Mastermind (Role Variant)

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Mastermind is one of the 16 role variants the Keirsey Temperament Sorter is based on. David Keirsey originally described the mastermind role variant, however the personality theories of Carl Jung and Isabel Myers greatly contributed to its development. Masterminds correlate with the INTJ Myers-Briggs type.

Masterminds are introspective, pragmatic, directive and reserved. Masterminds are highly capable leaders as contingency planning and entailment organizing is highly developed in them. Both contingency planning and entailment organizing are directive activities that tell the planner what activities to do and what order to do them in. Despite their leadership capabilities, masterminds prefer to stay in the background until others demonstrate ineffective leadership. However once in a position of power, masterminds are highly efficient and willing to adopt useful ideas.

Masterminds are strong willed, self-confident and decisive. They are also highly theoretical and are the most open-minded of all the role variants. Before a mastermind adopts a theoretical notion, they insist on researching all of the available data and checking the idea against reality. Masterminds are suspicious of theories based on poor research and will discard ideas that cannot be effectively implemented.

Masterminds are highly pragmatic and will put forth a lot of time and effort in order to implement effective ideas. They are driven to solve complex problems and to create organized, decided, and executed solutions. Masterminds tend to say positive statements instead of negative ones, preferring to focus on how to make the organization more efficient in the future rather than dwelling on past mistakes.

The following individuals are identified as Masterminds:

• Friedrich Nietzsche
• Niels Bohr
• Peter the Great
• Stephen Hawking
• John Maynard Keynes
• Lise Meitner
• Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Ayn Rand
• Isaac Newton

Sources

• Keirsey Temperament and Character The Web Site for the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and Keirsey Temperament Theory.
• http://www.advisorteam.org/the_four-temperaments/temp_rational_mastermind.html

See also

• Mastermind