ESTP Personality Type and Decision-Making

Different people make decisions in vastly different ways, with different priorities and different kinds of reasoning. When there are variations within a team or organization where different people work together closely, these differences can cause tensions or miscommunications. Individuals’ decision-making processes can be studied and interpreted based on their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Personality Type (MBTI® Type). Understanding your own and your colleagues’ proclivities in this regard can provide valuable insights, building a deeper understanding of  personality type which can help teams as well as individuals streamline and improve the decision-making process.

For instance, ESTP (Extraverted-Sensing-Thinking-Perceiving) personality types often approach decision-making opportunities eagerly, wanting to move quickly and reach a decision, even if it needs to be adapted to later on. To ESTP personality types, the current context and situation is important in making decisions, much more than longer-term needs. While this careful consideration of current situations is important, those working with ESTPs may find it helpful to structure the decision-making process, with specific steps or a timeline, in order to provide additional support to ESTPs.

The next step of the decision-making process is to generate decision options. As ESTP personality types begin doing so, they brainstorm with a strong focus on immediate action and the current context. Speed and ease of implementation is very important to them. For this reason, they often test decision options in small-scale environments before moving towards large scale implementation. Though practicality is clearly important in any decision, ESTPs may need support in exploring long-term implications of each decision, as well as in weighing the costs and benefits of each option, particularly those which may be more difficult to implement.

Learn about Donald Trump’s ESTP MBTI® Decision-Making Process. Get tips and Strategies on how to work with ESTPs and best function as an ESTP.

When it is time to implement a decision, ESTP personality types charge ahead fearlessly. They tend to move quickly, and prefer decision options which reduce effort and increase efficiency. This often involves discarding traditional approaches or standard methods, in favor of more innovative approaches and values. They are able to adapt quickly to changing contexts or situations, and do not hold back when pushing for a particular result or outcome. However, ESTPs benefit when others on their team assess and monitor the implementation process as it progresses and unfolds. Those who work with ESTPs should also be willing to advocate for traditional approaches or routines when they seem to be the optimal or most efficient approach.

When reflecting on and evaluating a decision after the fact, ESTP personality types generally accept that no decision, process, or problem can be perfect, and generally notice when a project was particularly fun or entertaining. While they sometimes move on to new projects before fully absorbing all of the lessons or learning opportunities of a given situation, they can learn to practice both patience as well as perseverance in this regard.

As ESTPs improve themselves and their decision-making processes, they should make a concerted effort to stick to a course of action once they commit to it, and become more comfortable considering multiple aspects of a situation before acting. After all, quick action is not always the best action. Since ESTPs tend to be quick to reach decisions, adding a bit of structure can be enormously helpful for streamlining their decision-making processes.

Learn More About the MBTI ESTP Personality Type:

• Explore our MBTI ESTP Personality Type Page

Explore Our Other ESTP Blog Pages:

• Myers-Briggs test ESTP Personality Type and Leadership Styles Blog
• Myers-Briggs test ESTP Personality Type and Innovation Method’s Blog
• Myers-Briggs test ESTP Personality Type and Project Management Blog
• Myers-Briggs test ESTP Personality Type and Emotional Intelligence Blog
• Myers-Briggs test ESTP Personality Type and Communication Blog
• Myers-Briggs test ESTP Personality Type and Decision-Making Blog

Click on one of these corresponding popular ESTP Careers for detailed information including Career Stats, Income Stats, Daily Tasks and Required Education:

Automotive Specialty Technician, Construction Laborer, Counter and rental clerk,Electrician, Farm and Ranch Managers, Firefighters, Freight Handler, Loan Officer, Restaurant Cook and Construction supervisors.

Click on a link below to read more about different MBTI Personality Types

Learn Your Personality Type and how you Make Decisions With The MBTI® Decision-Making Assessment:

References

Introduction to Type and Decision Making. (Hirsh, K., & Hirsh E. CPP. 2007)