I used to be awkward and introverted, finding it difficult to understand people. I thought to myself “people are so different, its like they are running on different operating systems. As an engineer, I sought to explore models and frameworks of personality and cognition. After exploring the OCEAN (Big-5), DISC, MBTI, I found the framework I was looking for in Jung’s work from 1921 on cognitive functions. Building on his work, the Axis Personality Model was developed as the only model capable of predicting collaboration between two or more individuals. The Axis Personality Model can be used for personal development, career development, and to strategize teams.

Enlight is a talent and team optimization tool built on Jungian cognitive functions. It identifies your natural strengths, shows how these functions interact, and maps your ideal work rhythm and team dynamics.

The Axis Natural Talents Assessment consists of only 17 multiple-choice questions. It is able to sort into 16 different cognitive arrangements, in 4 quadrants based on combinations of individual vs. collective and marketplace vs. mountain. With an accuracy of over 80%, the The Axis Natural Talents Assessment will bring you closer to identifying your most accurate type.

• Unlike personality tests that categorize behavior, Enlight maps how you think, how you decide, and how your brain processes information.
• These natural talents are fixed traits, not mood-dependent. What changes is how effectively you use them.
• The Axis Personality Model is centered around the 8 Jungian functions;

• Ti, Introverted Thinking – Function of logic, reason, and technical decision-making.
• Te, Extroverted Thinking – Function of action, efficiency, and decision-making based on utility.
• Fi, Introverted Feeling – Function of the self-reflection and understanding internal emotions.
• Fe, Extroverted Feeling – Function of community and understanding the emotions of others.
• Si, Introverted Sensing – Function of order, structure, detail, and repetition.
• Se, Extroverted Sensing – Function of 5-Senses, adaptability, and instinct.
• Ni, Introverted iNtuition – Function of pattern recognition and future prediction.
• Ne, Extroverted iNtuition – Function of language, communication and idea generation.

The arrangement of these functions into a framework makes up the 16 different cognitive patterns that become the OS (Operating System) of each individual respectively.The Axis Personality Model

Each of us uses all 8 cognitive functions, and their position (Dominant, Auxiliary, Tertiary, Inferior) and relative strength define:

• Your core decision-making mode
• Where stress and burnout show up
• Which talents are reliable vs fragile

These interactions determine:

• Which function becomes your lens
• Which ones become hidden blind spots
• Which ones require the most effort to access under pressure

Example:

A strong Ne (Extraverted Intuition) in dominant position leads to constant ideation. But if Te (Extraverted Thinking) is weak and tertiary, execution suffers unless trained.

These 8 functions can all be developed and strengthened to a higher level. The question is which functions to prioritize for development.

Enlight’s focus is not only on individual capability, but also team dynamics and building a culture of teamwork and mentorship within teams. Working with the team as a whole is a better predictor of sustained success.

The Axis Personality model is developed based on on the original works by Carl G. Jung in 1921 before he moved on to explore individuation, archetypes, and the shadow. After 100 years, Enlight Consulting has extracted and simplified Jung’s work into the Axis Personality Model for use organizational use including for Team Dynamics and Leadership Development.

Why Enlight Consulting and why the Axis Personality Model?

• The Axis Personality Model is currently the only model that can reasonably predict interactions between two or more individuals, using function-based quadrant pairings.
• The Axis Personality Model is adapted from Carl G. Jung, father of Analytical Psychology.

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Organizational Use Cases

• Talent Optimization: Assign tasks based on natural function (e.g., Ne-types for ideation, Te-types for logistics).
• Conflict Prediction: Spot incompatible team pairings before issues arise.
• Succession Planning: Balance out team cognitive functions, not just skillsets.
• Hiring & Retention: Align new hires with culture and interaction style.

Mandy Hu, CUHK:

High performers can cancel each other out if team dynamics aren’t managed. Data-driven pairing matters more than individual IQ or KPI scores.

When managing a team and trying to foster teamwork, having data on likely complementary pairings and combinations can come in handy in speeding up the process of establishing a collaborative team dynamic. Enlight’s collaboration guide makes it easy to understand dynamics i.e synergy relationships, groupthink relationships, and misunderstanding relationships. This data can inform a team structure and task distribution with a technical-based approach.

We hope you enjoy the process of taking the 17 questions we have to offer, and get to discover more of our selves through the lens of the 8 Jungian functions. Each function can be developed but it’s starting position rests on each individual’s core cognitive framework. We wish you all the best in your journey looking inward with the guidance of the 8 functions.