1. WWW.16PERSONALITIES.COM
Personality type: “The Commander” (ENTJ-A)
Individual traits: Extraverted – 89%, Intuitive – 54%, Thinking – 52%, Judging – 65%,
Assertive – 77%.
Role: Analyst
Strategy: People Mastery
ENTJ PERSONALITY: “THE COMMANDER”
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by
dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of
others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage
to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to
become. Everything else is secondary.
Steve Jobs
ENTJs are natural-born leaders. People with this personality type
embody the gifts of charisma and confidence, and project authority in a
way that draws crowds together behind a common goal. But unlike their
Feeling (F) counterpart, ENTJs are characterized by an often ruthless
level of rationality, using their drive, determination and sharp minds to
achieve whatever end they've set for themselves. Perhaps it is best that
they make up only three percent of the population, lest they overwhelm
the more timid and sensitive personality types that make up much of the
rest of the world – but we have ENTJs to thank for many of the
businesses and institutions we take for granted every day.
Happiness Lies in the Joy of Achievement
If there's anything ENTJs love, it's a good challenge, big or small, and
they firmly believe that given enough time and resources, they can
achieve any goal. This quality makes people with the ENTJ personality
type brilliant entrepreneurs, and their ability to think strategically and
hold a long-term focus while executing each step of their plans with
determination and precision makes them powerful business leaders.
This determination is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, as ENTJs push their
goals through with sheer willpower where others might give up and move
on, and their Extroverted (E) nature means they are likely to push
everyone else right along with them, achieving spectacular results in the
process.
t the negotiating table, be it in a corporate environment or buying a car,
ENTJs are dominant, relentless, and unforgiving. This isn't because they

2. are coldhearted or vicious per se – it's more that ENTJ personalities
genuinely enjoy the challenge, the battle of wits, the repartee that comes
from this environment, and if the other side can't keep up, that's no
reason for ENTJs to fold on their own core tenet of ultimate victory.
The underlying thought running through the ENTJ mind might be
something like "I don't care if you call me an insensitive b*****d, as long
as I remain an efficient b*****d".
If there's anyone ENTJs respect, it's someone who is able to stand up
to them intellectually, who is able to act with a precision and quality equal
to their own. ENTJ personalities have a particular skill in recognizing the
talents of others, and this helps in both their team-building efforts (since
no one, no matter how brilliant, can do everything alone), and to keep
ENTJs from displaying too much arrogance and condescension.
However, they also have a particular skill in calling out others' failures
with a chilling degree of insensitivity, and this is where ENTJs really start
to run into trouble.
Cultivating the Science of Human Relationships
Emotional expression isn't the strong suit of any Analyst (NT) type, but
because of their Extroverted (E) nature, ENTJs' distance from their
emotions is especially public, and felt directly by a much broader swath
of people. Especially in a professional environment, ENTJs will simply
crush the sensitivities of those they view as inefficient, incompetent or
lazy. To people with the ENTJ personality type, emotional displays are
displays of weakness, and it's easy to make enemies with this approach
– ENTJs will do well to remember that they absolutely depend on having
a functioning team, not just to achieve their goals, but for their validation
and feedback as well, something ENTJs are, curiously, very sensitive
to.
ENTJs are true powerhouses, and they cultivate an image of being
larger than life – and often enough they are. They need to remember
though, that their stature comes not just from their own actions, but from
the actions of the team that props them up, and that it's important to
recognize the contributions, talents and needs, especially from an
emotional perspective, of their support network. Even if they have to
adopt a "fake it ‘til you make it" mentality, if ENTJs are able to combine
an emotionally healthy focus alongside their many strengths, they will
be rewarded with deep, satisfying relationships and all the challenging
victories they can handle.

3. ENTJ STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
ENTJ Strengths
 Efficient – ENTJs see inefficiency not just as a problem in its own
right, but as something that pulls time and energy away from all
their future goals, an elaborate sabotage consisting of irrationality
and laziness. People with the ENTJ personality type will root out
such behavior wherever they go.
 Energetic – Rather than finding this process taxing ENTJs are
energized by it, genuinely enjoying leading their teams forward as
they implement their plans and goals.
 Self-Confident – ENTJs couldn't do this if they were plagued by
self-doubt – they trust their abilities, make known their opinions,
and believe in their capacities as leaders.
 Strong-Willed – Nor do they give up when the going gets tough
– ENTJ personalities strive to achieve their goals, but really
nothing is quite as satisfying to them as rising to the challenge of
each obstacle in their run to the finish line.
 Strategic Thinkers – ENTJs exemplify the difference between
moment-to-moment crisis management and navigating the
challenges and steps of a bigger plan, and are known for
examining every angle of a problem and not just resolving
momentary issues, but moving the whole project forward with their
solutions.
 Charismatic and Inspiring – These qualities combine to create
individuals who are able to inspire and invigorate others, who
people actually want to be their leaders, and this in turn helps
ENTJs to accomplish their often ambitious goals that could never
be finished alone.
ENTJ Weaknesses
 Stubborn and Dominant – Sometimes all this confidence and
willpower can go too far, and ENTJs are all too capable of digging
in their heels, trying to win every single debate and pushing their
vision, and theirs alone.
 Intolerant – "It's my way or the highway" – People with the ENTJ
personality type are notoriously unsupportive of any idea that
distracts from their primary goals, and even more so of ideas
based on emotional considerations. ENTJs won't hesitate a
second to make that fact clear to those around them.
 Impatient – Some people need more time to think than others, an
intolerable delay to quick-thinking ENTJs. They may misinterpret

4. contemplation as stupidity or disinterest in their haste, a terrible
mistake for a leader to make.
 Arrogant – ENTJ personalities respect quick thoughts and firm
convictions, their own qualities, and look down on those who don't
match up. This relationship is a challenge for most other
personality types who are perhaps not timid in their own right, but
will seem so beside overbearing ENTJs.
 Poor Handling of Emotions – All this bluster, alongside the
assumed supremacy of rationalism, makes ENTJs distant from
their own emotional expression and sometimes downright scornful
of others'. People with this personality type often trample others'
feelings, inadvertently hurting their partners and friends,
especially in emotionally charged situations.
 Cold and Ruthless – Their obsession with efficiency and
unwavering belief in the merits of rationalism, especially
professionally, makes ENTJs incredibly insensitive in pursuing
their goals, dismissing personal circumstances, sensitivities, and
preferences as irrational and irrelevant.
ENTJ CAREERS
It is in the world of careers that ENTJs' boldness and drive are truly at
their best. No other personality type is better suited than ENTJs to be
the respected leader of an organization or team, and no other
personality type enjoys it quite so much. Combining their vision,
intelligence and determination to push ideas through to completion no
matter the obstacles, ENTJs are a force to be reckoned with.
We All Go Up, or We All Go Down
In the world of business, the sometimes overbearing level of self-
confidence that ENTJs (especially Assertive ones) too often mishandle
in their personal relationships is transformed into an admirable authority,
keeping people on track and getting things done. Naturally the best
careers for people with the ENTJ personality type make the fullest use
of these qualities, and many would describe executive positions and
entrepreneurialism to be ideal lines of work – any position high enough
that they can clearly see the horizon.
For ENTJs, failure is not an option – they conceive a vision of the future,
formulate a strategy to achieve that vision, and execute each step with
ruthless precision.

5. Structure and order are key, and if someone gets sloppy, or holds things
back with incompetence, laziness or inefficiency, ENTJs will not hesitate
to come down, hard. ENTJ personalities pursue their goals with singular
vision, and have strict standards for themselves and others that are
designed above all else to be effective. This makes ENTJs excellent
corporate strategists, and their objectivity and clarity of thought make
them respected lawyers and judges.
None of this could work if no one could understand what ENTJs were
thinking, and they have the good fortune of being clear and concise
communicators, especially in person, making business administration a
comfortable fit – so long as their tasks don't stray too far into routine
maintenance and upkeep. ENTJs also have a thirst for knowledge, and
they aren't afraid to use a principle once they've grasped its underlying
mechanisms. Combining this with their leadership makes ENTJs trying,
but effective, university professors.
We Are Still in the Making
The only problem is, it takes time for ENTJs' skills to be recognized, and
stagnating as low-level employees will have them bouncing off the walls
and deeply unhappy. People with the ENTJ personality type crave
leadership and responsibility, growth and opportunity, and genuinely
enjoy managing others to get a job done. ENTJs are visionaries and
leaders, not grunts or day-to-day administrators. Getting that to be
recognized is not always easy, but ENTJs are probably up to the task.
ENTJ IN THE WORKPLACE
For people with the ENTJ personality type, the workplace is all but a
natural habitat. ENTJs' efficiency and clear communication are valued,
their leadership is admired, and their ability to simply get things done is
unrivaled. That being said, some situations are more appropriate for
ENTJs than others – these qualities all point to a managerial or
executive role, making any position of comparative powerlessness
highly undesirable.
ENTJ personality types are strident ones though, able to adapt
themselves to just about any hierarchical relationship by doing what they
do best: asserting their opinions, taking the initiative, and accomplishing
feats that others thought impossible.
ENTJ Subordinates

6. Subordinate positions are challenging for ENTJs, and it takes active
management to ensure their satisfaction and engagement. Ever the high
achievers, ENTJ subordinates set out to learn new skills and to seek out
new challenges and responsibilities, eager to prove that nothing is
impossible with a little hard work. If things get a little slow, ENTJ
personalities may slip into periods of absentmindedness, but when they
feel involved in the projects around them, they prove well organized and
well prioritized.
ENTJs hold themselves to very high standards, but a lot of what sets
this tone is feedback from their environment – namely, criticism from
their managers. Objective, rational statements about what is done right
and what can be done better are helpful to ENTJs, and far from resenting
such criticisms, they appreciate them. Opportunities for growth keep
people with the ENTJ personality type engaged and productive, and so
long as their managers recognize this as their primary responsibility, it
will be a fruitful and satisfying relationship.
ENTJ Colleagues
Among colleagues, ENTJs are sociable and greatly enjoy sharing ideas
and critiques in their frequent brainstorming sessions. Natural leaders
that they are, ENTJs tend to assert themselves into positions as
representatives and project leads, considering their objectivity and
charisma the perfect qualities for these roles. ENTJ personalities enjoy
working with equals, but people must demonstrate that they are equals
– anyone ENTJs view as being less competent or driven will see only
condescension and arrogance.
ENTJs are strong-willed, even dominant, and though they enjoy
inspiring and tutoring others, the energy they bring to the process can
seem overbearing. When these roles are reversed, ENTJs' mentors
should bear in mind that their students are very rational and respect firm
confidence – hand-holding, emotional appeals or wavering indecision
will likely burn the bridge then and there. In a partnership, what is best
is what is most effective, and time wasted sugarcoating reality is just that
– time wasted.
ENTJ Managers
ENTJ managers are confident, charismatic communicators, and they
communicate but one vision: to get the job done as efficiently as
possible, and to the highest standard of quality. All else is subordinate
to that objective, but the means by which ENTJs achieve it cause others
to adopt this cause as their own. ENTJs are natural leaders, and their

7. ability to formulate a strategy and to identify the strengths of each
member of their teams, incorporating those abilities into their plans so
that each individual fills a unique and important role, makes them able
motivators.
But while these efforts boost morale and satisfaction among ENTJs'
likeminded subordinates, they are still crafted to achieve that ultimate
goal of timely and exceptional work. Those seen as inefficient by their
ENTJ managers, or who demonstrate themselves to be lazy or to
produce shoddy work will know in no uncertain terms of their failure to
impress. The only way to recover is to comply, the only alternative is to
find a new manager to impress, somewhere else.
ENTJ RELATIONSHIPS
As in other areas of their lives, ENTJs approach dating and relationships
with a set of goals and a plan to achieve them, and proceed to do so
with impressive energy and enthusiasm. People with the ENTJ
personality type are in it to win, and will gladly take leading roles in
relationships from the start, assuming personal responsibility for how
smoothly things go and working actively to ensure a mutually rewarding
experience. Romantic relationships are a serious business, and ENTJs
are in it for the long haul.
We Cannot Succeed Unless, When We Choose, We
Choose Wisely
This sense of personal responsibility means that ENTJs put a lot of
energy into their relationships, and they show their creativity by always
having something new on the agenda to keep things interesting,
especially in the dating phase. At the same time though, ENTJ
personalities keep their eyes on the long term, and if they determine that
a relationship is heading towards a dead end, they will cut their losses
and move on in what will seem to their partner an abrupt end to the
attention they had been receiving.
This occasional ruthlessness with personal relationships is ENTJs'
primary weakness, and if they aren't careful they can develop quite the
reputation. Sensing others' feelings and emotions will never be a
comfortable skill for ENTJs, but it is critical that they work consciously to
develop it, both for their partners' sake and for their own healthy
emotional expression. If they don't, they risk dominating and overruling
their partners, and this insensitivity can easily break a relationship,
especially early on.

8. Confidence Thrives on Unselfish Performance
But as all goes well in the dating phase and a future is deemed viable,
people with the ENTJ personality type continue to impress with their
creativity and energy. Their authentic confidence makes ENTJs' sex life
dynamic to say the least, and they often push to explore new ways to
express their affection with imaginative enthusiasm. Yet ENTJs tend to
have these innovations planned in advance, with some structure and
predictability to their sex lives, leaving the true spontaneity to those less
organized personality types.
ENTJs are extremely growth-oriented, and will seize any opportunity to
improve themselves, listening to and acting on criticisms, so long as they
are logical ones, and always striving to improve their knowledge. At the
same time, ENTJs expect this of their partners, and it is surprising to
them that others, especially Feeling (F) types, don't always share this
attitude. Still more surprising to ENTJ personalities is others' active
efforts to avoid these tense situations.
ENTJs in particular would do well to remember that their approach is just
one angle of a multi-faceted spectrum of alternatives. While ENTJs may
view criticism as the most efficient route (and they're often right), they
should bear in mind that their partners may be more interested in
emotional support and growth, an area of self-improvement that ENTJs
themselves too often avoid.
As with most things, balance is key, and ENTJs should strive to meet
their partners half-way, whatever their needs, be it through honest
criticisms or steady emotional support and praise.
As with other Analyst (NT) types, ENTJs' best matches are with other
Intuitive (N) types, with one or two opposing traits to create more
balance in the relationship. Mature ENTJs are able to recognize and
adapt to the needs of their partners, and know that even the most
rational individuals have emotional needs that must be met. Fortunately
the same logic that dismisses emotions is also able to recognize that a
conciliatory attitude can be the best tool to get the job done. With their
strong senses of responsibility and dedication, people with the ENTJ
personality type are sure to make this effort, resulting in long-lasting,
satisfying relationships.
ENTJ FRIENDS

9. As in most aspects of their lives, in friendship ENTJs seek personal
growth and inspiration, and they often have a plan for how to accomplish
it. Friendships of circumstance, built on things like shared routines, are
not ENTJs' preferred method – rather, they pursue their friends, seek
out individuals who share their passion for deep, meaningful
discussions, and who enjoy learning and development as much as they
do. It is not always easy to be ENTJs' friends – they demand a lot from
these relationships – but they pay a great deal of attention to their
friendships, and it is unlikely that it will ever feel stagnant.
ENTJ friendships are built on ideas, and a lot of what they find enjoyable
is the repartee of putting thoughts forward and defending them from
assault from every angle. People with the ENTJ personality type are very
smart and highly critical, and they won't back down if they are put on the
defensive – in fact, there's no better way to earn their respect.
It's not easy to stand up to a personality as big and blustery as ENTJs',
and they too often find that others crumple under the force they apply
when they really start to enjoy themselves.
Only the most hardened rationalists are able to hold their ground against
strongly expressed ENTJ personalities, who neither need emotional
support, nor understand others' need for it. This lack of sensitivity is
ENTJs' chiefest weakness. Their tendency to challenge their friends,
question their conclusions, and dismiss emotional arguments as
irrelevant is especially difficult for Feeling-oriented friends to cope with.
Either a point is supported by logic and reason, or it is erroneous.
Prisoners of Our Own Minds
More enlightened ENTJs recognize that if ever there was an area where
they could learn from others and improve themselves, it is in the realm
of emotional sensitivity – to dismiss any aspect of personal growth
borders on hypocrisy. Friendships with people from the Diplomat (NF)
type group can be especially rewarding for ENTJs, as the shared
Intuitive (N) trait fosters an instantaneous connection that can bridge the
chasm between their uninhibited logic and the recognition that
cooperation and conciliation can often accomplish more than that logic
ever could alone.
Still, the bulk of ENTJs' friends will likely fall into the Analyst (NT)
category, as all of these types share the same passion for logical, far-
reaching ideas and critical debate. Anyone who can match ENTJs' ability
to brainstorm and theorize will find an honest and dedicated friend.
Anyone who can't, as with many Observant (S) types who often question

10. the point of such discussions, will find themselves ignored – perhaps a
situation that is best for everyone.
ENTJ PARENTS
Often, given their strong will and critical nature, it is challenging enough
to spend a great deal of time with ENTJs by choice, as in friendships
and romance – to be with them by default, as in the parent-child
relationship, can border on the impossible. This by no means suggests
that people with the ENTJ personality type are bad parents – far from it
– simply that their relationships with children, who are typically more
sensitive and less able to conduct truly rational analysis, require a great
deal more emotional tact and personal liberty than they are accustomed
to giving.
But ENTJs are always up for a challenge, and will take their roles as
parents seriously and with the utmost sense of personal responsibility.
Holding themselves to a higher standard than most, ENTJ personalities
see the success of their children as a reflection of those personal
standards, and want nothing more than to see them grow into smart,
independent people who strive to achieve their goals. Establishing
specific moral values is less important to ENTJs than the cultivation of
the intellect and independent, rational thought.
Rules Need Not Be Sacred
ENTJs welcome differences of opinion, and this is true with their children
as well. But while gladly having rational, well-thought-out discussions
about roles and responsibilities, at the end of the day ENTJs expect their
authority to be respected. A disagreement is no excuse for shirking
established responsibilities, and ENTJ parents can be utterly
uncompromising in maintaining this structure. This strictness can be a
tremendous source of tension in the household – a little flexibility can go
a long way.
When these debates devolve into emotional appeals is when ENTJ
parents run into real trouble, as their persistent weakness with emotional
tolerance makes dealing with growing children, especially adolescents,
their most significant challenge. As in their other relationships, ENTJ
parents should strive to strengthen this skill – often enough young
children don't have the words to express their needs rationally, and
adolescents don't have the patience for it, a perfectly natural condition.

11. By learning to listen to emotional expression as a valid form of
communication and responding in kind, ENTJs can help to minimize
emotional conflicts with their children, building trust that will help to
smooth the otherwise rebellious teenage years.
A Rendezvous With Destiny
ENTJ parents should remember that a part of developing that necessary
sense of independence is being able to control one's own schedule and
activities, to chart one's own course, at least to a certain extent. People
with the ENTJ personality type will spare no effort for their children, but
it's sometimes the case that taking a deep breath and loosening their
structures as their children grow and mature does more to achieve their
goal of raising capable, intelligent adults than forced extracurriculars
ever could.
ENTJ PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION
ENTJs' intelligence, strong will and logical reasoning skills are a force to
be reckoned with. Be it a minor obstacle or a seemingly impossible task,
ENTJs will find a way – or make one. This fearsome determination and
intellect allow ENTJs to overcome many challenges.
Yet ENTJs can be easily tripped up in areas where careful and rational
thinking is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is finding (or
keeping) a partner, connecting with other people, reaching dazzling
heights on the career ladder or forcing themselves to relax, ENTJs need
to put in a conscious effort to develop their weaker traits and additional
skills.