• Researchers looked at the 16 personality types recognised by Myers-Briggs.

• They created an interactive infographic showing professionals how to network based on their personality type.

• Users select the profile that best describes their personality type.

• The infographic offers insight into which personality types get along, and how to connect with each type.

A new interactive infographic shows business-to-business professionals exactly how to improve their networking skills.

Love Energy Savings, a leading business energy price comparison site, used the Myers-Briggs personality test to find the differences between 16 personality types that make up the world’s population. 

They then used their findings to create an interactive infographic that enables professionals and entrepreneurs to learn how best to network for their personality type. 

Usually, businesses use the results of the Myers-Briggs test and apply them to their internal teams in order to help them reach a common goal. The test has never been used to help entrepreneurs and professionals improve their networking skills - something that many need to work on.

In fact, a recently published article that investigates the power of networking in a modern world found that:

• Nearly 100% of people say that face-to-face networking is vital for making long-term partnerships

• 85% of people say they build stronger, more meaningful business relationships during in-person meetings and conferences

• 1 in 4 people don’t take part in any networking

What does the interactive infographic show?

To find out how to network based on their personality traits, users simply select their Myers-Briggs personality type from the options available. They then get information about:

• What proportion of the population shares their personality type

• An overview of each personality type

• Which personality types the user will naturally get on with (and which they won’t)

• How to connect easily with people from each personality group

• Topics of discussion to focus on with each personality type

The piece also explores how some personality types have more influence within their organisations than others. For example, Examiners (ISTJs) were most likely to earn the highest income on average (£45k), closely followed by Craftsmen (ISTP). Examiners also managed the largest number of people overall (5.8 on average).

At the other end of the spectrum, Engineers (INTPs) managed the fewest people on average (2.3), probably because their personality type is very hands-on and less people-oriented. Originators (ENTP) had a lower average income than anyone else.

“We hope that once business leaders better understand themselves and how they’ll naturally connect with others, they’ll be more confident and proactive in sourcing new business opportunities,” says Phil Foster.

“In an age where face-to-face communication is critically undervalued,” he adds, “that could prove critical to the success of many UK businesses.”

If you’d like to find more information on networking for different personality types, a blog post and the interactive infographic can be found here.