How Can You Connect With Clients with Preferences for ST, SF, NF, and NT?

The MBTI function pairs make the greatest difference in how patients want information and interaction from members of the veterinary health care team. With this in mind, here are some specific things you can do to ensure that you are communicating most effectively with each client.

SF (Sensing/Feeling): The Personal Service Approach
Clients with a preference for Sensing and Feeling want a warm, personal connection with their veterinary health care professional. Specific “to do’s” for SF’s include:

✦ Listen carefully to them, give them your time and complete attention.
✦ Be warm, friendly and cheerful.
✦ Give them factual information honestly, but with a personal touch; for example, remember what you’ve already told them.
✦ Strive for harmony in the interaction, find points of agreement.
✦ Provide practical information and examples about their pet’s condition.
✦ Tell them about similar cases and what other pet owners in the same situation have done.
✦ Explain any options clearly and allow them time to decide.

NT (Intuition/Thinking): The Logical Options With Competence Approach
Clients with a preference for Intuition and Thinking want the veterinary health care team to offer logical options and will often “test” the competence of the doctor and perhaps even the staff. Specific “to do’s” for NT’s include:

✦ Respect their intelligence and their need to understand.
✦ Demonstrate your competence and show that you continually update your knowledge.
✦ Do not expect or assume a personal relationship—that will be built when competence is shown.
✦ Answer their questions in an honest, open way; do not hide anything.
✦ Share multiple options and involve them in decisions.
✦ Listen to their views and ask before giving advice.
✦ Be informed about new, innovative treatment options.

ST (Sensing/Thinking): The Facts with Practicality Approach
Typically, clients with a preference for Sensing and Thinking desire fact-based interaction with their veterinary practice. Specific “to do’s” for ST’s include:

✦ Be brief, give concise facts.
✦ Be straightforward, honest, and realistic.
✦ Be competent and pay attention to detail.
✦ Present information in a logical way; do not go off on a tangent.
✦ Know the facts about their pet’s condition and expect to be questioned on them.
✦ Give them information on the specific treatment options so they can weigh them.
✦ Do not treat their pet without first giving them all the facts and relevant details.
✦ Give them factual written information about their pet’s condition and treatment.
✦ Have relevant data available for comparison and review.

NF (Intuition/Feeling): The Supporting Their Vision Approach
Those with a preference for Intuition and Feeling want personalized support that respects their values and considers the implications of their situation on others and for the future. Specific “to do’s” for NF’s include:

✦ Treat them with respect, involve them in the decision-making process, and value their unique perspective.
✦ Be honest, kind, and sincere.
✦ Listen to and acknowledge their concerns.
✦ Provide bottom line solutions—an overview without too many details.
✦ Get to know them as a person.
✦ Be open to discussing alternate or complimentary treatments with them.
✦ Be consistent in words and actions.

The Challenges of “Flexing” Your Style
“Flexing” your style to connect with your client will be most challenging when the client’s preferred communication style is exactly opposite to yours.

Take, for instance, Dr. Jung, the INTP practice owner at River City Veterinary Hospital (RCVH). Dr. Jung’s natural communication style, considering his NT function pair, is to get straight to the point and present treatment options in a logical and fairly impersonal way. He would typically share the pros and cons of each potential ap¬proach at a fairly high level, without providing much in the way of specific detail. When attempting to commu¬nicate with an SF client, Dr. Jung’s style could easily get in the way. The SF client would first want to feel like Dr. Jung cared about him or her as a human being. Then, they would need a lot more detail about the “how to’s” related to each approach and what would be required of them in the way of home care, etc.

In the same way, RCVH’s practice manager, Jean, with an ESTJ type preference, would be challenged to adapt her normally short, crisp, businesslike style to meet the needs of an NF client who had lodged a complaint about the hospital’s billing policy.

With a little practice, though, every member of your practice team can develop the skills needed to “flex” and connect with clients with different communication styles. Try the following exercise to help you reflect and learn from your daily client communication experiences.