Publishers of quality online articles and resources
(using an up-to-date browser)
ENTJ Personality Type
ENTJs direct their energy towards the outer world of actions and spoken words. They organise and structure the world according to logical principles, tending to control life - organising systems and people to meet task oriented goals and trying to improve the way things are done.
What makes an ENTJ tick?
The Dominant function is the judging one of Thinking. Characteristics associated with this function include:
- Likes making decisions on the basis of logic, using objective considerations
- Is concerned with truth, principles and justice
- Is analytical and critical, tending to see the flaws in situations
- Takes an objective approach
The judging Thinking function is extraverted. That is, Thinking is used primarily to govern the outer world of actions and spoken words. The ENTJ will therefore:
- organise life in on a logical basis, classifying, ordering, and directing facts and situations
- be decisive, with the aim of being just and fair
- spontaneously criticise
- be comfortable with conflict as a way of resolving problems
- take an impersonal approach, focusing more on systems and organisational needs than each individuals' feelings
The Thinking function is primarily supported by introverted iNtuitive perception. That is, iNtuitive perception is used primarily to manage the inner world of thoughts and emotions. This will modify the way that the Thinking is directed, by:
- focusing the (outer world) Thinking on creative decisions that lead to change and new possibilities
- orchestrating the outward organisation in support of some overall purpose or strategy
The classic temperament of an ENTJ is Promethean, or Phlegmatic, for whom a basic driving force is the search for competence or excellence.
Contributions to the team of an ENTJ
In a team environment, the ENTJ can contribute by:
- focusing on the task to be achieved and keeping the team on track
- providing a drive to complete the task on time and to a high quality
- shaping the team structure to best serve the team objectives
- using analytical and critical skills to solve problems
- ensuring short term tasks are in harmony with the strategy
- sorting out confusion and ambiguity
- involving people who are competent in relevant skills, and ensuring everyone knows what they have to do
The potential ways in which an ENTJ can irritate others include:
- issuing directives sometimes without explaining the reasons why
- dominating the team
- not taking account of others' feelings
- driving too hard
- deciding too quickly and without sufficient consultation with others
- not taking sufficient account of current realities
- introducing too much change, and not leaving well-established, workable routines alone.
Personal Growth
As with all types, the ENTJ can achieve personal growth by developing all functions that are not fully developed, through actions such as:- pausing and thinking, and recognising that others will accept the ENTJ's direction if their own contributions are accepted and valued
- working within other people's limitations
- taking time to consider the impact of the ENTJ's approach and ideas on people's feelings
- expressing appreciation towards others
- consulting others more, to engender ownership of the solution
- learning to acknowledge and develop the ENTJ's own emotions and personal values
- spending time to develop personal relationships for their own sake
Recognising Stress
As stress increases, 'learned behaviour' tends to give way to the natural style, so the ENTJ will behave more according to type when under greater stress. For example, in a crisis, the ENTJ might:
- take command, decide what needs to be done, and tell everyone what to do
- maintain a sense of direction, and drive others hard to overcome any short term difficulties
- make decisions too quickly, and without considering the impact on people
- criticise others efforts and ignore their feelings
Under extreme stress, fatigue or illness, the ENTJ's shadow may appear - a negative form of ISFP. Example characteristics are:
- withdrawing and wanting to be alone
- having intense emotions, that may or may not be expressed
- being very sensitive to criticism
- acting very impulsively, doing things to excess
The shadow is part of the unconscious that is often visible to others, onto whom the shadow is projected. The ENTJ may therefore readily see these faults in others without recognising it in him/her self.