The MBTI is a personality test developed by Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs, and based on Jung’s personality theory.
Consisting of 16 unique personality types that are either introverted or extraverted, intuitive or sensing, thinking or feeling, and perceiving or judging, the MBTI helps users gain a greater understanding of their behaviors and motivations.
In this article, we will explore one of the rarest MBTI personalities, the ENTJ. Read on as we delve into the characteristics of this personality type, its strengths, weaknesses, relationship preferences, and more.
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What is ENTJ? (and What Does it Stand For?)
ENTJ is an acronym for Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging. A personality type represented by outspoken, confident, and dominant people, ENTJ comprises less than 2% of the population.
There are more ENTJ men than women, with 2.3% being male and 1.5% female. Rational ENTJ has excellent communication skills, possesses strong leadership qualities, and is assertive or outspoken. Below are other qualities and traits of the ENTJ personality.
Key ENTJ Characteristics & Traits
ENTJs are characterized as straightforward, logical, decisive, direct, objective, critical, energetic, expressive, consistent, structured, analytical, and measured.
Additionally, ENTJ personalities can be impatient, stubborn, aggressive, or intolerant. Ambitious and decisive ENTJ is results-oriented. Moreover, this personality tends to be less emotive than other types. Here are a few more ENTJ personality traits:
- Highly Social: Possessing strong communication and social skills, ENTJ is energized by and thrives in social situations.
- Future-Oriented: Organized ENTJs love setting goals and working towards them, yet because they obsessively plan, they struggle with mindfulness.
- Abstract Thinkers: Adore abstract concepts and theories and enjoy analyzing complex ideas.
- Rational and Logical: Despite enjoying abstract ideas, they are very step-by-step when finding a solution to problems.
- Problem-Solvers: Take-charge ENTJs don’t ignore issues. They’d rather dig in and fix things because unresolved issues make them anxious and irritable.
- Emotionally Guarded: ENTJ views heightened emotion as a sign of weakness or vulnerability. They are empathetic, but they don’t do big displays of emotions.
ENTJ Examples
Combining a compelling social openness with shrewdness, ENTJs reach the top in various fields from media to comedy to politics. Here are some of the most famous and infamous ENTJs.
ENTJ Famous People
Because ENTJ is a rational, goal-oriented problem-solver, they find success in the sciences and politics. Below are some of the most well-known:
- Carl Sagan
- Douglas MacArthur
- Kamala Harris
- Napoleon Bonaparte
- Bill Gates
ENTJ Celebrities
Gregarious and goal-oriented, many ENTJs have found fame in film and media. Here are some of the most well-known ENTJs:
- Whoopi Goldberg
- Mindy Kaling
- Quentin Tarantino
- Steve Martin
- Jim Carrey
- David Letterman
- Charlize Theron
- Salma Hayek
- George Clooney
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Gordon Ramsay
ENTJ Fictional Characters
Writers are experts in character development. Many authors use the MBTI to create their most beloved characters- whether they are valiant or villainous. We’ve compiled a list of the most well-known ENTJ fictional characters below:
- Lord Voldemort
- Sauron
- Mike Wazowski
- Blair Waldorf
- Harvey Specter
- Patrick Bateman
- Olenna Tyrell
- Thomas Shelby
- Erwin Smith
- Azula
- Gary Oak
- Petyr Baelish
- Princess Leia
- President Snow
ENTJ Strengths & Weaknesses
Like every other personality in the MBTI, an ENTJ has a variety of strengths and weaknesses. Below we will review these vices and virtues in greater depth.
Strengths
A combination of extraversion and intuition makes the ENTJ a power player in nearly every scenario. They have a keen understanding of the motivations of others, which gives them a unique skill when socializing. Read on to learn more about ENTJs strengths.
- Charismatic: Inspiring and persuasive ENTJ has a knack for encouraging others.
- Efficient: ENTJs are efficient problem-solvers who direct their energy and resources to achieve a goal. ENTJ despises inefficiency and views those lacking time management skills as lazy or irrational.
- Self-confidence: ENTJs are influential leaders who never doubt their opinions and strengths.
- Strong-willed: Determined and persistent, ENTJs tackle every obstacle, no matter what, and they won’t quit until they reach their goals.
- Strategic: Skilled at fixing problems, ENTJs see an issue from many viewpoints to determine how best to manage it.
- Energetic: ENTJs use their charisma, personality, and social abilities to plan and influence others to join their cause.
Weaknesses
ENTJs are a vehement sort. While this passion brings success, an excess of it can annoy or alienate others. Here are some negative traits that ENTJ needs to manage for social success.
- Stubborn: An ENTJ finds it hard to recognize another person’s point of view. Their overconfidence can cause conflict and inefficiency in contradiction to ENTJ’s solution-oriented nature.
- Intolerant: An ENTJ can be biased and believe their way is the only reasonable approach. Those who are emotional in their decision-making can anger ENTJ.
- Impatient: Similarly, indecisive people irritate the ENTJ. As a result, ENTJ can have difficulty working with a team.
- Reserved: Emotionally distant ENTJ ignores their feelings and those of others. Rational ENTJs will struggle to listen and understand emotional situations.
- Coldness: Since an ENTJ prefers efficiency and rationality, they can seem insensitive and dismissive. An ENTJ will often place finding a solution above anything else.
ENTJ Compatibility – Who are ENTJ Compatible With?
This extroverted personality adores people and all things social. Yet though they are social, and there are a variety of personalities they have great relationships with, there are some types that irritate them. Here we will explore the relationship style of the ENTP and what personality types are best for partnerships.
ENTJ Relationships
Because they are so extraverted, an ENTJ is very energetic and enthusiastic when dating and forming relationships with other people. Although they may be seen as emotionally cold, they are highly social and love stimulating conversation. Moreover, ENTJ is dedicated to achieving long-lasting relationships.
An ENTJ strives for a mutually-fulfilling relationship. Yet they tend to take the lead with their partner. They adore loving gestures, showing their creative side, and coming up with new date ideas during the initial dating phase with their partner.
The weakness of an ENTJ partner is that they can be cold and unforgiving in a relationship. If they aren’t mindful of the other person’s sensitivity or feelings, they can end up dominating the partnership and causing fights.
However, if the ENTJ sees potential in their relationship, they will continue to put effort and energy toward their romantic partnership, sex life, and affection. They will use their goal-oriented nature to improve themselves and to learn more about their partner.
ENTJ Partner
An ENTJ matches best with intuitive types that have a few opposing traits. That creates more of a balance because strong-willed ENTJ would clash with forceful personalities. More self-reflective or introspective ENTJs can recognize their significant other’s needs and understand their partner’s unique circumstances, sensitivities, and emotions. An ENTJ personality type is motivated and dedicated to their partner and will work hard for a satisfying connection with their partner.
Of the MBTI personality types, ENTJ will most likely find love with other rationals like INTJ, INTP, ENTP, ENTJ, and ENFJ. These personalities share the ENTJ love of reason and abstract thinking. Alternatively, the ENTJ should avoid overly emotional types like ISFJ, ISFP, and ESFP. These sensitive types are not into the ENTJ fascination with facts over emotion, so this will cause conflict.
ENTJ Love Language
An ENTJ’s love language involves physical connection and passion. This personality type is motivated by physical touch and affection as opposed to words and emotions. They desire moments of physical connection to feel loved and admired by their partner in a symbiotic relationship. These personality types enjoy passion, intensity, and security within a dedicated partnership.
Best Jobs & Careers for ENTJ
ENTJs enjoy being in a leadership role in their career paths. Moreover, they seem to project authority. They are the type that naturally takes the lead in situations, especially when logical thinking is required for a solution.
Plus, ENTJs take control of groups, whether they are in a small team or a large meeting. This action allows the ENTJ to use their dominant personality trait for critical thinking and avoid the anxiety caused by being surrounded by those who let their emotions take over in a stressful scenario.
An ENTJs desire for order, patterns, and rationale helps them find success in managing, directing, leading, and organizing groups of people. Coming up with a step-by-step solution to multiple problems can help these individuals quickly and efficiently finish the necessary to-do tasks.
Furthermore, an ENTJ has good foresight into what needs to be done to achieve business goals. ENTJs can create a plan of action and assign roles to team members to maximize every person’s skills and time.
In addition, ENTJs typically thrive in an environment with structure, especially if it combines the structured role they crave with a social atmosphere. ENTJs will thrive in such a place, communicating with others, leading groups, and planning for the future of the company.
ENTJ Career List
ENTJ will not do well in a subordinate role. Thoroughly rational, they believe their way of doing things is the most efficient. Very often that is the case, yet ENTJ lacks the emotional skill to convey that information properly to others.
Yet even with this characteristic, ENTJ’s strong leadership ability, rationality, and organization make the ENTJ perfect for management positions. Here are some of the careers that are best for ENTJs:
- HR Manager
- Entrepreneur
- Software Developer
- Professor
- Lawyer
- Company Manager
- Scientist
Careers for ENTJ Females
ENTJ females prefer independent yet social jobs that provide them time alone to engage in abstract analysis. Leadership in ideas interests them more than leading a team. As such, ENTP females should consider the following careers:
- Psychologist
- Financial Analyst
- Accountant
- Social Worker
- Physical Therapist
- Real Estate Agent
Careers for ENTJ Males
Thoughtful, analytical ENTJ males prefer structured and creative work. They want to be their own boss and should consider the following careers for long-term growth and success:
- Graphic Designer
- Financial Manager
- Auditor
- Consultant
- Analyst
- Budget Analyst
- Architect
- Engineer
- Teacher
- CEO
- Personal Financial Advisor
- Logistician
ENTJ Careers to Avoid
The ENTJ has a strong and dominant personality. Repetitive work where they are under the authority of a boss is not for them. Additionally, they will not excel in customer service. These are some of the careers the ENTP should avoid:
- Receptionist
- Factory Worker
- Psychologist
- Cosmetologist
- Teacher or Teaching Assistant
- Host
- Data Entry
Summary
The ENTJ is a personality type focused on achieving goals through a rational and data-driven approach. Although they enjoy abstract ideas and dreams, they usually take a step-by-step method to fulfill their goals and would prefer working independently than on a team. If they must work on a team, they must lead it, so management is definitely for the ENTJ.
When forming partnerships and relationships, ENTJ will put their energy and dedication towards a meaningful and long-lasting partnership or friendship if they feel they receive the same in return.
Overall, an ENTJ is a dominant and energetic personality type that thrives in goal-oriented situations and forms dedicated relationships. A rare personality type, the ENTJ is a natural-born leader who enjoys harnessing team energy to work toward an achievable goal.