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In this episode, Joel and Antonia dive deep into the needs and desires of the ENTJ personality type.
In this podcast on the ENTJ personality type you’ll find:
- It’s tough to get to know the real ENTJ. There are a lot of layers.
- Napoleon was most likely an ENTJ.
- ENTJs are rewarded by society because their kind of leadership is honored by this world.
- Female ENTJs are often not received well because of imposed gender roles.
- ENTJs get the job done.
- They have a lot of perceived confidence. It often appears like nothing rattles them.
- Most of the answers we got on the survey were very short.
- There’s a sense that they can’t slow down.
- If they don’t feel confident they are good at ignoring it. Lack of confidence doesn’t serve them.
- They have a tendency to overvalue templates that work and never question whether they need to be changed.
- The driver process for ENTJs is Extraverted Thinking that we nicknamed “Effectiveness.”
- Effectiveness is fast. It doesn’t question. It just keeps moving.
- What happens when you’re wrong?
- The co-pilot is introverted learning process called Introverted Intuition that we have nicknamed “Perspectives.”
- Perspectives encourages ENTJs to not just assume their observations are accurate. It asks, “Is there a better way?”
- Napoleonic warfare is a good example of Effectiveness doubling down and not adapting to new warfare strategy.
- The 10-year-old process is Extraverted Sensing we have nicknamed “Sensation.”
- If an ENTJ doesn’t slow down and focus on the co-pilot Perspectives, they will synthetically keep themselves limited. Avoiding the big game and not fulfilling their potential.
- When ENTJs have some past wounding there is an instinct to avoid the inner world. They fear the Intuitive Introverted world. They worry about the pain they may find there.
- The 3-year-old process is Introverted Feeling that we have nicknamed Authenticity.
- This is about managing emotions. It asks, “What’s going on for me?”
- There’s a sense of avoidance out of fear of the inner work. The more ENTJs avoid their inner world the less they will reach their full potential.
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59 comments
Howdy,
I’m an ENTJ, and I just finished listening to this podcast. I almost didn’t leave a comment, because I figured it’d be a waste of time, but then I realized this would probably actually be a good way to apply what I learned concerning the value of Ni. I’ll actually understand my type better (and therefore live better) if I take the time to write out and better understand what you two talked about. So, here are my thoughts on what you two said:
ENTJs lead with effectiveness: Now, I must say, I was wondering the entire time whether or not “effectiveness” is the best word for Te. I definitely agree that the drive for effectiveness is the biggest manifestation of Te. But I like referring to it as extroverted thinking (Te) precisely because it is broad, and I think it might include more than simply the frame of mind in which one thinks of how to quickly and efficiently get stuff done. It seems to me to be an entire mode of thinking that is characterized by the ability to break things down. Extroverted thinking is, in my opinion, to break things down, to separate, to order. And I think that the ability to break things down is well illustrated by my love for bullet points. I think in terms of "Okay, here is the idea [first bullet point], and here are that idea’s components [the sub-points]. I write papers in terms of bullet points. I approach relationships in terms of bullet points — under the heading of “People,” I have my roommates. Under “Roommates,” I have Josh. Under “Josh,” I have spend time with. Under “Spend time with,” I have a lot of points: for fun, for study, to get advice, to give advice, with other people, with just him, etc. Now, obviously, I don’t actually write these things out (usually), but it’s how I most naturally think of them.
As another example of Te being a love to break things down, I also approach my strategy to living in this way. My ESTJ roommate, INTJ roommate, and I recently got a whiteboard out, and were experimenting with different ways we could split up our individual lives into a number of categories that we can make sure to hit every day. It was quite elaborate, and I don’t have it in front of me, otherwise I’d give examples of how it looked.
So, final word on this topic: I think that if you were to read my description of Te, you would probably say “Yeah, I agree! And in all of those things, why are you doing it? Why are you putting these into bullet points? It’s because you want to be as efficient as possible.” That’s true. However, I suppose that the real distinction is this: MBTI typically has been designed to explain HOW we cognate, not WHY. I break things down in order to be efficient. Thus, for that reason, I think Te is best explained in terms of breaking things down, for it is by that means that efficiency happens. Or, I suppose you could mention both in its definition: “Te breaks things down in order to be efficient.” I don’t know.
As far as Ni is concerned, I liked your emphasis on it. I actually formerly typed as an INTJ, and I think it was because as I took those tests, I kept identifying with myself at my best, and I am at by best when I’m consciously working toward using Ni. I think this happens because it takes conscious effort to use your second function, whereas your first is hard to even notice because it’s so core to who you are. I also appreciated the analogy about the car: I took from it that when Fi flares up, Ni should go to the rescue. Basically, you don’t need to use your Fi when Fi is broken; use your Ni to examine yourself, though. I also almost laughed when you talked about not being scared of Ni for sounding new age. At the very point you were saying that, I was thinking “Yeah, but that introspection stuff is for hippies.” :P I also appreciated the idea of Ni leaving room for unknowns. Your brother came to the point in which he said “I don’t know these things.” Just last year, I went through a bit of an internal crisis in which everything I was so certain about came under heavy fire, and the point that saved me was when I was listening to a philosopher define what a good argument is: a good argument will have two things: its conclusion will follow logically and necessarily from its propositions, and the propositions in the argument will be more probably true than false. This was an eye-opening moment for me, in which I realized that I don’t have to know something. Also, it was very helpful for me to play with possibilities: “Okay, if X ends up happening, then I’m good, because that’s what I want. But if X does not happen, that’s also fine, because I am prepared for it.” I don’t know, I guess just taking the time to deal with all the possibilities and perspectives was immensely helpful. I tend to not think of Ni in terms of perspectives, but in terms of possibilities and probabilities (but perspectives is a good term, too).
I guess those were my two main takeaways. I’ve spent too long writing this anyway. But I want you both to know that I really appreciated the last hour of listening to the podcast and writing this response out. Thank you very much!
Jordan
As an INFP male, I find this type very fascinating to study. I know only one ENTJ who is a female. I personally love connecting with a few people at a time on a deep intuitive level, and if I could connect deeply with an ENTJ woman that would be awesome to me! Are there any inputs on whether this type likes or even desires someone who is “passive” supporter encouraging them in whatever it is ENTJs want to lead in? Being alongside someone reaching for the top would be very rewarding for me, if, say, I loved them. I suppose she would have to be content with reverse gender roles because otherwise it would never work. That comes with maturity and love for oneself. Shared thoughts would be great!
Hi,
Thank you for your great job. At a point when you were discussing past wounds and Fi, for a few seconds I cried (without tears!). This is exactly right, if an ENTJ is ever truly frightened, he will never go back to that point. And I am telling you no one takes us to that point for the first time except ourselves. So, thanks for your info which was right.
About your solution, it is not that simple. In your analogy (check engine light) I do not ignore the alarm merely because I want to get the job done. Sometimes (many times) it is because I see many other bigger alarms going on. And those bigger alarms come from Fi (if I stop now, how can I earn the money to help my mother fix her teeth?). I am damn lonely in this Te-Fi loop (this is a bigger loop inside of which there is the Te-Se loop and Ni just knows everything and is strong to the point that does not let you enjoy the moment with Si). And while everyone sees me as a very successful person, I think I have consumed all my emotional resources (yes when you use a function you save it from dying, when you ignore it you deplete it) and I may fail before I get “there.”
Anyways, ENTJ has been too much stereotyped to the point where I could never accept myself as ENTJ, I said I am either ENTP or ENFP. But now I am planning to pull over and fix the engine. I will not start from Fi, I will start from Si. Meanwhile, I will try not to hurt my Fi by ignoring it unnecessarily just due to the habit of ignoring it.
Thanks again,
J
Hello. I’m an INFP aspiring to become a screenwriter. I’m in the process of creating an ENTJ female character in one of my projects and found this podcast very useful. I only know one ENTJ, and he’s a guy. I’d like to know a bit more about ENTJs in general, but perhaps more specifically about females of this type. How do you deal with people who expect you to behave in a more “feminine” way? For ENTJs in general, how do you deal with the emotions of other people? What would intrigue you about another person? What intrigues other people about you? What are the pros and cons of having relationships (platonic, romantic, or otherwise) with different types? What are some things you wish other people knew about you? What are some things you purposefully conceal from others and why? I know this is a lot but I’m just really curious. ENTJs are very interesting to me, which is why I’m creating a character with this type. I want to create someone authentic and avoid stereotyping. Any thoughts?