ISTJ Communication Skills

ISTJs come across in communication as open and natural, as well as precise and to-the-point, but they can also be somewhat formal. They are great sticklers for the rules and communication norms of their social milieu.

ISTJs occasionally find it hard to discuss the finer feelings of the soul: topics of love, and lyric poetry may not evoke a strong emotional reaction from them.

An ISTJ’s everyday social circle is likely to be comprised of their close friends, relatives, and acquaintances - many of the last two will also be a sensing/thinking (ST) type (ESTJ, ISTJ, ESTP, or ISTP).

ISTJs tend to have a large number of business contacts, because they are in demand whenever there is a need to determine what practical steps or action need to be taken in relation to an important issue. Their business communication usually involves an exchange of opinions and practical solutions, as well as discussing management activities.

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ISTJ: Strategies for Successful Communication

ISTJs are often rather communicative with people who are also of a sensing/thinking type (ST), including ESTJ, ISTJ, ESTP, and ISTP personality types. Representatives of this group have a similar way of perceiving the world, and, for the most part, keep their communications to facts and their direct implications. ISTJs find it easy to share their experience and observations with other STs, and are in turn likely to comprehend other STs’ experience or opinions.

In their communication with intuitive/thinking (NT) personality types, including ENTJ, INTJ, ENTP, and INTP, ISTJs should found their communication on logic and concepts. They will occasionally have to struggle to find argumentation that people from this group will understand. This may limit the conversation to what is equally easy to grasp for the both parties - for the most part, touching on facts and their direct consequences, which is based on their only common typological denominator thinking (T).

In their communication with sensing/feeling (SF) personality types, including ESFJ, ISFJ, ESFP, and ISFP, ISTJs should strive to confine their communication to discussion of actual experience. This kind of communication is easy to engage in for both parties. However, certain representatives of the ISTJ type may find it difficult to talk about feelings – whereas to the representatives of SF types feelings play a very important role. In these cases ISTJs may fall back to something that both parties can relate to.

ISTJs will find the most challenging to communicate with the representatives of intuitive/feeling (NF) personality types, such as ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP, and INFP. In their interaction with the representatives of this group ISTJs should emphasize concepts, ideas, and feelings. However, ISTJs find it rather taxing to construct a dialog in this manner. They have to struggle to find argumentation that people from this group will easily grasp, and may just want to wrap up the conversation. In order to establish a level of discussion that both parties will find acceptable, an ISTJ should "tune” into the communication style compatible with the NF group in advance.

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What helps successful communication for an ISTJ:

• the matter of discussion touches on aspects of practical solutions
• the matter of discussion mostly deals with concrete, current issues
• the matter of discussion requires a clear understanding of how events unfold as well as comprehension of logical connections between them
• the communication involves people from the ST or the SF group

What hinders successful communication for an ISTJ:

• the matter of discussion largely relates to abstract and theoretical issues
• the matter of discussion has to do with the finer feelings of the soul (e.g., love)
• prolonged communication with people from the NF group

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