Understanding personalities as

part of increasing the effective-

ness of teamwork Case Miela Designroom

Titta Syväoja

BACHELOR’S THESIS

May 2021 International Business

ABSTRACT

Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu Tampere University of Applied Sciences International Business Titta Syväoja: Understanding personalities as part of increasing the effectiveness of teamwork Case Miela Designroom Bachelor's thesis 51 pages, appendices 3 pages May 2021

This thesis was commissioned by Miela Designroom Oy. The company is a do-mestic design store focused on responsible fashion and consumption. The com-pany is run by three entrepreneurs and they started operations in 2018 as a pop-up store, from which the concept has been expanded to what it is now in 2021. The company has grown and expanded its concept at a rapid pace. The objective was to research the understanding of personalities and their effects in developing teamwork in this company. The thesis consists of a theory and a research part. Theoretical part explores personality and self-knowledge, and how personality affects the way we act. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is used in the research as a structuring model for the differences in personalities. The second part of theory focuses on teamwork development. Five dysfunctions of a team model is used to evaluate team’s functionality. The research part of the thesis was carried out by several methods. The per-sonality types of the team members under research were determined by per-sonality self-assessment test. Respondents were then interviewed with ques-tions related to the topic and with team evaluation form. As a result of the research, it can be stated that getting acquainted with one's own personality was useful and necessary when developing teamwork. Re-spondents felt that they had gained more self-knowledge as well as understand-ing towards others. Concrete development proposals will help the team better utilizing different personalities and within that their teamwork develops.

Key words: MBTI, personality, self-knowledge, teamwork development

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CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 4

2 THESIS PLAN ...................................................................................... 5

2.1 Miela Designroom Oy ..................................................................... 5

2.2 Thesis Topic ................................................................................... 6

2.3 Thesis objective, purpose and research questions ........................ 7

2.4 Concepts and Theory ..................................................................... 8

2.4.1 Teamwork ............................................................................. 9

2.4.2 Successful teamwork .......................................................... 10

2.5 Working methods and data .......................................................... 11

2.6 Thesis process ............................................................................. 11

3 PERSONALITY & SELF-KNOWLEDGE ............................................. 13

3.1 The importance of self-knowledge ............................................... 14

3.2 Personality tests ........................................................................... 15

3.3 MBTI-Indicator.............................................................................. 15

3.3.1 Preferences ........................................................................ 17

3.3.2 Cognitive styles .................................................................. 19

3.3.3 Summary of 16 personality types ....................................... 20

4 TEAMWORK DEVELOPMENT ........................................................... 24

4.1 Five dysfunctions of a team ......................................................... 24

4.2 Work community skills .................................................................. 26

4.3 Team intelligence ......................................................................... 26

5 THE DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS ............................................ 28

5.1 Research method ......................................................................... 28

5.2 Designing & carrying out the research ......................................... 29

5.3 Reliability of the research ............................................................. 31

6 RESEARCH RESULTS ...................................................................... 34

6.1 Personality test results ................................................................. 34

6.2 Semi-structured interview ............................................................. 37

6.3 Team evaluation ........................................................................... 40

7 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................ 42

REFERENCES ........................................................................................ 46

APPENDICES .......................................................................................... 49

Appendix 1. Semi-structured interview questions ............................... 49

Appendix 2. Team evaluation form ..................................................... 50

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1 INTRODUCTION

Understanding personality helps to be more empathetic and to understand why

certain situations often recur in a team with the same formula. Breaking down

personality into smaller parts helps identify and anticipate people’s reactions

and ways of acting. This can help everyone see situations less through their

own prejudices and examine the subject matter more objectively.

(Lencioni 2002, 204)

This thesis aims to help local Finnish company owners to understand each other

better and develop their teamwork more effective within that. The idea arose from

interest and a desire to help local company on the road to success. Interest in

diversity and personalities has always existed in me. This led to an attraction

towards the HR field at the beginning of my studies.

The commissioner company Miela Designroom has achieved growth in a short

time. The aim of this research is to find the strengths, weaknesses, and person-

ality types of Miela’s entrepreneurs and help the team become even more effec-

tive.

The covid-19 and the global situation have pushed companies, and many are in

an acute cash crisis. Clothing and decor are first on the list when consumers start

thinking about savings. People do not necessarily need new clothes because of

layoffs or telecommuting. (Isotalus 2020) During this time, fashion companies can

do nothing for the outside situation, but their own operations can always be im-

proved.

For those aiming to advance into leadership positions, it is crucial to understand

the importance of personalities as part of the team. By understanding diversity

and giving space to different personalities, the leader creates the conditions for

successful teamwork.

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2 THESIS PLAN

This section introduces the topic of the thesis, the objective, and the purpose for

the thesis. The plan also briefly introduces the methods and concepts. Data col-

lection methods and their structure will also be clarified. The case company will

also be introduced.

2.1 Miela Designroom Oy

Miela Designroom is a Finnish design store that rents sales space in its store to

Finnish fashion and design brands. Miela handles sales and marketing on behalf

of brands, as well as in-store, e-commerce, and social media. In addition to Finn-

ish design products, they also have a second-hand department. The store and

the whole brand focus on responsible choices. The store was opened for the first

time in June 2018 as a pop-up store called Showroom Finnish Brandstore. The

idea for this was based on a thesis that considered modern business models.

With a functioning pop-up store, it was decided to turn the business into a per-

manent store. This is how the current Miela Designroom was created. (Miela

Designroom 2021)

Behind the company is a creative team of young women entrepreneurs. They

have a common educational background, all of them have graduated from Tam-

pere University of Applied Sciences' Pro Academy's degree program in Entrepre-

neurship and Team Leadership.

PICTURE 1. Miela Designroom logo (Miela Designroom 2021)

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2.2 Thesis Topic

The topic of this thesis is about understanding personalities and increasing the

effectiveness of teamwork in Miela Designroom company. This thesis focuses on

how Miela entrepreneurs can understand each other’s better and therefore de-

velop their teamwork in the best possible way. By better understanding each oth-

er's personalities, the teamwork of the company's owners can be enhanced and

the dynamics between them will be improved. When teamwork improves, it has

a positive impact on the success of the company.

The need for this research for Miela comes from a need to develop their teamwork

as the company grows rapidly. The company consist of three entrepreneurs who

seems to have different personalities. They have found that working together can

accomplish more and bigger things. Everyone has their own areas of strength,

which by combining the company has developed. The entire team has graduated

from Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Pro Academy as a Bachelor of

Business Administration in entrepreneurship.

As the company continues to grow, work tasks and workload increases. Team-

work should be continuously developed so that group dynamics do not suffer,

and tasks are shared equally. If the company wants to continue to grow, roles

and responsibilities must be more clearly be defined. No one's workload should

accumulate excessively or affect a person’s endurance.

The main point of this thesis is to find out what personalities these three entre-

preneurs are, how they would learn to better understand each other and their

ways of working and how this will help develop their teamwork.

One of the key questions is how personalities are reflected in the work commu-

nity. "The way other people do things can even be annoying, especially if it's a lot

different from their own way." As Tiina Brandt, the Docent of Economics describes

in her book. (Brandt 2011, 9) This thesis explores the ways in which different

personalities do things and how by better understanding them we can develop

teamwork.

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This topic has been studied from different perspectives and personality is often

discovered more in psychological studies. There is a lot of research based on

leadership about the topic. Many related studies often consider the personalities

of leaders. How their personality, behaviours and actions affect the success of

the company and communication with their subordinates.

The idea for the topic came from personal interest of the effects of personalities,

experiences during life and a concrete need in Miela Designroom. We should

understand more of each other’s, so that we can succeed together better and feel

more relaxed when being in the group. During my studies, when I was part of

different group projects, I found that the dynamics and functionality of a group

can be very different depending on what kind of personalities are part of the

group. When doing my internship in HR-field, I realized that certain types of per-

sonalities are suitable for such a position and environment.

The topic itself is very up to date. In the future, employees will want to be seen

more as individuals and emphasizing their personalities. This became out with

the youth survey, commissioned by STTK, TYÖ2030 program.

(Ylä-Anttila 2021)

2.3 Thesis objective, purpose and research questions

Research has a developing objective. The objective of this thesis is to find out

how understanding personalities helps them to understand each other better

and how this helps to develop teamwork more effectively. The main research

question is “What are the benefits of understanding different personalities for

successful teamwork in a small company? “

Three sub-questions are derived from the research problem;

What kind of personalities do entrepreneurs of Miela Designroom represent?

How are their personalities reflected in the work community?

How can different personalities be better utilized in teamwork?

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The objective to research different personality types and its implications for

teamwork has been supported by these sub-questions, which facilitate the per-

ception of the whole. The growth of the Miela Designroom as a company has

been rapid and they want constantly to develop themselves as well, so that they

can also succeed better as a company.

A team can succeed if each of its members understands their role and makes

their full contribution to the team and its development. A successful team has

clear goals and activities, an atmosphere of trust and open interaction, and a

desire to develop. (Potinkara 2020, 2) In a successful team, members comple-

ment each other in a way that creates an effective, versatile, and functional en-

tity. Successful teams need an appropriate cocktail of roles that focus on think-

ing, action, and people. They need to understand each other’s personalities,

strengths, and skills to develop their teamwork to the highest.

The research examines the types of personalities in the workplace. The pur-

pose is to find out how these different personality types affect teamwork and

learn to understand why each works on its own way. It is also intended to note

whether tasks are divided according to personality weaknesses and strengths.

2.4 Concepts and Theory

Several theories and concepts are used in this thesis. These theories are clearly

presented and explained. When concepts are explained, it is easier for the reader

to understand and read the thesis.

The activities of entrepreneurs are viewed from a personality theory-based per-

spective. The Myers-Briggs type indicator is used as a model for structuring per-

sonality differences in this thesis (MBTI). MBTI is one of the world's most

widely used personality indicator. Every year, more than two and a half million

people fill out the form. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 19)

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“Used by more than 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies in 115 countries, and

available in 29 languages, it has become the go-to framework for people devel-

opment globally. With more than 70 years of science-based, research-based in-

sight, the MBTI assessment is a robust tool for self-awareness and improve-

ment. It provides positive language for understanding and valuing individual dif-

ferences. With practical insight that’s easy to understand and implement, the

MBTI assessment has helped thousands of organizations and millions of people

around the world improve how they communicate, learn, and work.”

(The Myers-Briggs Company 2021)

The Myers-Briggs indicator used in this thesis has been described as an excel-

lent tool for this. Myers-Briggs’s type indicator approaches personality through

positive qualities. Due to its positive and dynamic approach, it is very popular as

a tool for work community development. (Brandt 2011, 10-11) It was decided to

use this method, as it is versatile and profound. The method also has a broad

theoretical basis.

Colour-based theories will also be utilized when researching and analysing per-

sonalities. According to DISC analysis, we can be roughly divided into four dif-

ferent colours according to our personality. (DISC-profiili 2021) The personality

tests commissioned in this thesis are implemented using the MBTI indicator.

The results obtained from these are compared with Thomas Eriksson’s colour

theory based on DISC analysis. Thomas Erikson is a Swedish writer and man-

agement coach and business consultant specializing in behavioural sciences.

The terms “teamwork” and “successful teamwork” are specified here, as this

thesis focuses on researching that, it is important to know and understand the

definitions of the terms. By defining these terms, readers will also better under-

stand the topic.

2.4.1 Teamwork

In several organizations, activities have been developed for teamwork, which has

its roots in group work. Teamwork and group work are described as having similar

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characteristics and stages. Teamwork is a form of collaboration and a way of

doing work where all participants are aware of the team’s goals, reaching a com-

mon goal, and the expertise of others. Team members have complementary

skills, members strive for a common approach, and responsibility for achieving

goals is shared among team members. Team development involves a variety of

group dynamic phenomena and laws, as in all work groups: team stages and

structures, acting as a team member and leader, and solving teamwork chal-

lenges. (Koivisto, Henner, & Paaso 2017)

2.4.2 Successful teamwork

When a team does not have any of Lencioni’s (2002) five dysfunctions, it can be

assumed to be a successful team. These dysfunctions are described in more

detail in Chapter 4.

The Five Elements of Successful Teamwork:

• Open communication

• Diversity as a competence

• Clarity in role definition and allocation

• Trust

• Mutually beneficial conflict resolution mechanisms

(Whites, R. 2020)

FIGURE 1. The Golden Circle (Sinek 2009, 37)

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The Golden Circle pattern created by Sinek (2009) tells us how to always start

with the why question, then think about how, and lastly answer the what question.

Most businesses and people start moving from the outer edge of the perimeter

and move towards the centre because what and how the questions are easier to

understand because of their physical existence. Behind successful teamwork, the

team members have internalized the reason for the team’s existence, and they

go together towards their goals. The team has also found an answer to their own

why question, meaning what they wake up to every morning to work for their own

team. (Sinek 2009, 37-39)

2.5 Working methods and data

This section briefly explains the data collection methods, theories and models

used in this thesis and how they apply to this research. The research is imple-

mented as a qualitative research. It is appropriate for the research to find out

the personality types of the company's members.

It is going to be executed by personality tests, team evaluation, interviews with

the entrepreneurs of Miela and the available materials related to the topic. The

interview will be conducted as a semi-structured interview. A semi-structured in-

terview is freer than a structured interview. The advantage of this is that the re-

searcher receives views from the interviewees on the most important and pre-

defined topics of its research in their own words. The semi-organized and partly

open interview is formally placed between a fully structured form interview and a

thematic interview. (Puusa, A & Puuti, J. 2020, 111) The use of several methods

is intended to understand the phenomenon from several perspectives, which in-

creases the reliability of the study.

2.6 Thesis process

This chapter goes through how the thesis progresses. The first chapter of the

thesis is the Introduction and the second thesis plan. Thesis plan explains the

objective and purpose of the research to the reader. It also presents the target

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company, methods, theories, and models used in the thesis. Third chapter pre-

sents the MBTI indicator used in the research. The chapter also describes spe-

cifically with personality, self-knowledge, and personality tests in general. Fourth

chapter explains teamwork development and the five dysfunctions of the team.

Fifth chapter includes data collection and analysis. It also narrates the progress

of the research and how it was conducted. Chapter six presents the results of the

research. Chapter seven is for conclusions and recommendations. It opens the

results of the research. Together with the material, it forms the conclusions drawn

from the research.

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3 PERSONALITY & SELF-KNOWLEDGE

Personality is a broad concept. It means the physical, social, mental, and spiritual

whole of a human being. From a scientific point of view, a person’s overall per-

sonality is deep and partly enigmatic to research. (Dunderfelt 2012, 14)

Psychologist Tony Dunderfelt divides personality into distinct dimensions. The

physical self, which means our anatomical and physiological whole. Our physical

self is visible to the outside, while other dimensions work more inside. Role me,

means the image we form of ourselves according to which social communities

we are part of. Culture me is formed by different hobby groups and subcultures.

Raised me takes the effects from our parents, growth environment, school,

friends, and relatives. Temperament is innate and is the style and way we react

to prevailing conditions. Temperament is reflected in external behaviour. Core me

is the dimension of our personality that can make independent choices. Through

this part, we are also able to develop other dimensions and increase self-aware-

ness. We walk daily with our physical body in social and cultural contexts, act

according with our roles, carry with us our learned past, and strive to make inde-

pendent decisions. (Dunderfelt 2012, 15-18)

Acceptance of diversity is still fragile today, and Finland is one of the leading

countries in terms of workplace bullying. According to research commissioned by

Routamaa and Hautala (2009), 43% of the respondents had experienced bullying

in the workplace. The same 43% felt that the personality of the bullied contributed

to being the target of bullying. Increasing the self-knowledge of members of the

work community with a common concept is said to reduce bullying. This assump-

tion is reinforced by the experience of those who commissioned the research on

the successful coaching of contentious work communities by increasing work

community’s self-knowledge and self-awareness. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009,

142-143)

The atmosphere in the work community has a major impact on well-being at work,

which affects to work productivity and how well people are feeling at work. Every

member of the work community should take care of this at the individual level.

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According to Thomas Erikson, behaviour is a function of personality and circum-

stance factors. Behaviour is something we can observe. Personality is a factor

we strive to understand and circumstance factors are things we can influence.

We constantly influence each other in some way. Therefore, it would be good to

try to understand what is beneath the surface. (Erikson 2019, 29)

3.1 The importance of self-knowledge

Self-knowledge refers to an individual’s own understanding of themselves. With-

out this understanding, it is impossible to be able to lead others. Knowing one’s

own thoughts, ideas, opinions, feelings, and ways of working are all part of self-

knowledge.

When increasing self-knowledge, it is essential to be aware of one’s own needs

and desires, weaknesses and strengths, beliefs, and values. This increases the

ability to lead oneself. Our own ideals are strongly related to self-knowledge and

our own experiences of what we are now and what we want to become. One’s

own feelings for themself are strongly related to self-knowledge. The relationship

can be negative, neutral accepting, or positive. Self-knowledge is born and it

evolves in relation to other people, how we have become encountered, treated,

and what we have heard others saying about us. Based on experiences from

others, self-knowledge is not a fact but a subjective view of one’s own value and

goodness that can be changed and developed by limiting ourselves. (Ajanko

2016, 148-149)

Self-knowledge is a prerequisite for all positive development and development of

the individual, group, and organization. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 13) Above

all, self-knowledge helps to find your own weaknesses and strengths. Being

aware of these, oneself is better to lead and develop.

Self-knowledge helps to accept oneself better. When you accept yourself, it is

easier to accept the differences of others as well. "Only those things that you

accept in yourself will be accepted in others." When you understand the differ-

ences of others, it makes it easier to collaborate with other people. (Helin, Helin

& Saarenpää 2018, 149)

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3.2 Personality tests

When developing self-knowledge, we are assisted by various tests and indica-

tors. With respect to them, it should be noted that tests are not intended to reveal

deficiencies or give a negative image of a person. Tests should be assessed and

compared, seeing it as a tool for better self-knowledge.

Looking at the three theories that structure human differences, we can see that

they are different and suitable for different situations. Big Five describes person-

ality traits, DISC analysis focuses on describing work styles, and MBTI focuses

on models that recognize thinking styles. There is no point in comparing models

with each other because they are used to clarify different things. (Helin, Helin &

Saarenpää 2018, 41) The MBTI indicator was chosen as a research tool because

the tool is very dynamic, and things get well condensed.

Compared to the two models mentioned above, for the purposes of this research,

MBTI can provide the best assistance when our intent is to understand others

and their activities. If we had focused on personality traits or work style research,

the choice would have been different. “The MBTI model can be said to be the

crystallizer's dream, in which an unusually complex theory is condensed into four-

letter code.” (Helin, Helin & Saarenpää 2018, 42-43)

3.3 MBTI-Indicator

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) allows different people to better under-

stand and accept each other’s differences. MBTI explains people’s differences in

energy orientation, knowledge acquisition, decision-making, and attitudes toward

the outside world. Accepting these differences, it helps to interact with each other

and reduce conflicts and misunderstandings. The MBTI emphasizes an individ-

ual’s potential for development, while several other indicators keep traits un-

changed. MBTI can be used in many fields, which is one of the reasons for its

widespread popularity. Areas of application include management training, organ-

izational behaviour, group activities, team development, career choice and devel-

opment, entrepreneurship education and individual and relationship therapies.

(Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 19)

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The MBTI type indicator is based on the observations of the Swiss psychiatrist

Carl Gustaf Jung about the diversity of people's personalities. Jung published a

book called “Psychological Types” in 1921. He developed his theory by studying

his colleagues’ psychological neuroses. When making observations of them, he

noticed that both dealt neuroses from opposite sides, and not as a whole. Jung

concluded that both looked at the matter based on their own innate preferences.

This finding was a central part of Jung’s twenty-year research of human diversity.

(Auvinen 2001, 9)

Carl Gustav Jung is considered the father of mindset theory. According to Jung,

people are directed to the external and internal world. He began to call those

more strongly oriented to the external world extroverted and those more strongly

oriented to the inner world introverted. These were the first preferences. Later

Jung added mental dimensions to the preferences. The sensing - intuitive image

is a way of perceiving the world, and the thinking - feeling describes of the way

to make decisions. (Helin, Helin & Saarenpää 2018, 239-241)

Jung’s theory was not made known to the public consciousness until the 1960s

after the American Katharine C. Briggs and her daughter Isabella Briggs-Myers

adapted Jung’s ideas into a practical tool. Myers and Myers-Briggs added a fourth

preference to the dimensions perceived by Jung, judging - perceiving, which de-

scribes a lifestyle. Studies on the reliability and validity of the type indicator were

completed in the early 1970s, and in 1975 the first commercial version was pub-

lished. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 16-18)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator has been in use in Finland since the 1980s, but

the actual research and validation subject to authorization originated on the initi-

ative of Vesa Routamaa in the early 1990s. MBTI has been studied at the Uni-

versity of Vaasa under the lead of Routamaa for more than 20 years. Their re-

search results show that the importance of understanding personality types is

more emphasized in management work and its development, conflict resolution,

employee personal development and team building. Understanding your own

type of preferences can help you plan your career and approach work more ap-

propriately to your own style in terms of a pleasant work environment, work tasks,

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problem solving, time management, decision making and stress management.

(Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 8-10)

MBTI analysis provides a quick and easy way to get an idea of human behaviour.

It allows us to get to know ourselves and our innate abilities better. With MBTI,

people learn to be aware of and take advantage of difference. It makes it easier

for us to understand which factors in different interaction situations cause conflicts

and discord. For this reason, it is ideally suited to the development of work com-

munities and the use of their potential. (Auvinen 2001, 8-9)

3.3.1 Preferences

The MBTI model includes four different preferences. They describe the direction

of energy, perception, decision-making, and your lifestyle. Based on these, 16

different personality types are created which are described by a combination of

four letters. Each personality type represents one of these counterparts. (Table

1.) However, distinguishing between different types of traits does not mean that

a person would not be able to take a different way of thinking or approaching.

Each person uses some extent in their opposite preference. Definition refers to

the way of thinking or the way a person comes naturally and uses them more

strongly. (Brandt 2011, 18)

TABLE 1. Preference pairs (Brandt 2011, 17)

Extraversion (E) Introversion (I)

Sensing (S) Intuition (N)

Thinking (T) Feeling (F)

Judging (J) Perceiving (P)

Energy direction: Extrovert – Introvert

Extroverts direct their energy outward, into things and people. They get their en-

ergy from being active and interacting with others. Introverts mainly focus on their

inner world of experience and ideas. They are energized by pondering and

spending time alone. In working life, extroverts are eager to get started, want to

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involve others, and give feedback and to receive it as well. Introverts want to work

more independently and need more physical space. Often it does not mean shy-

ness, but they do not feel the need to participate in the conversation to enjoy it.

(Brandt 2011, 18-19)

Perception: Sensing – Intuition

The sensing ones focus mainly on what they can perceive with their five senses.

They are inherently interested in concrete and verifiable information. The intuitive

focus mainly on detecting patterns and connections. They are interested in in-

sights, abstractions, theories, and the possibility of openness. Sensing people

preferably work on one thing at a time and want clear goals and purpose. Intuitive

people usually work in under of energy and expect inspirations. They often have

multiple tasks in progress as well. (Brandt 2011, 19-20)

Decision-making: Thinking – Feeling

Thinking people tend to make their decisions based on their logicality. They em-

phasize objectivity and impartiality. Feeling people prefer to base their decisions

on their personal values, valuing understanding and harmony. Thinking people

prefer to focus on the work in progress and do not spend much time getting to

know others and building relationships. Their communication style is short and

straightforward. They tend to criticize ideas and are pleased to make suggestions

for improvement. Feeling people enjoy spending time to getting to know others.

They tend to interact, which includes both work and non-work-related issues.

They naturally appreciate the achievements of others. (Brandt 2011, 20-21)

Lifestyle: Judging – Perceiving

Judging people encourage determination and quick decision-making. They prefer

to live in a systematic way. Spontaneous people like flexibility and spontaneity.

They relish that different opportunities are open for as long as possible. Judging

people are often systematic in their way of working and they develop routine ap-

proaches to their work. Spontaneous people are often adaptable and have flexi-

ble and innovative ways of working. (Brandt 2011, 21-22)

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3.3.2 Cognitive styles

Four different cognitive styles describe the common characteristics of different

personality types. Cognitive style consists of the middle letters of the personality

type, i.e., perception and decision-making preferences. There are four cognitive

styles: sensing-thinking (ST), sensing-feeling (SF), intuitive-feeling (NF), intuitive-

thinking (NT). (Brandt 2011, 22)

Cognitive style is often used in the MBTI literature to facilitate the handling of

things. It is easier to draw conclusions as well as remember things about four

different personality trends than sixteen different types. (Routamaa & Hautala

2009, 61)

Sensing - Thinking ST (ESTJ, ISTJ, ESTJ, ISTP)

ST relies on analytical thinking when observing its senses and making decisions.

ST's data collection process is practical and realistic. When making decisions, ST

strives for objectivity. ST´s interests are usually focused on facts, as the person

can process and differentiate them through its senses. ST is a practical and fac-

tual person and does not like to take risks. In working life, ST can be found in the

following fields: law, business, accounting, production, surgery, and machinery

and material handling. (Brandt 2011, 24)

Sensing - Feeling SF (ESFJ, ISFJ, ESFP, ISFP)

SF's data collection process is also practical, and SF also relies on its senses

when observing its environment. When making decisions, SF prefers its own val-

ues and feelings. SF approaches decision-making situations with its personal

warmth because SF’s values and feelings determine how much things mean to

personally. SF is more interested in people and relationships than things in gen-

eral. SF is sympathetic in nature, social and friendly. In working life, SF likes to

focus on areas where kindness and warmth is effectively in use. These areas are,

for example, teaching, selling concrete things, medical care and other areas of

health care that may be in direct contact with the patient. (Brandt 2011, 24)

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Intuition – Feeling NF (ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP, INFP)

When observing, NF relies on intuition. NF does not pay as much attention to the

concrete situation as the ST and SF. NF prefers to focus on all types of possibil-

ities, such as new projects, events, and ideas. New ideas arise as a result of a

subconscious process that comes to NF’s consciousness in quick flashes. When

making decisions, the NF prefers its own values, like SF. NF likes people and is

happy to focus on people-oriented fields. NF´s best side is ability to work with as

many different people as possible and get the best out of each of them. NF is

polite and persuasive and often has a great need to help others. By nature, NF is

usually a positive idealist. NF enjoys the work of allowing creativity, especially if

it can still work with or for people. NF can often be found as a teacher, selling

abstract things, as a consultant, writer, or researcher. (Brandt 2011, 24-25)

Intuition – Thinking NT (ENTJ, INTJ, ENTP, INTP)

In the perception process, NT relies on intuition like NF. NT is happy to gather

information and observe abstract things and possibilities. In making the final de-

cision on all possibilities, NT ends up being analytical. NT tends to apply theory

to everything and enjoys doing things in new ways. NT easily perceives wholes

and conceptualizes things. NT expresses itself clearly and precisely when speak-

ing. NT can see the logic and principles of things deeper than the surface. Be-

cause of that, NT often focuses on being a researcher, strategic planner, or in the

technical and administrative fields. (Brandt 2011, 25)

3.3.3 Summary of 16 personality types

ISTJ – Logistician

“Practical and fact-minded individuals, whose reliability cannot be doubted.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Serious, responsible, and systematic type.

Keeps things organized and strives for its goal despite disruptions. (Brandt 2011,

25)

ISTP – Virtuoso

“Bold and practical experimenters, master of all kinds of tools.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Calm and reserved, takes things realistically and

works effectively in crisis situations. (Auvinen 2001, 36)

21

ESTP – Entrepreneur

“Smart, energetic and very perceptive people, who truly enjoy living on the edge.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) An active and varied person who enjoys new

experiences. Not building life in living routines, rather looking for new ways to do

things that already exist. (Auvinen 2001, 40)

ESTJ – Executive

“Excellent administrators, unsurpassed at managing things – or people.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Systematic, practical, and principled type. The

type tends to examine and put everything around in order. (Routamaa & Hautala

2009, 104)

ISFJ – Defender

“Very dedicated and warm protectors, always ready to defend their loved ones.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Quiet, caring, and friendly type. Balances group

work and conveys the feelings of others. (Brandt 2011, 26)

ISFP – Adventurer

“Flexible and charming artists, always ready to explore and experience some-

thing new.” (NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) A compassionate character who con-

siders the needs of others and experiences strongly their grief. Very flexible and

spontaneous person who does not like precise plans. (Auvinen 2001, 37)

ESFP – Entertainer

“Spontaneous, energetic and enthusiastic people – life is never boring around

them.” (NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Energetic, realistic, and adaptable.

Strives to find fun and excitement or is willing to create it around if necessary.

Works on a whim and meets their needs. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 110)

ESFJ – Consul

“Extraordinarily caring, social and popular people, always eager to help.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Sociable, harmonious, and practical personality.

Feels a great need to help others, organize and strive to get others to collaborate.

Traditional values guide choices. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 112)

22

INFJ – Advocate

“Quiet and mystical, yet very inspiring and tireless idealists.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Loving, imaginative and serious person. Wants

to help the world through the work as well as inspire others. Sees the strengths

of others and has an empathetic and compassionate nature. (Routamaa & Hau-

tala 2009, 114)

INFP – Mediator

“Poetic, kind and altruistic people, always eager to help a good cause.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Eager and loyal but trusts only after getting to

know the person well. A very pensive and helpful person. Often taking on too

many tasks at the same time. (Brandt 2011, 27)

ENFP – Campaigner

“Enthusiastic, creative and sociable free spirits, who can always find a reason to

smile.” (NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) A very individual, independent, and im-

aginative person. Often inspired by the whim of the moment. Interested in identity,

personal growth, and authenticity. Can see what is important to others and un-

derstand their thoughts. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 118)

ENFJ – Protagonist

“Charismatic and inspiring leaders, able to mesmerize their listeners.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) Social, popular, and sympathetic personality.

Takes care of others with their understanding and responsible nature. Interested

in things that directly and prominently affect the lives of others. (Routamaa &

Hautala 2009, 150)

INTJ – Architect

“Imaginative and strategic thinkers, with a plan for everything.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) An independent, theoretical, and inquisitive per-

son. Works in its own way and goes towards its own endeavours. Not focusing

on the details but rather on the big picture. (Auvinen 2001, 35)

23

INTP – Logician

“Innovative inventors with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.” (NERIS Ana-

lytics Limited 2021) Analytical, logical, and theoretical personality. A quiet person

but pleased to discuss topics that knows plenty. Enjoys theory and scientific

goals. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 151)

ENTP - Debater

“Smart and curious thinkers who cannot resist an intellectual challenge.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) An energetic, inventive, and inspiring person.

Enjoys learning new things and is interested in almost everything. Good at prob-

lem solving but may neglect routines. (Auvinen 2001, 43)

ENTJ – Commander

“Bold, imaginative and strong-willed leaders, always finding a way – or making

one.” (NERIS Analytics Limited 2021) A strong-willed, straightforward, and deter-

mined person. An innate leader and organizational developer. Enjoys interacting

with others and sharing ideas and opinions. Considers it important to organize

and plan things. (Auvinen 2001, 47)

24

4 TEAMWORK DEVELOPMENT

Working in teams in the corporate world has grown substantially. At the same

time, research and theory related to teamwork have steadily increased. There are

books that describes about the different stages and development of teams. The

relationship between team development and the personalities of team members

in a small company has not been significantly studied.

There is a lot more teamwork than before. According to a U.S. research, collab-

oration between managers and employees has increased by 50 percent in a few

decades. (Hiila, Tukiainen & Hakala 2019, 61)

Ideally, team members complement each other in terms of working and progress-

ing effectively. In a functioning team, roles that focus on thinking, doing, and peo-

ple are in a balanced relationship with each other. For the absolute functioning of

the team, it is not enough for the team members to get along with each other. A

successful team means a team that also succeeds commercially. Business suc-

cess comes from doing and working. (Aspegren 2015)

By understanding the thinking of others and the way things are handled, we can

better anticipate how our own behaviours or choices will affect the team and in-

dividuals. In this way, we are better able to shape our behaviour in a direction

that supports our goal.

4.1 Five dysfunctions of a team

Patrick Lencioni’s theory examines team dynamics and what things affect team

performance. Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, describes one

problem step by step. When solving it, it takes us to the next level towards the

top of the pyramid. At the top there is an opportunity to get a top team experience.

25

FIGURE 2. The five dysfunctions of a team (Lencioni 2002, 196 modified)

The dysfunctions described by Lencioni (2002) are often interpreted as separate

problems, but he describes in his book that they are all interconnected.

1. Absence of trust

The first dysfunction is an absence of trust. Team members are not completely

open, unwilling to report mistakes, and afraid to be vulnerable. It makes building

trust challenging for the team. Genuine trust can only be created by getting to

know each other. This will lower our walls and make us vulnerable in front of

each other. (Lencioni 2002, 196-197)

2. Fear of conflict

An absence of trust prepares us for another dysfunction, a fear of conflict. This

means that team members are afraid of conflicts because they have no trust in

each other. (Lencioni 2002, 196-197)

3. Lack of commitment

When no conflicts arise, we cause the next dysfunction in the team. Team mem-

bers have not experienced conflict and have not been able to express their opin-

ions openly. This has created a lack of commitment and people are not respecting

agreed decisions. (Lencioni 2002, 196-197)

INATTENTION TO RESULTS

INATTENTION TO RESULTS

AVOIDANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITYAVOIDANCE OF

ACCOUNTABILITY

LACK OF COMMITMENTLACK OF COMMITMENT

FEAR OF CONFLICTFEAR OF CONFLICT

ABSENCE OF TRUSTABSENCE OF TRUST

26

4. Avoidance of accountability

In the absence of commitment, a fourth dysfunction develops, avoidance of ac-

countability. Because there is no clear commitment to action, team members

seem not to intervene to things that are not for the benefit for the team. (Lencioni

2002, 196-197)

5. Inattention to results

The fifth dysfunction occurs when we are not accountable to each other. Inatten-

tion to results happens when other things are put before the common needs of

the team. (Lencioni 2002, 196-197)

4.2 Work community skills

Intelligent and innovative Teams are united by psychological security. Dare to fail

without fear of the reaction of others improves teamwork skills. (Perttula 2019)

Creating common ways of working in the work community is about learning, suc-

cess, and teamwork. The work community can experience problems in showing

emotions when difficulties cannot be dealt with together. Worrying and repeating

a problem does not benefit anyone, finding solutions takes the whole team for-

ward. Work communities need emotional sensitivity and listening to others so that

every member of the work community can experience a sense of appreciation.

The best way to take care of the emotional climate of the work community is to

take care of yourself. Maintaining one's own competence and work community

skills are important elements in the overall picture. (Lohisalo 2017)

4.3 Team intelligence

Team intelligence is a crucial competitive factor. Team intelligence arises when

all the abilities of team members are utilized to achieve a common goal. Members

trust each other, they dare to take risks, and they can tolerate changing situations.

Team intelligence differs from traditional teamwork in how it develops and takes

power from change. Team intelligence not only brings strength to the organiza-

tion, but also develops the individual. It helps us to identify our own strengths,

27

develop our weaknesses, learn from others, and tolerate change. Well-being at

work also improves as interaction skills improve. While the division of roles in the

workplace is important, the ideas of all employees deserve to be heard. It is a

team intelligence democracy. At its best, team intelligence enhances the effi-

ciency of the entire company's operations. It is reflected in the financial state-

ments as an increased result. (Hiila, Tukiainen & Hakola 2019, 61-67)

In the future, machines and robots will increasingly replace our work. The things

that are not substitutable are where the thoughts should be directed. It is worth

investing in intelligent cooperation and interaction. Team intelligence is signifi-

cantly important now and in the future. (Hiila, Tukiainen & Hakola 2019, 221)

28

5 THE DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS

This part of the thesis focuses to the steps of the research, the methods used,

and how the required data was collected. The research should provide an answer

to the main research question “What are the benefits of understanding different

personalities for successful teamwork in a small company?" In addition to the

research problem, the following sub-questions are clarified within the research.

• What kind of personalities do the entrepreneurs of Miela Designroom rep-

resent?

• How is their personality reflected in the work community?

• How can different personalities be better utilized in teamwork?

5.1 Research method

Qualitative research means any research that seeks to achieve results without

statistical methods or quantitative methods. Qualitative research is generally cho-

sen when the phenomenon is not known. In this case, there is no theory that

would explain the phenomenon under the research. The aim is therefore to de-

scribe, understand and interpret the phenomenon under research. (Kananen

2014, 18)

The research was conducted using a quantitative research method. No previous

research or theory can be found on the same research topic. For this reason, the

method was chosen for this research topic. Qualitative research provides an op-

portunity to gain an in-depth view of the phenomenon as well as a comprehensive

description of the phenomenon. (Kananen 2014, 16-17) The qualitative research

method was also well suited as a research method because the data to be col-

lected for the research were designed to be collected from different sources.

When we research the impact of personalities in a teamwork and it´s develop-

ment in a small company, we aim to understand the phenomenon and not gen-

eralize it. For this reason, the study is not carried out as a quantitative study, as

it seeks to generalize. (Kananen 2014, 26) The data collection method and ma-

29

terial of qualitative research is often various documents, interviews, and obser-

vations. Interviews are the most used data collection method for qualitative re-

search. (Kananen 2014, 42)

The interview is especially suitable for studying abstract phenomena. The meth-

odological advantage is that certain persons can be appropriately selected for

interview. The interview as a method is also very flexible and allows the re-

searcher to gather information by directing the discussion in a direction relevant

to the research question. (Puusa & Juuti 2020, 106-107) In order to get infor-

mation about the phenomenon and the research problem, it was essential to in-

terview certain people, i.e., the entrepreneurs of Miela Designroom.

A semi-structured interview was chosen as the interview type. This allows the

researcher to formulate questions in advance based on the topic and theory. The

answer options are not predetermined, which has the advantage that the inter-

viewees get an answer from everyone's own point of view. A semi-structured in-

terview is also clear and safe for an inexperienced researcher, as the interview is

supported by a detailed list of questions. (Puusa & Juuti 2020, 111-112)

5.2 Designing & carrying out the research

From the beginning of the project, it was clear that the research would be con-

ducted using a qualitative research method. When designing data collection

methods, it was necessary to consider what is needed to carry out the research.

Once the right data sources were selected, the right tools were found to investi-

gate the problem.

The team members involved in the research first conducted a Myers-Briggs type-

indicator-based personality self-assessment test with 60 statements. The person-

ality test contains statements from which the respondent chooses the option that

best describes her. Based on this, we were able to gather information about

Miela's entrepreneurs based on our chosen personality theory MBTI-indicator.

The results of the personality tests already answered one of the sub-questions

and provided a perspective when drafting the interview questions.

30

Semi-structured interview is the most common of all qualitative research meth-

ods. (Qu & Dumay 2011, 246) In this research, it also clearly proved to be the

best method. The interviews were conducted on a pre-agreed date and time. All

three were interviewed at consecutive times and approximately the same time

was used for each of the interviews.

The semi-structured interview includes pre-planned questions guided by the iden-

tified themes in a coherent and systematic way. The questions are designed to

produce more complex answers. (Qu & Dumay 2011, 246)

When planning the interview, it was also examined how it should be conducted

and what things should be avoided during the interview. Qu, S.Q. & Dumay

(2011) mentions four important interview skills in their article:

• The first thing to do is establish a relationship with the interviewees.

• Second, the interviewer should be able to keep the conversation going and

avoid questioning the conversation. Asking questions with one-word an-

swers that stop the interview should also be avoided.

• Third, the interviewer should also know when to interrupt and learn to focus

and accelerate the interview.

• Finally, the interviewer should adopt an unprejudiced attitude and increase

patience so that moments of silence work on behalf of the interviewer.

The quality of the interview can also be maintained by paying close attention to

the following three principles:

1) Maintaining the flow of the interviewee’s story

2) Maintaining a positive relationship with the interviewee

3) Avoiding the prejudices of the interviewers

(Qu & Dumay 2011, 248) These issues were considered and practiced before

conducting the interviews to make the interview as successful as possible.

Sandy Q. Qu and John Dumay (2011) have defined guidelines for the interview

in their article. The interview questions in this research are designed based on

the research topic and these guidelines:

1. The purpose of the first questions is to stimulate discussion and move on to

the main interview.

31

2. Next questions are intended to refer to the previous one and to be a follow-up

question.

3. In this stage, the questions are intended to be exploratory and complementary.

4. Specifying questions of the interview are intended to have more detailed de-

scriptions of previous statements.

5. Direct questions for which clear and straightforward answers are desired.

6. Indirect questions to ask projective questions.

7. Structuring questions to refer to the use of key questions.

8. Allowing breaks to allow interviewees to reflect, but also the ability to break the

silence at the right point.

9. Interpreting questions to rephrase and clarify answers.

10. Throw away questions when sensitive areas have already been discussed.

(Qu & Dumay 2011, 249)

After the individual interviews were held, the interviewees were given a 15-state-

ment team evaluation form. This team assessment is based on Patrick Lencioni’s

theory of five dysfunctions in a team what was presented earlier in the chapter

four. Team assessment is a tool to help assess a team’s vulnerability to these

dysfunctions. Each team member should answer the questions and score for

each category. From the points, it can then be deduced whether there are possi-

ble dysfunctions in the team. Finally, the results are examined by discussing, re-

viewing, and comparing differences. (Lencioni 2002, 199)

5.3 Reliability of the research

The dependability and quality of the research is measured by reliability and va-

lidity. Reliability starts from the definition of the research problem. It is also im-

portant to find out whether the problem or problems are defined correctly, i.e.,

whether the right things, i.e., validity, are being investigated. If the validity, i.e.,

the problem, is not defined correctly, the next steps of the process will fail. The

material collected must be authentic and adequate, and the interpretations made

must be correct. Reliability means that if the study were to be repeated, the re-

sults should be consistent with the first research. (Kananen 2019, 31)

32

Interviewees were asked to take a free personality test available on the internet

based on the MBTI indicator (16 personalities). No results are known about the

reliability and validity of electronically commissioned personality analysis, but it is

not relevant entirely to this thesis. While this test does not have full reliability and

validity, it does increase the interviewee’s self-knowledge and understanding of

others. The research does not rely entirely on this personality test alone, as the

research problem is studied using several methods. Scientific personality re-

search uses the Finnish MBTI form, which reliability and validity have been ex-

amined. “The scientific study on personality involves the systematic investigation

of individual differences and the organized functioning of the person as a whole.”

(Pervin 2003, 33)

Conducting qualitative research interviews is not a trivial attempt. It requires the

use of a variety of skills such as intense listening and taking notes, but also care-

ful planning and adequate preparation. In order to gather useful interview data for

research purposes, it is essential that researchers develop as much expertise as

possible in the relevant subject areas so that they can ask reasoned questions.

(Qu & Dumay 2011, 239) The researcher has sought to develop interview skills

by familiarizing herself with the skills required for a successful interview. Exper-

tise has been developed by studying materials and theories related to the re-

search problem.

It is essential for quantitative research that the assessment of reliability is based

on the research's ability to produce generalizable outputs. In a qualitative study,

this is not possible, then reliability is examined within the framework of that re-

search and according to the qualitative methods used in the work. (Puusa & Juuti

2020, 178) This research should be viewed through a reliability review, i.e., to

examine whether all phases of the study have been performed correctly. (Ka-

nanen 2014, 146)

Exploring different perceptions, beliefs, values, or meanings is challenging.

Therefore, conducting successful interviews requires skills and experience. The

interview allows to find out only the interviewee's perceptions, and not the actual

thing or phenomenon. The issues raised by the subjects are always the interpre-

tation of the researcher, which must be kept separate from the phenomenon itself

33

being researched. (Puusa & Juuti 2020) "We cannot lift the results of interviewing

out of the contexts in which they were gathered and claim them as objective data

with no strings attached." (Qu & Dumay 2011, 238)

It has been argued that the reliability of qualitative research is difficult or impos-

sible to assess. It has also been said that the concepts of validity and reliability

as such are not suitable as criteria for assessing the credibility of qualitative re-

search. (Puusa & Juuti 2020)

The results of the personality test in the research are entirely everyone’s own

assessments of their own personality, thoughts, and behaviour. The results of the

test may depend on the life situation and can also vary according to it. However,

the test undeniably increased the respondent’s self-knowledge and provided a

starting point for the research and interview. The team evaluation is also based

on the interviewees' own knowledge of the team's functioning. The interview is

based on questions relevant to the research and the results of the personality

test. If the reliability of the research is considered in terms of research process

and methods, it can be said to be reliable.

34

6 RESEARCH RESULTS

Analytical methods provide a solution to a research problem or answers to re-

search questions from research material. The collection and interpretation of

qualitative research material takes place simultaneously because the content of

the material determines the amount of material to be collected. (Kananen 2014,

100)

6.1 Personality test results

The interviewees all performed the personality test independently. Each team

member received a different personality type as a test result.

Person 1 ESTJ – Executive

“Executives are representatives of tradition and or-

der, utilizing their understanding of what is right,

wrong and socially acceptable to bring families and

communities together. Embracing the values of

honesty, dedication and dignity, people with the

Executive personality type are valued for their clear

advice and guidance, and they happily lead the

way on difficult paths. Taking pride in bringing peo-

ple together, Executives often take on roles as community organizers, working

hard to bring everyone together in celebration of cherished local events, or in

defense of the traditional values that hold families and communities together.”

(NERIS Analytics Limited 2021)

Person 2 ENFP – Campaigner

“The Campaigner personality is a true free spirit.

They are often the life of the party, but unlike types

in the Explorer Role group, Campaigners are less

interested in the sheer excitement and pleasure of

the moment than they are in enjoying the social and

emotional connections they make with others.

35

Charming, independent, energetic and compassionate, the 7% of the population

that they comprise can certainly be felt in any crowd.” (NERIS Analytics Limited

2021)

Person 3 INFJ - Advocate

“Advocates are the rarest personality types of all.

Still, Advocates leave their mark on the world. They

have a deep sense of idealism and integrity, but they

are not idle dreamers – they take concrete steps to

realize their goals and make a lasting impact. Advo-

cates’ unique combination of personality traits makes

them complex and quite versatile. For example, Advocates can speak with great

passion and conviction, especially when standing up for their ideals. At other

times, however, they may choose to be soft-spoken and understated, preferring

to keep the peace rather than challenge others.” (NERIS Analytics Limited 2021)

In his book, Kari Helin (2001) describes personalities as a "house of types" ac-

cording to the figure below. The house is described as having four floors and 16

rooms for each type. Similar cognitive styles (ST, SF, NF, NT) are overlap and

different decision styles (IJ, IP, EP, EJ) in their own layers. The house also has

two entrances for "authors" (S) and "developers" (N).

ST SF NF NT

IJ

IP

EP

EJ

S N

FIGURE 3. House of types (Helin 2001, 19 modified)

ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

36

Person 1 is from the S entrance and personalities 2 and 3 are from the N en-

trance. Person 1 is a practical person who enjoys getting something concrete

done. The person is not interested in reflecting on theories or ideas. Persons 2

and 3 are passionate about developing things and people and not so much about

details and routines. (Helin 2001, 17-18)

Person 1 has a cognitive style of "ST" while personalities 2 and 3 represent the

same cognitive style of "NF". These cognitive styles were introduced earlier in

chapter 3. These two cognitive styles are the farthest from each other. Person 1

represents sensing-thinking style and personalities 2 and 3 represent opposite

styles in both places i.e., intuition-feeling.

Person 1 (ESTJ) is called the organizer. This person can be described as deter-

mined, effective, and forthright. Organizers get things moving, but those around

them may not like their harsh and straightforward style. (Helin 2001, 23) Person

2 (ENFP) is described as a motivator. This is due to the type’s positive attitude

towards life. The type is characterized by developing things and people. They are

constantly seeing new ideas and opportunities. (Helin 2001, 21) Person 3 (INFJ)

has been described as an advisor. They base their decisions more on values and

emotions than on logic. Because they are reflective in nature, many advisors are

the background influencers of organizations who know how to help others solve

problems. (Helin 2001, 20)

The communication and stressing of MBTI's different personality types in the

work situation has been compared in Vesa and Tiina M. Routamaa's (2009) book.

ESTJ and ENFP are extroverted (E), while INFJ is introverted (I). In communica-

tion, these differences are reflected in opposite styles. The extrovert speaks

faster pace, uses a louder volume, may interrupt others, thinks out loud and often

speaks first, thinks afterwards. An introvert takes breaks when speaking, often

uses less volume, uses shorter sentences, and thinks before speaking. ESTJ is

sensing (S), asks for detailed instructions, uses precise descriptions, and asks

"what" or "how". ENFP and INFJ are intuitive (N). They think about the purpose

of the action, look for opportunities, and ask "why." ESTJ is thinking (T). Since

she is the only one representing this, she could be said to be the brain of the

team. She tests others and their knowledge. She weighs objective evidence and

37

does not care about the recommendations of others. ENFP and INFJ represents

feeling (F), and they balance this rationale person. They strive for harmony, value

the consideration of others, and ask how others act and solve problems. ESTJ

and INFJ are judging (J) while ENFP is perceiving (P). These differences are

particularly evident in decision-making. Judging people enjoy decision-making

and almost rush into it but may sometimes act unnecessarily recklessly. Perceiv-

ing people enjoy the processing more, need time and space to decide, and may

decide at the last minute. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 59) Team members are

not all the same in any sector. In each preference pair, one of the team members

always represents the opposite side. This helps to form a diverse team where

they complement each other at their best.

Comparing these personalities with the personality colours presented by Erikson

(2019), the colours closest to the team would be clearly red (ESTJ), yellow

(ENFP), and green (INFJ). As Eriksson describes, the best possible team would

find all the colours from the team. Yellow gets the idea, red makes the decision,

green gets the job done and blue evaluates it and does quality control. (Erikson

2019, 261) Persons do not always present just one colour, but if we generalize

the main features of the persons, we can find that the team consists of diverse

strengths and weaknesses.

6.2 Semi-structured interview

After a personality test based on MBTI type theory, respondents were interviewed

with nine pre-defined questions that could be answered openly (Appendix.1). The

interviews were recorded so that the results could be easily reported later, and

that interview time would not be spent recording notes.

Question 1: What do you think of your personality test result?

Two of the respondents, thought that the test result described them completely

and one thought that almost completely. Based on the responses, it can be stated

that the type obtained from the personality test described the respondents well.

Question 2: What did you think of the test results of the others and did they

correspond your image of their personalities?

38

The answer to this question was unanimous. Everyone felt they recognized each

other from the results of the personality test.

Question 3: How is your own personality reflected in teamwork?

The first interviewee said she was executive and systematic. Her test result was

ESTJ, which reflects this very answer. Her response also came very quickly and

concisely. The second person finds small improvements and areas for improve-

ment in every direction. She wants to develop and sharpen things for the better.

She thinks working alone is boring and she feels she gets energy from co-work-

ers. She also feels that she needs a quiet space if must focus on something

closely. Her test results in person ENFP fit this properly as well. The third inter-

viewee requires a lot of peace and time to do tasks. She also talked about the

need to get to work occasionally alone. She gets frustrated if there is a lot of

adjustment and if things are not clearly structured. Her personality INFJ descrip-

tion fits well with the answer.

Question 4: How is the difference (or lack of difference) reflected in your

team?

In the opinion of the first interviewee, especially in terms of working methods, its

speed / slowness, accuracy / inaccuracy, etc., also in what each considers es-

sential. The next interviewee was also on the same lines and said some were

faster than others when it comes to working style. Mistakes happens and the

main thing is when one finds mistakes. However, she thinks things are really seen

in a different light and everyone looks at things in their own way. Things are also

disputed, but often because a good compromise is reached and a better outcome.

The last interviewee was also of the opinion that things are viewed from com-

pletely different perspectives because they all represent a completely different

personality type.

Question 5: Why do you think it is important to consider diversity in the

work community?

The first interviewee summed up her opinion with one sentence "The same goal

can be reached by different routes!" The second interviewee believed with this it

would lead to better results. She thinks paying attention is especially important

also because everyone enjoys being in the workplace and everyone feels needed

39

and taken care of. She also emphasizes that a good mood increases work moti-

vation and thus results. The last interviewee thought it was important for the team

to be able to work to its full potential.

Question 6: Do you think different personalities are utilized enough in the

different roles of your team?

Everyone agreed that the personalities are already being used quite well in their

team, but there would still be space for refinement and the division of work tasks

could still be more clarified. The discussion highlighted that if there was more

time, this would be the thing that should be further developed.

Question 7: What are your own weaknesses in teamwork? This question

highlights the personality differences of the interviewees.

The first interviewee said her weaknesses are impatience and difficulty in taking

the position of another. The second interviewee described her weaknesses ex-

tensively. She said her weakness is to intervene. In her opinion, sometimes you

should just take the wires off your hands. She also describes her ability to con-

centrate as weak and her tendency to panic. The last interviewee says that re-

treating to her own space is her weakness.

Question 8: What are your own strengths in teamwork?

Based on the answers, the strengths of the interviewees were very different and

clearly complementary to each other. The first interviewee said that she does not

interfere in the affairs of others unless the goal is to understand the big picture.

She describes her strength to be able to combine the strengths of the whole team

together. The second interviewee listed her strengths as helpfulness, energetic,

brainstorming, taking things forward and developing. The third said her strengths

were calmness, thoughtfulness, and ability to finish things.

Question 9: What ways could you change to increase awareness of diver-

sity in your teamwork?

The first interviewee thought she would not necessarily change anything in her

actions. She thinks hours are not enough for a day for this. The second inter-

viewee said she could try not to incite panic and not interrupt the actions of others.

The last interviewee said she could try not to be frustrated when things are spread

40

out. In her view, it should not be allowed to paralyze work. (Keski-Heikkilä, Mink-

kinen & Perä-Rouhu 2021)

6.3 Team evaluation

After the individual interviews, a group interview time was agreed, during which

the interview was discussed, and it was possible to add something and gather

more ideas and thoughts among the whole team. For Lencioni’s (2002) team

evaluation (Appendix. 2),15 statement forms had been printed for team members,

from which were finally calculated a score for each sector. In the team evaluation,

each statement is answered either 1 = rarely, 2 = sometimes, or 3 = usually.

According to the score, each category indicates whether the team has that dys-

function. If the total score for that dysfunction is 8 or 9, it indicates that the dys-

function is probably not a problem in the team. If the total score is 6 or 7, it indi-

cates that the dysfunction may be a problem. With a total score of 3-5, it indicates

that the dysfunction should probably be addressed.

Dysfunction 1: Absence of trust

The calculated score in this section was 8 points for all. Based on the score, this

dysfunction is not a problem in the team.

Dysfunction 2: Fear of conflict

In this section, the scores were distributed respectively: 7 points, 8 points, and 9

points. The average score is 8 points, indicating that a dysfunction is not a prob-

lem on the team.

Dysfunction 3: Lack of commitment

In this section, the scores were at their strongest. Two team members had scored

9 points and one 8 points. Based on this, it can be said that this dysfunction is

not a problem in the team either.

Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of accountability

This section proved to be clearly the weakest in score. One team member got 8

points, another 6 points and the last one 4 points. Based on this, it can be said

that this dysfunction in the team should be addressed and developed.

41

Dysfunction 5: Inattention to results

In the last section, the points were divided among the team members into 7

points, 7 points and 6 points. At this point, the scores were moderately good, but

the dysfunction may still be a small problem. Attention should be paid to this point,

although the previous dysfunction is clearly the subject of team development.

42

7 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

The purpose of this thesis was to find out how understanding personalities helps

Miela Designroom entrepreneurs to develop their teamwork more effectively.

To figure out the problem, the research should answer to the main research ques-

tion “What are the benefits of understanding different personalities for successful

teamwork in a small company?" For this, the research found several different

benefits, both direct and indirect. When personalities and diversity are under-

stood and accepted as a natural social interaction between employees, it be-

comes a resource for the team. That is certainly the most significant benefit. Di-

versity and its exploitation are important because very often teams are looking

for similar people instead of different ones. This is done because it is believed

that similar people get along better with each other. These teams are less likely

going to have successful teamwork.

In addition to this, the research should also answer to these three sub-questions:

What kind of personalities do the entrepreneurs of Miela Designroom represent?

How is their personality reflected in the work community?

How can different personalities be better utilized in teamwork?

The research answers the main research question as well as all the sub-ques-

tions.

FIGURE 4. The challenges of diversity (Helin 2001, 15 modified)

Helin (2001) describes our relationship to diversity on three different levels. The

first level is “Understanding Diversity”. Initially, some structuring model is needed

to facilitate awareness and exploitation of the difference. The MBTI model used

Understanding

(Intelligence / knowledge)

Understanding

(Intelligence / knowledge)

Acceptance

(Emotions / attitudes)

Acceptance

(Emotions / attitudes)

Utilizing

(Cooperation)

Utilizing

(Cooperation)

43

in this thesis is one model. The second level “Acceptance” already requires fa-

miliarity with one's own values, feelings, and attitudes. Radical values or attitudes

makes it difficult to accept difference. At the highest level, i.e., "Utilization", the

difference can already be utilized, i.e., working together is natural. Reaching this

level requires that previous levels have been encountered. (Helin 2001, 15-16)

This thesis gave the team the tools to rise these levels. The research took team

members forward beyond the level of understanding. When taking the personality

tests, the team members gained self-awareness and self-knowledge that helps

at the acceptance level. Team evaluation helps team members eliminate their

dysfunctions so that the team is ready to rise to the third level of “Utilization”.

Based on the responses to the interview, it can be stated that the team has not

yet reached the third level. The personalities are not sufficiently utilized in team-

work because the team feels that they have not had enough time for this devel-

opment. To reach the third level, the team should spend more time developing

their teamwork and capitalize on the results of this research. Getting to the third

level helps the team in several different areas. These areas include leadership,

work community and teamwork development, interaction, intensifying meetings,

and going through change processes. (Helin 2001, 16)

MBTI is not intended to defend or raise oneself, but above all to accept oneself,

to develop oneself and to understand others. (Routamaa & Hautala 2009, 141)

Taking the personality test and analysing the types increased team members self-

knowledge and ability to understand others.

Miela Designroom consists of three completely different personalities (ESTJ,

ENFP, INFJ) according to the personality test result. In general, teams made up

of similar personalities are ineffective because they multiply the same weak-

nesses. This leads to inevitability, simplicity, and lack of criticism. (Routamaa &

Hautala 2009, 145) Weaknesses and strengths of team members personalities

can be said to complement each other and the team to form optimal conditions

for successful teamwork.

44

To develop teamwork, each team member should develop challenges of their

own personality type. The inherent development challenge of the ESTJ is to learn

to listen to others, especially those who react more slowly. Another object of de-

velopment is to learn to give encouraging feedback to others. (Helin 2013, 56-57)

The inherent development challenge of the ENFP is to learn to prioritize things

so that things are not left out due to a lack of enthusiasm. Another object of de-

velopment is to sell great ideas to those who are not that excited. (Helin 2013,

76-77) The development challenge for the INFJ is to learn to better express its

own needs and expectations. An inherently empathetic person should practice

hardness and systematic to balance that empathy. (Helin 2013, 74-75)

According to a team assessment commissioned by Patrick Lencioni (2002), the

team should focus on eliminating Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of accountability.

This dysfunction is characterized by the fact that team members do not tolerate

embarrassing situations leading it to the avoidance of awkward discussions. To

overcome this dysfunction, the team should disclose its goals and quality require-

ments and agree on ways to succeed. The team also needs simple and regular

reviews of the progress of its goals. This requires planning as well as the ability

to give and receive feedback. Building a culture of accountability develops when

rewarding individual performance is abandoned. (Lencioni 2002, 222-223) Dys-

function 5: Inattention to results was not clearly a problem in the team. However,

according to the assessment, there were indications that the fifth dysfunction

should be considered. Since the previous dysfunction is linked to the occurrence

of the fifth dysfunction, the fourth should be eliminated as a matter of priority. To

take care of the development of this dysfunction, the team should make the re-

sults clear and reward only those activities that help to achieve these results.

(Lencioni 2002, 226) Successful and effective teamwork requires humanity from

the individual to help overcome these dysfunctions. In the end it is about discipline

and perseverance. (Lencioni 2002, 228)

Once the team is focused on team dynamics and removing dysfunctions, I would

next encourage team members to familiarize themselves with Lencioni’s following

model: “The Ideal Team player”. The model focuses on each team member indi-

45

vidually and the virtues that make it easier to face and overcome these dysfunc-

tions. (Lencioni 2016, 231) Developing teamwork requires good team dynamics,

but above all, at the individual level everyone's input.

Appreciating differences means the ability to identify oneself with other people’s

positions without necessarily liking it. (Syer & Connolly 1996, 89) The research

reveals that team members have their own responsibilities and roles. Some of

the tasks are divided according to personality and competence, but some of the

tasks are only assigned to a specific person over time. Interview showed that not

everyone was completely satisfied with the current division of tasks. With this

research, the team should consider whether the tasks should be divided differ-

ently and whether they could develop a division that is more pleasing to everyone.

When seeking an answer to a research question; “What are the benefits of un-

derstanding personalities for the success of teamwork?”, we should, in principle

first identify our own weaknesses and strengths. Knowing one's own personality

type helps to identify both strengths and developmental challenges, as well as

helping to understand others and why someone naturally takes on a certain role

in a team. By identifying personality types, it is easier for each member of the

work community to find their own place in the team. When a team knows each

other, no new dysfunctions arise in the team and existing dysfunctions can be

overcome together.

The research showed that team members have very different personalities, and

they are aware of each other’s characteristics and differences. Results also show

that understanding diversity and different personalities is greatly beneficial for the

teamwork. However, to reach its full potential and better utilize these personalities

in their teamwork, they still have things to be improved. Within this research, the

team has now been given the tools to reach their full potential.

46

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APPENDICES

Appendix 1. Semi-structured interview questions

Question 1: What do you think of your personality test result?

Question 2: What did you think of the test results of the others and did they

correspond your image of their personalities?

Question 3: How is your own personality reflected in teamwork?

Question 4: How is the difference (or lack of difference) reflected in your

team?

Question 5: Why do you think it is important to consider diversity in the

work community?

Question 6: Do you think different personalities are utilized enough in the

different roles of your team?

Question 7: What are your own weaknesses in teamwork?

Question 8: What are your own strengths in teamwork?

Question 9: What ways could you change to increase awareness of diver-

sity in your teamwork?

50

Appendix 2. Team evaluation form

1(2)

lfdkgokg

51

Team evaluation form

2 (2)

Scoring

Combine your scores for the preceding statements as indicated below.

A score of 8 or 9 is a probable indication that the dysfunction is not a problem for your

team.

A score of 6 or 7 indicates that the dysfunction could be a problem.

A score of 3 to 5 is probably an indication that the dysfunction needs to be addressed.

Regardless of your scores, it is important to keep in mind that every team needs con-

stant work, because without it, even the best ones deviate toward dysfunction.

(Lencioni 2002, 200-202)