The Rational ENTj

The Rational ENTj

What's coming up next is a sentence that could most accurately summarize the ENTj's mindset. Enthusiastic and optimistic about the future, the ENTj wants to be the one who's at the forefront of advancement. Possessing a peculiar combination of idealism and pragmatism in his personality, the ENTj is a person who wants to make his dreams come true.

The ENTj is a very rational person. He lives with an internal set of principles. These are not arbitrary or merely accepted from conventional wisdom. Rather, they stem from a critical examination of any available empirical evidence at disposal. The ENTj thrives for objectivity. He wants to know the "Right" answer to everything. For this reason, he is particularly fond of measures and tests because they enable him to objectify reality, helping him to make correct decisions and accurate predictions. The ENTj thinks like a scientist, only accepting things if they have been put to an objective test. If you need to make an objective decision about anything, ask an ENTj.

The ENTj has a gut feeling about what lies behind appearances. He has also got a good intuition about the future. These two characteristics enable him to be often ahead of others, since they help him in predicting events accurately. In order to do this, the ENTj makes intuitive hypotheses according to an existing theoretical model he has elaborated. These intuitions are then naturally put to the test of time. If the existing outcome is different than his prediction, then the ENTj will correct his model. The ENTj's Intuition thus serves his Thinking. Because of this he is rather impatient. Indeed, he is so eager about the future that he cannot seem to be able to let the present unfold normally.

The ENTj projects an aura of arrogance because of the two previous attitudes. There are several reasons for this. Like most NT's, the ENTj's knowledge is acquired in a very systematic way. The ENTj does not trust common sense. He likes to look behind preconceived ideas. He does not care about consensus or other people opinions. He wants to examine the facts by himself, with a fresh new look. The difference with other NT's is that once the ENTj has found something new, he wants to shout it to the rest of the people in the world and convince them that they were wrong. This makes the ENTj look like a Galileo trying to tell people that the earth is round. Few people like to have their beliefs challenged this way and so the ENTj can sometimes appear as pretentious. Fortunately, this attitude is also what makes him a potential leader.

The ENTj works very fast. He loves to be able to efficiently execute tasks. He likes to plan his work in advance so he can think about the best possible course of action. However, he doesn't necessarily have to plan systematically. He is also very good at improvising on the fly thanks to his pragmatic nature. Sometimes he develops workaholic tendencies because he gets such a rush out of pulling things off.

The ENTj is very decisive. It takes him only a couple of seconds to decide things when other types would take hours. For example, he knows exactly what he wants on a restaurant menu immediately after reading it. He doesn't like to waver around. He can be pretty impatient with people who are slow to make their mind up. Sometimes the ENTj can be tempted to choose for them because he can't stand waiting.

The ENTj can talk a lot about subjects in which he is interested in, but remain very silent in any topic he finds slightly boring (which includes most topics in small talk). When he's into something, he can get very passionate and start gesticulating energetically. He may speak "with his hands" a lot. He loves to give advice to others in domains where he is competent. He is very good at explaining things to people. The ENTj breaks things down in easy to understand steps, and makes sure people successfully comprehend each before moving to the next.

The ENTj may appear quite blunt and direct because he has no patience with superficialities. He likes to get straight to the point. This isn't intended to be mean. It's just a way for him to save time and "move on" more quickly. He is not afraid of speaking the truth about things openly. He is a very straightforward person. What you see is what you get. The ENTj tells people in front what he thinks of them. He is not the type to gossip endlessly in the back of others. He prefers to act upon a situation and speak up to the person in an effort to change things.

The ENTj can get very angry. He hates to get walked upon. Respect is extremely important in a relationship for an ENTj. He cannot tolerate a lack of respect from others. He also hates injustice. The ENTj likes to stand up for what he believes and defend people who he considers as weaker than him. He is also not easily intimidated by people in authority. The ENTj can sometimes have a "Hero" complex and be convinced that he must be strong in order to be able to save others in the world. This can make him fight forcefully against something or someone even when all odds seem at end.

It has been wrongly assumed that the ENTj is necessarily a controlling and bossy individual. In reality, he doesn't really care about bossing people around for it's own sake. What he's interested in is getting things done in the most efficient way. The ENTj can appear very relaxed and cool around people who accomplish what needs to be done naturally. The ENTj may appear very commanding when he feels as though there is too much chaos. Considering he is also impatient and decisive, he can come off pretty strong to others when things don't go "the Right way". However, an ENTj, contrary to a lot of types, will not seek positions of power for power, but simply because he wants to have the freedom of implementing the best possible decisions. He fundamentally loves independence. It enables him to realize his visions and make his dreams come true. For this reason, he has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. He wishes his independence from societal constraints and being able to do things according to his ideas.

The ENTj isn't necessarily the person that people will psychologically elect as the leader of a group. It really depends on the situation. Since, being an NT (Rational), he is rather oblivious to social rituals, he will rarely be the "coolest" or most popular person around. That title is best left to the ESFp or even the ESTp. However, in most situations requiring a specific competence that the ENTj has, his enthusiasm and drive will naturally propel him to leadership. He excels in positions of responsibility due to his ability to explain things to others, be decisive and be efficient.

The ENTj doesn't necessarily make conflict personal. For him, conflict is necessary for progress. He has a tendency to get into heated debates and arguments. The ENTj is invigorated and thrilled by these. He rarely has hostile feelings against people, though. The ENTj is neutral towards most people. He has no desire to hurt others. The ENTj will rarely be envious or jealous of others. He respects people who achieve. He is not the type to backstab or secretly plot for his advancement. This is in stark contrast to his outside appearance. Indeed, he came come off as intimidating sometimes and willing to dominate others (usually when he fears he's going to get controlled). However, the bark is a lot worse than the bite. The ENTj usually gets things over and done with. He doesn't obsess about other people. This is also very different from most people who can develop hostile feelings towards others that stay rooted. The ENTj is not passive-aggressive. He confronts people when something is wrong, and then often doesn't hold a grudge. An ENTj rarely "attacks" people. He considers this a lack of respect. However, do not even try to undermine him because he is very good at quickly counter-attacking. An ENTj is only preoccupied about people who are a potential danger to him. His strategic thinking can then very well be employed in order to control others if ever he feels he is in threat.

Don't ever take a debate personally with an ENTj. Don't get hurt by his logic and then try to hurt him in return (when he wasn't intending to do any harm in the first place). Don't try to control, manipulate or dupe him. Because once he finds out, he will try to get even with you by all means.

The ENTj has playful side. Just hook up with him at a party. You'll quickly see that he loves to make jokes and play around. He'll be the first to make a fool of himself. The ENTj also likes to play the "stand up comedian". He can make himself look a lot more stupid than he really is, just to amuse people. Sometimes this gets him in trouble because he behaves in inappropriate ways just to be funny. As an example, he has a habit of making humor with a double meaning (often geared towards sex), which, coupled with his disdain for social conventions, often makes him appear as a lot ruder than he really is. The ENTj isn't always aware of how he comes off to others, so excuse him if he seems a little crude sometimes.

The ENTj is, deep inside, a romantic (although he will forcefully deny this). He believes in love in a nearly childish way: pure and idealistic. He rarely lets people know about it, but he is rather a sensitive person inside. When he falls in love with someone it can take incredible proportions. He can idealize the other person and put them on a pedestal. The ENTj hides this softness behind a big psychological fortress that makes him look tougher than he really is. Take the time to get to know an ENTj. Once you're in his close circle, you're in for life.

One last thing... You can ask the advice of an ENTj for anything, except one thing: aesthetics. He is not very good at judging if several colors match together or not. Don't worry if you see him wearing a bright orange t-shirt or red trousers. He's not trying to get attention; he's probably assessing the viability of a combination of colors by empirically testing people's reactions to it.


ENTj by Function

Te (Ego) - The first function of the ENTj is Te, by which objective logic substantiates itself through various thought processes. With this function, it is possible to collect multiple thoughts, modes and trends of thinking in order to register them into a structured and growing databank of strong, factual knowledge. Te also maintains an active neutral stance on all of the whole of its inputs, even if the whole of the input of one thought process conflicts with any of the other core processes it remains non-biased and registers them all as equals. Probably the most powerful aspect of Te is the power to not only stay well informed of new ideas, trends, and changing modes of thinking that may be utterly critical to survival in competitive atmospheres, but the ability to convince through logical implementations objectively designed to reorganize and even direct the thinking of others into certain modes of logical reasoning. Being an extroverted function, Te cannot derive data from within and must amass information from outside of itself and in the here and now to survive as a function or at all.

Ni (Ego) - The second function of the ENTj is Ni, by which the essence of ideas arrive and insights into their development arise. With this function, it is possible index from within ones self an active belief system developed and derived through time, experience, knowledge, and the patterns of ones own personal life as entered through what could be considered a living journal. Every day and every hour and every minute of a person’s life is cataloged within this journal for future considerations and also for review of past successes and mistakes in order to make stunning predictions into the development of various concepts. Being an introverted function, Ni has an active ability to self-sustain itself and moves actively between an abstract theoretical world located in the future and past in order to sustain itself as an active function.

Fe (Superego) - The third function of the ENTj is Fe, by which subjective feeling substantiates itself through various ethical processes. Since the ENTj type thrives in a world of logical and non-ethical and objective principles, it may be rendered difficult for this type to collect and comprehend the multiple feelings, modes and trends of the emotions of others and to react to those emotions. In result of this inability, expected behaviors should include a lack of politeness and consideration towards others, rude behaviors with bad manners or extremely well mannered, lack of enthusiasm and interest in whatever others may find emotionally satisfying, lack of emotional control with sudden unexpected outburst or totally devoid of emotion, appearing emotionally distant to others or unintentionally discouraging the emotional approaches of others.

Si (Superego) - The fourth function of the ENTj is Si, by which the essence of experiences arrive and insights into their development arise. Since the ENTj type thrives in a world of abstract and non-concrete theoretical principles, it may be rendered difficult for this type to maintain from within an active index of all experiences developed and derived through time, and the patterns of ones own personal life as gauged through the senses. In result of this inability, expected behaviors should include losing track of ones own physical state and a deterioration of healthy physical practices, avoiding surrounding details or noticing too much detail and obsessing about it, suspicion or defensiveness about personal appearance, distant physical look in eyes and appearing to others as though unaware, walking or looking past people, objects, and things as though they were not there, static taste and inflexible habits, unsure of aesthetic understanding, or an obsession with cleanliness.

Fi (Superid) - The fifth function of the ENTj is Fi, by which subjective feeling substantiates itself through various ethical processes. Though be this a weak, unconscious, and influential function, it should find itself most active within the presence of one whose dominant function coincides, for it it seeks to be strong and may pretend to be such. At other times, an expression of this function may find itself in place of the weak and conscious Fe function. Manifested behaviors expected of this function should include imagining or demonstrating an inability to tell if others are with or against him or her, obsessive tendencies towards paranoia and possible attempt at domination in result of that paranoia, problems discerning the difference between good and bad and may even accidentally and unintentionally distort the line between the two, prone to lack of affection until certain of seeing a return, and attempts to win the love of others in ways that seem contradictory or abusive, and lack of emotional connectivity to others.

Se (Superid) - The sixth function of the ENTj is Se, by which the essence of experiences arrive and insights into their development arise.Though be this a weak, unconscious, and influential function, it should find itself most active within the presence of one whose dominant function coincides, for it it seeks to be strong and may pretend to be such. At other times, an expression of this function may find itself in place of the weak and conscious Si function. Manifested behaviors expected of this function should include demonstrating a tendency to exaggerate the effects of current experiences to seem better or worse than in reality, tending to accept the outcomes of negative experiences or to tolerate bad reoccurring situations, ignorantly leaving good or bad experiences for bad or worse ones, tendency towards manipulating statistics into a favorable direction, and prone to biased onesidedness.

Ti (Id) - The seventh function of the this type is Ti. Strong and lacking, it remains to the ENTj something to be loathed. Though some use may come from this function in the analysis of thought, structure, and logic, this function remains the vehicle by which the old becomes abandoned and the new comes about. For the ENTj, Ti truly represents all that inferiority is and the uselessness of false potential, and so long as new ways of thinking emerge and there remains something to be considered, out with the old and in with the new! Loyalty to a strong qualified stream of thought will never interest an ENTj!

Ne (Id) - The eight function of the this type is Ne. Strong and lacking, it remains to the ENTj something to be loathed. Though some use may come from this function in the tracking of time, patterns, and simple predictions, this function remains the vehicle by which the old becomes abandoned and the new comes about. For the ENTj, Ne truly represents all that inferiority is and the uselessness of false potential, and so long as new beliefs emerge and there remains something to be considered, out with the old and in with the new! Loyalty to a strong qualified belief system will never interest an ENTj!


Possible mistypes

Because of the structure of various function, it is not uncommon for a person to be confused or undecided between various types and even between the usage of various functions. The following is a functional description of various types that an actual ENTj may become confused or undecided between.

ISTj - An ENTj may find him or her self actively undecided between the ISTj type and his or her native ENTj type. Because the sixth function of the ENTj is Se, it is not uncommon for one to confuse the second creative function (Ni) for that function. When this occurs, an ENTj may have problems deciding between those sensory and intuitive functions. In even more complex situations, an ENTj may demonstrate what appears to be a false lack of Ne, which corresponds to the fourth weakest function of the ISTj. In this instances, the way to discern between these two types and to choose the correct one is to determine whether you actively use Te or Ti. If you use Te more than you use Ti, you are an ENTj. If you use Ti more than you use Te, you could really be an ISTj.

ESTp - An ENTj may confuse him or her self for a ESTp for the same reason that one would confuse his or her self for an ISTj. If you use Te more than you use Ti, you are probably an ENTj. If you use Ti more than you use Te, you could really be an ESTp.

ESTj - An ENTj usually becomes confused between this type and his or her native ENTj when he or she has decided upon being an extrovert, determined self as a judging type, and has been having some influence from the sixth function, while not really being sure if that function is introverted or extroverted. In this scenario, instead of a ENTj confusing his or her self for an ISTj the extroverted or introverted type has been substituted. In this instance, the way to discern between these two types and to choose the correct one is to determine whether you actively use more Se or Si. If you use Se more than you use Si, you are probably an ENTj. If you use Si more than you use Se, you could really be an ESTj.

INTj - Because of the influence of MBTI, some new to socionics theory may ignorantly think that the correct way to switch between introverted and extroverted types is to simply switch an E to an I or an I to an E. This is not the correct way to switch back and forth between the two in socionics. If you are an INTj in MBTI with an emphasis on expressing Te and Ni, your actual socionics type is either an ENTj if you choose to stay a judging type or INTp if you find that you might want to consider being a socionics perceiving type. On the other hand, if the above ENTj description does not relate to you and you functionally express Ti and Ne, INTj is still an option, though be warned that socionics does not totally follow the same logic as MBTI does when determining J and P nor do the same stereotypical rules apply when attempting to determine introversion and extroversion. If you are familiar with MBTI, the possibility of having to type yourself totally different than MBTI should be a definite expectation.
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