The last scale we are going to be talking about relates to how we structure our life. Are you continuously seeking to control your life or do you have a more carefree approach where you get excited about where tomorrow may take you? Can you make a decision easily or do you require multiple choices and a little more time to think things through? Do you get excited when you begin projects or when you end them? The fact of the matter is that sometimes we are forced to do somethings that we don’t particularly like to do. Say you have a carefree attitude and like to keep options open,but at work you have been told to tell the HR manager about which department you want to get transferred to by the end of the day and that makes you uncomfortable. You will make this decision because you “have” to.The two ends of the scale are judging vs perceiving.
On one hand of the spectrum we find the judging personality preference. This side of the scale prefers to have a fair amount of structure in their lives. They usually have tidy desks and follow a day to day task list to help them prioritize and complete tasks on time. They prefer to make decisions as soon as possible and any delay in reaching a conclusion causes them considerable stress. They have a strong work ethic which gets them to jot down goals for themselves and they work diligently to attain them. Closing a deal or finishing a project gives them immense relief and joy at the same time. Time is scarce in their point of view and they do all that is possible to maximize it.
On the other hand of the spectrum we find the perceivers. Structure is something that they tend to keep at a distance. The perceiver enjoys life which he/she finds full of options. This allows them to be spontaneous in their approach to life. Decision making in an either/or situation makes them feel claustrophobic. For them time is a renewable resource which causes them to not to worry too much about upcoming deadlines. They strive on starting new projects and developing the process along the way. Their goals are in a state of continuous change as they get more information. This play ethic provides them with a framework where they operate at their best.
If you are still confused as to which side of the scale you have a preference towards, probably this last example will help. A friend and you decide that you want to go by a new printer. You get to the shop and you both roughly know what type of printer you are looking for. If you are the friend who talks endlessly to the shop keeper about different options and features in the printer and cannot decide on the spot which one you want to buy you may have a slight preference towards the perceiving side. If however you go in ask the shop keeper which is the best one in a certain budget and decide to buy the one he shows you, you may have a slight preference for the judging side. This is a simple example which you can extrapolate into more complex situations to help you decide on your preferred preference.
Every startup needs its share of judgers and perceivers. They each bring with them unique qualities which are essential from the idea generation process to the implementation stage. I may have been more biased towards the judging scale as I fall in that category. However I would really like to know if you think you are a perceiver and what life is like through your eyes.