Extraverted
Intuiting with
Introverted Thinking
STRENGTHS
Gregarious, enthusiastic and socially
confident, ENTPs are quick to form new relationships. Using their Intuition
to look beyond the obvious known facts in a given situation, they are flexible,
free-thinking, adaptable individuals. Analytical and rational, they focus on
the deeper hidden patterns and meanings behind surface forms and structures.
Autonomous and independent-minded, they enjoy approaching old problems from
new theoretical perspectives. Spontaneous and quick to act, they may find rigid
systems and procedures stifling. Lively, energetic and talkative, they enjoy
variety and change and will actively seek out new, exciting challenges. While
viewing life logically, from a somewhat abstract, intellectual perspective,
they are not in the least cool, distant or reserved in their dealings with others.
Focusing on the broader picture, they approach problems in a strategic, expedient
way, seeking novel, creative solutions with a minimum of effort and fuss.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Directing their attention to the Extraverted
world of people and events, ENTPs are spontaneous, socially confident individuals.
Outer-directed, they have a great interest in all that is going on around them.
Thus, others generally warm to them quickly, appreciating their enthusiasm and
zest for life. Flexible and free-thinking, they are open to alternative points
of view, which they will critically examine in a logical, objective manner.
Straight-forward, direct and assertive in their dealings with others, they will
be quick to express their own views and opinions. Decisive and quick to act,
they are not inclined to dwell unduly on their own or others¹ interpersonal,
or emotional, needs. Energetic, adventurous and confident, they are popular
team members, enthusing others with their challenging, and sometimes unconventional,
ideas. Not averse to asking difficult, probing questions, they will plunge into
things with great energy and enthusiasm, improvising solutions to problems as
they arise.
THINKING STYLE
ENTPs are known for their abstract, theory-driven
approach to problem solving, which is based on a logical analysis of fundamental
principles. More interested in understanding why things work, rather than simply
perceiving how they work, they are inclined to look beyond the superficial facts
in a given situation in search of deeper truths. However, their orientation
towards the creative and abstract does not mean that they lack interest in solving
practical, real-world problems. Rather, it means that they approach such problems
by focusing on the theoretical concepts that underpin the problem at hand. Focusing
on the broader picture, attending to the detailed requirements of a task may
not come naturally to them. They will generally prefer to learn about a subject
by participating in lively informed debate or discussion, rather than through
private study or reflection. Stimulated by challenging ideas, and novel theoretical
perspectives, they value ingenuity, logic and rational insight.
HOW OTHERS MAY SEE YOU
Colleagues will value their logical, rational,
analytical thinking style and their tendency to take a strategic view of the
'broader picture'. Participating enthusiastically in debates and discussions,
they will express their views in a direct, straightforward manner. Thus, colleagues
who are less assertive than them may on occasion view them as being a little
overbearing, or even somewhat opinionated at times. However, this is to misunderstand
their confident, challenging conversational style, and their lively, expressive
inter-personal manner, which is borne of their enthusiasm for debating new ideas
and theories. As ENTPs are confident and plain-speaking, their colleagues will
know where they stand with them. Avoiding dogmatism, they will be seen as open-minded,
independent thinkers. However, more cautious, detail-conscious colleagues may
at times worry about their readiness to discard established systems and procedures,
when seeking immediate solutions to current problems.
After publishing his seminal work on psychological types in 1921, Jung did little further work in this area. However the importance of his work was recognised by the mother and daughter team, Elizabeth Myers and Catherine Briggs. Realising that if Jung's ideas were to have any practical application it would be necessary to develop an easy method for assessing a person's psychological type, Myers and Briggs published the first type indicator in 1949. Moreover, they developed the now famous four-letter type code as a short hand way of describing a person's type.In addition to providing a short-cut route for describing a person's psychological type, the four-letter code also reveals a set of complex personality dynamics which provide insights into the order in which the preferred psychological processes are likely to manifest themselves in the person's daily life.
The way to discover the dynamic relationship between these psychological processes is by examining the middle two preferences; SN for perceiving, and TF for judging, types. These are referred to as functions. For any type, one of these functions is dominant and this dominant function is used in the preferred world (external or internal as indicated by the EI preference), with Extraverts using their dominant function in the external world and Introverts using their dominant function in the internal world. Moreover, the function which the type code indicates is not preferred is called the auxiliary function. Thus, if either the S or N function were indicated as being the preferred function, then either the T or F function would be the auxiliary function.
So, introverts are more likely to exhibit their auxiliary function when relating to the outer world, whereas their dominant function will be used mainly when relating to the inner world, and will thus not be readily accessible for others to see. In contrast, because Extraverts use their dominant function in the outer world, it will be available for all to see.
