Today is a theoretical day.  This isn't to say that today doesn't exist in reality, but rather that my blog is going to focus on a bit of theory.  Hopefully this won't be too heavy though and I'll get you blowing on some pieces of paper to lighten things up a bit.

The Basis of the Team Dynamics Assessment™

The Team Dynamics Assessment applies two aspects of Carl Jung's psychological theory - psychological type and complex theory - to teamwork.

Although Psychological Type was made popular through the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® in the latter part of the 20th century, the theory was introduced in 1921 through Jung's book 'Psychological Types'.  In that book, Jung outlined a number of psychological functions - I prefer to call them ‘mental muscles’ - that people use in everyday life.

Four x Two = Eight

There are four mental muscles: Sensing, Intuition, Thinking and Feeling.  Just as most people have and use four limbs (2 arms, 2 legs), most people have and use four mental muscles (2 for perception, 2 for judgement).  Sensing and Intuition are used to perceive information, Thinking and Feeling are used to organise that information.

There are two worlds in which these four mental muscles can be used: the outer world (of people, things, situations) and the inner world (of ideas, information and beliefs).  Jung described the difference as being determined by the direction in which 'libido' (or psychological energy) moves.  That is, is psychological energy directed towards the inner or outer world?

Jung therefore identified 8 function-attitudes:

4 (mental muscles) x 2 (worlds) = 8 (function-attitudes)

When use of a function-attitude becomes habitual, then it becomes a psychological type.  The 8 psychological types are very different, even though they are based on only 4 mental muscles. 

Confused?  Try This...

The relationship between mental muscles, the inner/outer worlds and flow of libido can be illustrated by doing the following activities.  Each one gets you to use your diaphragm, the large muscle in the middle of your body that controls your breathing.

Activity 1: 
Hold up a piece of paper in front of your mouth and then blow.  The piece of paper will move.

Activity 2:
Take a deep breath, and breathe in until your lungs are full.

In the first exercise, you use your diaphragm muscle to move air from inside your body into the room (which is analogous to libido, or psychological energy, moving from the inner to outer world).  Although you can't see the air moving, you can see the piece of paper being moved by the air.  Therefore, the 'product' of activity 1 is in the "outer world" (outside your body).

In the second exercise, you use your diaphragm muscle to move air from the outer world into your body.  Although other people may not be able to see anything happening, you can feel your body changing, and your body does a lot more than you can feel (eg: extracting the oxygen from that air and using it to keep you alive and provide nourishment).  Therefore, the 'product' of activity 2 is in the "inner world" (inside your physical bodies).

The muscle being used in both exercises is the same, the diaphragm.  The only difference is the direction of the air, which determines whether the product (or contribution or transformation) takes place outside your body or inside.  Yet, the products are very different in both exercises - in one the paper moves, in the other your body is nourished.

Extraversion and Introversion

In the same way, you can use a mental muscle to move libido either in an extraverted or introverted direction, and this can make the product of that mental muscle appear very different. 

To use a simple example, if you tidy up your desk then you are using your mental muscle in the outer world. Extraversion is using a mental muscle directed towards the outer world (ie: the real world outside of our 'psychological minds').  As a result the 'product' (a tidy desk) is in the outer world.

If you look at a picture on your desk and think about the personal meaning or significance it has for you, then you are using your mental muscle in the inner world.  Introversion is using a mental muscle to direct libido (or energy) towards the inner world.  As a result, the 'product' (recognition of a personal meaning) is in the inner world.

Conclusion

The Team Dynamics Assessment is derived from Jung's theory of psychological types, but the terminology we use is different.

In Jungian terminology, four functions combined with two directions of libido produce eight function-attitudes.  In team role terminology four mental muscles and two worlds produce eight team roles.