ESTP Personality Types

This page provides a description of ESTP personality types. If you would like to find out whether you are an ESTP, and what makes you unique and different from other ESTPs, then complete our personality test:

ESTPs direct their energy towards the outer world of actions and spoken words. The solve problems, take action and actualise ideas and concepts - bringing them to fruition. They are therefore action oriented problem solvers, and often prefer to work with practical organisational issues.

What makes an ESTP tick?

The Dominant function is the perceptive one of Sensing. Characteristics associated with this function include:

• Likes looking at information in terms of facts and details
• Focuses more on the here and now rather than possibilities for the future
• Feels comfortable in areas of proven experience
• Takes a realistic approach

The perceptive Sensing function is extraverted. That is, Sensing is used primarily to govern the outer world of actions and spoken words. The ESTP will therefore:

• Seek to experience and enjoy the world as it is
• Be very responsive to current events, with life tending to be a succession of events
• Be pragmatic in nature, constantly seeking to change the world to the way the ESTP wants it to be
• Observe in an objective way, valuing facts without necessarily putting an interpretation upon them

The Sensing function is primarily supported by introverted Thinking judgement. That is, Thinking judgement is used primarily to manage the inner world of thoughts and emotions. This will modify the way that the Sensing is directed, by:

• focusing the (outer world) Sensing on impersonal facts and logical options
• tending to enjoy action and events for themselves rather than for the company of others
• leading to enjoyment of material possessions

The classic temperament of an ESTP is Dionesian, or Sanguine, for whom freedom is a basic driving force - seeking to experience and enjoy life.

Contributions to the team of an ESTP

In a team environment, the ESTP can contribute by:

• making things happen, with an action-oriented approach
• building a lively 'can-do' atmosphere, which generates team spirit
• focusing on practical ideas
• applying a common sense approach to problem solving
• maintaining awareness of the factual information on which discussions are based
• taking charge in a crisis, and organising others

The potential ways in which an ESTP can irritate others include:

• acting too quickly, without appearing to think things through
• focusing too much on the current task at the expense of longer term or interpersonal issues
• not seeing the wood for the trees
• not taking account of the sensitivities of others
• turning to a new problem before the last one has been fully completed
• seeming materialistic
• generating crises as a way of getting things moving

Personal Growth

As with all types, the ESTP can achieve personal growth by developing all functions that are not fully developed, through actions such as:

• developing a long term vision, that avoids focusing on details
• developing a greater understanding of how people feel
• stopping and thinking before acting
• ensuring that all aspects of a task have been completed before going on to the next one
• spending time to interpret facts - looking for subjective meaning, and for underlying patterns
• developing time management skills
• deciding on a personal set of values, and revisiting this list from time to time
• expressing appreciation to others for their qualities

Recognising Stress

As stress increases, 'learned behaviour' tends to give way to the natural style, so the ESTP will behave more according to type when under greater stress. For example, in a crisis, the ESTP might:

• use impulsive energy to overcome whatever obstacles get in the way
• generate new actions
• use tried and trusted means of solving problems
• use pragmatic solutions at the expense of the long term

Under extreme stress, fatigue or illness, the ESTP's shadow may appear - a negative form of INFJ. Example characteristics are:

• going quiet or withdrawing from people
• having a gloomy view of the future
• having intense negative feelings towards others, which may be openly expressed
• ceasing to adapt to changing circumstances

The shadow is part of the unconscious that is often visible to others, onto whom the shadow is projected. The ESTP may therefore readily see these faults in others without recognising it in him/her self.

Develop Your Potential

Our personality questionnaire can help you:

• become much more self-aware;
• develop your leadership, management or influencing skills;
• find a career that matches your personality;
• Improve teamwork and team relationships.

You can either do the personality test yourself, or administer multiple questionnaires for use in team building and leadership development.