39. 'Carl Jung's Framework for Personal Development' - James Johnston
We all have behavioral preferences. Some of us get energy from being part of a group, others from quiet reflection on their own. When it comes to how we gather data in decision-making processes, some people prefer looking at the facts presented by the current situation, while others rely more on the future possibilities the current situation offers. The way we make decisions is also different. There are people who prefer to make decisions based on an analytical decision-making process, with their values as 'guard rails', while others are guided primarily by their values.The founder of Analytical Psychology, Carl Jung, described these in his book 'Psychological Types' as Extraversion versus Introversion, Sensing versus Intuition, and Thinking versus Feeling. This was later popularized by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katharine Cook Briggs in their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).Jung himself, however, was very critical about boxing people into categories. He reportedly complained that his work had been turned into 'nothing but a childish parlour game' and was particularly concerned, for instance, about the reductive application of type theory in the medical profession, where practitioners would slot patients into his system and give them the corresponding advice.It is important, therefore, to recognize our predispositions as strengths, but not to see them as excuses to neglect the development of our other potential capabilities. For example, I always preferred to take decisions based on my Intuition. That worked perfectly fine when I was a single contributor, but became increasingly ineffective as I moved to more senior roles. In order to convince my leaders, peers, and staff of my ideas and proposals, I quickly had to learn to collect and use data (Sensing). And guess what - I quickly started to like it, and in due course even built a reputation for being data savvy.Overcoming this "one-sidedness" — by bringing our psychological dispositions into conscious awareness and balance — is one the essential elements of 'Individuation', a key concept in Jung's work.Although Jung published 'Psychological Types' more than a century ago, the core notions of psychological types and individuation are still very much in use today. Think, for instance, about strengths-based management — which primarily focuses on exploiting the strengths of individuals, rather than focusing on their development needs — or encouraging people to develop themselves outside their comfort zone.In the 39th episode of the Leadership 2.0 podcast, I interviewed author James Johnston about these key notions in the work of Carl Jung.During our conversation we discussed the following topics:What is Individuation?What happens if Individuation is blocked?Can Individuation be accelerated?Do organizations have a psychological identity?How to prevent an organizational monoculture?The importance of understanding one's Psychological TypeCan Psychological Types change over time?The development of the Gifts Compass Inventory (GCI)Practical applications of the GCIAbout James JohnstonJames (Graham) Johnston is an artist, architect, author, and entrepreneur. He is passionate about innovation to make the world a better place. Out of that passion, he created the Gifts Compass Inventory (GCI), an online self-assessment founded in C.G. Jung's theory of psychological types. His book, 'Jung's Indispensable Compass: Navigating the Dynamics of Psychological Types', lays out the intellectual foundation for understanding Jung's type model as a compass. He founded the training company Gifts Compass Inc. to train professionals in the use of the GCI and other instruments. The aim of the work is to engage the types, as Jung did, for the development of a more unique personality.GCI WebsiteBookCore quardrants Daniel OfmanAny questions or comments? Press this link and send me a message!
