Let’s Talk ESTJ and ENTJ Personality Traits

Welcome back to our personality, attitude, life, and career series. Personality systems are a helpful tool that enables you to achieve more in your personal life and a more fulfilling career.

Leadership is a primary element of both ESTJ and ENTJ personalities. Understanding the differences will help you discover a career path where you will function productively and enjoy the lifestyle you want.

Knowing your personality type will help you identify the requirements and the role you serve to choose an invigorating and sustaining new career.

While ESTJ and ENTJ personalities have similarities, the differences define your search criteria as you look to make a change.

Let’s look at the two personality types in more depth to differentiate how you operate and what lies ahead in your decision-making for a new career.

Overview of ESTJ and ENTJ Personality Types

ESTJs bring order to chaos by providing formidable and at times intimidating leadership; they want to bring about order. On the other hand, ENTJs are charismatic, decisive, hard-nosed. They thrive on taking charge and leading others.

An ESTJ and ENTJ have different thinking styles, but they both achieve similar, successful results. Because the thought processes are different, their leadership styles are different. That’s why knowing your core strengths makes a difference in your career-change choice.

ESTJs are no-nonsense leaders who do not tolerate foolish behavior. They want the job done right the first time. Order and traditional values drive their decisions, tempered by their own experiences. And facts back up every decision.

An ENTJ makes headway quickly and produces results. What makes ENTJs think so quickly is their ability to visualize many possibilities. ENTJs are confident, competent, and ambitious. As a result, their work-life balance defines them and may be their biggest source of joy.

To understand how ESTJs and ENTJs personality types affect your career choice, start by understanding the core similarities and differences. Then you will understand why the decision-making process is what differentiates their process.

Personality Functions

Personality functions are the foundation of how each personality type consistently operates in the world. The functions illustrate how they make decisions, respond to input, and react in social settings. Functions help you understand the way a personality type deals with situations, decision-making, and other people.

Carl Jung, who conceptualised typing personalities, originated the eight personality functions that underpin personality types. They are:

1. Extroverted Sensing (Se) – using taste, touch, smell, sound, movement, and sight to easily absorb information in the physical world.

2. Introverted Sensing (Si) – understanding the world through past precedent and experience.

3. Extroverted Thinking (Te) – outwardly conveying thoughts using logic, reason, and analysis.

4. Introverted Thinking (Ti) – seeks to understand personal ideas using a deeply specified framework.

5. Extroverted Intuition (Ne) – noticing patterns, symbols, and connections in the world that others may not see.

6. Introverted Intuition (Ni) – knowing without knowing how you know.

7. Extroverted Feeling (Fe) – concerned with harmony, bringing people together, and caring.

8. Introverted Feeling (Fi) – concerned with authenticity, individualism, and values.

Each personality type incorporates all eight functions. But the types differ, as some functions are dominant in a personality type, and other functions are subordinate. The rankings are categorised:

Dominant function: The first function is called the dominant function, the strongest one. You use it so often, you may not even realize you are doing it.

Auxiliary function: The helper function assists the dominant function in conveying ideas and is also relatively strong in your personality.

Tertiary function: The tertiary function may be slightly under-developed but does start to manifest in your type more prominently as you mature.

Inferior function: The inferior function is challenging to access and often only comes out under stress. The range on two scales—Sensing-Intuition (used to process information) and Thinking-Feeling (used to make decisions).

Consider the way dominant functions affect how a personality type plans or doesn’t plan, uses logical process or not, and how they interact in social situations and relationships.

Understanding your personality type functions will help you choose your future work environment as well as your career role.

ESTJ Cognitive Functions

ESTJ cognitive functions combine for a personality that is often the epitome of leadership. When you look at their cognitive functions you will see right away why facts and command, decisions and authority fall into the ESTJ realm. The ESTJ dominant trait is extroverted thinking.

Dominant: Te (extroverted Thinking) – the primary way that ESTJs interact with the world around them. This function encourages them to be efficient, effective, and make logical decisions at the moment.

Auxiliary: Si (introverted Sensing) – catalogs experiences and information they deem important. Also, introverted sensing remembers impressions of previous experiences. Recalled impressions help make current decisions.

Tertiary: Se (extroverted iNtuition) – use their senses (sight, touch, hearing, taste, sound) to understand the world around them. These sensations ground ESTJs in the world and use that sensory information. This function keeps them in the moment and drives them to seek new experiences.

Inferior: Fi (introverted Feeling) – assess situations and compare them to their belief system. The cognitive function of ESTJs allows them to be sensitive to the values and feelings of those around them.

These cognitive functions lie at the core of fact-based decisions and leading others to take action.

ENTJ Cognitive Functions

ENTJ functions combine for a personality that favors take-charge actions. When you look at their cognitive functions you will see right away why they relish accomplishing tasks and look to the future for goal setting. Their dominant trait is also extroverted thinking.

Dominant: Te (extroverted Thinking) – the primary way that ENTJs interact with the world around them. This thinking fosters them to be efficient, get things done, and make logical decisions in the moment.

Auxiliary: Ni (iNtroverted intuition) –  able to see 10 steps ahead and predict what might happen in the future. Also, it is the ENTJ’s way to access many parts of their brain to find solutions.

Tertiary: Se (extroverted iNtuition) – craves new experiences and ideas. With the knowledge and details of previous experiences, they create plans for new and exciting projects.

Inferior: Fi (introverted Feeling) – assess situations and see how they correlate with their belief. This cognitive function allows ESTJs to sense values and feelings in the people around them.

These cognitive functions lead to visionary leadership and the ability to bring others into their vision.

ESTJ Personality Traits

Tradition and order are the foundation of ESTJ success. They have a profound understanding of what is right and what is wrong, and they behave in this way themselves. They take pride in working with others and connecting with people. Often, they lead and pave the way for others.

The ESTJ is extremely hardworking. They must be able to use their productivity to accomplish observable results. They will work tirelessly towards goals, ensuring that they follow rules and guidelines. And, they expect others to do the same. They lead by example, and, expecting the same in others, despise cutting corners, cheating, or laziness.

As great team players, ESTJs enjoy working with others to address problems and achieve their goals. By example, they motivate coworkers to achieve high standards.

ESTJs are natural leaders with a clear vision who like taking charge. Many of them share the concept of good citizenship. ESTJs’ interaction with people is enjoyable, although they often do not tolerate individuals who do not comply with laws or respect traditions.

While ESTJs enjoy their interactions with their family and in a wider community, rigidity can often hamper personal relationships. As a result, ESTJs tend to neglect their feelings and emotions, making it harder for them to meet the needs of others in order to enhance intimacy. It seems that some ESTJs are too detail-oriented, although their focus on detail makes them excellent at organizing goals and designing effective systems to accomplish tasks.

ESTJs excel at organization—people, projects, and operations. Because of these traits, they often acheive positions of power. They are exceptional leaders due to their drive, confidence, and willingness to implement visions.

ENTJ Personality Traits

ENTJs are rare, making up only 2 percent of the population. And there’s a gender difference as well. While 3% of the male population are ENTJs, only 1 percent of women fall into this unique personality type.

ENTJs thrive by setting long-term goals and making analysis-driven decisions, and they are often able to lead under pressure.

ENTJs are leaders for a reason. They create a vision of what should be and how those around them should be. Their traits often come across as natural leadership.

Driven, determined, and charismatic, ENTJs are one of a kind. ENTJs work tirelessly to achieve their goals.

They live by the saying, Where there is a will there is a way.

Efficiency is their work mode and they expect it in others.

ENTJs are also ruthlessly rational. They can overwhelm more timid types and even seem insensitive and uncaring in their drive to get things done.

Being natural-born leaders, they excel at taking charge and paving the way for others in order to accomplish goals. They have high standards, know what they want, and push others to achieve.

ENTJs are highly work-oriented and tend to have strong ambition as they climb the corporate ladder. In addition, they are able to take the long view, analyzing any given situation and deciding ahead of time how best to achieve their goals.

A typical ENTJ personality type abhors mistakes and inefficiency more than others. They are known to go about their day-to-day tasks with considerable precision and expect others to follow suit. However, they are also good communicators and engage others, which means they can organize others into a concerted effort.

Because of their work ethic, they may focus on work and miss life’s little joys like spending time with others or engaging in personal hobbies.

In addition to internal precision and efficiency, ENTJ personality types can use significant amounts of personal discipline in their own lives. This is one of the reasons why ENTJs make such great leaders and why they often get the best results from those around them.

A person with the ENTJ personality type is competitive, highly motivated, and focused, and sees most everything in the big picture.

ESTJs and Careers

The ESTJs thrive in environments where they can act as decision-making agents and enforce policy and guidelines. Work environments that expect tangible results tend to appeal to them, often in a hierarchical structure. For example, ESTJs are likely to thrive in financial professions.

ESTJs may not perform well in occupations where creativity and freethinking are valued over practice and rule-following.

ENTJs and Careers

Think of ENTJs as Commanders. Due to their ambitious and assertive nature, ENTJs can often lead from the front. Also, ENTJs are goal-focused and likely to thrive in positions that inspire others to achieve their goals. ENTJ’s often thrive in sales-oriented careers, for example, real estate.

ENTJs aren’t likely to perform well at the lowest rung of the ladder. They dislike being told what to do, particularly when they see higher-up errors.

Famous ESTJs

Structured environments and goal-oriented roles appeal to successful ESTJ professionals. From Kamala Harris, the first mixed-race Vice President in the United States, to Kris Jenner, the Kardashian matriarch and ultimate mom, ESTJs rigorously see their tasks through to the end.

About 9 percent of the population are ESTJs. Some famous ESTJs include:

• George Washington ( First American President)
• Kamala Harris (Vice President)
• Kris Jenner (Reality Star)
• Frank Sinatra (Singer)
• Michelle Obama (First Lady)
• Piers Morgan (Presenter)
• Jimmy Butler (Athlete)
• Colin Powell (General)
• Sanda Day O’Connor (Supreme Court Judge)
• Mike Wallace (News Broadcaster)
• Vince Lombardi (Coach)
• Theresa May (Prime Minister)

ENTJ Famous People

ENTJs are particularly adept at achieving their goals by combining efficiency with strategy. The ENTJs are driven and love challenges, from José Mourinho, who has his ability to strategize on the football pitch to Whoopi Goldberg, who is composed yet fiery.

Dreamers who use their creativity and analytical mind to accomplish their goals ENTJs achieve. When ENTJs are on a mission, they are dedicated and focused.

• José Mourinho (Soccer Manager)
• Sandra Oh (Actress)
• Whoopi Goldberg (Actress)
• Simon Cowell (TV Personality and Recording Executive)
• Gillian Anderson (Actress)
• Gordon Ramsay (Chef)
• Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister)
• Dr. Dre (Rapper)
• Coco Chanel (Fashion Designer)
• Steve Jobs (Industrial Designer, Media Proprietor, Investor, Business Magnate)
• Napoleon Bonaparte (Military and Political Leader)
• Carl Sagan (Astronomer)

Why Your Personality Type Matters for Career Change

Personality types are more than conversation starters. They help identify blind spots and prompt self-awareness. When you consider making a career change, knowing your personality type helps create priorities within the field of choices. You use your personality type as a filter to sort through job descriptions.

More importantly, knowing your personality type helps you refine your preferences as you evaluate possibilities. For example, if you are a leader, knowing your strengths as an ESTJ or ENTJ allows you to find a corporate culture that fosters your particular strengths. You recognize the way you are in charge and whether you will thrive in that culture.

Understanding your personality type helps you clarify your preferences. A recent article in BBC Wroklife said personality tests, “simply highlight preferences, not necessarily skills you do or don’t have.”

The more you know how you operate, the easier it is to determine what your best and worst traits are. This knowledge is useful both personally and professionally.

At Elevanation we understand the challenges you face making a career change. We help you objectively evaluate current drawbacks and blocks. Then we guide you to a vision of what an ideal new career path will be.  Our aim is clarity. That’s because clarity gives you guidelines to make an intelligent, informed career choice. Create your change, schedule your FREE Action Call.