MBTI: ENTJ

An ENTJ has a wonderful ability to cut to the chase of almost any situation. Additionally, they are decisive, occasionally making their decisions too quickly. They generally have a high regard for “positive social and economic institutions, structure, and government.”[1] This, along with the decisiveness, makes them into very natural leaders who can be quite assertive. However, they lack patience with people who are inefficient, incompetent, or repeat mistakes, at which point an ENTJ can become challenging, confrontational, and argumentative due to their high standards. Yet their charisma and energy tend to make up for that among their peers, as they inspire them to greater things. They have a perpetual vision for the long-run, making big plans far into the future. They are career-focused, and love to problem-solve.

                ENTJs are self-confident and rather strong-willed, like their introverted counterparts. This makes them so that they are not always the best listeners. They are also oriented to the future, coming up with possibilities and ideas without conscious effort. They are strategic thinkers, “known for examining every angle of a problem.”[2] Their thirst for knowledge is strong, and they use that knowledge in how they deal with the world around them. They learn best in an environment where debate and problem solving are important, and the learning is structured with a clear end goal – and no experimentation.

                An ENTJ is not always in tune with the feelings and sensitivities of others, due to their own emotional toughness. They struggle to express love and affection, making it sometimes rather awkward for themselves and others. It is difficult for them to put themselves into the shoes of another. This lack of sensitivity is one of their biggest faults. That being said, they love to interact with others.

The friendships of an ENTJ are not built on emotions, but on ideas. They love going back and forth with their friends, proposing ideas and then arguing every angle of them. They love debate and they are one of the personalities best suited for it, perhaps even the best. Their respect can be earned by those who can comprehensibly and persuasively argue their points. Their conversations are lively, substantial, and challenging. Being able to brainstorm and theorize is a huge part of being friends with an ENTJ, Therefore, time spent relaxing must also be something they see as valuable, which may mean researching something so as to become an expert on it. ENTJs are excellent at communication, thus gaining support, yet everything is rooted in a strategy. They have no problem verbalizing their thoughts, decisions, and plans to the world.

ENTJ Specs –

                ENTJs – Conquer the world. Born with combat boots. The Commander. The Fieldmarshall.

                Real life ENTJs – Paul (the Bible – ambitious entrepreneur); Joseph Stalin (dictator of the Soviet Union); Rush Limbaugh (talk show host); Dick Cheney (US Vice President); Napoleon (general of France); Margaret Thatcher (UK Prime Minister); Aristotle (philosopher); Julius Caesar (general of Rome); Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft); Al Gore (US Vice President); Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House); David Letterman (talk show host); George Clooney (actor); Charlize Theron (actress); Katharine Hepburn (actress); Adele (singer).

                Fictional ENTJs – Regina (Once Upon a Time); Thranduil and Thorin and Azog (Hobbit); the power-hungry relative (any fairy tale – perhaps a jealous stepmother or bitter uncle, this character is all about gaining power and manipulation); Shang and Buzz Lightyear (Disney – strategic, organized, natural born leader, focused); Mary (Downton Abbey); Mrs. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice); Odin (Thor); James Potter (Harry Potter); Nick Fury (Avengers); Jim Moriarty (Sherlock); Theoden (Lord of the Rings); Emma Woodhouse (Emma); President Snow (Hunger Games); Peter Pevensie (Chronicles of Narnia).

                Presidential ENTJs – Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon

                Prayer of the ENTJ – “God, help me to slow downandnot rushthrough whatIdoAmen!”

                First impression of the ENTJ – Successful robot.

                General impression of the ENTJ – Leader, tireless, strict, infallible, little patience, quick, decisive; strategic; will be president someday.

                Honest stereotype of the ENTJ – Like INTJ, just better at hiding the fact that they’re awful.

                You say potato, ENTJ says… “Come up with a strategy to make mashed potatoes fluffier for better yield and increased profit.”

                Dessert personality for the ENTJ – Cheesecake – classic, frank, and decisive. You know how to be the star of the show. Around for the long haul. Maple walnut ice cream.

                Quote for the ENTJ – “Live your vision and demand your success.” – Steve Maraboli

                Percentage of ENTJ in Men vs. Women – 2.7% of men versus 0.9% of women - 1.8% total.

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[1] “The Sixteen Types,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.thesixteentypes.tumblr.com.

[2] “16 Personalities,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.16personalities.com

MBTI: ENTP

ENTPs are often well-liked, thanks in part to how laid-back and flexible they tend to be. In addition, they have an intuitive ability to understand people and situations. They are lively and outspoken, in addition to being energetic and independent. One might even call them charming. ENTPs are also great at conversation, enjoying the exercise of sparring verbally with their associates and friends. They have “great social ease and ability to fit comfortably into most social situations.”[1] Anything new will excite them. However, they also have a low tolerance for people, possibly due in part to the fact that they are great lie detectors.

                An ENTP will probably be good at almost anything that snags their interest, and that tends to be many things as they are naturally curious and questioning. They are analytical and objective, and also clever. However, they dislike schedules and environments that confine them. Deadlines, isolation, and stubbornness all pain them. So do routine, detail-oriented tasks. They need to know first of all, the big picture; then supporting logic. They have the skill to be balancing multiple projects at one time – yet organization is almost non-existent.

                In general, an ENTP will resist being controlled by others. Yet at times, they are too smart for their own good and tumble into bad situations, thanks to arrogance or boastfulness. They don’t enjoy thinking things through meticulously, and look down on those who do as time-wasters. They are also quite quick at sizing up a situation, and usually can do so accurately and with impressive depth. ENTPs can see the relationships between people, things, and ideas. Sometimes minor setbacks annoy them more than they should. They strongly value knowledge and competence, but school tends to be difficult and they have one of the lowest overall GPAs for the sixteen personalities.[2] That being said, they also maintain one of the lowest stress levels of all the personalities. Additionally, they are natural teachers, “continuously devising new and intriguing ways to get their students involved in learning.”[3]

                One strength of an ENTP is their ability to solve problems creatively – which entirely makes sense, since they can see the connections, make them effectively, and therefore solve the problems. Possibilities are in everything for an ENTP. They can improvise quickly and well, and are good at influencing others to join them. This is because they get enthusiastic about the things they enjoy, and know how to communicate that enthusiasm to others. This means that ENTPs are naturally cut out to be leaders – yet they dislike controlling others almost as much as they dislike being controlled themselves. Another strength of theirs is their ability to see many points of view and the merits of them all. Unfortunately, at times, these skills can result in a dislike of doing things in a traditional way.

ENTP Specs –

                ENTPs – change the world. The Inventor. The Visionary.

                Real life ENTPs – Esther (the Bible - clear visionary); Newt Gingrich (political figure); Leonardo da Vinci (artist); Benjamin Franklin (inventor); Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple); Bertrand Russell (philosopher, mathematician); Mao (dictator of communist China); Robert Downey, Jr. (actor); Neil Patrick Harris (actor); Gillian Anderson (actress); Hugh Grant (actor).

                Fictional ENTPs – the Mad Hatter (Once Upon a Time); Bard (Hobbit - visionary); the trickster (fairy tale – good or bad, causing mischief and thinking of schemes and ideas); Robin Hood (at least in Disney); Thomas (Downton Abbey – quick, ingenious, stimulating, alert, outspoken); Colonel Fitzwilliam (Pride and Prejudice); Sirius Black (Harry Potter); Iron Man aka Tony Stark (Iron Man); Merry (Lord of the Rings); Barney (How I Met Your Mother); John Willoughby (Sense and Sensibility); Monsieur Thenardier (Les Miserables); Richard Castle (Castle).

                Presidential ENTPs – John Adams, James Hayes, James Garfield, Theodore Roosevelt.

                Prayer of the ENTP – “God, help me follow established procedures today. On second thought, I’ll settle for a few minutes.”

                First impression of the ENTP – Fun idiot.

                General impression of the ENTP – Full of ideas, quick, intuitive; fast, fluent, and well spoken in debate; inventor, curious, clever; ingenious; like debate coaches who believe life is a misfit orphanage and they are the caretaker.

                Honest stereotype of the ENTP – Would probably blow up the world to calculate shrapnel velocity.

                You say potato, ENTP says… “Wrong pronunciation. I bet you say tomato incorrectly too.”

                Dessert personality for the ENTP – A froyo bar – bored by routine. Smart and interested in finding new ways to do things. Candied ginger ice cream.

                Quote for the ENTP – “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” – Joseph Joubert

                Percentage of ENTP in Men vs. Women – 4.0% male versus 2.4% female - 3.2% total.

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[1] “Shout CMS,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.guaranteed-success.com.

[2] “Oddly Developed Types,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.oddlydevelopedtypes.com.

[3] David Keirsey, Please Understand Me II, (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, 1998), page 203.

MBTI: Extroversion

                                (This is the second post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

As has already been stated, introverts and extroverts[1] are distinguished by how they regain energy. Extroverts do it in the opposite way of introverts – they become energized by contact with people. Groups excite them and they become enthusiastic around others. That is where their energy increases. External stimulation is what recharges them. One website summarized it well: “They are habitually outgoing, venturing forth with confidence into the unknown.”[2] That is an extrovert.

                Extroverts often think out loud and thus tend to talk more than introverts, who process internally. Extroverts also tend to speak louder. They know how to work a room full of people, and they are usually comfortable making small talk and chit-chat for short periods of time with many different people. As big talkers, they are the ones most likely to initiate conversations, and when talking, are often still active and very expressive. They are summed up with the word “gregarious.” Verbalization comes easily to them.

Their knowledge, due to a shorter attention span and less concentration than introverts, often covers many topics, but none in much depth. This is thanks, in part, to a broad span of interests.

The attention of an extrovert is directed externally, to whatever is currently present around them. They focus on people and things, rather than on ideas and impressions. They make their decisions based on people, “watching the choices of people as a reference point for understanding.”[3] An extrovert’s brain works like sonar.

                Extroverts are more likely to enjoy working in a group and being in constant contact with others. Their constant mantra is “the more, the merrier.” If there is one thing an extrovert hates, it is being cooped up alone for long periods of time. They also enjoy jobs that can be done quickly and effectively without in-depth perusals or the like.

Extroverts are more likely to be ready to open up and share their intimate lives with people they do not know as well. Personal relationships are one of the most important things to them, and they are likely to cultivate many. They have many large groups of friends, and not only do they know many people, but they also consider most or all of them to be their friends. They love group interaction and it impacts them positively.

                An extrovert is more likely to take a risk and be daring. Their very personality dictates that they will be more impulsive. This fits precisely with their tendency to speak before thinking.

                Ten tips for caring for an extrovert: respect their independence; compliment them in the company of others; accept and encourage their enthusiasm; allow them to explore and talk things out; thoughtfully surprise them; understand when they are busy; let them dive right in; offer them options; make physical and verbal gestures of affection; and let them shine.[4]

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[1] Alternatively spelled “extraversion” or “extraverts” by Carl Jung and the original MBTI test. The more common spelling now tends to be the one used throughout this paper, although either is technically correct.

[2] “Visually,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.visual.ly/introverts-vs-extroverts.

[3] Calise Sellers, “A Little Bit of Personality,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.alittlebitofpersonality.com.

[4] Find the graphic (accessed July 9, 2015) from which these tips came here: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pYRBCQJwlEM/UAMc1qanCTI/AAAAAAAAA2A/kfyfJN8oBHE/s1600/Caring+for+your+introvert+and+extrovert.jpg.