ENTJ

About ENTJ

ENTJs are generally organized, decisive, direct, innovative, and driven to succeed. They maintain a focus on the future and are inclined to see the big picture. They are interested in new ideas and are able to understand difficult or complex information. The ENTJ also tends to intuitively identify and internally evaluate a wide range of possibilities. They are able to see what is not currently apparent and use their insight to create connections, identify solutions, or solve problems. ENTJs often enjoy interacting with others and usually know a large number of people. They tend to be energetic, confident, and exhibit a strong or intense personality that may overwhelm others. They place an importance on honesty and value being perceived as competent. Some ENTJs may be distant and unfriendly while others are approachable and sensitive. The difference in disposition is often due to the time they take to reflect on their inner thoughts and ideas.

The ENTJ often has a natural inclination towards leadership. They typically want to feel in control or be in a position of influence. They are generally hard working, embrace a challenge, and have high standards. They tend to see the flaws of an inefficient system and will identify a more effective way to complete a task or handle a situation. The ENTJ is often able to take complex ideas or future possibilities and create a vision and corresponding plan. They will then organize and direct people, situations, and resources to meet these goals. ENTJs are often focused on the task and may neglect to consider the needs of the people they are organizing. They may also struggle when working with people who do not have similar strengths.

ENTJs typically use a logical and objective approach to analyze information and ideas. They are not overly interested in specific facts or details and would rather focus on the big picture. They desire to create closure by making quick judgments and decisions. They often base their decisions on logic and rarely consider their values, feelings, or the potential impact on others. Some ENTJs should be cautious that they have gathered sufficient information to make their decision. The ENTJ may struggle with judging others or being critical. They should be cautious that they separate their criticism from the person and focus on the issue or action. They may feel emotionally connected to people or ideas but will usually suppress or hide these feelings. The ENTJ will often care a lot for others but may create the perception that they are distant and hardhearted because of their rational and logical decisions.

ENTJ and School

Learning

The ENTJ student will often…

• Strive to be knowledgeable
• Be interested in theoretical or abstract data
• Prefer to learn challenging or difficult material
• Require the most recent and up-to-date information
• Need time to evaluate information
• Desire competent instructors that use direct communication
• Create and follow a study schedule
• Initiate and lead study groups

Writing

The ENTJ is often able to write about complex issues or theory and often focuses on the message that they are conveying. They have high expectations and generally prefer the outcome of their writing to have a purpose. They tend to enjoy composing technical reports and often choose to omit any personal references in their writing. ENTJs do not typically consider their reader and benefit from having someone suggest ways for softening their approach and message. If writing in a group, it is often best for the ENTJ to take the lead role. They also tend to excel at mentoring other writers because of their ability to identify and solve problems.

In the writing process, the ENTJ will often…

• Begin by creating an organized writing plan
• Break down a topic into sensible sections
• Use a clear and logical writing style
• Reluctantly request feedback or not use the feedback they receive
• Neglect to consider their audience
• Quickly complete their initial drafts and benefit from revising and building on their original ideas

Procrastination

ENTJs are often motivated to complete their work on time and may not experience significant procrastination. They tend to limit their procrastination to a particular situation or project. These situations often occur when the ENTJ feels that they do not have adequate control or perceive a lack of ability to complete a task. When feeling powerless, the ENTJ may have trouble reaching out to others and expressing their feelings. This can lead to frustration and further delays in their work. To help reduce procrastination, the ENTJ often benefits from developing their skills or restructuring the situation to acquire a greater sense of control. ENTJs may also benefit from addressing a particular issue and the aspects of a task that are daunting. This is often accomplished by discussing their concerns with others.

ENTJ and Career Exploration

An ENTJ tends to find career satisfaction with careers that have the following characteristics:

• Involves opportunities for organizing tasks and leading people
• Requires logically analyzing issues and creatively solving problems
• Encourages assessing and improving the current organizational processes
• Involves interacting with competent people to complete tasks
• Requires completing intellectually challenging projects
• Rewards individuals based on their knowledge and achievements
• Encourages long-term planning that further enhance organizational efficiency
• Promotes an organized environment with clear directions
• Provides an opportunity for development, promotion, and advancement

When exploring career options, an ENTJ will often…

• Create many long-term goals with corresponding action plans
• Gather information by contacting people through networking
• Anticipate future career trends
• Logically evaluate their career options
• Benefit from incorporating their values into a final career decision
• Desire to make a quick decision and should be cautious not to miss important information

Careers to Consider

The following is a list of suggested occupations that fit the qualities of an ENTJ or are careers that other ENTJs have found to be satisfying. Use this list as a starting point for further investigation but do not limit your options to only this list.

Career	Career
Senior Manager	Executive
Office Manager	Personnel Manager
Sales Manager	Marketing Manager
Management Trainer	Administrator
Business Consultant	Management Consultant
Personal Financial Planner	Investment Broker
Mortgage Broker	Stock Broker
Economic Analyst	Credit Investigator
Program Designer	Labor Relations
Human Resource Planners	Employment Development Worker
Educational Consultant	Education Administrator
Teacher: Science/Social Studies	Psychologist
Attorney	Judge
Chemical Engineer	Lawyer
Computer Specialist	Family Physician
Health Administrator

Job Search

During their job search, an ENTJ will often…

• Prepare an organized job search plan
• Consider future employment and employer needs
• Acquire significant knowledge of the potential employer
• Need to be tolerant of the job search details
• Network with a large group of people
• Use their creativity to overcome obstacles
• Benefit from considering options they perceive to be beneath their abilities
• Need to ensure they have gathered all necessary facts before making a decision

During an interview, an ENTJ will often…

• Confidently respond to questions
• Assume they know enough about the job and benefit from asking additional questions
• Need to be cautious not to appear too aggressive
• Benefit from limiting their discussion on possibilities or potentials and promote their current contributions to the company

ENTJ and Work

At work, the ENTJ will often…

• Organize people, time, and resources to complete tasks in the most effective way
• Discover new ideas, logically evaluate identified possibilities, and make rational decisions
• Create comprehensive plans that facilitate their achievement of big picture or long-term objectives
• Delegate tasks to others and oversee the completion of a project
• Motivate themselves to achieve results and excel in their position
• Complete a task on the first attempt and dislike making mistakes
• Understand difficult topics or complex ideas
• Excel at recognizing and solving problems within an organization
• Promote structure and create a vision for an organization
• Desire challenging tasks and find routine to be boring
• Accept feedback from individuals they perceive to be competent

At work, the ENTJ should be aware that they may…

• Become frustrated with others who do not reflect their work style
• Benefit from delegating detail-orientated tasks
• Desire to make unnecessary improvements within an organization
• Focus too heavily on a task and neglect to communicate with other employees
• Cultivate a greater ease and comfort among coworkers by sharing their personal side
• Benefit from learning how to tactfully present their ideas and opinions
• Concentrate only on their own initiatives and neglect to consider others’ ideas
• Feel uncomfortable and uncertain of how to provide encouragement or positive feedback
• Need to patiently allow people in positions of authority to make decisions
• Benefit from slowing down their decision making process to ensure all information is considered
• Need to be open to further exploring issues that have been decided
• Become judgmental, commanding, and abrupt when feeling unappreciated for their contributions

Teamwork

On a team, the ENTJ will often…

• Maintain an organized approach that focuses on the goal
• Reliably complete all assigned tasks
• Infuse group projects with energy
• Present ideas with a direct and straightforward approach
• Desire to work alongside other competent and dedicated individuals
• Be interested in teamwork when it results in the efficient achievement of goals

On a team, the ENTJ should be aware that they may…

• Need to limit the amount that they direct and control others
• Present theoretical or abstract information that may confuse some group members
• Benefit from further developing their interpersonal skills
• Become frustrated with spending additional time gaining consensus from the group
• Frustrate team members by being too controlling or requiring the immediate completion of tasks
• Feel irritated with group members that are uncommitted, deviate from the goal, continue to discuss an area that has been decided, or inefficiently use their time and resources

Leadership

The ENTJ likely experiences a natural inclination for leadership. As a leader, the ENTJ will often…

• Excel at organizing people and situations to achieve results
• Use a direct and upfront management approach
• See the overall picture and create a vision for others to follow
• Motivate people to meet the identified goals and objectives
• Surround themselves with people who replicate their own strengths and weaknesses
• Benefit from being open to hearing input from all individuals and considering others’ views
• Need to recognize the small contributions that individuals make throughout a project

ENTJ and Life

Communication

The ENTJ will often…

• Present information in a clear manner that reflects their position of control
• Desire to hear specific and logical expectations, long-term plans, and accurate information that is presented in a confident manner
• Enjoy discussing and debating ideas and issues
• Convey information that highlights their competence
• Directly acknowledge anything they deem to be wrong or inaccurate

The ENTJ should be aware that they may need to…

• Intentionally provide positive encouragement and feedback
• Improve their active listening skills by ensuring they hear and understand the message
• Seek out and accept the opinions and thoughts of others
• Take the time to explain their actions
• Be sensitive to the affect their criticism has on others
• Develop patience for how others communicate

Decision Making

When it comes to decision making, the ENTJ will often…

• Logically analyze their options and make rational decisions
• Benefit from considering the impact their decision will have on people
• Need to incorporate their values when evaluating their options
• Limit the amount of time spent making a decision
• Use decision making to create closure on an issue

Playing

The ENTJ is usually focused on completing all their work before relaxing or devoting attention to their personal lives. ENTJs tend to struggle with maintaining a balanced approach to life and may end up feeling overworked. Although they may struggle with being present at home, the ENTJ prefers to maintain a sense of control in their personal lives. As a post-secondary student, they are often interested in attending athletic games and are drawn to leadership positions within groups on campus. As well, their competitive and driven work habits are reflected in their approach to any activity that they participate. They also desire for their roommates to reflect their own reliable, thorough, hardworking, and organized approach to life. For the ENTJ student, their hectic schedule often limits their availability for dating.

Stress

An ENTJ will often experience stress when…

• Feeling unable to deal with their emotions or the emotional expression of others
• Confronted over their poor treatment of others
• Perceiving that their lack of knowledge created a problem
• Dealing with people who ignore established principles, exhibit irrational behaviors, or miss deadlines
• Becoming consumed with their own high work standards
• Working within an unorganized environment
• Feeling unable to control a situation or task
• Working with individuals they perceive to be incompetent

When they are affected by stress, an ENTJ will often…

• Refrain from considering new ideas
• Become excessively emotional and use irrational thinking
• Exhibit extremely demanding behaviors
• Withdraw from situations or avoid people
• Perceive that others do not like them
• With significant stress, react with a strong temper or become critical and judgmental of themselves and their abilities

An ENTJ can reduce stress by…

• Reaching out to others to receive support
• Examining the impact their actions will have on others
• Expressing their emotions through conversation or other creative outlets
• Spending time on their own to reestablish their control
• Participating in physical or recreational activities
• Reevaluating their decisions