotional

health within a life style model of personality may be natural avenues for LSTI applications.

Concluding Thoughts

The LSTI® is the latest in a long and continuing tradition of positive assessment and transformative theory that encourages life-long development based on personal and emotional skills (Nelson & Low, 1977-present). Used in trusting relationships, this newest assessment provides the respondent with an increased awareness of their current life style that has shaped their characteristic ways of believing, thinking, feeling, and behaving (personality). Because of the LSTI’s heritage and foundation in personal skills, it is possible to interpret the LSTI® and connect the results directly to research-derived skills for developing oneself in personally meaningful ways. For your convenience, life style behaviors (skills) related to the LSTI® characteristic styles are provided in Appendix A for your continued consideration and reflection.

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References

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Appendix A: The LSTI® Characteristic Styles