The Brazilian top executives’ psychological type and their stress perception: Where the weak ones don’t stand a chance

Abstract

Stress can be more easily identified in some professional groups such as the senior executives working in corporations. The sources of stress in a work context are mediated by specific individual differences. Therefore, stress differs from one individual to another and each one responds differently. This paper aims to examine the relationship between the Brazilian executives’ perception of stress and their psychological type. The qualitative-quantitative mixed method research is based on 965 questionnaires answered by CEOs, vice presidents/directors and third level executives from 344 corporations. In addition, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 263 executives. The theoretical framework describes the stress typologies as well as an indicator of psychological types based on Carl G. Jung’s work, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Results show that the dominant psychological type among the executives (21,6%) has as characteristics efficiency, objectivity and assertiveness. Individuals from this psychological type say they feel less the stress when compared with the executives of the other psychological types. The individuals from the psychological type that say they feel more fatigue and stress (3%) would be considered the “weak”, with no place in organizations where only the “strong ones” seem to have a chance.

Keywords: Brazilian executives, stress, psychological type, Carl Jung, assertiveness.