By Donna Dunning
Insightful Expeditor
People who have preferences for ENTJ tend to focus their attention in the outer world by taking action to achieve a goal, using Extraverted Thinking (Te) as their dominant function. They are most engaged when their actions are organized, effective, and strategic.
In their inner world, they tend to take in new ideas and imagine a vision for the future. ENTJs refer back to this vision, gained from Introverted Intuition (Ni), to focus their actions, accomplish goals, and implement long-term changes.
For more general information on type dynamics and motivation, please refer to the introductory post for this series, Find Your Motivation and Grow Your Career.
When they find opportunities to use this core approach at work, the result is usually a satisfying, meaningful career.
Building Your Skills
When learning and developing their competencies, ENTJs need to hone their core approach as well as develop skills and knowledge outside of their preferences.
Some of the skills that may come naturally for ENTJs include designing, analyzing, leading others, solving problems, thinking strategically, planning, and achieving results. Careers that use these skills are often appealing to people with ENTJ preferences.
However, there are times when ENTJs need to use and develop skills in their non-preferred functions. For the ENTJ, this might include considering the needs of others, responding empathically, approaching situations in an open-ended manner, and attending to practical facts and details.
I’m sure the ENTJs out there can add to this list of non-preferred skills and activities.
Finding Your Motivation
ENTJs will be most motivated to learn skills in their non-preferred functions “in service of the dominant function”. In other words, they need to see how the new learning aligns to and supports their interest in solving problems and making changes to increase effectiveness.
One of my clients in a mid-career transition was moving out of a high-powered executive position. He decided that he was interested in helping others and providing a service to those less fortunate than himself.
After learning about personality type models, he recognized that he wanted to develop his Feeling function. He decided he would like to contribute by volunteering in a third world country to deliver essential services.
As he looked at his options he realized that he would best serve others if he could be in charge of, and have control over, a project. He was wiling to offer his labor and energy, but wanted to know his efforts would be instrumental in creating change.
With this understanding in mind, he was able to find a position leading a project to improve the living conditions in a third world country. Taking action to build awareness of and accommodate others’ needs was, for him, best accomplished as he took charge and expedited results.
If you want to read more about ENTJs on the website, here are a few posts to look at.
Occupations that Attract Expeditors
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.
If you live in the USA, Introduction to Type and Communication
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
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
Thank you for this illuminating post! I have really enjoyed working in companies whose CEO was ENTJ. I’ve found them to be highly energetic and very positive about the future and that is inspiring to me. I love being around high energy people. A friend of mine that is an attorney is ENTJ and very high energy. I imagine that in the courtroom he is amazing! One time I told him I’d like to observe how he operates in the courtroom and he told me to get sued and he’d represent me. I told him that I didn’t want to see him that badly.