The ENTP in the Workplace

General Overview

ENTPs like to solve problems and this is what they’re best at doing. This type uses extraverted intuition as their dominant function, which is constantly exploring the external world and experimenting to see what happens, and this drives their behavior at work. ENTPs want to be active, involved workmates, encouraged to use their big brains to solve problems and to make the work and the working environment better. To this type, a company that encourages co-creation, that pushes everyone to be involved and listens carefully to their suggestions, is their ideal workplace. In fact, having this kind of workplace is almost essential to this type, and if they can’t find it they’ll quickly move on in their search. An ENTP will never stay long in a place where their opinions aren’t valued, or where their viewpoint is stifled.

Company and society

ENTPs don’t do well in traditional working environments. It’s not that they can’t take direction or have a problem with authority, though some of them have these issues, it’s just that they don’t see the point of traditional structures when others may work better. ENTPs also don’t always see the value of going through the proper channels to do things and they don’t like to obey the rules just because they’ve been in place for a long time. If an ENTP sees a better way to do something, they’re likely just to move forward with it without asking permission. This can get them into a lot of trouble in traditional workplaces, where they’re expected to work according to specific expectations and limitations. And an ENTP who’s forced into this mold will probably find themselves regularly at odds with their boss and anyone else in authority over them.

ENTPs love change. More than that, they actually need it in their lives to feel healthy and engaged and happy. Because of this, many ENTPs move from one workplace to another and one career field to another. This type has an admirable ability to adapt to changing workplaces, roles and expectations, and they spend their lives following their interests around and exploring everything they can. However, they don’t like all types of change. ENTPs use introverted thinking as their auxiliary function, which gives them an almost magical ability to organize, analyze, and store data. Because of this function, they often see flaws in the way people do things, or in the working environment itself. And if someone tries to bring in changes that are inherently flawed, they’ll usually say so. Loudly.

Abuse in the workplace

ENTPs have sharp minds, too sharp sometimes, and if an ENTP is unhealthy they can use these sharp minds to judge and to punish the people around them. This usually occurs when the ENTP is deeply unhappy, or deeply unhealthy, and it can be incredibly destructive in the workplace. ENTPs are great communicators, and when this ability goes bad it can lead to the ENTP very calmly and rationally providing workmates with a long, annotated list of what’s wrong with them. This radical honesty can be an ENTPs greatest strength, but when they use it as a weapon it becomes highly destructive and damaging.

Workplace Strengths

ENTPs bring a number of skills and strengths to the workplace. They thrive on challenge and solving problems and find a great deal of personal satisfaction in brainstorming, starting projects, and in making sure the projects run properly. They also take criticism well as long as it’s rational and based on their performance, because they usually see it as a good way to improve their practices and their skills. This combination of traits can make them very good workmates, bosses and employees, as well as innovative creators who bring a lot of new ideas and change to their workplace.

ENTPs are inspiring. They’re full of ideas and innovation, always pushing people to do more, to think more, to create more, and often this is of great benefit in the workplace. ENTPs love ideas and they’ll accept those ideas from anyone as long as they’re good ideas. This can make for a very interactive and innovative workplace where everyone is encouraged to have an opinion and to contribute. This is one of the greatest strengths of the ENTP type, the ability to lead through example and to naturally push others to their full potential, and it’s something that smart bosses understand and use to their benefit. And most ENTPs love smart bosses.

Workplace Weaknesses

ENTPs don’t always have the patience to complete their projects. This can be a major problem in the workplace, especially if they’re in a subordinate position. ENTPs are natural problem solvers and thinkers, and they enjoy the initial stages of a project the best. If they’re forced to follow the project through to its end they’ll usually get bored and impatient. People of this type are future focused, always looking out for the next idea and the next project, and being unable to do so is almost physically painful for them.

Another weakness of the ENTP type is their social skills. ENTPs are rational, logical people who love nothing more than having a good debate and disagreeing with other people. To them, this is great fun, and completely unrelated to arguing or fighting with people. But other types, who see only the ENTPs critical opinions and sometimes combative language, can take offence at this tendency. Workmates who don’t share this love of debate, or who take it personally, will often find themselves withdrawing from the ENTP, who will be left confused and wondering what they’ve done wrong and where they can find another debate mate. This can cause a lot of tension in the workplace and leave the ENTP feeling very uncomfortable and uncertain about themselves and their place in the working environment.

Final Thoughts

ENTPs are curious and logical people who like to be in workplaces where those skills are valued and used to their full potential. When they find this kind of working environment, they’re usually highly valued members of the team, and thrive on the chance to stretch their mental muscles and be around people who value innovation, creativity and ideas just as much as they do.

References

1. “Podcast – Episode 0030 – Introverted Intuition vs Extraverted Intuition“. Sep 8, 2014. (Retrieved Apr 2018).
2. Robinson, Michael T. “Introverted Thinking (Ti) Explained“. (Retrieved Apr 2018).
3. Storm, Susan. “The Evil Versions of Every Myers-Briggs® Personality Type“. Jul 31, 2017. (Retrieved Apr 2018).
4. “ENTP – The Inventor“.
5. “The ENTP Career Path“.
6. “The ENTP as an Entrepreneur“.
7. “Best Jobs For Your Personality“.