ENTJ Functions: The Role of the Executive’s Functions in Daily Life
The ENTJ, one of the 16 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality types, is a natural leader and an extrovert who generally knows what they want and how to get it. So, how does the ENTJ personality type function within and contribute to society?
The ENTJ is Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging, and each of these traits contributes to an individual who is a pragmatic, natural-born leader. The ENTJ is adept at finding their place at work and in relationships.
This article will take you through the ENTJ characteristics and how they influence how ENTJ functions in society as they interact within individual relationships, at work, and in the community.
The Cognitive Functions of an ENTJ Personality
The four primary functions of ENTJ are Extraverted Thinking, Introverted Intuition, Extraverted Sensing, and Introverted Feeling. The dominant function, extraverted thinking, is responsible for the ENTJ’s bold and methodical style, while the other functions are responsible for the subtler characteristics of an ENTJ.
Here, we will cover how these functions determine and distinguish an ENTJ’s behavior. People identified as ENTJ based on the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) tend to exhibit strong, sometimes overpowering, personalities. They are only 2% of the population, making them a rare breed.
They have many positive traits that make them natural leaders, but some of their traits are viewed as obstacles. ENTJs are naturally complex individuals and are often misunderstood as they hide their feelings behind their outspoken personalities.
The Four Personality Traits That Make Up The ENTJ Personality Type
The four-lettered combinations ENTJ stands for the following personality traits:
- (E) stands for extraverted versus (I) introverted
- (N) stands for intuitive versus (S) sensing
- (T) stands for thinking versus (F) feeling
- (J) stands for judging versus (P) perceiving
Let’s look at how each of these components of this personality type plays into the whole ENTJ.
E Is For Extravert
The “E” stands for an extravert. Unlike introverts who turn inward to recharge, this personality type turns their energy outward towards the rest of the world. These extroverts gain momentum from interacting with people and participating in events.
Extraverts love being the center of attention and live for challenges and excitement. Their enthusiasm for life is contagious, so other people are often drawn to and look up to ENTJs, making them natural leaders.
Because they need perpetual stimulation, ENTJs become bored quickly. They also have difficulty being alone for too long because they thrive from interpersonal interactions and validation from other people.
Extraverts love to meet new people and adapt quickly to new friends and groups. However, they find it easy to sever ties when the relationship no longer serves their purpose.
N Is For Intuitive
Intuitive personalities rely more on the potential for what could be when focused on an outcome of a situation.
While intuitives rely more on their imagination, this does not mean they are impractical. They depend on their physical and mental senses when interpreting a situation or event and predicting an outcome or developing a solution to a problem.
The intuitive mind perpetually ponders theoretical and asks, “What if?”. Simultaneously, their reason is to assemble the more significant picture pieces quickly.
Intuitive people tend to think outside the box and bring more innovative ideas to the table. But sometimes, this approach appears out of touch with others who prefer more practical problem-solving methods.
Intuitive thinkers sometimes make decisions and provide new theories to a situation in minutes. This can lead to miscommunication and other problems when working with a team.
T Is For Thinker
People with the thinker personality style have active minds and are most stimulated by questioning what is happening around them and thinking about solutions to problems. They also have good memories and retain and recall important information.
A thinker relies more on their mental focus than emotions or feelings. Thinkers are knowledgeable individuals and rely on facts and objective information when they make decisions.
When approaching any situation, thinkers use eight skills in their toolbelt. They are:
- Planning
- Logistical thinking
- Investigation
- Gathering data
- Finding facts
- Analysis
- Innovation
- Creativity
ENTJs pride themselves on being original thinkers and delight in increasing their knowledge and competence through every new challenge. They have an innate drive to seek solutions for the following intellectual pursuits:
- Mystery
- Puzzle
- Logic and Math Problems
- Conflict
Thinkers like to have control over the direction they choose when approaching a new problem or challenge. They don’t want to be stifled by the mundane or mainstream ideas of others.
J Is For Judging
People who have the judging personality trait are schedulers and planners. They need to feel in control and have multiple backup plans to handle any surprises that come up along the way.
Judgers need structure and predictability, two traits that make them appear rigid. However, judgers can adjust to circumstances as necessary, so they try to foresee any possible mishaps or roadblocks to overcome.
People who are judgers value the following components, whether at work or in life in general:
- Laws
- Rules
- Standards
- Responsibility
- Accountability
- Criteria for success
- Strong work ethic
Judgers see these components in black and white. They apply these critical measures to themselves and also their:
- Colleagues
- Friends
- Family
Common ENTJ Character Traits
The four personality types of the ENTJ result in these pragmatic extraverts donning the following character traits. The table below lists the positive ENTJ characteristics and the characteristics that can create obstacles for ENTJ.
| Character Strengths | Character Weaknesses |
| Assertive | Intolerant |
| Confident | Impatient |
| Strong verbal skills | Stubborn |
| Outspoken | Insensitive |
| Energized by interacting with others | Aggressive |
| Efficient problem-solvers | Arrogant |
| Organized | Forceful |
| Strong-willed | Egotistical |
| Adaptable | Views show emotion as a weakness |
ENTJ Character Strengths
The ENTJ’s confidence and ability to be assertive make them natural-born leaders. They are secure in their knowledge and skills and know the direction they want to take when approaching a task or working towards achieving a goal.
Assertive verbal communication enhances the ENTJ’s charisma and leadership abilities. This personality type is known to be both outspoken and to have excellent verbal communication skills.
Unsurprisingly, the ENTJ is a gifted verbal communicator as this personality type is highly extroverted. Interacting with other people energizes the ENTJ and gets their creative juices flowing.
Talking through their thoughts and ideas with others helps the ENTJ work through puzzles and problems, big or small, with rapid-fire efficiency. This extroverted processor needs to work through difficulties within them.
ENTJ Character Weakness
While this personality type has many strengths that make them strong leaders and provocative thinkers, they also have strong character traits that can stand in the way of them working well with others.
ENTJs view emotions and sentimentality as a weakness, so they hide their feelings at any cost. This makes them appear callous and cold, so others may be less likely to trust them or open up about their feelings around an ENTJ.
Additionally, their propensity to be intolerant of others’ ideas and habits is often a turnoff to potential friends and colleagues. Coupled with their impatience and stubbornness, the ENTJ can be difficult to negotiate within relationships.
While being outspoken can be a strength as a leader, aggression in blunt and dominant speech and actions can be another turnoff in personal relationships or business partnerships. The propensity for aggression often impedes the ability to work with others.
ENTJ Method of Thought
ENTJs, also known as the “executive,” are rational thinkers who have a talent for identifying problems and being able to see the bigger picture.
Most ENTJs are strategic thinkers, allowing them to approach problems from every angle to arrive at the best solution. As learners, they like to apply theories and new information to problem-solving.
Their propensity for structure and routine makes them disciplined scholars who study regularly. ENTJs are quick to process and analyze new information and have strong memories, allowing them to recall information quickly.
In higher education, the ENTJ continues to build on its knowledge base and enjoys applying what they have learned to problem-solving. This personality type relies on a combination of:
- Structure
- Analysis
- Intuition
- Decisiveness
- Investigation
This helps them find solutions to complex problems.
As outside-of-the-box thinkers, ENTJS prefers abstract and theoretical information to concrete details which helps them to keep an open mind when approaching solutions to problems.
ENTJs thrive on solving problems. Their laser-like focus and ability to plan and map out different avenues from which to approach a problem often leave them to quick success.
The Eight Career Paths Best Suited For The ENTJ
ENTJ people are planners and schedulers. They have a deep need for predictability and control. Along with being strong leaders, ENTJs are typically attracted to career fields where they can:
- Be in charge
- Create a schedule
- Solve problems
- Apply analytical thinking
- Develop and implement a strategy
- Work in teams
- Focus on the big picture
- Evaluate their own and others’ work
Common career paths that meet the ENTJ personality’s criteria for a fulfilling job include:
- Higher education
- Business and program management
- Business Executive
- Entrepreneurial endeavors
- Criminal Justice or law enforcement
- Engineer
- Mathematician
- Sales and Marketing
As thinkers, ENTJs are naturally ambitious and enjoy thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating work. Add extraversion to their mental capacity, and ENTJs gain momentum from working with a team of highly motivated people.
They value verbal communication and exchanging ideas as long as the ideas are similar to their own when approaching a complex task. They also like to manage groups of people and direct the forward movement of a job or project.
ENTJs need a clear set of criteria to evaluate their work and the work of their colleagues. They are motivated by rewards such as:
- Public recognition
- Raises or bonuses
- Promotion
While ENTJs can be inspiring leaders, they can also be challenging to work with due to their intolerance for the weaknesses of others and what they view as ideas inferior to their own.
ENTJs can become impatient when others don’t unquestioningly go along with their plans. Their confidence can become arrogance as they often believe their:
- Ideas
- Strategies
- Plans
- Skills
are superior to those of others. ENTJs work best with others who share their ambition and competence.
How the ENTJ Personality Functions Within Relationships
ENTJS prefer to think about the future versus being still in the moment and appreciating what is in front of them in the present. Because they are not always thinking in the present, they can appear distant to those who love them.
ENTJs In Friendships
In friendships, ENTJs function as the leader of the pack. They tend to decide whom they want to pursue companies with. Rarely does the ENTJ follow a friendship with someone just because they work with or live near them. They must have mutual interests.
ENTJs need friends who are excited and enjoy going out and doing things. The executive enters into friendships with people who like them are:
- Interesting
- Intelligent
- Engage in challenging activities
The executive is a friend in the group who:
- Decides
- Plans
- Schedules
They want to ensure that events turn out how they want them to and don’t trust others to make plans to satisfy them.
The executive tends to get along and communicate well with other intuitive thinkers. They also tend to enjoy spending time with other extroverts. ENTJ personality types function best in friendships with the following personalities:
- ENFP
- INFP
- INTJ
- Fellow ENTJs
How The ENTJ Functions in Romantic Relationships
The “executive” ENTJ likes to lead their romantic relationships as they do in all areas of their lives. And just like other parts of their lives, they bring every ounce of energy into their relationships.
During the initial phase of attraction, the ENTJ approaches their potential partner much as they would any other project, with an analytical mind. They are dedicated to finding someone who is exciting and an intellectual equal.
Once they decide to pursue a relationship, ENTJ personalities continually find new ways to impress their romantic partners and show affection. These maneuvers are not spontaneous but well planned, with every aspect thought out to the finest detail.
The executive brings charisma and imagination to every area of the relationship, including the bedroom. This personality appreciates predictability in their sex life while looking for ways to ensure it stays exciting and enjoyable for both parties.
One of their relationship weaknesses is their discomfort with their emotions and their partner’s. They need to try to acknowledge and understand their partner’s feelings.
ENTJs also need to work on identifying and feeling more comfortable with their feelings. However, ENTJs are direct when communicating, so their romantic partner will usually know where they stand with the executive.
Also, because their minds are usually working overtime thinking about solutions to problems at work or improving things in the home, ENTJs need to make a conscious effort to be present at the moment with their partners.
If the ENTJ feels like the relationship is not going anywhere, they will end it suddenly, leaving the other party wondering what happened. ENTJs have no qualms about severing ties and moving on to the next relationship.
ENTJ does not function well with emotionally needy people. They thrive in a relationship where the other person is:
- Confident
- Emotionally stable
- Reliable
According to the MBTI, the personality type most compatible with the ENTJ is the INTP, which stands for:
- Introvert
- Intuitive
- Thinking
- Perceiving
These two make great pair because introverted INTP is happy to let ENTJ take the lead. This personality type is also intuitive and a thinker, so they have enough in common with the ENTJ intellectually to hold the executive’s interest.
The ENTJ Parenting Style
The executive personality has high expectations for themselves and holds their offspring to those same standards. They see their children as reflections of their success and expect them to rise to the same level.
While they can be demanding, ENTJs are not bad parents. However, as with their other relationships, they need to consciously work on listening to their children and understanding their feelings and needs.
The ENJT personality makes up about 2% of the population, so the chance that their children are also ENTJs is slim. Children with ENTJ parents differ from them in that they are typically:
- More sensitive
- Needful more empathy
- Less rational
- Less analytical
These traits can make effective communication between ENTJ parents and their children difficult. The ENTJ parent will discuss with their children about roles and expectations in the family, but they will always have the final word.
ENTJ parents are strict and expect their children to be thorough:
- Responsible
- Obedient
- Respectful
- Communicative
These expectations can be challenging for young children to live up to, and the ENTJ parent needs to exercise patience as their children search for ways to express themselves and their needs appropriately.
ENTJ parents are highly devoted and will go to great lengths to meet their child’s needs and ensure their happiness and success.
At the same time, the ENTJ parent can be highly rigid and controlling. With their older children, they need to be able to determine when it’s time to loosen the reigns and allow their children some control over their own choices and schedule.
When the ENTJ starts to hand over control of their child’s life to the child, they allow the child to:
- Grow mentally and emotionally
- Develop coping skills
- Develop decision-making skills
- Solve problems
Children of ENTJ parents will be grateful for their parents’ trust and confidence in their ability to negotiate their way through the world. Their parent will most likely be the first person they turn to when they need advice.
Summing Up The ENTJ Personality Functions
The ENTJ personality tends to be larger than life. ENTJs are unafraid to take up their space in the world and make their presence known. Without ENTJs, we would not have dynamic and charismatic leaders in government, businesses, and other organizations.
ENTJs are happy to lead others to achieve their vision. They are big-picture thinkers who can approach problems from various angles and evaluate each possible solution before implementing the best one.
ENTJs are also educators and enjoy imparting knowledge to others, whether their friends, co-workers, partners, or children. Without the ENTJs, we would not have the innovations and creativity that make our lives much more prosperous.
