E0TJ

Hey everyone!

Ok, so if you are unfamiliar with the Myers-Briggs Personality types, make sure to read my blogpost Personality. It explains the basic jist of things. It also links you to the personality test if you haven't taken if yourself; so go check it out now before you read my post. If you are familiar with the test, then read on. 

So, I told you my secret: I'm an E0TJ. What does the "0" mean? The "0" indicates I am right in the middle of N and S. So, another way to write my personality type is ENTJ/ESTJ.Since I am perfectly in the middle of these two types, so, I will talk about them both. 

ENTJ -The Fieldmarshal / Executive 

For those of you who haven't figured it out already, my blogposts are very ENTJ. It's thorough, wordy, and explains everything. Thats how ENTJ's are: we are thorough and check to make sure everything is ship-shape (and yes, I did read this blog several times over and adjusted it to make sure it worked and made sense). ENTJ's are natural born leaders, many times taking up the leadership role unintentionally. They are also probably the most unappealing of all the personality types because they tend to be brash and pushy, sometimes coming across as arrogant and heartless.

But I can assure you (from personal experience here) that they are not. They just see the world logically and try to make it most efficient as possible. In addition, they try to bring out the best in those around them, so they will push their friends--challenge them--and try to help them become better people (even if the person may not want to be better).

As children, they tend to find themselves the leader of their group of friends, many times not knowing how they became the leader, because they rarely self-appoint themselves as leader.

When it comes to the leading an organization, ENTJ's cannot build companies or implement plans well. They are the dreamers, seeing the end goal and visualizing where the organization will go, passing that vision onto others. Despite passing on vision (which can be vital), they cannot seem to do the small things required to run an organization. For that, they hire people who can. ENTJ's are really good at letting people do their own work, as long as it is done efficiently. 

Words to describe the ENTJ: power, complex, rational, logical, forceful, goal-oriented, visionary, organizational, planner, bold, abrasive 

For more info on this type (and to understand me better), please check out the Rational Portrait of the Fieldmarshal and The Executive.

Understanding Your ENTJ Friend

One big thing that turns most people off regarding the ENTJ is the ENTJ's boldness. Many times the ENTJ will ask controversial or probing questions (or make generalized statements) either to a person directly or to a group at large in order to get a response. Many people (especially Feeler types) HATE this about ENTJ's because it works them into a tizzy. But I want you to understand something: most ENTJ's don't mean anything by it (although some do, and they fight with other ENTJ's until one of them kills the other one). In fact, the reason ENTJ's do it is to try to better understand the person they are listening to. ENTJ's can tell a lot about a person by how they respond to a question: facial expressions, tone of voice, how the person phrases the response. The ENTJ isn't necessarliy trying to be manipulative (although some are, which is totally wrong), they are just trying to learn more about the individual, to try to better understand them.

Secondly, ENTJ's only want to make the world a better place. So if they seem pushy like they are trying to tell you what to do, they are not doing it to point out your flaw to make you feel bad or make them look good. Not at all! They are trying to help you out. (I know, it seems like a really dumb way to do it, right? Well, remember, in the ENTJ's mind, it's not rude, it's just a statement of fact that they expect you to reciprocate onto them.) 

Remember these things when talking to an ENTJ. Not many people can stand up to an ENTJ and walk away calm and collected. Here are some tips on how to remain calm and collected: 

1. Remember anything the ENTJ says is not to be taken personally.
2. The ENTJ has your interests at heart, but has a crappy time delivering the message.
3. Fight back with the ENTJ; stand up to them and--in a calm and collected manner--explain your side. 

On that last note, ENTJ's love nothing more than a good, healthy debate. And they can debate most anything, often times taking an opposing viewpoint just for the sake of arguing. They don't defend viewpoints they disagree with because they secretly believe the opposing viewpoint, but they do it to better understand the opposing argument and to challenge the person they are debating with to defend their view. By forcing the person they are arguing with to defend their view, it solidifies the argument in the person's mind (I recently found out this type of arguing was called Inoculation Therapy. ENTJ's are masters at Inoculation Therapy.). They are doing it to help, as evil as it may appear. The way you earn respect with an ENTJ is to stand up to them and defend your viewpoint with clear, concise, and calm answers, not heated emotions (because the ENTJ doesn't understand emotions well.). When you walk away from a conversation with an ENTJ holding your ground with chin held high, the ENTJ will have more respect for you than ever before. It's not uncommon to see ENTJ's smile through debates and smile when they are proven wrong.

Because the ENTJ doesn't understand emotions well, many times they have hard time accessing his or her own emotions. (This is not true for me anymore, but I will explain this part of a typical ENTJ personality anyway if you have any other ENTJ friends.) ENTJ's need to learn to connect with their own emotions and the emotions of others if they are to be functioning people and be successful in relationships. (I know for me, I have struggled in the past with finding my own emotions and learning how to control them.). If the ENTJ cannot master their emotions and learn to seek the emotions in others, they will struggle with making friends and finding a good spouse. 

ESTJ - The Guardian / Supervisor 

ESTJ's are very similar to ENTJ's in the sense they are natural born leaders. However, where ENTJ's see the big picture and want to fix the world as a whole and can convey those ideas and goals to people around them, the ESTJ sees the fine details and focuses more on the present actions. ESTJ's have very strong beliefs and hold those beliefs tightly, and expect those people close to them to hold onto those beliefs as well. Sometimes, they may come across as pushy, but not as much as the ENTJ. The pushiness of the ESTJ is more welcome and heart-felt, because the ESTJ focuses much on community and building friendships. They are the "model-citizens": involved in work, the kids activities, and community events.

As children, they were the kids who got all the homework done first and done right.

When it comes to organizations, ESTJ's can run them efficiently; they can plan, work out strategies, and tell people where to go and what to do. However, they seem to lack long term planning because they are so focused on the there and now; they focus on the little things that need to get done. 

Words to describe the ESTJ: facts, concrete, the now, detail-oriented, community, beliefs, hard-working, friendship, effort

For more info on this type (and to understand me better), please check out the Portrait of the Supervisor and The Guardian.

Understanding Your ESTJ Friend

ESTJ's tend to be more well liked, but can get annoying much of the time. Just like the ENTJ's, ESTJ's can seem arrogant and pushy. ESTJ's can also be bogged down with details to the point of boredom for most people. Understand that the details are very important for the ESTJ, so if they ask you for them, try to be as accurate as possible. ESTJ have to know all the facts before making a judgment call one way or another. Be patient with them because they are only trying to do what's best for everyone as a whole. 

Word meanings can also be very important for the ESTJ, so if you get hung up in a circular debate on word-choice it is because they have very specific meanings for these words. Learning to use the vernacular of the ESTJ you are dealing with is very helpful and can prevent long discussions over semantics. 

ESTJ's want to know the here and now, focusing on what you are thinking and feeling right now. Speculation has its place, but ESTJ's don't like to deal with speculation much when they have the concrete information in front of them now. Emotions are also difficult to deal with the the ESTJ; many times they don't know what to do with them. ESTJ's understand emotion better than ENTJ's but because they are community oriented, but since emotions are not as concrete as logical information, emotions may be difficult for an ESTJ to process at times. Try to understand that the ESTJ wants to help and understand you but many times cannot process some information that seems illogical. 

The E0TJ - The Guardian Executive / Fieldmarshal Supervisor

I am a literal combination of both of these personality types, sharing both their strengths and weaknesses. God made me unique for who I am, and for that I am grateful. So, when you are reading this, remember to keep both in mind when dealing with me and feel free to talk to me about it. I'm an open book for anyone who wants to talk to me. Just be prepared sometimes; I can come across as brash and abrasive. If I debate you, please don't take it personally, because I don't mean for it to be. If you are a Feeler type who is strong in emotions, please don't get mad at me if I can't understand your logic sometimes. I really am trying!

With that said, you have a blessed day, and I hope you will be willing to tell me your personality type. What is yours?

Following His Call,
Adam 

(1 Timothy 1:15-16)