ENTJ PERSONALITY (THE COMMANDER)

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma
which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others'
opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow
your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary.
Steve Jobs

ENTJs are natural-born leaders. People with this personality type embody
the gifts of charisma and confidence, and project authority in a way that
draws crowds together behind a common goal. But unlike their Feeling (F)
counterpart, ENTJs are characterized by an often ruthless level of
rationality, using their drive, determination and sharp minds to achieve
whatever end they've set for themselves. Perhaps it is best that they make
up only three percent of the population, lest they overwhelm the more timid
and sensitive personality types that make up much of the rest of the world
but we have ENTJs to thank for many of the businesses and institutions we
take for granted every day.

Happiness Lies in the Joy of Achievement

If there's anything ENTJs love, it's a good challenge, big or small, and they
firmly believe that given enough time and resources, they can achieve any
goal. This quality makes people with the ENTJ personality type brilliant
entrepreneurs, and their ability to think strategically and hold a long-term
focus while executing each step of their plans with determination and
precision makes them powerful business leaders. This determination is
often a self-fulfilling prophecy, as ENTJs push their goals through with
sheer willpower where others might give up and move on, and their
Extroverted (E) nature means they are likely to push everyone else right
along with them, achieving spectacular results in the process.

At the negotiating table, be it in a corporate environment or buying a car,

ENTJs are dominant, relentless, and unforgiving. This isn't because they
are coldhearted or vicious per se it's more that ENTJ personalities
genuinely enjoy the challenge, the battle of wits, the repartee that comes
from this environment, and if the other side can't keep up, that's no reason
for ENTJs to fold on their own core tenet of ultimate victory.
The underlying thought running through the ENTJ mind might be something
like "I don't care if you call me an insensitive b*****d, as long as I remain an
efficient b*****d".

If there's anyone ENTJs respect, it's someone who is able to stand up to

them intellectually, who is able to act with a precision and quality equal to
their own. ENTJ personalities have a particular skill in recognizing the
talents of others, and this helps in both their team-building efforts (since no
one, no matter how brilliant, can do everything alone), and to keep ENTJs
from displaying too much arrogance and condescension. However, they
also have a particular skill in calling out others' failures with a chilling
degree of insensitivity, and this is where ENTJs really start to run into
trouble.

Cultivating the Science of Human Relationships

Emotional expression isn't the strong suit of any Analyst (NT) type, but
because of their Extroverted (E) nature, ENTJs' distance from their
emotions is especially public, and felt directly by a much broader swath of
people. Especially in a professional environment, ENTJs will simply crush
the sensitivities of those they view as inefficient, incompetent or lazy. To
people with the ENTJ personality type, emotional displays are displays of
weakness, and it's easy to make enemies with this approach ENTJs will
do well to remember that they absolutely depend on having a functioning
team, not just to achieve their goals, but for their validation and feedback
as well, something ENTJs are, curiously, very sensitive to.

ENTJs are true powerhouses, and they cultivate an image of being larger
than life and often enough they are. They need to remember though, that
their stature comes not just from their own actions, but from the actions of
the team that props them up, and that it's important to recognize the
contributions, talents and needs, especially from an emotional perspective,
of their support network. Even if they have to adopt a "fake it til you make
it" mentality, if ENTJs are able to combine an emotionally healthy focus
alongside their many strengths, they will be rewarded with deep, satisfying
relationships and all the challenging victories they can handle.
ENTJ Strengths

Efficient ENTJs see inefficiency not just as a problem in its own

right, but as something that pulls time and energy away from all their
future goals, an elaborate sabotage consisting of irrationality and
laziness. People with the ENTJ personality type will root out such
behavior wherever they go.

Energetic Rather than finding this process taxing ENTJs are

energized by it, genuinely enjoying leading their teams forward as
they implement their plans and goals.

Self-Confident ENTJs couldn't do this if they were plagued by self-

doubt they trust their abilities, make known their opinions, and
believe in their capacities as leaders.

Strong-Willed Nor do they give up when the going gets tough

ENTJ personalities strive to achieve their goals, but really nothing is
quite as satisfying to them as rising to the challenge of each obstacle
in their run to the finish line.

Strategic Thinkers ENTJs exemplify the difference between

moment-to-moment crisis management and navigating the
challenges and steps of a bigger plan, and are known for examining
every angle of a problem and not just resolving momentary issues,
but moving the whole project forward with their solutions.

Charismatic and Inspiring These qualities combine to create

individuals who are able to inspire and invigorate others, who people
actually want to be their leaders, and this in turn helps ENTJs to
accomplish their often ambitious goals that could never be finished
alone.

ENTJ Weaknesses

Stubborn and Dominant Sometimes all this confidence and

willpower can go too far, and ENTJs are all too capable of digging in
 their heels, trying to win every single debate and pushing their vision,
and theirs alone.

Intolerant "It's my way or the highway" People with the ENTJ

personality type are notoriously unsupportive of any idea that
distracts from their primary goals, and even more so of ideas based
on emotional considerations. ENTJs won't hesitate a second to make
that fact clear to those around them.

Impatient Some people need more time to think than others, an

intolerable delay to quick-thinking ENTJs. They may misinterpret
contemplation as stupidity or disinterest in their haste, a terrible
mistake for a leader to make.

Arrogant ENTJ personalities respect quick thoughts and firm

convictions, their own qualities, and look down on those who don't
match up. This relationship is a challenge for most other personality
types who are perhaps not timid in their own right, but will seem so
beside overbearing ENTJs.

Poor Handling of Emotions All this bluster, alongside the

assumed supremacy of rationalism, makes ENTJs distant from their
own emotional expression and sometimes downright scornful of
others'. People with this personality type often trample others'
feelings, inadvertently hurting their partners and friends, especially in
emotionally charged situations.

Cold and Ruthless Their obsession with efficiency and unwavering

belief in the merits of rationalism, especially professionally, makes
ENTJs incredibly insensitive in pursuing their goals, dismissing
personal circumstances, sensitivities, and preferences as irrational
and irrelevant.

ENTJ RELATIONSHIPS
As in other areas of their lives, ENTJs approach dating and relationships
with a set of goals and a plan to achieve them, and proceed to do so with
impressive energy and enthusiasm. People with the ENTJ personality type
are in it to win, and will gladly take leading roles in relationships from the
start, assuming personal responsibility for how smoothly things go and
working actively to ensure a mutually rewarding experience. Romantic
relationships are a serious business, and ENTJs are in it for the long haul.

We Cannot Succeed Unless, When We Choose, We Choose Wisely

This sense of personal responsibility means that ENTJs put a lot of energy
into their relationships, and they show their creativity by always having
something new on the agenda to keep things interesting, especially in the
dating phase. At the same time though, ENTJ personalities keep their eyes
on the long term, and if they determine that a relationship is heading
towards a dead end, they will cut their losses and move on in what will
seem to their partner an abrupt end to the attention they had been
receiving.

his occasional ruthlessness with personal relationships is ENTJs' primary

weakness, and if they aren't careful they can develop quite the reputation.
Sensing others' feelings and emotions will never be a comfortable skill for
ENTJs, but it is critical that they work consciously to develop it, both for
their partners' sake and for their own healthy emotional expression. If they
don't, they risk dominating and overruling their partners, and this
insensitivity can easily break a relationship, especially early on.

Confidence Thrives on Unselfish Performance

But as all goes well in the dating phase and a future is deemed viable,
people with the ENTJ personality type continue to impress with their
creativity and energy. Their authentic confidence makes ENTJs' sex life
dynamic to say the least, and they often push to explore new ways to
express their affection with imaginative enthusiasm. Yet ENTJs tend to
have these innovations planned in advance, with some structure and
predictability to their sex lives, leaving the true spontaneity to those less
organized personality types.

ENTJs are extremely growth-oriented, and will seize any opportunity to

improve themselves, listening to and acting on criticisms, so long as they
are logical ones, and always striving to improve their knowledge. At the
same time, ENTJs expect this of their partners, and it is surprising to them
that others, especially Feeling (F) types, don't always share this attitude.
Still more surprising to ENTJ personalities is others' active efforts to avoid
these tense situations.

ENTJs in particular would do well to remember that their approach is just

one angle of a multi-faceted spectrum of alternatives. While ENTJs may
view criticism as the most efficient route (and they're often right), they
should bear in mind that their partners may be more interested in emotional
support and growth, an area of self-improvement that ENTJs themselves
too often avoid.

As with most things, balance is key, and ENTJs should strive to meet their
partners half-way, whatever their needs, be it through honest criticisms or
steady emotional support and praise.

As with other Analyst (NT) types, ENTJs' best matches are with other
Intuitive (N) types, with one or two opposing traits to create more balance in
the relationship. Mature ENTJs are able to recognize and adapt to the
needs of their partners, and know that even the most rational individuals
have emotional needs that must be met. Fortunately the same logic that
dismisses emotions is also able to recognize that a conciliatory attitude can
be the best tool to get the job done. With their strong senses of
responsibility and dedication, people with the ENTJ personality type are
sure to make this effort, resulting in long-lasting, satisfying relationships.

ENTJ FRIENDS
As in most aspects of their lives, in friendship ENTJs seek personal growth
and inspiration, and they often have a plan for how to accomplish it.
Friendships of circumstance, built on things like shared routines, are not
ENTJs' preferred method rather, they pursue their friends, seek out
individuals who share their passion for deep, meaningful discussions, and
who enjoy learning and development as much as they do. It is not always
easy to be ENTJs' friends they demand a lot from these relationships
but they pay a great deal of attention to their friendships, and it is unlikely
that it will ever feel stagnant.

ENTJ friendships are built on ideas, and a lot of what they find enjoyable is
the repartee of putting thoughts forward and defending them from assault
from every angle. People with the ENTJ personality type are very smart
and highly critical, and they won't back down if they are put on the
defensive in fact, there's no better way to earn their respect.
It's not easy to stand up to a personality as big and blustery as ENTJs', and
they too often find that others crumple under the force they apply when
they really start to enjoy themselves.

Only the most hardened rationalists are able to hold their ground against
strongly expressed ENTJ personalities, who neither need emotional
support, nor understand others' need for it. This lack of sensitivity is ENTJs'
chiefest weakness. Their tendency to challenge their friends, question their
conclusions, and dismiss emotional arguments as irrelevant is especially
difficult for Feeling-oriented friends to cope with. Either a point is supported
by logic and reason, or it is erroneous.

Prisoners of Our Own Minds

More enlightened ENTJs recognize that if ever there was an area where
they could learn from others and improve themselves, it is in the realm of
emotional sensitivity to dismiss any aspect of personal growth borders on
hypocrisy. Friendships with people from the Diplomat (NF) type group can
be especially rewarding for ENTJs, as the shared Intuitive (N) trait fosters
an instantaneous connection that can bridge the chasm between their
uninhibited logic and the recognition that cooperation and conciliation can
often accomplish more than that logic ever could alone.

Still, the bulk of ENTJs' friends will likely fall into the Analyst (NT) category,
as all of these types share the same passion for logical, far-reaching ideas
and critical debate. Anyone who can match ENTJs' ability to brainstorm and
theorize will find an honest and dedicated friend. Anyone who can't, as with
many Observant (S) types who often question the point of such
discussions, will find themselves ignored perhaps a situation that is best
for everyone.

ENTJ PARENTS
Often, given their strong will and critical nature, it is challenging enough to
spend a great deal of time with ENTJs by choice, as in friendships and
romance to be with them by default, as in the parent-child relationship,
can border on the impossible. This by no means suggests that people with
the ENTJ personality type are bad parents far from it simply that their
relationships with children, who are typically more sensitive and less able to
conduct truly rational analysis, require a great deal more emotional tact and
personal liberty than they are accustomed to giving.
But ENTJs are always up for a challenge, and will take their roles as
parents seriously and with the utmost sense of personal responsibility.
Holding themselves to a higher standard than most, ENTJ personalities see
the success of their children as a reflection of those personal standards,
and want nothing more than to see them grow into smart, independent
people who strive to achieve their goals. Establishing specific moral values
is less important to ENTJs than the cultivation of the intellect and
independent, rational thought.

Rules Need Not Be Sacred

ENTJs welcome differences of opinion, and this is true with their children
as well. But while gladly having rational, well-thought-out discussions about
roles and responsibilities, at the end of the day ENTJs expect their
authority to be respected. A disagreement is no excuse for shirking
established responsibilities, and ENTJ parents can be utterly
uncompromising in maintaining this structure. This strictness can be a
tremendous source of tension in the household a little flexibility can go a
long way.

When these debates devolve into emotional appeals is when ENTJ parents
run into real trouble, as their persistent weakness with emotional tolerance
makes dealing with growing children, especially adolescents, their most
significant challenge. As in their other relationships, ENTJ parents should
strive to strengthen this skill often enough young children don't have the
words to express their needs rationally, and adolescents don't have the
patience for it, a perfectly natural condition.

By learning to listen to emotional expression as a valid form of

communication and responding in kind, ENTJs can help to minimize
emotional conflicts with their children, building trust that will help to smooth
the otherwise rebellious teenage years.

A Rendezvous With Destiny

ENTJ parents should remember that a part of developing that necessary

sense of independence is being able to control one's own schedule and
activities, to chart one's own course, at least to a certain extent. People
with the ENTJ personality type will spare no effort for their children, but it's
sometimes the case that taking a deep breath and loosening their
structures as their children grow and mature does more to achieve their
goal of raising capable, intelligent adults than forced extracurriculars ever
could
ENTJ CAREERS
It is in the world of careers that ENTJs' boldness and drive are truly at their
best. No other personality type is better suited than ENTJs to be the
respected leader of an organization or team, and no other personality type
enjoys it quite so much. Combining their vision, intelligence and
determination to push ideas through to completion no matter the obstacles,
ENTJs are a force to be reckoned with.

We All Go Up, or We All Go Down

In the world of business, the sometimes overbearing level of self-

confidence that ENTJs (especially Assertive ones) too often mishandle in
their personal relationships is transformed into an admirable authority,
keeping people on track and getting things done. Naturally the best careers
for people with the ENTJ personality type make the fullest use of these
qualities, and many would describe executive positions and
entrepreneurialism to be ideal lines of work any position high enough that
they can clearly see the horizon.

For ENTJs, failure is not an option they conceive a vision of the future,
formulate a strategy to achieve that vision, and execute each step with
ruthless precision.

Structure and order are key, and if someone gets sloppy, or holds things
back with incompetence, laziness or inefficiency, ENTJs will not hesitate to
come down, hard. ENTJ personalities pursue their goals with singular
vision, and have strict standards for themselves and others that are
designed above all else to be effective. This makes ENTJs excellent
corporate strategists, and their objectivity and clarity of thought make them
respected lawyers and judges.

None of this could work if no one could understand what ENTJs were
thinking, and they have the good fortune of being clear and concise
communicators, especially in person, making business administration a
comfortable fit so long as their tasks don't stray too far into routine
maintenance and upkeep. ENTJs also have a thirst for knowledge, and
they aren't afraid to use a principle once they've grasped its underlying
mechanisms. Combining this with their leadership makes ENTJs trying, but
effective, university professors.
We Are Still in the Making

The only problem is, it takes time for ENTJs' skills to be recognized, and
stagnating as low-level employees will have them bouncing off the walls
and deeply unhappy. People with the ENTJ personality type crave
leadership and responsibility, growth and opportunity, and genuinely enjoy
managing others to get a job done. ENTJs are visionaries and leaders, not
grunts or day-to-day administrators. Getting that to be recognized is not
always easy, but ENTJs are probably up to the task.

ENTJ IN THE WORKPLACE

For people with the ENTJ personality type, the workplace is all but a natural
habitat. ENTJs' efficiency and clear communication are valued, their
leadership is admired, and their ability to simply get things done is
unrivaled. That being said, some situations are more appropriate for ENTJs
than others these qualities all point to a managerial or executive role,
making any position of comparative powerlessness highly undesirable.

ENTJ personality types are strident ones though, able to adapt themselves
to just about any hierarchical relationship by doing what they do best:
asserting their opinions, taking the initiative, and accomplishing feats that
others thought impossible.

ENTJ Subordinates

Subordinate positions are challenging for ENTJs, and it takes active

management to ensure their satisfaction and engagement. Ever the high
achievers, ENTJ subordinates set out to learn new skills and to seek out
new challenges and responsibilities, eager to prove that nothing is
impossible with a little hard work. If things get a little slow, ENTJ
personalities may slip into periods of absentmindedness, but when they
feel involved in the projects around them, they prove well organized and
well prioritized.

ENTJs hold themselves to very high standards, but a lot of what sets this
tone is feedback from their environment namely, criticism from their
managers. Objective, rational statements about what is done right and what
can be done better are helpful to ENTJs, and far from resenting such
criticisms, they appreciate them. Opportunities for growth keep people with
the ENTJ personality type engaged and productive, and so long as their
managers recognize this as their primary responsibility, it will be a fruitful
and satisfying relationship.

ENTJ Colleagues

Among colleagues, ENTJs are sociable and greatly enjoy sharing ideas
and critiques in their frequent brainstorming sessions. Natural leaders that
they are, ENTJs tend to assert themselves into positions as representatives
and project leads, considering their objectivity and charisma the perfect
qualities for these roles. ENTJ personalities enjoy working with equals, but
people must demonstrate that they are equals anyone ENTJs view as
being less competent or driven will see only condescension and arrogance.

ENTJs are strong-willed, even dominant, and though they enjoy inspiring
and tutoring others, the energy they bring to the process can seem
overbearing. When these roles are reversed, ENTJs' mentors should bear
in mind that their students are very rational and respect firm confidence
hand-holding, emotional appeals or wavering indecision will likely burn the
bridge then and there. In a partnership, what is best is what is most
effective, and time wasted sugarcoating reality is just that time wasted.

ENTJ Managers

ENTJ managers are confident, charismatic communicators, and they

communicate but one vision: to get the job done as efficiently as possible,
and to the highest standard of quality. All else is subordinate to that
objective, but the means by which ENTJs achieve it cause others to adopt
this cause as their own. ENTJs are natural leaders, and their ability to
formulate a strategy and to identify the strengths of each member of their
teams, incorporating those abilities into their plans so that each individual
fills a unique and important role, makes them able motivators.

But while these efforts boost morale and satisfaction among ENTJs'
likeminded subordinates, they are still crafted to achieve that ultimate goal
of timely and exceptional work. Those seen as inefficient by their ENTJ
managers, or who demonstrate themselves to be lazy or to produce shoddy
work will know in no uncertain terms of their failure to impress. The only
way to recover is to comply, the only alternative is to find a new manager to
impress, somewhere else.

ENTJ PERSONALITY CONCLUSION

ENTJs' intelligence, strong will and logical reasoning skills are a force to be
reckoned with. Be it a minor obstacle or a seemingly impossible task,
ENTJs will find a way or make one. This fearsome determination and
intellect allow ENTJs to overcome many challenges.

Yet ENTJs can be easily tripped up in areas where careful and rational
thinking is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is finding (or
keeping) a partner, connecting with other people, reaching dazzling heights
on the career ladder or forcing themselves to relax, ENTJs need to put in a
conscious effort to develop their weaker traits and additional skills.

What you have read so far is just an introduction into the complex concept
that is the ENTJ personality type. You may have muttered to yourself,
"wow, this is so accurate it's a little creepy" or "finally, someone
understands me!" You may have even asked "how do they know more
about me than the people I'm closest to?"

This is not a trick. You felt understood because you were. We've studied
how ENTJs think and what they need to reach their full potential. And no,
we did not spy on you many of the challenges you've faced and will face
in the future have been overcome by other ENTJs. You simply need to
learn how they succeeded.

But in order to do that, you need to have a plan, a personal roadmap. The
best car in the world will not take you to the right place if you do not know
where you want to go. We have told you how ENTJs tend to behave in
certain circumstances and what their key strengths and weaknesses are.
Now we need to go much deeper into your personality type and answer
"why?", "how?" and "what if?"

This knowledge is only the beginning of a lifelong journey. Are you ready to
learn why ENTJs act in the way they do? What motivates and inspires you?
What you are afraid of and what you secretly dream about? How you can
unlock your true, exceptional potential?

Our premium profiles provide a roadmap towards a happier, more

successful, and more versatile YOU! They are not for everyone though
you need to be willing and able to challenge yourself, to go beyond the
obvious, to imagine and follow your own path instead of just going with the
flow. If you want to take the reins into your own hands, we are here to help
you.