ENTP Personality Type- Extraverted Intuition with Introverted Thinking

The ENTP personality type (as outlined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Test, or MBTI® Test) is the Extraverted Intuition with Introverted Thinking type. Individuals with the Myers-Briggs® test ENTP Type are animated, ingenious, visionary, and inspired. They are versed raconteurs, enjoying the rush that comes from constructive discussions. The ENTP Type has talents and passion for what interests them, as well as their love of life, makes them enjoyable coworkers and employees:

• Always looking around for new potentialities and prospects to further ambitions and goals
• Well-learned at recognizing hidden or simply less-obvious associations and arrangements, either in data or in relationships
• Often so in-tune with what is going on in the world around them that they seem to have predictive talents
• Proficient at dreaming up ideas and attacking them critically for a successful outcome
• Have a knack for seeing and understanding the inner workings of people and businesses, and use this knowledge to achieve their (or their company’s) aspirations
• The zeal and vivacity of the ENTP Personality Type makes people want to help them in achieving their goals.
• Solve issues with wide-stretching resolutions

The Thrill-Seeking Ways of the ENTP Type

An MBTI Test -assessed ENTP individual searches for new potentialities, passions, and trials around every corner. They use trying situations to excite their interest, and then tackle these situations head-on with the knowledge that they can innovatively problem solve and react to actions quickly. Myers-Briggs test ENTP Types are speculative, inquisitive, and competent. Their eagerness to try new things makes them impromptu and flexible.

Myers Briggs-assessed ENTP individuals are wonderful with words and are known for being witty and verbally dexterous, and they thoroughly enjoy commanding arguments and having discussions about what they believe. They benefit from a lack of organized rules and deadlines, and find ways to avoid the restraints associated with them.

ENTP and Personal Relationships

In regards to their relationships with others, those who exhibit the ENTP Personality Type surround themselves with those with similar levels of capability, aptitude, attention and expertise, both in the business world and in their personal lives. MBTI test-assessed ENTP Types are very intuitive and conscious about how others are feeling, what they will do, and how they will react to certain situations. Those with the ENTP Type preference use their newfound knowledge of their peers in order to excite them about various aspects of life.

An Internal Battle with Eagerness

On occasion, an individual with an Myers-Briggs Test -assessed ENTP Type can have their eagerness overwhelm themselves, and they can fail to accomplish a project before getting excited about and getting started on another project, which can lead some goals to fall through the cracks. This personality type may therefore only put in a certain amount of effort on some projects when something more exciting is on the horizon.

Similarly, an ENTP Personality Types desire for spontaneity and excitement may lead them to not base their decisions enough on present actualities or tangible ideas, choosing instead to listen to their own advice on the matter instead of allowing other information or advice to come into play. This can lead to hasty ideas that end up disappointing the MBTI test-assessed ENTP individual, because they cannot be attained.

Another problem that some individuals with the ENTP Type run in to is that others may find them too argumentative, even when no need for an argument exists. When this happens, others tend to feel as though ENTP Type Individuals are brazen, presumptuous, brusque, and deprecating. Coupled with this is the fact that those with the ENTP Type are often unaware of the consequences of their actions, and how these affect themselves and others. However, by being aware of these actions and working towards completing projects one at a time, the ENTP Types communication and completion skills will prove them to be exceptional workers.

[Personality Type information was referenced from the following publication- (Isabel Briggs Myers, 1998, CPP Inc.)]

 

Ideal Careers for ENTP Types

An MBTI ENTP Personality Types imagination and Socratic skills can make them successful in a wide range of careers. Often, those with the ENTP Type preference find that they work well in occupations involving using objects or things to create something tangible. These occupations could include architect, drafter, or art director. Another overwhelming trend seen by Myers-Briggs test-assessed ENTP Types is that they enjoy working with others, especially in positions of leadership or where they get to devise new projects and opportunities for the company. These titles often include the term “executive”, and can take place across a variety of fields—arts, sports, media, education, transportation, and sales. Those that exhibit the ENTP Type tend to have skills with people which can make them great industrial/organizational psychologists, while their affinity for looking towards the future helps them in roles such as cost estimator  (Allen L. Hammer, 1993, CPP Inc.).

To be the best ENTP that they can, people with this personality type need to develop skills that will help them control their eagerness and excitement, so that they may complete all tasks equally and thoroughly. An individual with the ENTP Type could help themselves in this regard by creating long-term goals with clear direction, and by making these goals definite yet flexible. Furthermore, establishing precedence will help you not get engulfed in a sea of prospects.

Although the people skills and talkative nature of the ENTP Type makes them a fun coworker, occasionally they may spend too much time looking for a conversation when they should be working. That being said, the best thing for an MBTI test-assessed ENTP Type to do is to make sure that all conversations are leading towards a goal while in the workplace, and try not to talk too much overall.

When an Myers-Briggs tested ENTP Type has their focus match their drive and passion in a workplace, there’s little that can stop them from achieving their goals. To maximize this focus and stop yourself from getting distracted by other exciting endeavors, MBTI test-assessed ENTP Types should set personal and professional deadlines to make sure that they are not putting off projects or decisions. With these skills in mind, and their thirst for life at their fingertips, the ENTP Type can become everyone’s favorite office companion.

ENTP Careers

Click on one of these corresponding popular ENTP Careers for detailed information including Career Stats, Income Stats, Daily Tasks and Required Education: Advertising Sales Agent, Economist, Financial Analyst, Food Scientist & Technologist, General & Operational Manager, Human Resources Manager, Industrial Health & Safety Engineering, Insurance Adjuster, Examiner, or Investigator, Insurance Sales Agent, and Landscape Architect.

Further Understanding ENTPs

ENTPs are highly aware individuals, who are also sensitive to patterns and connections in information and in their environments. They are quick to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented to them, and are highly resourceful in maneuvering even the most complex situations to achieve their goals. ENTPs are also highly innovative, easily mastering theoretical concepts or concerns and applying them in inventive, creative ways in unfamiliar situations. That said, they are also pragmatic and logical, keeping their ideas relatively realistic and functional in the real world. Others generally see them as lively and energetic, if perhaps somewhat disorganized – they often find it difficult to work within deadlines or hierarchies, which they find restrictive or even stifling. However, despite this apparent disorganization, many ENTPs are highly accomplished, and often end up in leadership positions within their organizations.

That said, ENTPs must be careful to develop all aspects of their personality – without their pragmatism, they may spend too much time jumping among different interests without actually implementing any of their considerable ideas. For this reason, they should also make an effort to develop their focus, as otherwise they risk becoming scattered, having too many interests and too little direction. Nonetheless, with a little effort and direction, ENTPs can become valuable contributors to any team or organization.

ENTPs’ Learning Style: Innovative and Active

ENTPs learn by exploring the world around them and considering how new concepts can be applied in different ways. Everywhere they go, they see possibilities, and they live their lives enthusiastically, focusing on the future and on becoming instruments of change. They extrapolate from what they see and observe, integrating information from multiple different sources and connecting ideas among which others may see little relation. This same flexibility also benefits them in the classroom, where they prefer to learn through open-ended discussions and a loosely-structured learning environment. They enjoy group work and active tasks, in which they are able to hear and consider new perspectives. This level of interaction also helps them combat their inherent restlessness, giving them opportunities to engage with others around them.

In general, Myers-Briggs® ENTPs are engaged by theories and models, and they prefer conceptual frameworks to strict or narrow loci of application. Instead, they enjoy exploring possible applications for themselves, hammering out the details when it becomes necessary to do so. As such, they value professors or instructors who emphasize exploratory learning activities, including brainstorming and open-ended discussions. They dislike having to focus on a rigid agenda, and may find it difficult to learn when forced to engage in a lecture-like lesson structure. When it comes to receiving feedback, they benefit most from having the gaps in their models or theories pointed out, though they may interpret discontinuities between their models and the real world as being overly simplistic or as having a lack of vision.

When it comes to interacting with other learners, ENTPs often tend to enjoy asking questions and discussing ideas which may or may not be directly related to the topic at hand. This level of flexibility and free association can be frustrating for more focused, practical personality types, but it is nonetheless necessary for ENTPs for them to learn successfully. The more connections they can make, even if they are not directly relevant, the better and longer-lasting their learning process will be. If their learning environment does not provide opportunities for such exploration, ENTPs may seek study groups or similar opportunities outside the classroom.

ENTPs’ Leadership Style: Innovative and Visionary

ENTPs are visionaries—they almost always have a broad, holistic view of what they want to accomplish. They generally have a positive outlook, and tend to see problems or challenges as opportunities, inspiring others and creating momentum, moving towards their goals. All the while, they keep their endpoint in mind, using it as a source of motivation. However, they should be conscious of focusing too much on the future and not enough on the present – it is important to remain realistic about the investment necessary to achieve those goals and to consider the daily logistics of making progress. Otherwise, they risk stagnating, coming up with impressive ideas and long-term visions, but having little actual, material progress. While ENTPs love to brainstorm and explore possibilities, and then narrow their possibilities slowly, since this process can be enjoyable for them and may reveal options that would otherwise have been left unconsidered, they must keep in mind that it can also leave others feeling lost or alienated by the number of options and the effort of sifting through them.

While ENTP Personality Types possess a considerable energy and admirable enthusiasm for encouraging others to meet any challenge, they should be conscious of squandering that motivation too early towards the start of a project. Otherwise, individuals, especially those who are more detail-oriented, may experience burnout. The intellectual playground that ENTPs find so engaging and stimulating may not be so for everyone. As such, they should make an effort to encourage and value the participation of others, even if it means that they should focus more on present rather than future initiatives or that they should ground themselves and consider the logistics of implementation.

ENTPs crave mobility and variety in their work. They are constantly looking for different ways to complete a given task, and they make a concerted effort to improve current techniques to streamline their efforts as much as possible. For this reason, they also encourage others to work as independently as possible, allowing them to fail and learn from their mistakes, but still giving them the opportunity to develop their own strategies and techniques. More pragmatic, detail-oriented personality types may find ENTPs’ lack of explicit instruction to be uncomfortably vague or even lacking direction, even though the reality, more often than not, is ENTPs trying to present others with the same flexibility that they value themselves. Nonetheless, ENTPs should make an effort to identify and understand the personality types of their employees in order to give them the support they need to excel.

ENTPs and Emotional Outlook: Spontaneous and Enterprising

ENTPs tend to be highly confident of their analytical ability and innovative problem-solving skills. They are competitive and creative individuals, who tend to have fairly spontaneous reactions to changing or dynamic situations. Because they absorb information and circumstances so easily, their ability to adapt is considerable. While they are less sensitive to emotional changes in themselves or others, they are extremely aware of changing risks in their environment, and make an effort to constantly improve their actions, reducing risk and increasing their chances of success. That said, as they continue to develop their emotional awareness, they should make an effort to become more sensitive to changing moods, since they can often indicate deeper problems that need to be resolved.

Because ENTPs are so spontaneous themselves, they tend to have difficulty associating with others who may be more rigid or traditional, who do not adapt to changing circumstances as easily as they do, or who may not be as quick or resourceful in their adaptations. In order to make more structured individuals feel included, ENTPs should make an effort to explain their ideas more concretely, and solicit additional ideas for implementation, especially if this implementation hinges on the actions of a particular other individual. ENTPs excel in pushing limits, and use this dynamism as motivation. They enjoy being in control and taking initiative, and they bounce back quickly from challenges and setbacks. However, they should keep in mind that others may simply find these challenges stressful, and should make an effort to dissipate that stress however possible in the workplace.

In addition, ENTPs make an effort to solicit others’ points of view, encouraging them to articulate their positions and seeking to foster a constructive, egalitarian dialogue. They also demonstrate a great degree of patience and empathy for others’ beliefs and values, though when tensions and emotions run high they may have a tendency to respond competitively rather than cooperatively. At the end of the day, ENTPs like to win and they achieve a great sense of accomplishment from doing so. As such, especially those who are in leadership positions should make an effort to put the good of the team before themselves, and instead demonstrate greater empathy for others. This kind of self-regulation will make them even stronger and more influential in any leadership position in which they may find themselves.

As they continue to improve and grow, ENTPs may wish to make an effort to focus more of their time on factual, concrete information rather than lofty ideals, and develop a more realistic strategy for assessing their personal resources, as well as the material and personnel resources of their company. By managing resources more efficiently, they may be able to increase their efficiency and their output. Furthermore, they should make an effort to focus more on collaboration and self-regulate their competitiveness. While competition can be a great motivator in some ways, it also has the potential to destroy the collaborative spirit that makes many teams excel.

ENTP Personality Types in The Workplace

Extraverted-Intuitive-Thinking-Perceiving (ENTP) personality types are highly aware of their environments. They constantly scan their physical and social surroundings and are always on the lookout for opportunities and possibilities. They see patterns and connections that others may find it hard to notice, and sometimes their ability to draw conclusions from available information makes them seem almost prescient. Myers-Briggs® ENTPs are equally talented and detail-oriented when it comes to maneuvering complex systems and moving within them to achieve their ends. They read people thoroughly and accurately and can do almost anything that they set their minds to.

ENTPs approach life and work creatively and enthusiastically. They are energetic innovators who enjoy tackling old challenges in new ways. They are stimulated and motivated by difficulties, and rarely get discouraged. Instead, they trust their ability to improvise and they use their intuition to make quick decisions about what their next step should be. Above all else, the hallmark of ENTPs is initiative—they see ways of doing things that are not immediately obvious, and they pursue implementation with gusto.

ENTPs and Communication in The Workplace: Analytical and Optimistic

ENTPs are strong, confident communicators who are comfortable in larger groups as well as in individual communication. In larger groups and meetings, they participate actively, and often synthesize other team members’ points of view into cohesive arguments. For example, if several people agree on one point but express themselves in slightly different ways, an ENTP might briefly summarize the consensus. However, if they disagree or see a problem with any part of the original consensus, the ENTP will likely express that as well. More passive or introverted team members might be put off or even irritated by ENTPs’ active participation, perceiving them as being overly domineering or stealing the show. ENTPs’ enthusiasm and excitement can also be interpreted as being competitive or unwilling to acknowledge others’ input or contributions. However, most of the time ENTPs’ natural optimism and energy attracts people to their cause and makes them stronger leaders.

While ENTPs are generally calm communicators, they may become irritated at team members who overload them with details or specifics that they consider to be irrelevant, especially if they are looking too far ahead. ENTPs approach problems one step at a time and may get frustrated when others try to skip steps. ENTPs are also naturally charismatic, interesting people and are quickly bored by those who they perceive to have expended no effort in making a topic engaging. From their perspective, if a speaker made no effort to communicate effectively, then the listener should not be expected to make an effort to understand.

As ENTPs continue to grow and develop as communicators, they may need to practice restraint to increase their effectiveness. For example, they might make an effort to solicit contributions and opinions from others, as well as thank them for participating. ENTPs might be surprised at the significant impact a rather small effort can make.

ENTPs and Workplace Contributions: Motivated and Dedicated

ENTPs are tireless contributors to their organizations. They view limitations as challenges to be overcome and thrive when given the opportunity to solve problems and develop creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. They even view failure positively and see, as Thomas Edison did, the value in identifying ninety-nine ways not to make a lightbulb. ENTPs also take initiative. When they identify an issue or an area of improvement, they mobilize their resources to making a change. They might call brainstorming meetings, reach out to their contacts within their own or other departments, delegate tasks, or take other actions that collectively move their organization in the right direction. Other team members are often motivated and inspired by their energy and their willingness to direct it towards productivity.

While it may be counterintuitive, ENTPs also contribute considerably to reducing the stress levels of their teammates. For instance, they promote freedom, variety, and self-expression, and they are typically open to their team members taking whatever steps they need to make sure their jobs are done effectively and efficiently. They also encourage creative thinking and innovative approaches to difficult problems. ENTPs will almost never reject an idea just because it seems too outlandish to be feasible. That said, ENTPs have a tendency to obsess about their projects, even ignoring physical, financial, or temporal limitations. On the other hand, they may themselves become annoyed if they are assigned a task that they find boring or pointless. If you work closely with ENTJs, it pays to take the time to find out what their interests are and how they feel their skills should be utilized, even if their tasks do not always align with their preferences.

ENTPs and Workplace Culture: Flexible and Energetic

ENTPs thrive in flexible workplace environments that contain independent people who think as creatively as they do. They also need to be challenged professionally and personally, and they enjoy working with people and on projects that push their limits. Above all, they need to be around other competent people who are efficient and task-oriented. That said, because of their non-traditional and creative approach to problem solving, ENTPs also benefit from environments where taking risks is encouraged and rewarded. Not every idea is going to be practical, and not every initiative is going to be profitable. However, ENTPs see experimentation as an essential step to achievement. They need to be led by people who focus on the big picture and understand that a few small downturns along the way do not offset an overall positive trend.

It should not be surprising that ENTPs largely reject standard operating procedures and hierarchies. They find these corporate structures unnecessarily constricting and do their best to circumvent them whenever possible. They are generally non-bureaucratic, and they tend to believe that most organizations have too many managers and not enough work to show for it. ENTPs are wary of others who rigidly or doggedly support bureaucracy or restrict autonomy.

When working in groups, ENTPs are energetic and enterprising teammates. They motivate and inspire those around them and move tirelessly among different projects or challenges. While their ability to multitask is commendable, more focused individuals may find ENTPs to be short-sighted or to lack the ability to follow through on their commitments. On the other hand, ENTPs may interpret this criticism as failure to demonstrate initiative, being discouraging, or even intentionally trying to dampen their drive. In order to maximize their effectiveness, ENTPs should make an effort to more effectively prioritize their responsibilities and pursue those projects that have real potential. It is easy to get overwhelmed with options and possibilities, and it is important to cull them and focus on the few projects one realistically has time to complete successfully.

ENTPs and Leadership in The Workplace: Entrepreneurial and Practical

ENTPs are strong, charismatic leaders who model an entrepreneurial spirit for their teams. They challenge themselves to exceed expectations and requirements and expect others to do the same. They also encourage others to grow and develop new skill sets independently. ENTPs prefer a hands-off approach to leadership, acting as catalysts and connectors between people and systems, but not as micromanagers. Their philosophy is that if they hire intelligent, independent people, everyone can spend more time producing value for the company without wasting time in administrative tasks.

As they set direction for their teams, ENTPs prefer to see opportunities and possibilities rather than problems. They create energy and momentum, and they try to stay optimistic. They envision the future by developing a broad, holistic view of their goals. They enjoy asking themselves global, visionary questions like “Where do I see my organizations in five years?” and “What are the long-term possibilities with this client?” ENTPs energy and enthusiasm are contagious, and their team members often follow them happily, knowing that their skills are valued and well-utilized. Along the way, ENTPs encourage their team members to work independently and help each other, without creating a bottleneck.

If you are mentoring or coaching an ENTP leader, help them distinguish between what is right or correct and what is effective. In other words, help them understand that how they do something is often as important, if not more so, than what they do. This is especially true when giving feedback or delegating to other teammates. There is a big difference between giving a command and making a request, as well as between giving constructive feedback and berating a direct report. As a mentor, you should also recognize ENTPs strengths, especially their tireless passion for tackling problems and their ability to communicate complex ideas in simple, clear ways. Overall, ENTPs are strong leaders whose skills are commendable, though there is always room for improvement.

ENTPs and Problem Solving in The Workplace: Creative and Independent

ENTPs solve problems efficiently and creatively. They typically start by brainstorming ideas, sometimes alone and sometimes collaboratively. Once they have generated a variety of perspectives on an issue or problem, they start to narrow down the options in a critical and evaluative fashion, trying to discredit each possibility before moving on to the next. This seemingly ruthless approach can irritate more passive team members, for instance who perceive ENTPs as being overly argumentative or as wasting time caught in debates for their own sake rather than making actual progress towards their stated goals. On the other hand, ENTPs may themselves become annoyed when others on their teams are too focused on the immediate impact rather than long-term possibilities. They might also get frustrated if others refuse to defend, clarify, or provide more detail about their ideas.

Despite what they may think, ENTPs cannot solve every problem alone. If they want to become even more effective problem solvers, they should try to be more collaborative and less confrontational. Not only will changing their attitude help reach conclusions and decisions faster, but it will also allow them to engender more support from others so that their ideas are more likely to be implemented more quickly.

ENTPs and Areas of Growth in The Workplace:

ENTPs are highly talented individuals, strong contributors to any workplace, and creative problem solvers. However, like all of us, they have specific areas where they can continue to grow and develop to become even more effective and efficient.

For example, ENTPs can get lost in the theoretical aspects of questions or challenges, or they may focus so much on the long-term impact that they lose sight of immediate needs, current realities, and the details. As a result, they may find themselves committing to take on more than they can realistically accomplish. To improve their time and resource management skills, ENTPs may need to pay closer attention to the here and now. While not the most interesting, logistical constraints of reality can help them more efficiently manage their resources. Along the same lines, ESTPs may need to learn how to set realistic priorities and timelines, as well as learn not to let perfection be the enemy of the good—every project has an endpoint.

In addition, ENTPs may need to learn how to work within existing corporate structures and systems. Standard procedures and processes were often established for a reason, and it is often beneficial to follow them in certain contexts, for instance when a leader needs to satisfy recurring operating needs. Automating or streamlining certain processes can free up time and mental resources to focus on the most important aspects of your organization’s work, whether it is designing products or serving clients. Understanding hierarchy can also help you get the help or resources you need when you need them and prevents you from wasting countless hours looking for answers that should have been at your fingertips.

ENTPs, their peers, and their mentors may be surprised by how much of an impact a few seemingly small changes can have. Set a small, achievable but concrete goal each day, whether it is praising a teammate or saying no to a project. Celebrate wins and tackle each new day with an open mind and a deep breath.

Learn More About the MBTI ENTP Personality Type

Explore additional information that delves deeper into the ENTP Personality Type by examining various personality and career based subjects:

• How the MBTI ENTP Type relates to Innovation
• How the MBTI ENTP Type relates to Project Management
• How the MBTI ENTP Type relates to Emotional Intelligence
• How the MBTI ENTP Type relates to Leadership
• How the MBTI ENTP Type Communicates
• The ENTP Celebrity Personality Types

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

ISTJ	ISFJ	INFJ	INTJ	ESTP	ESFP	ENFP	ENTP
ISTP	ISFP	INFP	INTP	ESTJ	ESFJ	ENFJ	ENTJ

References

Introduction to Type (Isabel Briggs Myers, 1998, CPP Inc.)

Introduction to Type and Careers (Allen L. Hammer, 2007, CPP Inc.)

Introduction to Type and Leadership (Richmond, S. CPP. 2008)

Introduction to Type and Learning (Dunning, D. CPP. 2008)

Introduction To Type® and Emotional Intelligence. (Pearman, R. CPP, 2002)

Introduction To Type in Organizations (Hirsh, S. & Kummerow, J. CPP Inc., 1998)