on a form rather than speaking it. Introverts feel more com-
fortable organizing their thoughts on paper.- The opposite applies to extraverts (E). Talk things through
with them. Don’t involve them in a lot of reading and writ-
ing; it’s better to do it face-to-face. Reassure them that ev-
erything is on the table, that there are no hidden agendas. - If you are meeting with a sensing (S) type to discuss finances,
provide all the details in a logical, step-by-step fashion. Stick
with concrete, real examples. Avoid hypotheticals that in-
volve imaginary scenarios. Often a sensing type will assume
that you are giving a real example and will become con-
fused. (If you say, “Joe will have to pay capital gains tax if
he sells his winning stocks,” a sensor may respond, “Wait
a minute, who is Joe?” To which you respond, “No one,
I’m just making up a situation.” At which point the sensor
may furrow his brow and ask, “Why are you making up
stories about my money?”) It’s also best to avoid metaphors,
such as “Imagine that your dividend check is like a river
flowing into a lake.” They may not understand why you
are talking about the environment when they have impor-
tant money matters to tackle. - Intuitives (N) need the opposite treatment. Give them the
big picture and don’t worry about details. If you can draw
them a picture or paint a verbal picture of their scenario,
and it hits home for them, you’ve struck gold. They will
love it and refer back to it. Example: “Some stocks are like
baseball singles, others are like home runs. Some of your
money will be safe swings, some will be swinging for the
fences.” Intuitives like to talk about possibilities and the
future and are comfortable jumping from one topic to an-
other, so strict agendas are not important.
Thinking (T) and feeling (F) is probably the most important
distinction in financial management. This difference will affect theTemperament and Client Service 11108-13 ware 111 1/19/01, 1:11 PM