ENFPs direct their energy towards the outer world of actions and spoken words. They seek to develop new potential, explore new possibilities and create new situations that yield the expectation of something better. They often enjoy work that involves experimentation and variety.
What makes an ENFP tick?
The Dominant function is the perceptive one of iNtuition. Characteristics associated with this function include:
- Likes looking at information from a global viewpoint, spotting patterns and relationships, that lead to an understanding of the key issues
- Focuses more on possibilities for the future than the here-and-now
- Enjoys change, challenge, and variety
The perceptive iNtuition function is extraverted. That is, iNtuition is used primarily to govern the outer world of actions and spoken words. The ENFP will therefore:
- Try ideas out, to explore new possibilities and discover, by experience, which ones work
- Change procedures to see if any improvement can be made, rather than just operate them
- Be interested in evolutionary development, but with an eye on the strategy.
- Be more interested in exploring ideas than bringing them to closure
The iNtuition function is primarily supported by introverted Feeling judgement, That is, Feeling judgement is used primarily to manage the inner world of thoughts and emotions. This will modify the way that the iNtuition is directed, by:
- focusing the (outer world) iNtuition on ideas and possibilities that relate to people
- inwardly appreciating the contributions of others, though not expressing it that often.
- internally rejecting any options that clearly conflict with the ENFP's values - though the rejection might not be expressed or seen to others
The classic temperament of an ENFP is Apollonian, or Choleric, for whom a basic driving force is the search for meaning or purpose.
Contributions to the team of an ENFP
In a team environment, the ENFP can contribute by:
- acting as a catalyst for change, and encouraging the team to change together
- focusing on areas of agreement and building on others' proposals
- where there are areas of disagreement, exploring a wide range of options to see if a point of agreement can be found.
- contributing creative ideas, particularly those involving people
- including others in the process of developing ideas and vision, and being very accepting of contributions, even of varying quality
- generating team spirit though the ENFP's own energy and enthusiasm
The potential ways in which an ENFP can irritate others include:
- losing sight of the main purpose of the discussion and going off at tangents
- initiating too many projects, and not being able to deliver on all of them
- talking too much
- introducing too much change, and not leaving well-established, workable routines alone.
- making errors of fact
- wanting to pursue ideas without fully thinking through the consequences in, say, cost terms
Personal Growth
As with all types, the ENFP can achieve personal growth by developing all functions that are not fully developed, through actions such as:- being selective about starting projects, and producing plans to help identify which ones can be delivered
- pausing and thinking, and recognising that others will accept the ENFP and his/her ideas more if given sufficient time to make their own contribution
- being more accepting of existing routines that work well
- investigating the facts, and documenting them, before interpreting what they mean
- listing options and undertaking a formal process of evaluation against criteria, including a cost benefit analysis
- changing his/her vision to fit more closely with what is possible
- expressing the appreciation that is felt towards others
Recognising Stress
As stress increases, 'learned behaviour' tends to give way to the natural style, so the ENFP will behave more according to type when under greater stress. For example, in a crisis, the ENFP might:
- involve people in brainstorming ideas
- be democratic about choosing the solution to use
- provide a lot of drive, but try to do too much
- make errors of fact, or ignore routine matters that might nevertheless be essential
Under extreme stress, fatigue or illness, the ENFP's shadow may appear - a negative form of ISTJ. Example characteristics are:
- being pedantic about unimportant details
- doing things to excess - e.g.: eating, drinking or exercising
- being critical of others, and finding fault with almost everything
- taking charge without consideration to others
The shadow is part of the unconscious that is often visible to others, onto whom the shadow is projected. The ENFP may therefore readily see these faults in others without recognising it in him/her self.