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Is there an ENFP in your life?

Is there an ENFP in your life?

By Donna Dunning

ENFP motto: “Follow your dreams.”

My daughter Kelly has preferences for ENFP. She has completed a degree in Fine Arts, worked as a lifeguard in a busy water park, harvested thousands of blooms on a flower farm, sold organic food products in a market, delivered singing telegrams, orchestrated birthday party events for children, sold art in a high-end gallery in the Rocky Mountains, served popcorn at a movie theatre, taught dozens of art and drama courses, milked goats in New Zealand to pay for her board, developed and facilitated walking tours in Canada and New Zealand, been a tour guide in a spooky old prison, marketed several of her own art pieces, facilitated activities at children’s festivals, performed improvisation at corporate events, provided child care in a British nursery, worked in the Accrington Stanley Football gift shop in the UK, launched a travel website called Global Goose, and sold hundreds of articles, blogs and copy as a freelance writer while living in and travelling through Europe and south east Asia. How long has all of this taken her? She is currently 27 years old.

How ENFPs prefer to relate

This example demonstrates the open-ended, flexible, creative approach often used by an individual with ENFP preferences. They energetically pursue many ideas and options with enthusiasm and optimism. Usually caring and compassionate, they tend to interact with, motivate, encourage, and mentor others. Seeing many possibilities, they enjoy discussing ideas and are quick to connect thoughts and come up with new ways of doing things. ENFPs are interested in hearing people’s stories and want to learn about viewpoints and ideas. Unstructured and collaborative, they dislike communications that are impersonal, directive, or overly detailed.

How to relate to an ENFP

A person with ENFP preferences is usually sociable, openly expressive, and interested in discussing his or her many thoughts and ideas. They can become deflated if others are overly task-oriented, critical or dismissive of their contributions. Focused on growth and development of people, they want to build personal relationships with others both in and outside of the work environment. When interacting with them be friendly and enthusiastic. Find some common ground. ENFPs may dislike competition, debates, critiques, and arguments and would rather participate in interactions focused on a genuine and cooperative understanding and sharing of perspectives. Relate to them by acknowledging their ideas. ENFPs do not usually respond well to being told what to do or the use of position power or authority. Instead demonstrate encouragement, guidelines, and positive feedback.

Visit the Explorer personality type page for more information about ENFP preferences.

Share your experiences and insights

Do you have any other ideas, tips, or stories to share about interacting with people who have ENFP preferences?

Do you have ENFP preferences? Visit the Explorer career success stories and strategies page to share your experience.

More information about interactions and personality type can be found in Introduction to Type and Communication.

Resources

Want to learn more about personality type and how to use it to understand yourself and others?

Introduction to Type and Communication describes in detail how personality preferences influence communications.

Introduction to Type and Communication is now available in PDF format.

Introduction to Type and Learning can help you find your motivation for learning and help you learn more effectively.

If you live in the USA, Introduction to Type and Learning is also available on Kindle.

Looking for a practical resource to help you plan your ideal career? Check out my book, What’s Your Type of Career?: Find Your Perfect Career By Using Your Personality Type

Want to use your personality type to excel at your career? Check out 10 Career Essentials: Excel at Your Career by Using Your Personality Type

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 30th, 2011 at 7:40 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Is there an ENFP in your life?”

  1. […] Is there an ENFP in your life? | Dunning Personality Type ExpertsMar 30, 2011 … ENFPs are interested in hearing people’s stories and want to learn about viewpoints and ideas. Unstructured and collaborative, they dislike … […]

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