ENFP PERSONALITY (“THE

CAMPAIGNER”)
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you
ache for – and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing. It
doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk
looking like a fool – for love – for your dreams – for the adventure of
being alive.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

The ENFP personality is a true free spirit. They are often

the life of the party, but unlike Explorers, they are less
interested in the sheer excitement and pleasure of the
moment than they are in enjoying the social and emotional
connections they make with others. Charming,
independent, energetic and compassionate, the 7% of the
population that they comprise can certainly be felt in any
crowd.

You Can Change the World With Just an

Idea
More than just sociable people-pleasers though, ENFPs,
like all their Diplomat cousins, are shaped by their Intuitive
(N) quality, allowing them to read between the lines with
curiosity and energy. They tend to see life as a big,
complex puzzle where everything is connected – but unlike
Analysts, who tend to see that puzzle as a series of
systemic machinations, ENFPs see it through a prism of
 emotion, compassion and mysticism,
and are always looking for a deeper
meaning.
ENFPs are fiercely independent, and
much more than stability and security,
they crave creativity and freedom.
Many other types are likely to find these qualities
irresistible, and if they've found a cause that sparks their
imagination, ENFPs will bring an energy that oftentimes
thrusts them into the spotlight, held up by their peers as a
leader and a guru – but this isn't always where
independence-loving ENFPs want to be. Worse still if they
find themselves beset by the administrative tasks and
routine maintenance that can accompany a leadership
position. ENFPs' self-esteem is dependent on their ability
to come up with original solutions, and they need to know
that they have the freedom to be innovative – they can
quickly lose patience or become dejected if they get
trapped in a boring role.
Don't Lose That 'Little Spark of Madness'
Luckily, ENFPs know how to relax, and they are perfectly
capable of switching from a passionate, driven idealist in
the workplace to that imaginative and enthusiastic free
spirit on the dance floor, often with a suddenness that can
surprise even their closest friends. Being in the mix also
gives them a chance to connect emotionally with others,
giving them cherished insight into what motivates their
friends and colleagues. They believe that everyone should
take the time to recognize and express their feelings, and
their empathy and sociability make that a natural
conversation topic.
The ENFP personality type needs to be careful, however –
if they rely too much on their intuition, assume or anticipate
too much about a friend's motivations, they can misread
the signals and frustrate plans that a more straightforward
approach would have made simple. This kind of social
stress is the bugbear that keeps harmony-focused
Diplomats awake at night. ENFPs are very emotional and
sensitive, and when they step on someone's toes, they
both feel it.
ENFPs will spend a lot of time exploring social
relationships, feelings and ideas before they find
something that really rings true. But when they finally do
find their place in the world, their imagination, empathy
and courage are likely to produce incredible results.
ENFP STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
ENFP Strengths
 Curious – When it comes to new ideas, ENFPs
aren't interested in brooding – they want to go out
and experience things, and don't hesitate to step out
of their comfort zones to do so. ENFPs are
 imaginative and open-minded, seeing all things as
part of a big, mysterious puzzle called life.
 Observant – ENFPs believe that there are no
irrelevant actions, that every shift in sentiment, every
move and every idea is part of something bigger. To
satisfy their curiosity, ENFPs try to notice all of these
things, and to never miss a moment.
 Energetic and Enthusiastic – As they observe,
forming new connections and ideas, ENFPs won't
hold their tongues – they're excited about their
findings, and share them with anyone who'll listen.
This infectious enthusiasm has the dual benefit of
giving ENFPs a chance to make more social
connections, and of giving them a new source of
information and experience, as they fit their new
friends' opinions into their existing ideas.
 Excellent Communicators – It's a good thing that
ENFPs have such strong people skills, or they'd
never express these ideas. ENFPs enjoy both small
talk and deep, meaningful conversations, which are
just two sides of the same coin for them, and are
adept at steering conversations towards their
desired subjects in ways that feel completely natural
and unforced.
 Know How to Relax – It's not all “nature of the
cosmos” discussions with ENFPs – people with this
personality type know that sometimes, nothing is as
important as simply having fun and experiencing
life's joys. That Intuitive trait lets ENFPs know that
it's time to shake things up, and these wild bursts of
enthusiastic energy can surprise even their closest
friends.
 Very Popular and Friendly – All this adaptability
and spontaneity comes together to form a person
who is approachable, interesting and exciting, with a
cooperative and altruistic spirit and friendly,
empathetic disposition. ENFPs get along with pretty
much everyone, and their circles of friends stretch
far and wide.
ENFP Weaknesses
 Poor Practical Skills – When it comes to
conceiving ideas and starting projects, especially
involving other people, ENFPs have exceptional
talent. Unfortunately their skill with upkeep,
administration, and follow-through on those projects
struggles. Without more hands-on people to help
push day-to-day things along, ENFPs' ideas are
likely to remain just that – ideas.
 Find it Difficult to Focus – ENFPs are natural
explorers of interpersonal connections and
philosophy, but this backfires when what needs to be
done is that TPS report sitting right in front of them.
It's hard for ENFPs to maintain interest as tasks drift
 towards routine, administrative matters, and away
from broader concepts.
 Overthink Things – ENFPs don't take things at face
value – they look for underlying motives in even the
simplest things. It's not uncommon for ENFPs to lose
a bit of sleep asking themselves why someone did
what they did, what it might mean, and what to do
about it.
 Get Stressed Easily – All this overthinking isn't just
for their own benefit – ENFPs, especially Turbulent
ones, are very sensitive, and care deeply about
others' feelings. A consequence of their popularity is
that others often look to them for guidance and help,
which takes time, and it's easy to see why ENFPs
sometimes get overwhelmed, especially when they
can't say yes to every request.
 Highly Emotional – While emotional expression is
healthy and natural, with ENFPs even viewing it as a
core part of their identity, it can come out strongly
enough to cause problems for this personality type.
Particularly when under stress, criticism or conflict,
ENFPs can experience emotional bursts that are
counter-productive at best.
 Independent to a Fault – ENFPs loathe being
micromanaged and restrained by heavy-handed
rules – they want to be seen as highly independent
masters of their own fates, even possessors of an
altruistic wisdom that goes beyond draconian law.
The challenge for ENFPs is that they live in a world
of checks and balances, a pill they are not happy to
swallow.
ENFP RELATIONSHIPS
When it comes to relationships, there's hardly anyone
around who is more excited than ENFPs to share with their
partners the bounty of ideas and eye-opening experiences
that life has to offer. For people with the ENFP personality
type, relationships are a joyous process of mutual
exploration and imagination, a chance to connect with
another soul. ENFPs take their relationships seriously, and
are known for their uninhibited and unshakeable devotion
to the people to whom they've committed their hearts.
ENFPs have the advantage of irresistible charm when it
comes to attracting a partner – ENFPs' warmth,
excitement and passion are simply alluring.
In the dating phase, if ENFPs can be said to tolerate such
a formal process to begin with, they will show these
qualities by showering their new flames with affection, and
will do everything they can to build a strong relationship by
demonstrating their devotion and reliability by whatever
means available.
You Cannot Live Without a Fire
Long-distance relationships are quite common among
ENFPs, as they view
physical distance as just
another idea, no match for
concepts like love. This
gives them the chance to
demonstrate their
commitment, both by
staying true despite the physical separation, and with
overtures of effort to surprise their partners, crossing that
distance on a whim. These are demonstrations of ENFPs'
mystery, idealism and deep emotion, and such efforts often
keep the flames of a relationship burning bright.
People with the ENFP personality type express these
ideals sexually as well, exploring the physical with
imagination and passion, viewing these times together as
a chance to let their feelings for each other shine, sharing
their love and affection. ENFPs will willingly experiment
with their partners, even early in a relationship, but they
can also be oddly perfectionistic, believing that these
physical acts are a representation of their deeper love, and
as such should not be performed carelessly. This
perfectionism is also a reflection of their sensitivity, their
desire to not disappoint, and ENFPs appreciate a well-
placed compliment.
Not everyone can handle the excitement, occasional
neediness, and emotional ups and downs that this
philosophy entails, whether long-distance or long-term,
mystical or physical. ENFPs constantly explore new ideas
and improvements, fantasize about future possibilities – in
dating, this tendency to look at potential rather than the
present can be self-defeating, and their spontaneity makes
it harder to stay focused on their end goal of a long-term
relationship. If their partners aren't able to reciprocate
these acts of excitement and devotion, ENFPs will likely
end up feeling unhappy and misunderstood.
So, You Think You Know the Real Me?
ENFPs go all-in with their relationships, and if they fall
apart despite their efforts, they can end up plagued with
questions about why the relationship failed and what they
could have done differently – without a buoy, these
thoughts can crush ENFPs' self-esteem as they sink into
depression. It's important for ENFP personalities, as with
anyone, to remember that relationships are in all ways
mutual – mutual interest, mutual growth, and mutual
responsibility – and they can't be solely accountable.
After a trial like this, ENFPs may be reluctant to open up
and commit, and it can take years for a partner to navigate
their bewildering depth and intensity, falsely believing that
ENFPs' enthusiasm and apparent openness means that
they wear everything on their sleeves. The reality is that
ENFPs' spontaneity, the seeming inconsistency and
erraticism the untrained eye sees, isn't a product of
flightiness or lack of depth, but the opposite – it is a drive
to express ideas about a mystical, all-encompassing
energy, in the confines of a physical world, and underlying
it all is the uniting principle of love, expressed in many
different ways, but unshakeable and infinite at its core.
More outgoing types
will naturally gravitate towards them, but ENFPs will also
ENFP FRIENDS go to great lengths and be surprisingly persistent in their
efforts to get to know more reserved personalities. Their
As friends, ENFPs are cheerful and supportive, always
ability to tune into others and speak their language with
sharing and developing ideas, and staying open-minded,
that characteristic infectious enthusiasm helps them in this
taking in others' thoughts and feelings. This warmth and
endeavor, and the allure of mystery that reserved types,
sincerity makes people with the ENFP personality type
especially Introverted Intuitives, bring to the table will keep
masters of drawing people out of their shells, and as a
ENFPs intrigued for years. These personality types may
result they tend to have a huge circle of friends.
never be able to reciprocate the breadth of human interest
As with other relationships, ENFPs view their friendships that ENFPs present, but they do appreciate ENFPs'
as opportunities to experience another angle of the efforts.
universe, and tend to imbue potential friendships with that
But ENFPs' interest in others can be a double-edged
weighty and idealistic quality.
sword – this pure idealism comes with certain
An Exciting Adventure expectations, and too often ENFPs hold their friends in an
unrealistic light, expecting them to keep up with the
constant flow of ideas and experiences that they consider
integral to life. ENFPs put their whole hearts into their
friendships, and it can come as a shock for them to find
that their friends aren't the flawless Titans that they
believed them to be. Whether it's simple social fatigue or a
focus on the physical and the practical instead of the
mystical, people with the ENFP personality type can find
themselves disappointed by what they see as a lack of
substance beneath the surface.
ENFPs tend to get deeply involved in others' lives, going to
great lengths and efforts to be the selfless, caring and
supportive people they are, and all the while forget to take
care of themselves. Both in terms of basic needs like
financial stability and rest, as well as more emotional
needs like mutual understanding and reciprocation, ENFP
personalities tend to give much more of themselves than
most are even capable of giving back. This sort of
imbalance isn't sustainable, as (seemingly) one-sided
generosity often leads to criticism and resentment on both
sides.
Making Life Spectacular
Luckily, ENFPs are open-minded and sincere enough in
their friendships, and connect with and understand even
their acquaintances well enough, that they recognize that
not everyone expresses themselves in the same ways,
and that that's okay. Their sensitivity may make it too
challenging to play with more critical and argumentative
personalities, such as strongly expressed Thinking (T) and
Judging (J) types, but they do appreciate, even cherish,
the company of most anyone who appreciates theirs, and
the adventures and experiences they have together are
the stuff a good life is made of.
ENFP PARENTS
If there is anything that makes ENFPs great parents, it's
the sense of wonder they have for all things new and
beautiful, a sense that they will be able to share with their
children every day as they learn and grow. Throughout
their children's lives, ENFPs provide a combination of
almost overwhelming love and support, and an
unstructured environment revolving around freedom and
creativity. This in no way means that people with the ENFP
personality type will simply leave their children to their own
devices without guidance – rather, ENFP parents want to
share in their children's perspective, share in a world
without bounds.
ENFP parents are playful and warm, and love to see their
children excited, playing in and experimenting with the
world around them. It is likely that ENFP parents will
encourage this play and growth by suggesting activities
and lessons.
ENFPs will embrace and encourage productive interests
as they arise, sweeping away dolls and dinosaurs when
interests shift to the oceans, and sweeping away the fish
when tastes change again, to the stars.
While they often enough recognize the value of structure
and predictability, ENFP parents are unlikely to have the
heart (or as they may see it, the lack of heart) to establish
these limitations themselves. They may need to depend on
their partners to provide some necessary guidelines and
discipline from time to time, but ENFP parents will always
have the advantage of their open-minded and empathetic
nature, making them not just parents, but friends who their
children feel comfortable confiding in. They needn't always
depend on their children broaching the subject either, as
ENFPs have a natural skill in spotting emotional
disharmony or physical discomfort in others.
Go On, Spread Your Wings
As their children approach the teenage years, all this
emotion and attention can start to cloy, and their children
may seek a more private independence. This can be a
challenge for people with the ENFP personality type – they
have strong emotions, and invest those emotions heavily
in the things and people they care about. While they may
not be big on using proven ideas, ENFPs do like to see
whether or not their ideas work, and this applies to their
thoughts on parenting, too. As their adolescent children
withdraw, they leave an unsolved mystery that can last for
years, leaving their ENFP parents wondering if their ideas
on raising their children actually work, actually result in
happy, independent and creative adults.
Luckily for them, so long as they raise their children with a
sense of productive independence, rather than an aimless,
against-the-grain antipathy, ENFPs will find that their
children have developed a strong sense of self and self-
worth, going confidently out into the big, wide world at their
own pace and in their own style, knowing that they have
both themselves and their ENFP parents to depend on.
ENFP CAREERS
“Can't I fly helicopters AND be an oceanographer who
writes songs and cooks?” It's a big world out there –
perhaps even a little too big. ENFPs are fascinated by new
ideas, both in terms of developments in fields they are
already familiar with, and when new subjects come along.
The trick for people with the ENFP personality type is to
take advantage of this quality, this wonder with the
magnificent breadth and detail in the world, and to use it to
propel themselves further and deeper than others are
willing or able to go.
If there's a challenge ENFPs face when selecting a career,
it isn't that they lack talent or options or drive, it's that there
are so many things out there that are justcool.
The Opening of a Door Can Be a Wonderfully Joyous Moment
Chief among ENFPs' talents is their people skills, a quality
that is even more valuable now than ever. Even in
traditional Analyst strongholds like engineering, systems
analysis and the sciences, ENFPs' ability to network and
match the communication styles of their audience means
that even as they explore new challenges on their own,
they will be able to work with others, explore others'
perspectives and glean new insights into their projects.
Much of modern progress stems from incorporating other
studies into typically disassociated fields, and no one is
better equipped to merge broad interests than talented,
energetic and future-minded ENFPs.
And while Thinking types may be better at applying logic to
systems and machines, people with the ENFP personality
type are able to apply that same logic to human
interactions and networks, using their exceptional social
perception to find out what makes people tick. This lends
ENFPs a solid foothold in any human science or service,
from psychology, counseling and teaching to politics,
diplomacy and detective work. All of these fields have
another important similarity: they are in constant
development, shifting, presenting new angles and new
approaches. It's simply not possible to be good in these
fields and content with the way things are, and this is
where ENFPs truly shine.
Too Many Bosses, Too Few Workers
Where ENFPs do not shine is in systems of strict
regimentation and hierarchy, such as military service.
ENFPs thrive on the ability to question the status quo and
explore the alternatives, and if this is a quality that is not
just unappreciated but actually frowned upon, this will not
only make them unhappy, but it may even threaten their
emotional stability. Repetition, predictability, boredom…
while some Sentinel types may appreciate predictability
and clear hierarchies, these are not selling points for
ENFPs. People with the ENFP personality type need to
feel like they're pushing boundaries and exploring ideas,
and should focus on interests and careers that encourage
that.
Many more career options satisfy these needs, and not
just the scientific ones – writing, journalism, acting and TV
reporting all give ENFPs a chance to explore something
new every day and stir the pot a little while they're at it. It
may come to pass though, that the best way forward for
ENFP personalities is to establish themselves as
entrepreneurs and consultants, blazing their own trails and
taking on whatever project is most fascinating. So long as
they get to use their people skills, identify and achieve
their own goals and inspire their colleagues and followers,
ENFPs will be happy.
ENFP IN THE WORKPLACE
There are two basic things that ENFPs seek most in the
workplace: The chance to explore new ideas, and the
chance to conduct that exploration alongside other people
who share their excitement. These qualities show through
at all levels of hierarchy, though much like other Diplomat
personality types, ENFPs would prefer that there be hardly
a hierarchy at all. People with the ENFP personality type
possess warmth, creativity, and an open-mindedness that
makes them excellent listeners. If these qualities are
recognized by their employers, they will always be able to
count on their ENFP employees to innovate and boost
morale.
ENFP Subordinates
ENFPs are growth-oriented, and as subordinates they'll
impress their managers with their creativity and
adaptability. People with the ENFP personality type are
excellent listeners, able to analyze and understand others'
perspectives effortlessly. It's perhaps this quality that most
makes ENFPs intolerant of micromanagement – the way
they see it, they understand what's been asked of them,
and all they require is the freedom to accomplish their
task. If this need isn't met, managers may find a quickly
stressed ENFP subordinate.
To a certain extent though, some direct management is
often necessary, as ENFPs are notorious for letting their
attention slip from one project to the next before they've
dotted their I's and crossed their T's. ENFPs love exploring
new ideas and learning new things, and once something
becomes familiar, its allure starts to fade. But, if managers
are able to maintain a spirit of guidance and camaraderie
instead of "bossiness", they will find loyal and devoted
contributors in their ENFP subordinates.
ENFP Colleagues
ENFPs are people-people, and as far as the workplace is
concerned, this quality shows through best among
colleagues. More than just coworkers, ENFPs view their
colleagues as friends, people who they take a genuine
interest in, providing support and cheer when they're down
or stressed. People with the ENFP personality type are
warm and optimistic, always searching for and usually
finding win-win situations for everyone.
Brainstorms among equals are ENFPs' forte, and they
listen to different viewpoints and suggestions not just with
tolerance, but genuine excitement. Their ability to relax
and have fun will always make them popular around the
water cooler, but what sets ENFPs apart is that they can
transition that popularity into natural leadership,
instinctively picking up on colleagues' motivations and
pulling their teams together, pushing them forward towards
whatever truth they've been tasked to find.
ENFP Managers
ENFPs are not great fans of heavy hierarchy and
bureaucracy, and this is most evident when they take on
the role of manager. As managers, ENFP personalities
behave much like they do as colleagues – they establish
real friendships, and use their broad popularity to inspire
and motivate, taking on the role of leader, working
alongside their subordinates, rather than shouting from
behind their desks. ENFPs will tend to believe in the
concept of intrinsic motivation, the idea that things are
worth doing for their own sake, not because of some
convoluted system of punishments and rewards.
Unfortunately, not everyone buys into this philosophy –
challenges arise when faced with subordinates who
actually prefer to be closely directed, with clearly defined
objectives and timetables, people who are just doing their
jobs. More challenging still are those rare moments when
a reprimand is simply necessary – while ENFPs prefer to
meet dissent with an open ear, and to use their excellent
capacity for sensing mood and morale to preempt such an
act to begin with, sometimes the carrot and the stick are
necessary, and using them is the biggest challenge for the
ENFP personality type. But ENFPs' capacity for adjusting
their communication to most any style will always shine
through, helping to smooth things over and adapt to the
needs of their team.
ENFP PERSONALITY –
CONCLUSION
Few personality types are as creative and charismatic as
ENFPs. Known for their idealism and enthusiasm, ENFPs
are good at dealing with unexpected challenges and
brightening the lives of those around them. ENFPs'
imagination is invaluable in many areas, including their
own personal growth.
Yet ENFPs can be easily tripped up in areas where
idealism and kindness are more of a liability than an asset.
Whether it is finding (or keeping) a partner, staying calm
under pressure, reaching dazzling heights on the career
ladder or making difficult decisions, ENFPs need to put in
a conscious effort to develop their weaker traits and
additional skills.
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