The Resilient ISTj
By Jacob R. Zemon [ISTp]
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“People have to be given the freedom to show the heart they possess. I think it’s a leader’s responsibility to provide that type of freedom. And I believe it can be done through relationships and family. Because if a team is a real family, it’s members want to show you their hearts.” ~ Mike Krzyzewski
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Most ISTjs are quickly perceived as quite, thoughtful and steady when viewed from a distance. They are the “inspectors” in society. Their thought process seems to be slow, through, and meticulous. This is because they do not trust their ability to juggle many things at once, but prefer deep, sequential evaluations. They love clarity and consistency, and often shun unexpected changes or disorganization. They sometimes like to show a dominant appearance; chest out, back stiff, and preferring to look at an angle down on people. They are steady and controlled with their movements. When ISTjs smile, it is usually a small, confident smile, yet not big enough to show off their teeth.
ISTjs attempt to control themselves and their emotions most of the time. They value being patient, considerate, and objective while dealing with people. This can change, however, when you test their patience too long. They can sometimes be susceptible to sudden changes in attitude, and become overly aggressive. When this happens, they raise their voice, criticizing what they consider to be the “wrongs” done, gesticulating wildly. ISTjs are stalwarts who love power and control, and they like their presence to be known. They can get very upset when they feel like people aren’t paying attention to them while they are speaking.
ISTjs pay a lot of attention to details while working. They don’t always view everything at the same time, but they try and uncover every stone. They take a clear, narrow view at one particular fact, then dig through, meticulously and analytically, to slowly reveal and see the whole picture; not vaguely and intuitively, but clearly and confidently. In this respect, they value a certain quality much higher than a lot of quantity. The work that ISTjs do they do with effort and dedication. Everything, including their free time, must have a purpose to an ISTj. They are willful, and are usually good at getting the work done that is required.
An ISTj will usually have a high respect for authority and rules, and expects that everyone follow societal norms. A person high up in the order is considered a superior, and they attempt to show respect for them even if they truly believe that their “superior” is under qualified. ISTjs are generally independent, proud workers. They enjoy it when people show responsibility and morality in their actions. They attempt to be non-judgmental and tactful with people, but sometimes this is hard for them to maintain.
ISTjs like to keep people and their surroundings regimented and are demanding of people around them. They’d prefer to keep things in their perfect place, not changing unnecessarily. They can be become uneasy around too much change, and prefer things to be planned out. Once they find the “right” way to do something, they generally keep and obeyed by it. They are not spontaneous, but pensive and cautious, wanting time for correct and honest evaluations.
ISTjs generally prefer to the outdoors and experiencing things for themselves. They may not care much about learning from books, although they will tolerate it to a point. Some ISTjs enjoy nature. They analyze and observe sport with the same attention they put into everything else. They are empirical, and will only believe what they can see and experience for themselves. They may not respect your intelligence if you make too many mistakes and don’t show the carefulness that they do.
If you are considered special to the ISTj, they will be loyal, responsible, and compassionate. They can sometimes be overly serious, although they respect courage and commitment. If you can fit into the ISTjs idea of rules and structure, then they will try their best to keep a stable, meaningful relationship with you.