ENFJ - Extraverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging

"The Public Relations Specialists"
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I am a people-lover. I place the highest importance on people and relationships and am naturally concerned about others. I take a warm approach to life and feel personally connected to all things.

Because I am idealistic and live by my values, I am very loyal to the people, causes or institutions I respects and admire. I am energetic and enthusiastic, as well as responsible, conscientious and persevering.

I have a natural tendency to be self-critical. However, because I feel responsible for the feelings of others, I am seldom critical in public. I am acutely aware of what is (and isn’t) appropriate behavior and am gracious, charming, personable and socially adept. Even-tempered and tolerant, I am diplomatic and good at promoting harmony around me. I am a natural leader, popular and charismatic. I tend to be a good communicator and usually use my expressive gift verbally.

I make decisions based on how I feel about a situation, rather than how the situation actually stands. I am interested in possibilities beyond what is already obvious and in the ways these possibilities might affect others.

Being naturally orderly, I prefer an organized world and expects others to be the same way. I like to have matters settled, even if someone else is making the decisions.

I radiate sympathy and understanding and am nurturing and supportive of others. I read people well and am responsible and caring. Since I am an idealist, I generally look for the good in others.

POSSIBLE BLIND SPOTS

I am so empathetic and caring that I can become overly involved with the problems or feelings of others. Sometimes I choose causes that aren’t worthy of all the time and energy I pour into them. When things don’t work out well, I can become overwhelmed, disappointed or disillusioned. This can lead to me withdrawing, feeling I wasn’t appreciated. I need to learn to accept my own limitations as well as those of the people I care about. I also need to learn to “pick my battles” and how to maintain realistic expectations.

Because of my strong desire for harmony, I can overlook my own needs and ignore real problems. Because I avoid conflict I sometimes maintain relationships that are less than honest and equal. I am so concerned about the feelings of others that I can be blind to important facts when the situation involves criticism or hurt feelings. It’s important that I learn how to accept and deal with conflict as a necessary part of relationships.

Because I am enthusiastic and in a hurry to get on with my next challenge, I sometimes make incorrect assumptions or make decisions too quickly without gathering all the important facts. I need to slow down and pay closer attention to the details of my projects. By waiting until enough information is known, I can avoid making mistakes.

I focus on emotions to the point that I can fail to see the logical consequences of my actions. Trying to focus on the facts, not just the people involved in my decisions can be helpful.

I respond well to praise, but am easily hurt by criticism, which can make me appear touchy. I take even the most innocent or well-intentioned criticism personally, and I often respond by becoming flustered, hurt or angry. My responses can be illogical to the point that I appears downright irrational to others. I would do well to stop, take a step back and try to see a situation objectively before reacting. Trying to be less sensitive will enable me to hear the important and helpful information that is constructive criticism.

I am so idealistic that I tend to see things the way I wishes they were. I am vulnerable to idealizing relationships and tend to overlook facts that contradict what I believe. If I don’t learn to face facts I find disagreeable, I will end up ignoring my problems instead of finding solutions. In general, I need to try to keep my eyes open as well as my heart.

THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR ME TO FOCUS ON ARE: 

1. Slow down

2. Relinquish some control

3. Take things less personally

MY STRENGTHS

-Excellent communication and presentation skills
-Charismatic leadership and ability to build consensus
-Enthusiasm and ability to enlist cooperation from others
-Decisiveness and organizational skills.
-Eagerness to “think outside the box” and consider new possibilities
-Empathy and ability to anticipate others needs; a genuine concern for people
-Varied interests and being a quick study
-Ability to see the big picture and the implications of actions and ideas
-Drive to be productive and reach my goals -Deep commitment to things I really believe in

MY WEAKNESSES

-Reluctance to work on projects that conflict with my values
-Tendency to idealize people and relationships
-Difficulty working in competitive or tension-filled environments
-Impatience with structures or people who are inefficient or uncooperative
-Avoidance of conflict and tendency to ignore unpleasantness
-Tendency to make decisions too quickly before gathering adequate information
-Reluctance to discipline subordinates
-Tendency to make errors due to haste
-Tendency to micro-manage and resist relinquishing control

TRY NOT TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ONLY ON MY PERSONAL FEELINGS

-Use objective analysis to help me see the logical results of potential actions. Remember that cause and effect is not what I naturally see, so seek some assistance from a friend who does.
-Don’t dismiss an option because of my personal dislike for one person in the organization. Also resist the temptation to judge a whole job or organization on the basis of one positive interaction.

DON’T TAKE CRITICISM AND REJECTION PERSONALLY

-Take constructive criticism and feedback as they are intended. Relying on the encouragement of friends and family can help me avoid becoming discouraged when things seem difficult.
-Try to suspend the tendency to become self-critical when I face rejection or failure. Make it a personal challenge to rise to the occasion and see it as an obstacle to overcome.

CONCENTRATE ON COLLECTING ALL THE NECESSARY FACTS

-Pay attention to the details and realities as well as the people I meet. Don’t ignore less interesting tasks in favor of making new contacts.
-Rather than simply accepting what I am told at face value, be prepared to look deeper.

TRY TO BE MORE REALISTIC ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE

-Look at people as they really are, and recognize their limitations. Consciously guard against idealizing people or expressing unquestioning loyalty to others.
-Confront conflict, or misunderstandings quickly and directly rather than avoiding them and allowing them to become larger and more complicated.

DON’T MAKE DECISIONS TOO QUICKLY

-Conducting plenty of research will help me from leaping before I have looked things over carefully. Take time to think things through before responding and be certain I really understand the situation.
-If I don’t resist my tendency to rush to closure, I may miss other potentially good options still on the horizon, or end up in a situation or relationship that isn’t all I thought it would be.