ENTJs are usually fairly easy to type. They’re often the most blunt, straightforward and driven of all the personality types. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t individual variations, and this is where the typing problems can be found.
ENTJ General Strengths and Weaknesses
ENTJs are usually very driven people who have a clear idea of what they want in their lives and don’t mind putting in the work to get them done. They use extraverted thinking as their primary function, which is focused on creating systems that work in the external world. This function is incredibly efficient and often very practical, and they can use it to accomplish things that other types would think impossible. They also use introverted intuition as their auxiliary function, which means that they’re good at processing information and using it to understand how the future will look. This combination of skills and natural abilities often makes them incredibly successful in the business world, and a great many ENTJs thrive in this type of competitive environment. But they don’t have to work in business to find career success and satisfaction. ENTJs can use their clear vision and strong work ethic to find success in almost any field, and are usually amongst the most successful of the personality types in terms of their work.
One area in which ENTJs often struggle is with their relationships. ENTJs are extraverts who are focused on getting tasks completed, not on other people. In fact, they’re very likely to put off building personal relationships until their career is in good shape, and this can damage their ability to form strong, supportive personal relationships. ENTJs also have introverted feeling as their inferior function. This means that their awareness of their own emotions, as well as their understanding of the emotions of others, is usually unconscious and not very interesting to them. This often makes ENTJs seem insensitive, blunt and even unfeeling to other people, and can impede them from creating the relationships they want.
Common Type Confusions
ENTJs often mistype themselves as INTJs because they’re extraverts who are focused on completing tasks rather than on other people. This means that they often don’t feel like they fit the extravert stereotype, which is of a person who loves going to parties and socializing. To many ENTJs, socializing without a clear purpose often seems like a waste of time that they could use in more productive ways. These differences between the stereotypes and the reality make many ENTJs think that they might be introverts.
Common Confusions Comparisons
It’s actually fairly easy to tell INTJs from ENTJs, which is why very few INTJs ever think that they’re ENTJs. It’s all about the introverted intuition cognitive function. This is where many ENTJs get tripped up, because they try to type themselves based on the introvert/extravert dichotomy. But using the MBTI system in this way creates an incomplete and shallow understanding of the system. The cognitive functions are where the real differences and the real insights can be found.
In this case, it can easily show the difference between ENTJs and INTJs. INTJs like to spend a lot of time alone using this function, which allows them to recognize the patterns around them and predict the future based on that information. Basically, they love to sit quietly and think for long periods. This is what gives them energy and makes them happy. In contrast, ENTJs prefer to be alone getting things done. They prefer to be in action. They might spend a little time anticipating what the future will look like, but only as it serves their need to accomplish their goals.
Unusual Type Confusions
ENTJs can sometimes mistype themselves as ENTPs, though this is far rarer. ENTPs don’t like structure or organization, which usually makes them look very different to their ENTJ cousins in most situations. In contrast, ENTJs enjoy setting up schedules and efficient systems that work and get things accomplished. However, despite their adherence and respect for schedules and order, ENTJs are also extremely unconventional thinkers. This often makes their schedules and processes highly unconventional as well, created by their own tendencies and beliefs about the most efficient ways to do things. ENTJs use their introverted intuition auxiliary function to understand the world, and to determine their schedules and their work processes. This function has a unique understanding of the world, based on the patterns and reaching far into the future. Few others can understand the way introverted intuition sees the world, and this often makes types that use it feel very unusual and out of place amongst more conventional thinkers. Because of this strong influence in their lives, some ENTJs may come to believe that they’re actually the free-form ENTP, who has an intuitive function as their dominant and is usually very different to them.
Unusual Confusions Comparisons
Telling the difference between ENTJs and ENTPs is as simple as looking at their cognitive functions and ultimate goals. These two types are actually very different and don’t share any cognitive functions at all. So any mistyping mistakes between them is usually based on behavior and a lack of understanding about the cognitive functions and their roles in thought and decision. Both of these types seek knowledge, understanding and learning, but they do it for different purposes. The ENTP seeks learning for its own sake, they enjoy the process and the result equally. In contrast, ENTJs always have concrete end goals. These end goals will depend on what the ENTJ wants to accomplish in their life, but they will always drive what ENTJs do and learn.
Final Thoughts
The strong, driven ENTJ is often instantly recognizable, but that doesn’t mean that mistakes can’t happen. These mistakes are usually based on stereotypes surrounding extraverts, and ENTJs need to learn to look beyond these mental shortcuts if they’re going to truly understand who they are and what they want from life.
References
- “Extraverted Thinking (Te) in INTJs & ENTJs“. (Retrieved Jul 2018).
- Priebe, Heidi. “How To Recognize Each Myers-Briggs Personality Type Based On Their Inferior Function“. (Retrieved Jul 2018).
- Storm, Susan. “What Type of Intuitor Are You? Understanding the Difference Between Extraverted and Introverted Intuition “. (Retrieved Jul 2018).
- “ENTJ – The CEO“.
- “INTJ – The Mastermind“.
- “ENTP – The Inventor“.