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[kinglyben]

“Encourage, lift and strengthen one another. For the positive energy spread to one will be felt by us all.”

                                                                                                   -- Deborah Day 

CONSUL PERSONALITY (ESFJ, -A/-T)

People who share the Consul personality type are, for lack of a better word, popular – which makes sense, given that it is also a very common personality type, making up twelve percent of the population. In high school, Consuls are the cheerleaders and the quarterbacks, setting the tone, taking the spotlight and leading their teams forward to victory and fame. Later in life, Consuls continue to enjoy supporting their friends and loved ones, organizing social gatherings and doing their best to make sure everyone is happy.

At their hearts, Consul personalities are social creatures, and thrive on staying up to date with what their friends are doing.

Discussing scientific theories or debating European politics isn’t likely to capture Consuls’ interest for too long. Consuls are more concerned with fashion and their appearance, their social status and the standings of other people. Practical matters and gossip are their bread and butter, but Consuls do their best to use their powers for good.

Respecting the Wisdom of Leadership

Consuls are altruists, and they take seriously their responsibility to help and to do the right thing. Unlike their Diplomat relatives however, people with the Consul personality type will base their moral compass on established traditions and laws, upholding authority and rules, rather than drawing their morality from philosophy or mysticism. It’s important for Consuls to remember though, that people come from many backgrounds and perspectives, and what may seem right to them isn’t always an absolute truth.

Consuls love to be of service, enjoying any role that allows them to participate in a meaningful way, so long as they know that they are valued and appreciated. This is especially apparent at home, and Consuls make loyal and devoted partners and parents. Consul personalities respect hierarchy, and do their best to position themselves with some authority, at home and at work, which allows them to keep things clear, stable and organized for everyone.

Play Dates Aren’t Just for the Kids!

Supportive and outgoing, Consuls can always be spotted at a party – they’re the ones finding time to chat and laugh with everyone! But their devotion goes further than just breezing through because they have to. Consuls truly enjoy hearing about their friends’ relationships and activities, remembering little details and always standing ready to talk things out with warmth and sensitivity. If things aren’t going right, or there’s tension in the room, Consuls pick up on it and to try to restore harmony and stability to the group.

Being pretty conflict-averse, Consuls spend a lot of their energy establishing social order, and prefer plans and organized events to open-ended activities or spontaneous get-togethers. People with this personality type put a lot of effort into the activities they’ve arranged, and it’s easy for Consuls’ feelings to be hurt if their ideas are rejected, or if people just aren’t interested. Again, it’s important for Consuls to remember that everyone is coming from a different place, and that disinterest isn’t a comment about them or the activity they’ve organized – it’s just not their thing.

Coming to terms with their sensitivity is Consuls’ biggest challenge – people are going to disagree and they’re going to criticize, and while it hurts, it’s just a part of life. The best thing for Consuls to do is to do what they do best: be a role model, take care of what they have the power to take care of, and enjoy that so many people do appreciate the efforts they make.

CONSUL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Consul Strengths

Strong Practical Skills – Consuls are excellent managers of day-to-day tasks and routine maintenance, enjoying making sure that those who are close to them are well cared for.

Strong Sense of Duty – People with the Consul personality type have a strong sense of responsibility and strive to meet their obligations, though this may sometimes be more from a sense of social expectations than intrinsic drive.

Very Loyal – Valuing stability and security very highly, Consuls are eager to preserve the status quo, which makes them extremely loyal and trustworthy partners and employees. Consuls are true pillars of any groups they belong to – whether it is their family or a community club, people with this personality type can always be relied upon.

Sensitive and Warm – Helping to ensure that stability, Consul personalities seek harmony and care deeply about other people’s feelings, being careful not to offend or hurt anybody. Consuls are strong team players, and win-win situations are the stuff smiles are made of.

Good at Connecting with Others – These qualities come together to make Consuls social, comfortable and well-liked. Consul personalities have a strong need to “belong”, and have no problem with small talk or following social cues in order to help them take an active role in their communities.

Consul Weaknesses

Worried about Their Social Status – These Strengths are related to a chief Weakness: Consuls’ preoccupation with social status and influence, which affects many decisions they make, potentially limiting their creativity and open-mindedness.

Inflexible – Consuls place a lot of importance on what is socially acceptable, and can be very cautious, even critical of anything unconventional or outside the mainstream. People with this personality type may also sometimes push their own beliefs too hard in an effort to establish them as mainstream.

Reluctant to Innovate or Improvise – Just as they can be critical of others’ “unusual” behavior, Consuls may also be unwilling to step out of their own comfort zones, usually for fear of being (or just appearing) different.

Vulnerable to Criticism – It can be especially challenging to change these tendencies because Consuls are so conflict-averse. Consul personalities can become very defensive and hurt if someone, especially a person close to them, criticizes their habits, beliefs or traditions.

Often Too Needy – Consuls need to hear and see a great deal of appreciation. If their efforts go unnoticed, people with the Consul personality type may start fishing for compliments, in an attempt to get reassurance of how much they are valued.

Too Selfless – The other side of this is that Consuls sometimes try to establish their value with doting attention, something that can quickly overwhelm those who don’t need it, making it ultimately unwelcome. Furthermore, Consuls often neglect their own needs in the process.

CONSUL RELATIONSHIPS

Prizing social validation and a sense of belonging so highly, romantic relationships hold a special level of importance for Consuls. No other kind of relationship provides people with the Consul personality type with the same level of support and devotion, and the feelings of security and stability that come with strong romantic relationships are extremely warming.

Consuls don’t do casual flings – they need to know that their partners will always be by their sides offering unwavering support, and marriage and family are the ultimate goal.

With such a goal in mind, Consul personalities take each stage, from dating to everything thereafter, very seriously. Everything about Consuls’ relationships is based on satisfying mutual needs, from creating understanding early on to building mutual respect and support for each other’s opinions and goals. Knowing that they are loved and appreciated has a huge effect on Consuls’ mood and self-esteem.

Live Long Enough and Everyone Makes Mistakes...

If they feel like this support isn’t there, such as when their partners deliver criticism, Consuls can feel extremely hurt. People with the Consul personality type dislike conflict and criticism, which can make it challenging to address any problems that come up. Nothing is more hurtful or depressing to Consuls than to realize that their partners don’t respect their dreams or opinions. Consuls can be surprisingly tough and tireless in the face of hardship, but they need to know without a doubt that their partners are behind them 100%.

Unfortunately, less mature Consuls may lack the inner strength and wisdom to attract this in healthy ways. They can be very needy, compromising their own principles and values in exchange for their partners’ approval. This is a terrible trap – not only is it unattractive, it can too easily lead to emotionally abusive relationships, which reduce Consuls’ self-esteem further. Another snare is their fixation on social status and approval – it’s not uncommon for Consuls’ social circles and relatives to play a bigger part in their choice of dating partners than even their own values.

...But Learning From Those Mistakes Makes a Better Person

Consuls are warm, loyal people who want to feel trusted and valued. They are great with practical matters like money management and administrative tasks, and are happy to take on such responsibilities in the name of taking care of the people they care about, a wonderful quality. Consuls just need to make sure they take the time to ensure that they build relationships that allow them to satisfy their own needs and dreams, with partners who appreciate their care and generosity fully, and who reciprocate as well.

Consuls are often very organized in how their relationships develop, following established dating rules and traditions (don’t call first, third date, etc.). As their relationships enter more sexual stages, Consuls’ emphasis on process and tradition continue with established gender roles and socially acceptable activities.

However, since Consuls are so centered on the physical world and are quite emotional, they tend to be very affectionate and sensual, and overall great sexual partners. People with this personality type love to find ways to make their partners happy, and this sort of intimacy is a great way to do so. As the two partners become more comfortable with each other, Consuls are often open to experimenting and trying new things, so long as their partners are willing to reciprocate.

Consuls have specific needs for their relationships, and certain personality types are best able to meet those needs. In general, partners should share Consuls’ Observant (S) trait, but it can also be useful to develop a sense of introspection that Introverted (I) partners can provide, with maybe one more opposing trait to help Consuls focus on logical decisions when appropriate, or to be more open-minded in new situations.

CONSUL FRIENDS

Consuls are a very social personality type, seeking large circles of friends and proving themselves more than willing to spend the time and energy necessary to maintain these relationships. Loyal and warm, Consuls are known for standing by their friends no matter what, and providing a constant source of emotional support and encouragement.

Consul personalities are also sensitive to the traditions of friendship, seeing the support they offer as much as a responsibility as a pleasure.

Doing everything they can to make sure their friends are happy, and being so comfortable with introductions and small talk, Consuls are naturally very popular in pretty much any environment. This is a dynamic that Consuls genuinely enjoy, but they also expect their efforts and support to be reciprocated. There’s nothing quite as hurtful to people with the Consul personality type as finding out that a trusted friend is critical of their beliefs or habits, except maybe being told so in a direct confrontation.

Consuls have a tendency to believe that their friends can do no wrong, always stepping up to defend them regardless of circumstances, and they expect the same benefit of the doubt in return. Consuls can greatly expand their circle of friends if they learn to be more receptive to other perspectives, rather than making snap judgments and conclusions. It’s important for Consuls, as with anyone, to avoid being insulated from other viewpoints and opinions, to relate to and understand ever more people.

We’re All in It Together

On the other hand, Consuls are great at using their sensitivity to stay in tune with what motivates and drives their friends. While in their weaker moments, Consul personalities can sometimes use these observations to manipulate others, they are far more interested in maintaining strong relationships, and this is a great tool for doing so. Altruists that they are, Consuls almost always use their powers for good, encouraging and inspiring others.

By and large, the Consul personality type is a pleasant and sincere one. Their energy and social intelligence win them many acquaintances and friends, and their support and dedication keep those friendships close and strong. With so much zest for life and company, dull moments are sure to be few and far between.

CONSUL PARENTS

As parents, Consuls have an excellent opportunity to display their warmth, affection and dedication in ways that have a real and positive impact. Sensitive yet firm, Consul parents are able to establish rules and authority without being entirely overbearing, using their compassion and support to smooth over the occasional miscommunication or difference of opinion.

Having children is often the culmination of Consuls’ life goals, and they cherish every moment of it.

From the start, Consuls try to ensure that their children feel safe and happy. People with the Consul personality type enjoy the support they are able to give their infants, who are utterly dependent on their care. Family being as important as it is to Consuls, this is an incredibly rewarding start to the relationship.

Handling Adversity Fosters Growth

As their children grow and begin to explore more, Consuls’ love and care grows with them, but often becomes overprotective. Consuls may not just keep their children safe physically, but also socially, by arranging play dates, camps and other activities so much that their children aren’t free to make the blunders that lead to emotional growth and social independence.

Consuls value harmony and stability highly, and it’s often the case that they try to use indirect pressure to try to teach life’s lessons. When they are forced into a confrontation by their children’s blatant wrong-doing though, Consul parents step in firmly, and expect their words to be respected. Believers in traditional roles, Consul parents view the parent-child relationship in black and white terms, with their authority as final.

Character Is a Journey, Not a Destination

As their children grow into adolescence and begin to push away from their parents, Consuls can take this transition personally. Feeling like they are losing their children, Consul personalities sometimes try to prolong their dependence as long as possible. It’s important to remember that when grown children leave the home, it’s because their parents were successful in preparing them for the next phase of their lives, an accomplishment Consuls can be proud of.

Consuls’ children will always appreciate the sensitivity and warmth that they were raised with, and as time goes on and they have their own children, they will cherish the fact that those children have the benefit of grandparents who love and care for them unconditionally.

CONSUL CAREERS

Because Consuls’ traits are so strongly expressed, leading with practical sense and social vigor, the careers they find most satisfying usually revolve around making the best use of these qualities. Consuls are well-organized, enjoying bringing order and structure to their workplaces, and often work best in environments with clear, predictable hierarchies and tasks. Monotony and routine work are not a challenge for the Consul personality type, as they are happy to do what needs to be done.

Cooperation, not Conflict

Careers as administrators are a natural fit, allowing Consuls to organize not just an environment, but the people in it. Their practical skills combine well with their dependability, making Consul personalities surprisingly good accountants – though they often prefer to be personal accountants, helping people and interacting with them directly, instead of corporate accountants crunching numbers in some back room.

Purely analytical careers are often too dull for Consuls though – they need human interaction and emotional feedback to be truly satisfied in their line of work. Good listeners and enthusiastic team members, people with the Consul personality type are excellent providers of medical care and social work. Teaching is another great option, as Consuls are comfortable with authority, but are supportive and friendly enough to keep that authority from feeling overbearing.

Consuls’ best careers all have the additional benefit of providing them with perhaps their most important requirement: to feel appreciated and know they’ve helped someone.

Being as altruistic as they are, Consuls find it hard to be satisfied unless they know they’ve done something valuable for another person. This is often the driving force behind Consuls’ careers and career advancement, and makes religious work and counseling particularly rewarding.

Whatever they choose to do, Consul personalities’ comfort with busy social situations and practical knowledge and skills come together to create people who are not just able to be productive and helpful, but people who genuinely enjoy it.

CONSULS IN THE WORKPLACE

When it comes to the workplace, Consuls have clear tendencies that show through regardless of their position. People with the Consul personality type thrive on social order and harmony, and use their warmth and social intelligence to make sure that each person knows their responsibilities and is able to get done what needs to get done. Consuls are comfortable, even dependent on clear hierarchies and roles, and whether subordinates, colleagues or managers, Consul personalities expect authority to be respected and backed up by rules and standards.

Consul Subordinates

With clearly defined responsibilities and a sense of purpose, Consuls are patient, efficient, hard-working people who respect the authority of their managers. While Consuls may struggle with too much freedom and improvisation, they thrive in workplaces with structure, safety and guidelines. Routine tasks are not a problem for Consuls, and their dedication and loyalty earn them the respect of their managers.

Consul Colleagues

Teamwork is a concept that Consuls have no trouble putting into practice. Often seeking friends at work, people with this personality type are almost always willing to lend a hand when and where it’s needed. Excellent networkers, Consuls always seem to “know just the guy” to bring a project together on time. On the other hand, Consuls often need to work on a team – being stuck alone chipping away at paperwork for days on end just leaves them tired and unfulfilled.

Consuls take pride in these qualities, which has the side effect of making them particularly sensitive when they come under criticism. When their suggestions and help are turned down, Consul personalities can take it personally. Already somewhat vulnerable to stress, rejections like these can be pretty demoralizing, and Consuls may need their coworkers to make an effort to express their appreciation from time to time.

Consul Managers

Consuls enjoy the responsibility that comes with organizing social situations, and the enjoyment they feel in managing other people translates well into management positions. As team leaders, Consuls find ways to make everyone feel involved, uniting people and smoothing relations in order to get things done.

At the same time, Consuls have a strong respect for traditional power structures, and if after all their efforts convincing their subordinates to work together someone ends up challenging their authority, they can stress out, lose their temper, and just generally react badly. People with the Consul personality type are sensitive about their status and dislike conflict, and prefer situations where everyone knows their role. So long as expectations are clearly outlined, Consuls are effective and enjoyable managers.

CONSUL PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as practical and caring as Consuls. Known for their reliability and kindness, Consuls are good at creating and maintaining a secure and stable environment for themselves and their loved ones. Consuls’ dedication is invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Consuls can be easily tripped up in areas where their kind and practical attitude is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.

[marykatehood]

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

                                                                                                    - Helen Keller

ENTREPRENEUR PERSONALITY (ESTP, -A/-T)

Entrepreneurs always have an impact on their immediate surroundings – the best way to spot them at a party is to look for the whirling eddy of people flitting about them as they move from group to group. Laughing and entertaining with a blunt and earthy humor, Entrepreneur personalities love to be the center of attention. If an audience member is asked to come on stage, Entrepreneurs volunteer – or volunteer a shy friend.

Theory, abstract concepts and plodding discussions about global issues and their implications don’t keep Entrepreneurs interested for long. Entrepreneurs keep their conversation energetic, with a good dose of intelligence, but they like to talk about what is – or better yet, to just go out and do it. Entrepreneurs leap before they look, fixing their mistakes as they go, rather than sitting idle, preparing contingencies and escape clauses.

Never Confuse Movement With Action

Entrepreneurs are the likeliest personality type to make a lifestyle of risky behavior. They live in the moment and dive into the action – they are the eye of the storm. People with the Entrepreneur personality type enjoy drama, passion, and pleasure, not for emotional thrills, but because it’s so stimulating to their logical minds. They are forced to make critical decisions based on factual, immediate reality in a process of rapid-fire rational stimulus response.

This makes school and other highly organized environments a challenge for Entrepreneurs. It certainly isn’t because they aren’t smart, and they can do well, but the regimented, lecturing approach of formal education is just so far from the hands-on learning that Entrepreneurs enjoy. It takes a great deal of maturity to see this process as a necessary means to an end, something that creates more exciting opportunities.

Also challenging is that to Entrepreneurs, it makes more sense to use their own moral compass than someone else’s. Rules were made to be broken. This is a sentiment few high school instructors or corporate supervisors are likely to share, and can earn Entrepreneur personalities a certain reputation. But if they minimize the trouble-making, harness their energy, and focus through the boring stuff, Entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with.

Most People Don’t Listen Well Enough

With perhaps the most perceptive, unfiltered view of any type, Entrepreneurs have a unique skill in noticing small changes. Whether a shift in facial expression, a new clothing style, or a broken habit, people with this personality type pick up on hidden thoughts and motives where most types would be lucky to pick up anything specific at all. Entrepreneurs use these observations immediately, calling out the change and asking questions, often with little regard for sensitivity. Entrepreneurs should remember that not everyone wants their secrets and decisions broadcast.

Sometimes Entrepreneurs’ instantaneous observation and action is just what’s required, as in some corporate environments, and especially in emergencies.

If Entrepreneurs aren’t careful though, they may get too caught in the moment, take things too far, and run roughshod over more sensitive people, or forget to take care of their own health and safety. Making up only four percent of the population, there are just enough Entrepreneurs out there to keep things spicy and competitive, and not so many as to cause a systemic risk.

Entrepreneurs are full of passion and energy, complemented by a rational, if sometimes distracted, mind. Inspiring, convincing and colorful, they are natural group leaders, pulling everyone along the path less traveled, bringing life and excitement everywhere they go. Putting these qualities to a constructive and rewarding end is Entrepreneurs’ true challenge.

ENTREPRENEUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Entrepreneur Strengths

Bold – People with the Entrepreneur personality type are full of life and energy. There is no greater joy for Entrepreneurs than pushing boundaries and discovering and using new things and ideas.

Rational and Practical – Entrepreneurs love knowledge and philosophy, but not for their own sake. What’s fun for Entrepreneur personalities is finding ideas that are actionable and drilling into the details so they can put them to use. If a discussion is completely arbitrary, there are better uses for Entrepreneurs’ time.

Original – Combining their boldness and practicality, Entrepreneurs love to experiment with new ideas and solutions. They put things together in ways no one else would think to.

Perceptive – This originality is helped by Entrepreneurs’ ability to notice when things change – and when they need to change! Small shifts in habits and appearances stick out to Entrepreneurs, and they use these observations to help create connections with others.

Direct – This perceptive skill isn’t used for mind games – Entrepreneurs prefer to communicate clearly, with direct and factual questions and answers. Things are what they are.

Sociable – All these qualities pull together to make a natural group leader in Entrepreneurs. This isn’t something that they actively seek – people with this personality type just have a knack for making excellent use of social interactions and networking opportunities.

Entrepreneur Weaknesses

Insensitive – Feelings and emotions come second to facts and “reality” for Entrepreneurs. Emotionally charged situations are awkward, uncomfortable affairs, and Entrepreneurs’ blunt honesty doesn’t help here. These personalities often have a lot of trouble acknowledging and expressing their own feelings as well.

Impatient – Entrepreneurs move at their own pace to keep themselves excited. Slowing down because someone else “doesn’t get it” or having to stay focused on a single detail for too long is extremely challenging for Entrepreneurs.

Risk-prone – This impatience can lead Entrepreneurs to push into uncharted territory without thinking of the long-term consequences. Entrepreneur personalities sometimes intentionally combat boredom with extra risk.

Unstructured – Entrepreneurs see an opportunity – to fix a problem, to advance, to have fun – and seize the moment, often ignoring rules and social expectations in the process. This may get things done, but it can create unexpected social fallout.

May Miss the Bigger Picture – Living in the moment can cause Entrepreneurs to miss the forest for the trees. People with this personality type love to solve problems here and now, perhaps too much. All parts of a project can be perfect, but the project will still fail if those parts do not fit together.

Defiant – Entrepreneurs won’t be boxed in. Repetition, hardline rules, sitting quietly while they are lectured at – this isn’t how Entrepreneurs live their lives. They are action-oriented and hands-on. Environments like school and much entry-level work can be so tedious that they’re intolerable, requiring extraordinary effort from Entrepreneurs to stay focused long enough to get to freer positions.

ENTREPRENEUR RELATIONSHIPS

When it comes to romantic relationships, people with the Entrepreneur personality type can hardly be said to be pining away for their wedding day. Life is fun and full of surprises (something Entrepreneurs have particular skill in delivering), and they enjoy it all in the here and now. Entrepreneurs may not spend a lot of time planning for “someday”, but their enthusiasm and unpredictability make them thrilling dating partners.

Entrepreneurs’ relationships are far from boring. Their improvisational style creates a seemingly never-ending list of activities and hobbies to be involved in, and Entrepreneurs fully encourage their partners to partake.

Entrepreneurs love new ideas and the occasional philosophical discussion – but they need to be topics that can explored through action together, not just idle talk. There’s musing about the causes and effects of epidemic obesity, and there’s training for a marathon together to promote healthy living.

As Good as Spring Itself

Sexually, Entrepreneurs have no real reservations. It’s fun, it’s physically enjoyable, new ideas are always welcome, and Entrepreneur personalities’ strong perception keeps them well-tuned to their partners’ needs. However, Entrepreneurs’ separation of the physical act from the more emotional and spiritual connections that many other types look for in intimacy can be a serious source of tension if everybody isn’t on the same page. Some types need sex to be a genuine expression of love – Entrepreneurs just aren’t one of them.

As time passes, it can be challenging for Entrepreneurs to move their relationships to deeper, more emotionally intimate levels. Easily bored, people with the Entrepreneur personality type seek constant excitement – sometimes even intentionally exposing themselves to risk if they feel stuck. If their partners aren’t able to keep up, Entrepreneurs may just end up looking for someone new. It’s not that Entrepreneur personalities are unfaithful. Rather, they may think to themselves “This isn’t working, so why should I pretend it is?” Entrepreneurs are rational, and can exercise self-control if they choose, but being as charming and popular as they are, it can sometimes be a little too easy to move on.

Travel Only With Those You Love

As with any relationship, it takes work and patience. Not every day can be a thrill a minute. But Entrepreneurs are adaptable, curious individuals, which certainly helps to keep the flame burning. Maintaining healthy relationships is the ultimate chance for Entrepreneurs to exercise their talents in perceiving every change in their partners’ mood and behavior, while also using their problem-solving abilities to address their needs. Entrepreneurs can also strengthen more neglected traits, like emotional sensitivity and long-term planning.

ENTREPRENEUR FRIENDS

People with the Entrepreneur personality type are definitely the life of the party. With an enviable imagination and invigorating sense of spontaneity, Entrepreneurs are never boring. They love exploring interesting ideas, both in discussion and by going out and seeing for themselves, which means that Entrepreneurs always seem to have some fun activity hidden up their sleeves. At the same time, Entrepreneur personalities are easy-going, tolerant, and charming, making them naturally quite popular.

When I Have an Idea, I Turn Down the Flame...

Hands-on, physical activities like team sports are Entrepreneurs’ idea of fun, and these environments give them plenty of chances to make new friends. There is little difficulty for Entrepreneurs here – they seem to get along with just about everyone, and make new friends wherever they go. Entrepreneurs live in the moment, and as a naturally confident personality type (especially if they are Assertive as well), they don’t worry much about what others think of them. This attracts friends who share their attitude and zest for life.

While not opposed to long philosophical discussions, and often enjoying the intellectual exercise, Entrepreneurs are unlikely to develop friendships based solely around one-on-one discussions about European economic challenges and the role of religion in politics. Straightforward to the point of being blunt, Entrepreneurs call it like they see it, and an honest opinion in debate is a sure thing. But at their hearts, Entrepreneurs are people of action, preferring to do what can be done than to talk about what might someday be.

...Eventually It Builds Up and Explodes – That’s My Idea

Sitting idle, especially in boredom, is the bane of Entrepreneurs’ existence.

Exploration, excitement, adrenaline and risk – Entrepreneurs’ friends should be prepared for all of these things. Often enough they’re happy to perform for the crowd, but they also tend to encourage their friends to join in. Most personality types might take “thanks but no thanks” personally, but Entrepreneurs are comfortable with who they are, and are more likely to just shrug their shoulders and move on with those friends who are game for adventure.

ENTREPRENEUR PARENTS

In a lot of ways, Entrepreneurs are what many children would consider the perfect parent. Fun-loving and playful, flexible and understanding, people with the Entrepreneur personality type genuinely enjoy spending time with their children, and know how to make sure everyone is having a good time. Entrepreneurs have a natural curiosity and spontaneity that is perfectly matched to the wonder and insatiable desire to learn that young children have.

Looking at Everything as if for the First Time

Entrepreneurs love hands-on activities, and their children aren’t left wanting for someone to play catch with, or to help them build a model for school. Sports, hiking, and other practical, hands-on hobbies are all welcomed and encouraged. At the same time, given their aversion to rules and schedules themselves, Entrepreneurs aren’t likely to forcibly enter their children into all manner of clubs and teams. If their kids want to play softball, great – if not, well, they’ll just find something else to do.

Maybe the greatest thing about Entrepreneur parents is that they see their children as equal members of the family.

Entrepreneurs give their children freedom, encourage them to use their own judgment (especially with the minor stuff), and to follow their hearts – to heck with what other people think. Entrepreneur personalities keep a close enough eye on their kids, using that knack for picking up on even the slightest changes in others’ moods and habits, that they can step in with extra guidance when things start to go wrong.

Entrepreneurs do have one significant parental challenge though: emotional bonding. Feelings tend to be seen by Entrepreneurs as a bit of an irrational distraction, rather than a tool for expression and connection. If their children happen to be more sensitive, this can be a source of tension between Entrepreneurs and their children. Frank honesty isn’t always the best prescription.

We Are All Apprentices in a Craft Where No One Is Master

Still, Entrepreneurs can often rely on a more sensitive partner to help them out in this regard, and the healthy bonds they form through their shared activities can help to bridge the gap. Entrepreneurs have the added benefit of direct and understanding relationships – their children won’t feel so much like they have to hide their mistakes and challenges, the holy grail of parent-child communication.

ENTREPRENEUR CAREERS

When it comes to Entrepreneurs’ career options, “action” is the word of the day. People with the Entrepreneur personality type think on their feet and are great at making quick decisions in the heat of the moment. At the same time, they’re affable people who always seem to make friends and connections wherever they go. Popularity and solid networking can be huge assets in the working world, and Entrepreneurs nail it.

This social intelligence, combined with Entrepreneurs’ natural boldness and improvisational skill, makes sales, business negotiations, marketing, even acting – any tense, competitive environment – a great fit. Entrepreneur personalities trust themselves to make the right call. Risks, big and small, are a part of life, and Entrepreneurs don’t sit around waiting for some boss at the top to tell them what to do. This can get Entrepreneurs into trouble, but often enough it’s exactly what’s needed, and can boost them up the career ladder just as well.

It’s hard to imagine Entrepreneurs choosing secure but boring jobs over less stable but more exciting careers.

Restrictions, rules, highly structured environments – these are great ways to drive Entrepreneurs crazy. People with this personality type live life on their own terms, and this makes them brilliant business people and freelancers. These roles also allow them to delegate the more tedious aspects of work, the accounting, meticulous research and so forth, to those better suited.

Entrepreneurs are curious, energetic people with a taste for action. There are those who analyze and manage the logistics of public safety resource distribution, and there are those who drive the ambulances, patrol the streets, and save lives with their own two hands – Entrepreneur personalities are the latter. They are highly observant yet impatient, enabling them to take in the whole of a situation at a glance, and act. Any emergency response role is great for Entrepreneurs, whether it be as paramedics, police officers, or soldiers.

There’s Nothing to It – Just Sit Down and Bleed Your Passion

This quality of living in the moment and craving immediate results for their efforts translates well into another field: sports. The thrill of competition, of pushing themselves to the physical limit to rack up just one more point for the win can have no comparison for Entrepreneurs. Whether they are on the field as athletes themselves, coaching from the sidelines or commentating from high above, people with the Entrepreneur personality type revel in well-honed team effort and a well-executed plan, and any of these positions makes a fine line of work for them.

ENTREPRENEUR IN THE WORKPLACE

In just about any environment, the workplace included, it’s pretty easy to spot Entrepreneurs. Boisterous and spontaneous, fun-loving and maybe a little crass, people with the Entrepreneur personality type love tackling problems as they arise and telling great stories about their solutions afterwards. Naturally, some positions work better with these qualities than others, but Entrepreneurs are adaptable individuals, and can find a way to make just about any situation a little more interesting.

Entrepreneur Subordinates

Entrepreneurs’ most challenging position is the one that most people have to start out in: as subordinates. While perfectly capable of exercising restraint on their own terms, Entrepreneur personalities hate having others’ rules and regulations foisted upon them. Entrepreneurs are known for their experimentation, improvisation and quick thinking – if they’re not allowed to use these qualities and have to check in with a supervisor for every little thing, they’ll be bored and frustrated.

Entrepreneurs know well that risk equals reward, and they’ll gladly skirt more mundane tasks in favor of something a little more exciting, in the hope that it catches someone’s attention. A plaque and a bonus go a long way for people with this personality type. Getting ahead by the tenets of staid reliability, quiet helpfulness, or mere seniority isn’t Entrepreneurs’ way – they move forward by sheer force of personality in a well-handled crisis.

Entrepreneur Colleagues

As colleagues, Entrepreneurs have a work hard, play hard mentality – as long as everyone else is pulling their weight, they’ll gladly pull their own, and have a great time doing it. Charming and popular individuals that they are, networking comes naturally to Entrepreneurs. These qualities make it easy for Entrepreneur personalities to get along with just about anyone.

At the same time, if Entrepreneurs see a colleague as incompetent, or worse, lazy, they let them know in no uncertain terms. Emotional sensitivity is not their strong suit. Entrepreneurs are very observant and well-tuned to changes in their colleagues’ habits and moods – unless they themselves are the cause of distress.

Entrepreneur Managers

Management positions are where Entrepreneurs are usually most comfortable, as they often give the most flexibility. Rules and traditions are a bother for people with the Entrepreneur personality type – they’d rather try a bunch of new ideas with a chance of getting things done faster or better than to pay attention to “the way things have always been done” or subordinates’ comfort with experimentation. Entrepreneurs are practical, with a focus on what does, or could, work best.

This can make for a chaotic environment, but Entrepreneurs’ inspiring cult of personality makes them well-suited to handling such a thing. Entrepreneurs enjoy living in the moment. Rather than some broad, intangible future accomplishment like “making customers happy”, Entrepreneur personalities set small, clear, measurable, and attainable goals that keep things on track day-to-day, and hearty congratulations can always be relied on for a job well done. Entrepreneurs keep their eyes on the finish line, but they get there step by step.

ENTREPRENEUR PERSONALITY - CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as charming and attractive as Entrepreneurs. Known for their boldness and willingness to improvise, Entrepreneurs are great at finding exciting new things to explore and experience. Entrepreneurs’ creativity and down-to-earth attitude are invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Entrepreneurs can be easily tripped up in areas where their direct and practical approach is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.

[zevonchanca]

“Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ’crack-pot’ than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.”

                                                                                           -- Thomas J. Watson

DEBATER PERSONALITY (ENTP, -A/-T)

The Debater personality type is the ultimate devil’s advocate, thriving on the process of shredding arguments and beliefs and letting the ribbons drift in the wind for all to see. Debaters don’t do this because they are trying to achieve some deeper purpose or strategic goal, but for the simple reason that it’s fun. No one loves the process of mental sparring more than Debaters, as it gives them a chance to exercise their effortlessly quick wit, broad accumulated knowledge base, and capacity for connecting disparate ideas to prove their points.

An odd juxtaposition arises with Debaters, as they are uncompromisingly honest, but will argue tirelessly for something they don’t actually believe in, stepping into another’s shoes to argue a truth from another perspective.

Playing the devil’s advocate helps people with the Debater personality type to not only develop a better sense of others’ reasoning, but a better understanding of opposing ideas – since Debaters are the ones arguing them.

This tactic shouldn’t be confused with the sort of mutual understanding Diplomat personalities seek – Debaters, like all Analyst personality types, are on a constant quest for knowledge, and what better way to gain it than to attack and defend an idea, from every angle, from every side?

There Are no Rules Here – We’re Trying to Accomplish Something!

Taking a certain pleasure in being the underdog, Debaters enjoy the mental exercise found in questioning the prevailing mode of thought, making them irreplaceable in reworking existing systems or shaking things up and pushing them in clever new directions. However, they’ll be miserable managing the day-to-day mechanics of actually implementing their suggestions. Debater personalities love to brainstorm and think big, but they will avoid getting caught doing the “grunt work” at all costs. Debaters only make up about three percent of the population, which is just right, as it lets them create original ideas, then step back to let more numerous and fastidious personalities handle the logistics of implementation and maintenance.

Debaters’ capacity for debate can be a vexing one – while often appreciated when it’s called for, it can fall painfully flat when they step on others’ toes by say, openly questioning their boss in a meeting, or picking apart everything their significant other says. This is further complicated by Debaters’ unyielding honesty, as this type doesn’t mince words and cares little about being seen as sensitive or compassionate. Likeminded types get along well enough with people with the Debater personality type, but more sensitive types, and society in general, are often conflict-averse, preferring feelings, comfort, and even white lies over unpleasant truths and hard rationality.

This frustrates Debaters, and they find that their quarrelsome fun burns many bridges, oftentimes inadvertently, as they plow through others’ thresholds for having their beliefs questioned and their feelings brushed aside. Treating others as they’d be treated, Debaters have little tolerance for being coddled, and dislike when people beat around the bush, especially when asking a favor. Debater personalities find themselves respected for their vision, confidence, knowledge, and keen sense of humor, but often struggle to utilize these qualities as the basis for deeper friendships and romantic relationships.

Opportunity Is Missed Because It Looks Like Hard Work

Debaters have a longer road than most in harnessing their natural abilities – their intellectual independence and free-form vision are tremendously valuable when they’re in charge, or at least have the ear of someone who is, but getting there can take a level of follow-through that Debaters struggle with.

Once they’ve secured such a position, Debaters need to remember that for their ideas to come to fruition, they will always depend on others to assemble the pieces – if they’ve spent more time “winning” arguments than they have building consensus, many Debaters will find they simply don’t have the support necessary to be successful. Playing devil’s advocate so well, people with this personality type may find that the most complex and rewarding intellectual challenge is to understand a more sentimental perspective, and to argue consideration and compromise alongside logic and progress.

DEBATER STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Debater Strengths

Knowledgeable – Debaters rarely pass up a good opportunity to learn something new, especially abstract concepts. This information isn’t usually absorbed for any planned purpose as with dedicated studying, people with the Debater personality type just find it fascinating.

Quick Thinkers – Debaters have tremendously flexible minds, and are able to shift from idea to idea without effort, drawing on their accumulated knowledge to prove their points, or their opponents’, as they see fit.

Original – Having little attachment to tradition, Debater personalities are able to discard existing systems and methods and pull together disparate ideas from their extensive knowledge base, with a little raw creativity to hold them together, to formulate bold new ideas. If presented with chronic, systemic problems and given rein to solve them, Debaters respond with unabashed glee.

Excellent Brainstormers – Nothing is quite as enjoyable to Debaters as analyzing problems from every angle to find the best solutions. Combining their knowledge and originality to splay out every aspect of the subject at hand, rejecting without remorse options that don’t work and presenting ever more possibilities, Debaters are irreplaceable in brainstorming sessions.

Charismatic – People with the Debater personality type have a way with words and wit that others find intriguing. Their confidence, quick thought and ability to connect disparate ideas in novel ways create a style of communication that is charming, even entertaining, and informative at the same time.

Energetic – When given a chance to combine these traits to examine an interesting problem, Debaters can be truly impressive in their enthusiasm and energy, having no qualms with putting in long days and nights to find a solution.

Debater Weaknesses

Very Argumentative – If there’s anything Debaters enjoy, it’s the mental exercise of debating an idea, and nothing is sacred. More consensus-oriented personality types rarely appreciate the vigor with which Debater personalities tear down their beliefs and methods, leading to a great deal of tension.

Insensitive – Being so rational, Debaters often misjudge others feelings and push their debates well past others’ tolerance levels. People with this personality type don’t really consider emotional points to be valid in such debates either, which magnifies the issue tremendously.

Intolerant – Unless people are able to back up their ideas in a round of mental sparring, Debaters are likely to dismiss not just the ideas but the people themselves. Either a suggestion can stand up to rational scrutiny or it’s not worth bothering with.

Can Find It Difficult to Focus – The same flexibility that allows Debaters to come up with such original plans and ideas makes them readapt perfectly good ones far too often, or to even drop them entirely as the initial excitement wanes and newer thoughts come along. Boredom comes too easily for Debaters, and fresh thoughts are the solution, though not always a helpful one.

Dislike Practical Matters – Debaters are interested in what could be – malleable concepts like ideas and plans that can be adapted and debated. When it comes to hard details and day-to-day execution where creative flair isn’t just unnecessary but actually counter-productive, Debater personalities lose interest, often with the consequence of their plans never seeing the light of day.

DEBATER RELATIONSHIPS

If there’s one thing Debaters are good at, it’s coming up with a never-ending stream of innovations and ideas to keep things moving forward, and this is evident in their romantic relationships as well. For people with the Debater personality type growth is key, and even before they’ve found a dating partner, they imagine all the ways that they can experience new things together, to grow in tandem. This can be an overwhelming process if their partner doesn’t match up, but when Debaters find someone who shares their love of intellectual exploration, watch out.

Show Me a Satisfied Man, and I’ll Show You a Failure

From the earliest dates, Debaters test their partners’ limits for this kind of potential, pushing boundaries and traditions, looking for open-mindedness and spontaneity. Dating Debater personalities is hardly a boring experience, and they make use of their enthusiasm and creativity by delighting and surprising their partners with new ideas and experiences.

Debaters’ idea of fun is often rooted in self-improvement, and people with this personality type bring their partners along the way, as much in a spirit of sharing as in a spirit of expectation. Debaters see either growth or stagnation and don’t buy into the idea of a happy status quo, making them demanding as much as they are exciting.

Some may tire in the face of this constant improvement – while Debaters’ vigor can be attractive, it can also wear down even the most patient partners. A little time to breathe and a chance to rest on one’s laurels for a moment is necessary for many people, but not something Debaters are likely to appreciate. However, if their unwavering enthusiasm is met in kind, it can lead to a magnificent relationship characterized by its strength, depth, and spark.

Genius Is One Percent Inspiration and Ninety-Nine Percent Perspiration

This is perhaps most evident as Debaters’ relationships progress into more intimate situations. All that exploratory curiosity and enthusiasm has a chance to be expressed in new ways when Debaters and their partners come together, and they readily encourage their partners to try new things, to enjoy their intimacy without preconceived limitations.

For people with the Debater personality type, this phase of their relationships is a chance to improve and develop in areas that are outside the realm of academia, though they approach it in much the same way – as a physical and intellectual process of striving towards excellence, rather than a spiritual or emotional expression of affection.

Debaters’ desire to improve in this department makes them fantastic partners when the relationship reaches that point, but their attitude towards this process is also evidence of their most glaring shortcoming – their emotional obliviousness. While Debaters are more open-minded than other Analyst personality types about others’ perspectives, they are also more likely to express their disdain for such things as emotional sensitivity in cuttingly well-phrased and clear terms, easily hurting their partners’ feelings without realizing it. Debater personalities may even ignore their partners’ feelings altogether, instead immersing themselves entirely in some distant idea or opportunity, inaccessible.

Where Debaters’ unwavering desire for self-improvement comes in most handy is in their emotional development, as they may actually be willing to work on areas such as sensitivity and emotional communication with their partners.

Debaters’ best compatibility rests with other Intuitive (N) types, with one or two opposing traits which help to create both balance and opportunities for growth. If they are with a more sensitive partner, this can be an excellent way for them to find another quality that they can work on together, making this weakness yet another opportunity to be creative, challenge themselves, and to deepen the attractiveness that this sense of progression brings to their relationships.

DEBATER FRIENDS

Loyalty, support, emotional feedback – these are not what Debaters look for in their friendships. The last thing people with the Debater personality type want to hear is “you’re right”, not unless they have absolutely earned the distinction in a heated round of intellectual debate. If they’re wrong, Debaters want to be told so, and they want every detail of the faults in their logic to be laid bare, partly in their quest for oftentimes arbitrary truth, and partly just so they have to work to defend that logic with counterpoint and parry.

It’s often easy for Debaters to test compatibility with a potential friend – they just need to test combatability. Debater personalities are quick-witted, and their primary means of expressing this is in the form of arguments and discussions, where they will easily spend an entire evening debating an idea they may not even believe in.

The epitome of Debaters’ friendships is when someone can hold their ground in these arbitrary debates with valid, rational arguments.

These debates are never taken personally, no matter how heated they become or how striking the disagreement. Much as an athlete competes for the physical exertion and the spirit of competition itself, Debaters debate for the sake intellectual stimulation and for the debate itself, and even in overwhelming victory or crushing defeat, it’s never about dominance, only inspiration to try harder next time.

When You Play, Play Hard

They know how to relax and have fun too, it’s just that “fun” to Debaters – a bottle of wine and a discussion about the causes of and solutions to the European migrant crisis – could be described as “an evening from hell” by many other personalities. But Debaters are a genial and enthusiastic personality type for the most part, and pretty much any situation that allows for conversation and a little wordplay is an enjoyable outing.

The Worst Thinking Has Been Done in Turmoil

Being inclined to suppress their emotions and feelings, when Debaters are faced with a friend who, figuratively or literally, needs a shoulder to cry on, they have no clue how to handle the situation. They are perfectly willing and happy to offer a series of rational, reasonable solutions to the problem at hand, as Debaters do for any situation where a problem needs to be fixed, but they are certainly not known for their sensitivity or outward affection, no matter how intuitively they may understand another’s position.

Worse is when Debater personalities try to turn these emotional situations into something they find more comfortable: a debate. Given how remarkably good Debaters are at arguing both sides of a point, they are remarkably bad at putting themselves in someone else’s shoes from an emotional standpoint. Debaters should avoid at all costs the temptation to turn a discussion about the causes of a friend’s recent breakup into competitive intellectual fodder.

So long as everyone understands not to take their words too personally, anyone who isn’t afraid to discuss new ideas – and have them converted into so much confetti – is likely to find stimulating and thought-provoking friends in Debaters. It’s not a compatibility that clicks with everyone, but Debaters don’t really care about being liked by everyone anyways. As long as they get to alternate between being the sounding board and the megaphone, Debaters and their friends are bound to enjoy each other’s company for a long, long time.

DEBATER PARENTS

One might think that the blustery and flighty nature of Debaters would make parenting a particular challenge for them, and in many ways, they’d be right. However, one thing people with the Debater personality type love more than just about anything is a good challenge, a problem to fix, even if it comes to addressing their own weaknesses. Debaters take their roles as parents seriously, and they are bound to be affected profoundly by this development in their lives – if anyone is able to take an outside influence, like their children, and use that influence to address their own faults, it is Debaters.

Be Brave, Have Faith, Go Forward!

From the beginning Debaters’ distaste for rules and regulations is evident, and they are likely to give their young children the freedom necessary to explore on their own. Independence is one of Debaters’ greatest needs, and they feel that no person is complete without an independent mind.

Debater personalities create relaxed, unorthodox environments for their children, founded on enthusiasm and the joy of discovery through the development of reason, not heavily structured settings designed merely to be safe.

As their children grow and develop, Debaters encourage them to think independently and voice objections, opinions and alternatives. But unlike Diplomat parents, who encourage their children to express their thoughts in terms of feelings and needs, Debaters teach their children to approach these options from a position of impartiality and logic, to state what is more effective rather than what would make them feel good. As in other relationships, this quality of emotional inaccessibility is where Debaters struggle.

As their children grow into adolescence and learn to find a balance in healthy emotional expression, people with the Debater personality type may find themselves exasperated. While always up for a good debate on just about any subject, Debaters often need their partners’ help in managing more emotional outbursts and arguments. Debaters are more able than most, but even they have their limits and rules when it comes to vocal conflict.

There’s a Way to Do It Better – Find It.

Luckily, Debater personalities recognize what’s at stake: they want their children to grow into smart, independent, honest adults. To convey those values, Debaters know that they need, like with any other debate, to communicate in terms that are accessible to all sides. If that means learning how to use the tools of emotional expression and appeals, and in so doing becoming more emotionally expressive in real, personal terms as well, so be it.

DEBATER CAREERS

In the world of careers, Debaters have the benefit of being naturally engaged and interested in being productive and helpful. But rather than the sort of people-oriented helpfulness that Diplomat personality types bring to the table, Debater personalities are focused on developing solutions to interesting and diverse technical and intellectual problems. Debaters are a versatile personality type, and while it may take time for them to get to a point where they can fully utilize their skillset and qualities, they are likely to find that those qualities translate well into pretty much any career that so much as piques their interest.

If there’s anything Debaters love, it’s flexing their mental muscles, and any environment that lets them devise new approaches, new ideas and new projects, that allows them to push the limits of their creativity, will benefit strongly from what Debaters bring to the table.

Not every career allows this level of unbridled brainpower, but there are those that demand nothing but: entrepreneurship, engineering, even acting and photography. So long as Debaters are honest with themselves about their strengths and weaknesses, they can thrive in most any career that is in need of a new line of thinking.

The Value of an Idea Lies in the Using of It

All this intellectual power can be intimidating, but unlike their Introverted (I) cousins, people with the Debater personality type have the added benefit of being excellent communicators, in the written word but especially in face-to-face conversation. Though they dislike the constraints of managing others (and of being managed), this social adaptability allows Debaters to be natural leaders, showing the way forward and inspiring others with sound logic and intellectual prowess. While others may object to these plans with emotional considerations or general resistance to change, things Debaters place little value in, these competing comments are usually outmaneuvered by Debater personalities’ deft arguments and subtly shifting goals.

The best careers reward intellectual competency and curiosity, allowing Debaters to utilize their never-ending flow of ideas productively by affording a degree of spontaneity in how they engage their intellectual pursuits. People with the Debater personality type value knowledge, rational thought and insight very highly, and they make brilliant lawyers, psychologists, systems analysts and scientists. It’s even possible for Debaters to thrive as sales representatives, as they rationalize purchase decisions that may otherwise seem discretionary – so long as their managers know to give them the space they need to work their magic.

Being Busy Doesn’t Always Mean Real Work

Really it all comes down to a sense of personal freedom, for Debaters to know that they are allowed to apply themselves fully to understanding and solving the problems that interest them, without getting bogged down by social politics and trying to figure out what makes other people “tick”. Routine, structure and formal rules all feel like unnecessary hindrances to Debaters, and they may find that their best careers yet allow them to engage their intellectual pursuits on their own terms, as freelance consultants or software engineers.

The key for Debaters is to have the patience to get to a position that allows for these freedoms, to be in an environment long enough that not just their colleagues, but their managers and, in time, their subordinates, recognize what it is that they bring to the table. Debaters have exceptional qualities – it’s quantifying their achievements and skills that presents the biggest challenge. But once they’ve got their foot in the door, once they’ve got a willing ear higher in the hierarchy, the sky’s the limit.

DEBATERS IN THE WORKPLACE

Debaters have straightforward expectations in the workplace, but ones that aren’t always easy to meet. Strong believers in meritocracy, people with the Debater personality type expect their ideas to be heard by those above them, expect robust debate among their peers, and demand that those they manage offer up new solutions and ideas regardless of their positions. While this isn’t always how things play out in reality, Debaters know what to look for, and can avoid those strictly hierarchical institutions that they would otherwise struggle with.

Debater Subordinates

This dynamic is clearest with Debater subordinates, as they are comfortable challenging their managers’ ideas and have a strong (and well-expressed) dislike for restrictive rules and guidelines. Debaters back this unorthodox behavior with their keen minds and curiosity, and are as capable of adopting new methods as they are of suggesting others do so. If something can be done better, it’s as simple as that, and Debater personalities gladly take criticism, so long as it’s logical and performance-oriented.

The biggest challenge for Debater subordinates is that it is often the fate of the “lower” positions to implement the details, do the dirty work and follow through on plans set out by their managers. This couldn’t be further from what Debaters prefer to spend their time on – they can’t stand simple, routine work, and monotonous tasks are the stuff of nightmares. Things go over much better if managers are able to properly utilize Debaters’ preference for tackling complex challenges and diverse projects.

Debater Colleagues

It is as colleagues that Debaters prove most polarizing, as their passions for brainstorming, debate and over-analysis drive more practical, task-oriented colleagues crazy, but serve as stimulating inspiration for those who appreciate the innovation Debaters bring. Nothing bothers people with the Debater personality type more than getting out of a meeting where everyone agreed with the first plan presented, only to hear everyone complain about how stupid the plan was ten minutes later – but they “didn’t want to make waves”. Debaters strive for honest, direct and objective assessments of these ideas, so much so that they often earn reputations for their insensitivity and condescension.

Luckily Debaters know how to relax too, and their witty wordplay, healthy sense of humor and outgoing nature win new friends quickly and easily. Always willing to draw on their repository of knowledge, conversations with Debater personalities are informative and entertaining, which makes it easy for them to be the go-to person for tough problems that stump more rote approaches. Peer-to-peer relationships with Debaters aren’t always easy, but it’s tough to argue that they don’t work.

Debater Managers

While not always their goal, management is often where Debaters are most at home, allowing them the freedom to fiddle with different approaches and come up with innovative ways to tackle new challenges without having to handle the tedious step-by-step implementation of these plans. Debaters are open-minded and flexible managers, not just granting but also expecting the same freedom of thought that they themselves enjoy. This can lead to disorder, conflicting ideas and approaches being put forward, but Debaters are also great at accurately and objectively assessing which plan is likely to be most effective.

This doesn’t always make friends, but being liked is less Debaters’ goal than being respected and seen as intelligent and capable. And liked or no, people with this personality type hold firm ground in rational debates, making them fearsome advocates for their teams. The challenge for Debaters is focus, as they may find themselves jumping from project to project in a quest for challenge and excitement before their teams are able to wrap up the details of their existing goals and obligations.

DEBATER PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Armed with a powerful intellect and vivid imagination, Debaters can overcome or outmaneuver obstacles that seem unbeatable to most. At the same time, their many quirks, such as often unconstrained rationalism, lead to many misunderstandings. Those misunderstandings end here. What you have read so far is just an introduction – we have a great deal more to tell you about the Debater personality type.

At some point in reading through your results, you probably hit a tipping point. You went from trademark Debater skepticism to “huh...” to “wait, what?” You may even be a little uncomfortable because you are really not used to being understood, even by the people you’re closest to.

Chances are, you’ve accepted that as part of who you are, and maybe even grown proud of it. But embracing that disconnection isn’t a requirement for Debaters. It’s a misused defense mechanism, leading you down a lonely, inefficient path – gaining insight into yourself and others is so much more rewarding.

[jungleboyblake]

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

                                                                                                   - Helen Keller

ENTREPRENEUR PERSONALITY (ESTP, -A/-T)

Entrepreneurs always have an impact on their immediate surroundings – the best way to spot them at a party is to look for the whirling eddy of people flitting about them as they move from group to group. Laughing and entertaining with a blunt and earthy humor, Entrepreneur personalities love to be the center of attention. If an audience member is asked to come on stage, Entrepreneurs volunteer – or volunteer a shy friend.

Theory, abstract concepts and plodding discussions about global issues and their implications don’t keep Entrepreneurs interested for long. Entrepreneurs keep their conversation energetic, with a good dose of intelligence, but they like to talk about what is – or better yet, to just go out and do it. Entrepreneurs leap before they look, fixing their mistakes as they go, rather than sitting idle, preparing contingencies and escape clauses.

Never Confuse Movement With Action

Entrepreneurs are the likeliest personality type to make a lifestyle of risky behavior. They live in the moment and dive into the action – they are the eye of the storm. People with the Entrepreneur personality type enjoy drama, passion, and pleasure, not for emotional thrills, but because it’s so stimulating to their logical minds. They are forced to make critical decisions based on factual, immediate reality in a process of rapid-fire rational stimulus response.

This makes school and other highly organized environments a challenge for Entrepreneurs. It certainly isn’t because they aren’t smart, and they can do well, but the regimented, lecturing approach of formal education is just so far from the hands-on learning that Entrepreneurs enjoy. It takes a great deal of maturity to see this process as a necessary means to an end, something that creates more exciting opportunities.

Also challenging is that to Entrepreneurs, it makes more sense to use their own moral compass than someone else’s. Rules were made to be broken. This is a sentiment few high school instructors or corporate supervisors are likely to share, and can earn Entrepreneur personalities a certain reputation. But if they minimize the trouble-making, harness their energy, and focus through the boring stuff, Entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with.

Most People Don’t Listen Well Enough

With perhaps the most perceptive, unfiltered view of any type, Entrepreneurs have a unique skill in noticing small changes. Whether a shift in facial expression, a new clothing style, or a broken habit, people with this personality type pick up on hidden thoughts and motives where most types would be lucky to pick up anything specific at all. Entrepreneurs use these observations immediately, calling out the change and asking questions, often with little regard for sensitivity. Entrepreneurs should remember that not everyone wants their secrets and decisions broadcast.

Sometimes Entrepreneurs’ instantaneous observation and action is just what’s required, as in some corporate environments, and especially in emergencies.

If Entrepreneurs aren’t careful though, they may get too caught in the moment, take things too far, and run roughshod over more sensitive people, or forget to take care of their own health and safety. Making up only four percent of the population, there are just enough Entrepreneurs out there to keep things spicy and competitive, and not so many as to cause a systemic risk.

Entrepreneurs are full of passion and energy, complemented by a rational, if sometimes distracted, mind. Inspiring, convincing and colorful, they are natural group leaders, pulling everyone along the path less traveled, bringing life and excitement everywhere they go. Putting these qualities to a constructive and rewarding end is Entrepreneurs’ true challenge.

ENTREPRENEUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Entrepreneur Strengths

Bold – People with the Entrepreneur personality type are full of life and energy. There is no greater joy for Entrepreneurs than pushing boundaries and discovering and using new things and ideas.

Rational and Practical – Entrepreneurs love knowledge and philosophy, but not for their own sake. What’s fun for Entrepreneur personalities is finding ideas that are actionable and drilling into the details so they can put them to use. If a discussion is completely arbitrary, there are better uses for Entrepreneurs’ time.

Original – Combining their boldness and practicality, Entrepreneurs love to experiment with new ideas and solutions. They put things together in ways no one else would think to.

Perceptive – This originality is helped by Entrepreneurs’ ability to notice when things change – and when they need to change! Small shifts in habits and appearances stick out to Entrepreneurs, and they use these observations to help create connections with others.

Direct – This perceptive skill isn’t used for mind games – Entrepreneurs prefer to communicate clearly, with direct and factual questions and answers. Things are what they are.

Sociable – All these qualities pull together to make a natural group leader in Entrepreneurs. This isn’t something that they actively seek – people with this personality type just have a knack for making excellent use of social interactions and networking opportunities.

Entrepreneur Weaknesses

Insensitive – Feelings and emotions come second to facts and “reality” for Entrepreneurs. Emotionally charged situations are awkward, uncomfortable affairs, and Entrepreneurs’ blunt honesty doesn’t help here. These personalities often have a lot of trouble acknowledging and expressing their own feelings as well.

Impatient – Entrepreneurs move at their own pace to keep themselves excited. Slowing down because someone else “doesn’t get it” or having to stay focused on a single detail for too long is extremely challenging for Entrepreneurs.

Risk-prone – This impatience can lead Entrepreneurs to push into uncharted territory without thinking of the long-term consequences. Entrepreneur personalities sometimes intentionally combat boredom with extra risk.

Unstructured – Entrepreneurs see an opportunity – to fix a problem, to advance, to have fun – and seize the moment, often ignoring rules and social expectations in the process. This may get things done, but it can create unexpected social fallout.

May Miss the Bigger Picture – Living in the moment can cause Entrepreneurs to miss the forest for the trees. People with this personality type love to solve problems here and now, perhaps too much. All parts of a project can be perfect, but the project will still fail if those parts do not fit together.

Defiant – Entrepreneurs won’t be boxed in. Repetition, hardline rules, sitting quietly while they are lectured at – this isn’t how Entrepreneurs live their lives. They are action-oriented and hands-on. Environments like school and much entry-level work can be so tedious that they’re intolerable, requiring extraordinary effort from Entrepreneurs to stay focused long enough to get to freer positions.

ENTREPRENEUR RELATIONSHIPS

When it comes to romantic relationships, people with the Entrepreneur personality type can hardly be said to be pining away for their wedding day. Life is fun and full of surprises (something Entrepreneurs have particular skill in delivering), and they enjoy it all in the here and now. Entrepreneurs may not spend a lot of time planning for “someday”, but their enthusiasm and unpredictability make them thrilling dating partners.

Entrepreneurs’ relationships are far from boring. Their improvisational style creates a seemingly never-ending list of activities and hobbies to be involved in, and Entrepreneurs fully encourage their partners to partake.

Entrepreneurs love new ideas and the occasional philosophical discussion – but they need to be topics that can explored through action together, not just idle talk. There’s musing about the causes and effects of epidemic obesity, and there’s training for a marathon together to promote healthy living.

As Good as Spring Itself

Sexually, Entrepreneurs have no real reservations. It’s fun, it’s physically enjoyable, new ideas are always welcome, and Entrepreneur personalities’ strong perception keeps them well-tuned to their partners’ needs. However, Entrepreneurs’ separation of the physical act from the more emotional and spiritual connections that many other types look for in intimacy can be a serious source of tension if everybody isn’t on the same page. Some types need sex to be a genuine expression of love – Entrepreneurs just aren’t one of them.

As time passes, it can be challenging for Entrepreneurs to move their relationships to deeper, more emotionally intimate levels. Easily bored, people with the Entrepreneur personality type seek constant excitement – sometimes even intentionally exposing themselves to risk if they feel stuck. If their partners aren’t able to keep up, Entrepreneurs may just end up looking for someone new. It’s not that Entrepreneur personalities are unfaithful. Rather, they may think to themselves “This isn’t working, so why should I pretend it is?” Entrepreneurs are rational, and can exercise self-control if they choose, but being as charming and popular as they are, it can sometimes be a little too easy to move on.

Travel Only With Those You Love

As with any relationship, it takes work and patience. Not every day can be a thrill a minute. But Entrepreneurs are adaptable, curious individuals, which certainly helps to keep the flame burning. Maintaining healthy relationships is the ultimate chance for Entrepreneurs to exercise their talents in perceiving every change in their partners’ mood and behavior, while also using their problem-solving abilities to address their needs. Entrepreneurs can also strengthen more neglected traits, like emotional sensitivity and long-term planning.

ENTREPRENEUR FRIENDS

People with the Entrepreneur personality type are definitely the life of the party. With an enviable imagination and invigorating sense of spontaneity, Entrepreneurs are never boring. They love exploring interesting ideas, both in discussion and by going out and seeing for themselves, which means that Entrepreneurs always seem to have some fun activity hidden up their sleeves. At the same time, Entrepreneur personalities are easy-going, tolerant, and charming, making them naturally quite popular.

When I Have an Idea, I Turn Down the Flame...

Hands-on, physical activities like team sports are Entrepreneurs’ idea of fun, and these environments give them plenty of chances to make new friends. There is little difficulty for Entrepreneurs here – they seem to get along with just about everyone, and make new friends wherever they go. Entrepreneurs live in the moment, and as a naturally confident personality type (especially if they are Assertive as well), they don’t worry much about what others think of them. This attracts friends who share their attitude and zest for life.

While not opposed to long philosophical discussions, and often enjoying the intellectual exercise, Entrepreneurs are unlikely to develop friendships based solely around one-on-one discussions about European economic challenges and the role of religion in politics. Straightforward to the point of being blunt, Entrepreneurs call it like they see it, and an honest opinion in debate is a sure thing. But at their hearts, Entrepreneurs are people of action, preferring to do what can be done than to talk about what might someday be.

...Eventually It Builds Up and Explodes – That’s My Idea

Sitting idle, especially in boredom, is the bane of Entrepreneurs’ existence.

Exploration, excitement, adrenaline and risk – Entrepreneurs’ friends should be prepared for all of these things. Often enough they’re happy to perform for the crowd, but they also tend to encourage their friends to join in. Most personality types might take “thanks but no thanks” personally, but Entrepreneurs are comfortable with who they are, and are more likely to just shrug their shoulders and move on with those friends who are game for adventure.

ENTREPRENEUR PARENTS

In a lot of ways, Entrepreneurs are what many children would consider the perfect parent. Fun-loving and playful, flexible and understanding, people with the Entrepreneur personality type genuinely enjoy spending time with their children, and know how to make sure everyone is having a good time. Entrepreneurs have a natural curiosity and spontaneity that is perfectly matched to the wonder and insatiable desire to learn that young children have.

Looking at Everything as if for the First Time

Entrepreneurs love hands-on activities, and their children aren’t left wanting for someone to play catch with, or to help them build a model for school. Sports, hiking, and other practical, hands-on hobbies are all welcomed and encouraged. At the same time, given their aversion to rules and schedules themselves, Entrepreneurs aren’t likely to forcibly enter their children into all manner of clubs and teams. If their kids want to play softball, great – if not, well, they’ll just find something else to do.

Maybe the greatest thing about Entrepreneur parents is that they see their children as equal members of the family.

Entrepreneurs give their children freedom, encourage them to use their own judgment (especially with the minor stuff), and to follow their hearts – to heck with what other people think. Entrepreneur personalities keep a close enough eye on their kids, using that knack for picking up on even the slightest changes in others’ moods and habits, that they can step in with extra guidance when things start to go wrong.

Entrepreneurs do have one significant parental challenge though: emotional bonding. Feelings tend to be seen by Entrepreneurs as a bit of an irrational distraction, rather than a tool for expression and connection. If their children happen to be more sensitive, this can be a source of tension between Entrepreneurs and their children. Frank honesty isn’t always the best prescription.

We Are All Apprentices in a Craft Where No One Is Master

Still, Entrepreneurs can often rely on a more sensitive partner to help them out in this regard, and the healthy bonds they form through their shared activities can help to bridge the gap. Entrepreneurs have the added benefit of direct and understanding relationships – their children won’t feel so much like they have to hide their mistakes and challenges, the holy grail of parent-child communication.

ENTREPRENEUR CAREERS

When it comes to Entrepreneurs’ career options, “action” is the word of the day. People with the Entrepreneur personality type think on their feet and are great at making quick decisions in the heat of the moment. At the same time, they’re affable people who always seem to make friends and connections wherever they go. Popularity and solid networking can be huge assets in the working world, and Entrepreneurs nail it.

This social intelligence, combined with Entrepreneurs’ natural boldness and improvisational skill, makes sales, business negotiations, marketing, even acting – any tense, competitive environment – a great fit. Entrepreneur personalities trust themselves to make the right call. Risks, big and small, are a part of life, and Entrepreneurs don’t sit around waiting for some boss at the top to tell them what to do. This can get Entrepreneurs into trouble, but often enough it’s exactly what’s needed, and can boost them up the career ladder just as well.

It’s hard to imagine Entrepreneurs choosing secure but boring jobs over less stable but more exciting careers.

Restrictions, rules, highly structured environments – these are great ways to drive Entrepreneurs crazy. People with this personality type live life on their own terms, and this makes them brilliant business people and freelancers. These roles also allow them to delegate the more tedious aspects of work, the accounting, meticulous research and so forth, to those better suited.

Entrepreneurs are curious, energetic people with a taste for action. There are those who analyze and manage the logistics of public safety resource distribution, and there are those who drive the ambulances, patrol the streets, and save lives with their own two hands – Entrepreneur personalities are the latter. They are highly observant yet impatient, enabling them to take in the whole of a situation at a glance, and act. Any emergency response role is great for Entrepreneurs, whether it be as paramedics, police officers, or soldiers.

There’s Nothing to It – Just Sit Down and Bleed Your Passion

This quality of living in the moment and craving immediate results for their efforts translates well into another field: sports. The thrill of competition, of pushing themselves to the physical limit to rack up just one more point for the win can have no comparison for Entrepreneurs. Whether they are on the field as athletes themselves, coaching from the sidelines or commentating from high above, people with the Entrepreneur personality type revel in well-honed team effort and a well-executed plan, and any of these positions makes a fine line of work for them.

ENTREPRENEUR IN THE WORKPLACE

In just about any environment, the workplace included, it’s pretty easy to spot Entrepreneurs. Boisterous and spontaneous, fun-loving and maybe a little crass, people with the Entrepreneur personality type love tackling problems as they arise and telling great stories about their solutions afterwards. Naturally, some positions work better with these qualities than others, but Entrepreneurs are adaptable individuals, and can find a way to make just about any situation a little more interesting.

Entrepreneur Subordinates

Entrepreneurs’ most challenging position is the one that most people have to start out in: as subordinates. While perfectly capable of exercising restraint on their own terms, Entrepreneur personalities hate having others’ rules and regulations foisted upon them. Entrepreneurs are known for their experimentation, improvisation and quick thinking – if they’re not allowed to use these qualities and have to check in with a supervisor for every little thing, they’ll be bored and frustrated.

Entrepreneurs know well that risk equals reward, and they’ll gladly skirt more mundane tasks in favor of something a little more exciting, in the hope that it catches someone’s attention. A plaque and a bonus go a long way for people with this personality type. Getting ahead by the tenets of staid reliability, quiet helpfulness, or mere seniority isn’t Entrepreneurs’ way – they move forward by sheer force of personality in a well-handled crisis.

Entrepreneur Colleagues

As colleagues, Entrepreneurs have a work hard, play hard mentality – as long as everyone else is pulling their weight, they’ll gladly pull their own, and have a great time doing it. Charming and popular individuals that they are, networking comes naturally to Entrepreneurs. These qualities make it easy for Entrepreneur personalities to get along with just about anyone.

At the same time, if Entrepreneurs see a colleague as incompetent, or worse, lazy, they let them know in no uncertain terms. Emotional sensitivity is not their strong suit. Entrepreneurs are very observant and well-tuned to changes in their colleagues’ habits and moods – unless they themselves are the cause of distress.

Entrepreneur Managers

Management positions are where Entrepreneurs are usually most comfortable, as they often give the most flexibility. Rules and traditions are a bother for people with the Entrepreneur personality type – they’d rather try a bunch of new ideas with a chance of getting things done faster or better than to pay attention to “the way things have always been done” or subordinates’ comfort with experimentation. Entrepreneurs are practical, with a focus on what does, or could, work best.

This can make for a chaotic environment, but Entrepreneurs’ inspiring cult of personality makes them well-suited to handling such a thing. Entrepreneurs enjoy living in the moment. Rather than some broad, intangible future accomplishment like “making customers happy”, Entrepreneur personalities set small, clear, measurable, and attainable goals that keep things on track day-to-day, and hearty congratulations can always be relied on for a job well done. Entrepreneurs keep their eyes on the finish line, but they get there step by step.

ENTREPRENEUR PERSONALITY - CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as charming and attractive as Entrepreneurs. Known for their boldness and willingness to improvise, Entrepreneurs are great at finding exciting new things to explore and experience. Entrepreneurs’ creativity and down-to-earth attitude are invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Entrepreneurs can be easily tripped up in areas where their direct and practical approach is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.

[vitanikiwa]

I wanted to live the life, a different life. I didn’t want to go to the same place every day and see the same people and do the same job. I wanted interesting challenges.

                                                                                                       -- Harrison Ford

VIRTUOSO PERSONALITY (ISTP, -A/-T)

Virtuosos love to explore with their hands and their eyes, touching and examining the world around them with cool rationalism and spirited curiosity. People with this personality type are natural Makers, moving from project to project, building the useful and the superfluous for the fun of it, and learning from their environment as they go. Often mechanics and engineers, Virtuosos find no greater joy than in getting their hands dirty pulling things apart and putting them back together, just a little bit better than they were before. 

Virtuosos explore ideas through creating, troubleshooting, trial and error and first-hand experience. They enjoy having other people take an interest in their projects and sometimes don’t even mind them getting into their space. Of course, that’s on the condition that those people don’t interfere with Virtuosos’ principles and freedom, and they’ll need to be open to Virtuosos returning the interest in kind.

Virtuosos enjoy lending a hand and sharing their experience, especially with the people they care about, and it’s a shame they’re so uncommon, making up only about five percent of the population. Virtuoso women are especially rare, and the typical gender roles that society tends to expect can be a poor fit – they’ll often be seen as tomboys from a young age.

Dare to Differ

While their mechanical tendencies can make them appear simple at a glance, Virtuosos are actually quite enigmatic. Friendly but very private, calm but suddenly spontaneous, extremely curious but unable to stay focused on formal studies, Virtuoso personalities can be a challenge to predict, even by their friends and loved ones. Virtuosos can seem very loyal and steady for a while, but they tend to build up a store of impulsive energy that explodes without warning, taking their interests in bold new directions.

Rather than some sort of vision quest though, Virtuosos are merely exploring the viability of a new interest when they make these seismic shifts. 

Virtuosos’ decisions stem from a sense of practical realism, and at their heart is a strong sense of direct fairness, a “do unto others” attitude, which really helps to explain many of Virtuosos’ puzzling traits. Instead of being overly cautious though, avoiding stepping on toes in order to avoid having their toes stepped on, Virtuosos are likely to go too far, accepting likewise retaliation, good or bad, as fair play.

The biggest issue Virtuosos are likely to face is that they often act too soon, taking for granted their permissive nature and assuming that others are the same. They’ll be the first to tell an insensitive joke, get overly involved in someone else’s project, roughhouse and play around, or suddenly change their plans because something more interesting came up.

Nothing Is as Boring as Everyone Agreeing With You

Virtuosos will come to learn that many other personality types have much more firmly drawn lines on rules and acceptable behavior than they do – they don’t want to hear an insensitive joke, and certainly wouldn’t tell one back, and they wouldn’t want to engage in horseplay, even with a willing party. If a situation is already emotionally charged, violating these boundaries can backfire tremendously.

Virtuosos have a particular difficulty in predicting emotions, but this is just a natural extension of their fairness, given how difficult it is to gauge Virtuosos’ emotions and motivations. However, their tendency to explore their relationships through their actions rather than through empathy can lead to some very frustrating situations. People with the Virtuoso personality type struggle with boundaries and guidelines, preferring the freedom to move about and color outside the lines if they need to.

Finding an environment where they can work with good friends who understand their style and unpredictability, combining their creativity, sense of humor and hands-on approach to build practical solutions and things, will give Virtuosos many happy years of building useful boxes – and admiring them from the outside.

VIRTUOSO STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Virtuoso Strengths

Optimistic and Energetic – Virtuosos are usually up to their elbows in some project or other. Cheerful and good-natured, people with the Virtuoso personality type (especially Assertive ones) rarely get stressed out, preferring to go with the flow.

Creative and Practical – Virtuosos are very imaginative when it comes to practical things, mechanics, and crafts. Novel ideas come easily, and they love using their hands to put them into action.

Spontaneous and Rational – Combining spontaneity with logic, Virtuosos can switch mindsets to fit new situations with little effort, making them flexible and versatile individuals.

Know How to Prioritize – This flexibility comes with some unpredictability, but Virtuoso personalities are able to store their spontaneity for a rainy day, releasing their energy just when it’s needed most.

Great in a Crisis – With all this hands-on creativity and spontaneity, it’s no wonder that Virtuosos are naturals in crisis situations. People with this personality type usually enjoy a little physical risk, and they aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty when the situation calls for it.

Relaxed – Through all this, Virtuosos are able to stay quite relaxed. They live in the moment and go with the flow, refusing to worry too much about the future.

Virtuoso Weaknesses

Stubborn – As easily as Virtuosos go with the flow, they can also ignore it entirely, and usually move in another direction with little apology or sensitivity. If someone tries to change Virtuosos’ habits, lifestyle or ideas through criticism, they can become quite blunt in their irritation.

Insensitive – Virtuosos use logic, and even when they try to meet others halfway with empathy and emotional sensitivity, it rarely seems to quite come out right, if anything is even said at all.

Private and Reserved – Virtuoso personalities are notoriously difficult to get to know. They are true introverts, keeping their personal matters to themselves, and often just prefer silence to small talk.

Easily Bored – Virtuosos enjoy novelty, which makes them excellent tinkerers, but much less reliable when it comes to focusing on things long-term. Once something is understood, Virtuosos tend to simply move on to something new and more interesting.

Dislike Commitment – Long-term commitments are particularly onerous for Virtuosos. They prefer to take things day-by-day, and the feeling of being locked into something for a long time is downright oppressive. This can be a particular challenge in Virtuosos’ romantic relationships.

Risky Behavior – This stubbornness, difficulty with others’ emotions, focus on the moment, and easy boredom can lead to unnecessary and unhelpful boundary-pushing, just for fun. Virtuosos have been known to escalate conflict and danger just to see where it goes, something that can have disastrous consequences for everyone around if they lose control of the situation.

VIRTUOSO RELATIONSHIPS

When it comes to romantic relationships with Virtuosos, it’s a bit like nailing Jell-O to a tree. Dating Virtuoso personalities is a tango, complex and interesting, with alternating coldness and detachment, and passion, spontaneity and enjoyment of the moment. Nothing can be forced in Virtuoso relationships, but so long as they are given the space they need to be themselves, they will gladly enjoy the comforts of a steady partner for a lifetime.

If Songs Could Change Lives, We’d All Love Each Other

Early in dating, people with the Virtuoso personality type can be especially flighty – they live in the present, always looking for new activities and experiences. If a potential partner doesn’t measure up, Virtuosos have no real problem walking away. Virtuosos also need a great deal of personal space, both physically and mentally, and any attempts to control them or forcibly schedule their activities only accelerates their departure.

On the other hand, Virtuosos have no problem trying to change their partners’ habits, most likely with attempts to get them to loosen up a bit and relax and have fun. Virtuoso personalities are hardly strict or traditional when it comes to dating, and often try to introduce sex into their activities early on. Sensual individuals that they are, Virtuosos make ready use of all of their senses, viewing intimacy as an art, a performance, and a source of pleasure.

As their relationships progress, Virtuosos’ partners tend to find that intimacy is about the closest they get to open emotional expression. It’s not that Virtuosos don’t have feelings – they actually run quite deep and strong – just that they conceal and protect them because they are unsure how to deal with them and express them. Virtuosos have no trouble leaving something they think is mutually understood unsaid.

This applies in a broader sense in Virtuosos’ relationships as well. Any attempts to push understood arrangements, even the relationships themselves, into open discussion in order to secure commitment, especially early on, are often met by Virtuosos with something close to panic. Nothing is so acutely terrifying to Virtuosos as knowing that there’s no way out. Every day is a new day, and Virtuosos review their obligations from moment to moment.

If Virtuosos are to be lifelong partners, it must happen as a natural progression of these day-to-day decisions, on their own time. 

None of this should be taken too personally by Virtuosos’ partners – it’s just how their minds work. People with this personality type live in the present, in a world of physical activities that engage the senses, and they just need to know that they have the freedom to be passionate about something one day and indifferent the next, without being grilled on when they’re going to finish something, or why they’ve “suddenly changed their minds”.

At the same time, being a little more expressive and a little more comfortable with the idea of consistency and follow-through can go a long way in rounding out the Virtuoso personality type. The best partners usually share Virtuosos’ Observant (S) trait, that interest in what the world is here and now, with one or two opposing traits to help them to explore a world that also involves other people and others’ expectations.

VIRTUOSO FRIENDS

When it comes to friendships, Virtuosos seem made for Bushnell’s Law of game design: Easy to learn, difficult to master. With their well-rounded and interesting array of hobbies, people with the Virtuoso personality type have no trouble at all making acquaintances to share their activities with. It’s getting beneath the surface to become Virtuosos’ true friends that is the real challenge, leaving them with a lot of good will and friendly faces to call on, but only a few people who they feel truly understand them.

Maybe... But Not Today

A lot of this comes down to Virtuosos simply not wanting to be bound to any particular person or activity. Virtuoso personalities live in the present, enjoying whatever life brings, and feel no real obligation to shift course on account of others’ plans. If friends don’t want to do what Virtuosos are doing, then they are free to go do their own thing, and they’ll hang out some other time. Sometimes their shifts in attitude can catch their friends flat-footed, but Virtuosos’ motto remains “everything can be changed”. Forcing them to constantly commit to scheduled activities is probably the quickest way to end these friendships.

As long as everyone keeps things relaxed and flexible though, Virtuosos’ friendships can be rich and rewarding. People with this personality type are talented when it comes to using their senses, and usually enjoy a little competition. This makes Virtuosos’ hobbies, especially the more physical activities like fishing and crafts, especially enjoyable with a little company, and they are usually the basis for their friendships. Virtuosos’ interests are pretty diverse, so they should have no trouble coming up with exciting things to do.

Virtuoso personalities are also thoughtful, rational people. Being fairly creative individuals themselves, they often enjoy discussing new ideas – but in the end, the point of sharing those ideas needs to be to take action. Dreaming is well and good, but talk is cheap, and discussions on abstract or distant subjects like Eurasian politics can only hold Virtuosos’ attention for so long before they decide to shift their focus to something they can do.

This makes friendships with Intuitive (N) types, who have a much less physical approach to life, challenging for Virtuosos to maintain. With their enjoyment of firsthand experience, these personalities just feel more comfortable alongside other personality types with the Observant (S) trait. So long as they share a hobby, philosophical differences and contrasting world views really don’t matter too much – it’s what people do that matters to Virtuosos.

I Never Set Out to Be Weird, and yet...

Virtuosos are unusually popular, almost in spite of themselves. Their open-mindedness, interesting hobbies and relaxed attitude are attractive to a remarkably broad range of personality types. With so many acquaintances, Virtuosos are sure to strike up deeper friendships with at least a few.

VIRTUOSO PARENTS

When it comes to parenting, Virtuosos give their children more freedom and opportunity to do whatever they want, within sensible limits of course, than any other personality type. It’s a big world out there, meant to be explored and experienced. Nothing is quite as perplexing to Virtuoso parents as their children sitting inside and watching television all day. Relaxed, open-minded and flexible, Virtuoso personalities expect their children to use their freedom wisely – that is, to exploit it in the name of exploration and experience.

The World Is Your Oyster

Early in life, this attitude is tremendously beneficial for Virtuosos’ children. At this age, every little thing is a miracle, to be explored with every sense. Blocks don’t just have distinct colors and shapes, but smells and tastes too, and this sort of sensory exploration is right up Virtuosos’ alley. As their children learn their motor skills, people with the Virtuoso personality type are happy to stack those blocks right along with them. As their children grow and develop more complex abilities, Virtuosos find joy in showing them how to use real tools to build real things.

If Virtuosos’ growing children share their basic qualities of spontaneity and passion for physical activities, they are happy to accompany them on just about any activity, be it sports, hiking or hobby engineering. None of this is anything that gets forced on their children though. Virtuosos see little need in imparting their principles and interests on their children, instead just enjoying that their children enjoy doing things.

Ensuring that Virtuosos’ children are responsible enough to not do anything life-alteringly reckless in their teenage years, though, often falls to luck or (with luck) a more security-oriented partner. 

Where Virtuoso parents struggle most, as with their other relationships, is in emotional bonding. Emotional control is something that children learn and adapt to over years, and comparatively unemotional Virtuosos are often left at a loss for what to do in the meantime. Virtuosos may just need to rely on a more able partner. Otherwise, it takes a great deal of conscious effort on their part to be able to provide the sort of emotional understanding and support their children need. 

VIRTUOSO CAREERS

The Virtuoso personality type is probably the hardest to pin down in many aspects of life, but especially in their careers. Virtuosos thrive on diversity and unpredictability, on wondering “what’s next?” every morning. This makes Virtuosos one of the most mysterious personality types, but also one of the most versatile in the professional world.

Virtuosos are born problem-solvers with an unwavering focus on practical solutions (though perhaps not always solutions to practical problems). No other type is quite as fascinated by how things work, how tools can be used, and how facts can be put together to create immediate and satisfying results. This combination of curiosity and hands-on vigor make people with the Virtuoso personality type excellent mechanics, engineers, graphic designers, and forensic scientists.

Abstract theory and purely academic work that will never see the light of real use hold little interest for Virtuosos. 

“Practical” is the word of the day. But it’s not the practicality of routine administration that Virtuosos crave – they need variety and action, perhaps even a little adrenaline in their work. Highly structured environments leave Virtuoso personalities bored and tired. Jobs that focus on crisis response, such as firefighters, paramedics, detectives, pilots and police officers seem made for Virtuosos.

Perhaps most important to Virtuosos though, is the feeling that they aren’t stuck. The freedom to wander, the freedom to declare their own schedules, their own responsibilities, their own environments – nearly every other consideration pales by comparison to the need to avoid inflexible commitments and stodgy colleagues. While this can be a significant hurdle to overcome in traditional employment, it is the chiefest allure of entrepreneurship.

Do Whatever Makes Your Heart Sing

Nearly any creative or constructive skill or interest can be offered on a freelance basis or on a business-owner’s own terms, be it blogger, systems analyst, athlete or driver. Virtuosos need to face down their weak long-term planning abilities and preference for instant results in order to make this path work, but livelihoods can be made selling bits and crafts in their free time. It’s also possible to find more traditional work to satisfy these needs, and forest ranger is a sought-after line of work for many Virtuosos.

Virtuosos have a natural skill with troubleshooting, a relaxed, self-confident nature and a results-oriented focus. People with this personality type understand that risk equals reward, and as long as they can use that understanding with maturity, rather than just kicking the ant’s nest whenever they get bored, they are highly desirable in any dynamic field or environment.

VIRTUOSOS IN THE WORKPLACE

When it comes to the workplace, Virtuosos’ top requirement is often a sense of unpredictability and excitement. This quality makes Virtuoso personalities’ personal relationships challenging enough, even among close friends and immediate family – for those they’ve only come to know in a professional environment, it can be downright frustrating.

Of course, this all comes down to knowing what makes them tick. With a little space and a hands-on problem to solve, Virtuosos can be some of the most productive people around. As with anyone, forcing people with the Virtuoso personality type into a mold that doesn’t fit just doesn’t work. Recognizing their unique perspective and gifts can lead to extraordinary results.

Virtuoso Subordinates

As subordinates, what Virtuosos crave most is a little wiggle room. Relaxed and easy-going, people with the Virtuoso personality type are happy to stick around with surprising loyalty, as long as their employers and managers don’t try to force them to commit to anything that can’t be undone the next day. Strict rules, guidelines and formal agreements make Virtuosos feel cramped and bored. If their habits or methods come under criticism or are forced to change, Virtuosos can also be surprisingly mulish.

Something that’s likely to make Virtuosos’ day is a random list of things that need to be fixed or dealt with. Virtuoso personalities have a talent for conserving their energy for just such an occasion, and can tackle such a laundry list with surprising enthusiasm. Their tasks do need to be hands-on though – if the items all start with “Come up with a strategy to...”, it’s probably better to find an Analyst type.

Virtuoso Colleagues

Virtuosos are often much more liked by their colleagues than they would expect. Quiet and reserved, people with this personality type usually need a little physical space, but at the same time enjoy peeking in on others’ work to see if there’s anything interesting going on. Not naturally emotional or empathetic, Virtuosos have a blunt way of communicating that can lead to misunderstandings or hurt feelings.

Yet, Virtuosos combine this rationalism and reserve with a sense of spontaneity that, among other things, creates a lighthearted sense of “do unto others” fairness. Turnabout is always fair play, and the odd prank, and the retaliation, are usually enjoyed by all. Virtuosos have a great sense of humor, if sometimes a little risqué, and are not only resistant to workplace conflicts, but are great at defusing them with a well-placed joke that puts it all into perspective.

Virtuoso Managers

Virtuoso managers treat their subordinates as they’d like to be treated: with minimal talking and loose boundaries. Virtuosos aren’t big on chattiness or emotional expression, and more sensitive types may see them as cold and distant – effusive praise and back-slapping just isn’t in Virtuosos’ nature. In fact, there isn’t likely to be a lot of feedback at all from Virtuoso managers, good or bad. But when problems do arise, they are great listeners who devise practical, fair, and impartial solutions.

VIRTUOSO PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as practical and inventive as Virtuosos. Known for their rational thinking and willingness to improvise, Virtuosos are good at finding unique solutions to seemingly impossible challenges. Virtuosos’ desire to explore and learn new things is invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Virtuosos can be easily tripped up in areas where their logical and practical attitude is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.

[harlowtriton]

“My observation is that whenever one person is found adequate to the discharge of a duty... it is worse executed by two persons, and scarcely done at all if three or more are employed therein.”

                                                                                          -- George Washington

LOGISTICIAN PERSONALITY (ISTJ, -A/-T)

The Logistician personality type is thought to be the most abundant, making up around 13% of the population. Their defining characteristics of integrity, practical logic and tireless dedication to duty make Logisticians a vital core to many families, as well as organizations that uphold traditions, rules and standards, such as law offices, regulatory bodies and military. People with the Logistician personality type enjoy taking responsibility for their actions, and take pride in the work they do – when working towards a goal, Logisticians hold back none of their time and energy completing each relevant task with accuracy and patience.

Logisticians don’t make many assumptions, preferring instead to analyze their surroundings, check their facts and arrive at practical courses of action. Logistician personalities are no-nonsense, and when they’ve made a decision, they will relay the facts necessary to achieve their goal, expecting others to grasp the situation immediately and take action. Logisticians have little tolerance for indecisiveness, but lose patience even more quickly if their chosen course is challenged with impractical theories, especially if they ignore key details – if challenges becomes time-consuming debates, Logisticians can become noticeably angry as deadlines tick nearer.

Associate With Those of Good Quality if You Esteem Your Reputation...

When Logisticians say they are going to get something done, they do it, meeting their obligations no matter the personal cost, and they are baffled by people who don’t hold their own word in the same respect. Combining laziness and dishonesty is the quickest way to get on Logisticians’ bad side. Consequently, people with the Logistician personality type often prefer to work alone, or at least have their authority clearly established by hierarchy, where they can set and achieve their goals without debate or worry over other’s reliability.

Logisticians have sharp, fact-based minds, and prefer autonomy and self-sufficiency to reliance on someone or something. Dependency on others is often seen by Logisticians as a weakness, and their passion for duty, dependability and impeccable personal integrity forbid falling into such a trap.

This sense of personal integrity is core to Logisticians, and goes beyond their own minds – Logistician personalities adhere to established rules and guidelines regardless of cost, reporting their own mistakes and telling the truth even when the consequences for doing so could be disastrous. To Logisticians, honesty is far more important than emotional considerations, and their blunt approach leaves others with the false impression that Logisticians are cold, or even robotic. People with this type may struggle to express emotion or affection outwardly, but the suggestion that they don’t feel, or worse have no personality at all, is deeply hurtful.

...For It Is Better to Be Alone Than in Bad Company

Logisticians’ dedication is an excellent quality, allowing them to accomplish much, but it is also a core weakness that less scrupulous individuals take advantage of. Logisticians seek stability and security, considering it their duty to maintain a smooth operation, and they may find that their coworkers and significant others shift their responsibilities onto them, knowing that they will always take up the slack. Logisticians tend to keep their opinions to themselves and let the facts do the talking, but it can be a long time before observable evidence tells the whole story.

Logisticians need to remember to take care of themselves – their stubborn dedication to stability and efficiency can compromise those goals in the long term as others lean ever-harder on them, creating an emotional strain that can go unexpressed for years, only finally coming out after it’s too late to fix. If they can find coworkers and spouses who genuinely appreciate and complement their qualities, who enjoy the brightness, clarity and dependability that they offer, Logisticians will find that their stabilizing role is a tremendously satisfying one, knowing that they are part of a system that works.

Logistician Strengths

Honest and Direct – Integrity is the heart of the Logistician personality type. Emotional manipulation, mind games and reassuring lies all run counter to Logisticians’ preference for managing the reality of the situations they encounter with plain and simple honesty.

Strong-willed and Dutiful – Logisticians embody that integrity in their actions too, working hard and staying focused on their goals. Patient and determined, people with the Logistician personality type meet their obligations, period.

Very Responsible – Logisticians’ word is a promise, and a promise means everything. Logisticians would rather run themselves into the ground with extra days and lost sleep than fail to deliver the results they said they would. Loyalty is a strong sentiment for Logistician personalities, and they fulfill their duties to the people and organizations they’ve committed themselves to.

Calm and Practical – None of their promises would mean much if Logisticians lost their tempers and broke down at every sign of hardship – they keep their feet on the ground and make clear, rational decisions. Peoples’ preferences are a factor to consider in this process, and Logisticians work to make the best use of individual qualities, but these decisions are made with effectiveness in mind more so than empathy. The same applies to criticisms, for others and themselves.

Create and Enforce Order – The primary goal of any Logistician is to be effective in what they’ve chosen to do, and they believe that this is accomplished best when everyone involved knows exactly what is going on and why. Unclear guidelines and people who break established rules undermine this effort, and are rarely tolerated by Logisticians. Structure and rules foster dependability; chaos creates unforeseen setbacks and missed deadlines.

Jacks-of-all-trades – Much like Analyst personality types, Logisticians are proud repositories of knowledge, though the emphasis is more on facts and statistics than concepts and underlying principles. This allows Logisticians to apply themselves to a variety of situations, picking up and applying new data and grasping the details of challenging situations as a matter of course.

Logistician Weaknesses

Stubborn – The facts are the facts, and Logisticians tend to resist any new idea that isn’t supported by them. This factual decision-making process also makes it difficult for people with the Logistician personality type to accept that they were wrong about something – but anyone can miss a detail, even them.

Insensitive – While not intentionally harsh, Logisticians often hurt more sensitive types’ feelings by the simple mantra that honesty is the best policy. Logistician personalities may take emotions into consideration, but really only so far as to determine the most effective way to say what needs to be said.

Always by the Book – Logisticians believe that things work best with clearly defined rules, but this makes them reluctant to bend those rules or try new things, even when the downside is minimal. Truly unstructured environments leave Logisticians all but paralyzed.

Judgmental – Opinions are opinions and facts are facts, and Logisticians are unlikely to respect people who disagree with those facts, or especially those who remain willfully ignorant of them.

Often Unreasonably Blame Themselves – All this can combine to make Logisticians believe they are the only ones who can see projects through reliably. As they load themselves with extra work and responsibilities, turning away good intentions and helpful ideas, Logisticians sooner or later hit a tipping point where they simply can’t deliver. Since they’ve heaped the responsibility on themselves, Logisticians then believe the responsibility for failure is theirs alone to bear.

LOGISTICIAN RELATIONSHIPS

Logisticians are dependable through and through, and this trait is clearly expressed when it comes to their romantic relationships. Often representing the epitome of family values, people with the Logistician personality type are comfortable with, and often even encourage traditional household and gender roles, and look to a family structure guided by clear expectations and honesty. While their reserved nature often makes dating Logisticians challenging, they are truly dedicated partners, willing to devote tremendous thought and energy to ensure stable and mutually satisfying relationships.

Happiness and Moral Duty Are Inseparably Connected

Blind dates and random hookups are not Logisticians’ preferred methods for finding potential partners. The risk and unpredictability of these situations has Logisticians’ alarm bells ringing, and being dragged out for a night of dancing at the club just isn’t going to happen. Logistician personalities much prefer more responsible, conservative methods of dating, such as dinner with an interested coworker or, in their more adventurous moods, a setup organized through a mutual friend.

Logisticians approach relationships, as with most things, from a rational perspective, looking for compatibility and the mutual satisfaction of daily and long-term needs. This isn’t a process that Logisticians take lightly, and once commitments are established, they stick to their promises to the very end. Logisticians establish foundations, fulfill their responsibilities, and keep their relationships functional and stable.

As their relationships transitions into the long-term, Logisticians gladly see to the necessary daily tasks around the house, applying the same sense of duty to their home life that they do in the workplace.

While this may not translate into particularly exotic intimate lives, Logisticians are dependable lovers who want very much for their partners to remain satisfied. It takes patience on the part of more adventurous partners, but if different activities can be demonstrated as equally or more enjoyable than those already within Logisticians’ comfort zones, they are perfectly capable of trying something new.

However, emotional satisfaction can be another matter. While Logisticians are able to provide surprisingly good emotional support, this only happens when they realize that it’s necessary, and there’s the rub. Logisticians are not naturally receptive to others’ emotions, not unless they are stated clearly, and a partner usually only says “I’m angry” when it’s too late to address the initial grievance.

Let Your Heart Feel Their Afflictions, and Give Proportionally

People with the Logistician personality type can get so caught up in the belief in their correctness, in “winning” arguments they thought were about facts, that they don’t realize their partner may have viewed things from a perspective of consideration and sensitivity. Especially with more sensitive partners, this can be a huge challenge for the relationship. Ultimately though, Logisticians’ senses of responsibility and dedication set the tone, and they spare no effort in noting to this distinction moving forward, the consequences having been demonstrated as real.

While Logisticians’ staid approach may seem boring to some, there is an undeniable attractiveness to it, though felt perhaps more by respect and admiration than emotional passion. Logisticians’ shells hide a strong and quiet determination and reliability, rare among other personality types, which can benefit even the flightiest personalities, allowing them to stay connected to the real world while still exploring new territory. Partners who share the Observant (S) trait are the best fit for Logistician personalities, with one or two opposing traits to create balance and to expand Logisticians’ sometimes overly isolated world, such as partners with Extraverted (E) or Prospecting (P) traits.

LOGISTICIAN FRIENDS

Logistician friends are not spontaneous. They are not talkative, or particularly playful in their affection. What Logistician friends are is loyal, trustworthy, honorable and dependable. Others may come and go with the ups and downs of life, but Logisticians stay by their friends’ sides no matter what, with a deepness of commitment that other types may not even believe is possible.

True Friendship Is a Plant of Slow Growth

Logisticians are a very methodical personality type, and this loyalty isn’t given away lightly. Often slow to make friends, Logisticians usually end up with a smaller circle, but they consider that circle to represent a promise to be there for the people they care about, and Logisticians’ promises are not easily broken.

Expressing emotional affection isn’t one of Logisticians’ stronger skills, but they nevertheless find ways to show it. As Socrates said, “To be is to do”, and Logisticians’ follow-through, their willingness to take action as a show of support, stands in for their words.

These actions convey a sensitivity that many fail to see, but it is a quality that Logisticians’ friends come to admire and depend on in the long years of their friendships.

But all of this sounds terribly serious, and indeed it only shows the one side of Logisticians and their approach to their friendships. The other side knows how to stop being quite so staid, and especially in the company of joyful and talkative Extraverts (E), Logisticians enjoy relaxing and having fun with a good discussion about work, life, and current events.

People with the Logistician personality type don’t like conflict, and this applies to how they select their friends as well. Seeking out friends with similar principles and opinions, Logisticians most often befriend other Sentinels personalities, who are likely to share their perspective and world vision. While they are unlikely to become friends with substantially different types – it simply takes too much energy to bridge the communication gap – Logistician personalities still recognize and appreciate others’ strengths and qualities.

Knowledge Is the Surest Basis of Happiness

In fact, as if to prove the point, Logisticians almost always have at least one Intuitive (N) friend in their inner circle, despite the disconnect the two perspectives bring. These are very much relationships built not on mutual understanding, but out of respect for their mutual differences. Logisticians marvel at Intuitives’ breadth of thought, being very much in tune with their own intelligence, while Intuitives admire Logisticians’ realism and dependability, something they are often hard-pressed to find in themselves. Knowledge, as always, is the great equalizer.

LOGISTICIAN PARENTS

As parents, people with the Logistician personality type are often the most comfortable. Their sense of responsibility and honor blends well with a tradition that has been in place since time immemorial: to raise one’s children to be respected, contributing members of home and society. As with most commitments, Logisticians do not take their roles as parents lightly, and will make it their work to ensure that this tradition is upheld to the highest standard.

This doesn’t always come easily for their children though, as Logisticians tend to be strict, with high standards and expectations. Logistician personalities establish stable, clearly structured environments for their children, always with an eye on helping them to develop a sense of place in society, and to fulfill useful roles.

A clear sense of hierarchy is a part of developing this identity, and Logisticians work just as much to ensure an appropriate respect for authority as they do with family and societal structure.

All this loyalty, devotion and structure are of little use though when Logisticians’ children need the warmth of emotional support. While Logisticians can be sensitive towards those they care about in their own way, it’s hard for younger children and especially adolescents to recognize this tough love for the love that it is. Often Logisticians need to rely on a more sensitive partner to fill this role and mediate between rational purpose and the more ethereal sense of emotional well-being.

Success Is Owed to Our Parents’ Moral and Intellectual Teachings

People with the Logistician personality type are strongly principled, valuing patience and hard work, qualities children often struggle with. Nevertheless, Logisticians’ children are expected to meet these standards and share these values, for their own good. This approach often bears its fruit in the long run, but Logisticians must keep in mind that their approach creates natural barriers and distance that often leave their children wondering if they’re on the same team.

Taken too far, or with mutual stubbornness, this may even set in as a permanent state in the relationship, something both Logistician parents and their children ultimately regret. It is best for Logisticians to embrace and hold to their own values, but to also recognize that each person has their own goals, and to meet their children halfway in attaining theirs. Combining their natural devotion and purpose with this flexibility in support of their children’s own vision leads to a sense of mutual respect and accomplishment that any Logistician parent would be proud of.

LOGISTICIAN CAREERS

While many personality types may be comfortable with flexible work as consultants and sole proprietors, Logisticians are much more focused on building long-term, stable careers. That’s not to say that Logisticians can’t do that sort of work – many find themselves thinking about what’s on the other side of those cubical walls – but what they crave is dependability, and that is reflected in their choice of work perhaps more so than in any other part of their lives.

Have No Other View Than to Promote the Public Good

The facts support this, as the most common careers among people with the Logistician personality type revolve around institutions of respected tradition, authority, security, and established consistency. Careers as military officers, lawyers, judges, police officers and detectives are all very popular among Logisticians. This makes sense, as they not only offer the stability that Logisticians seek, but are in line with their principles and conservatism, establishing clear societal roles.

Logisticians of course aren’t limited to these organizations – there are many other roles that utilize their reliability, objectivity and sharp eyes. When facts and logic are out of place, Logistician personalities swoop in as the accountants, auditors, data analysts, financial managers, business administrators and even doctors that identify, report and correct the issues at hand.

Most of these careers have Logisticians working alone, which is usually their preference, but when teams are necessary, they are best defined by clearly outlined roles, responsibilities and work environments.

Nothing is quite so challenging for Logisticians as ongoing debates about who is responsible for what, resulting in work that’s shoddily assembled – or worse, incomplete.

Logisticians have strong opinions about how things should be done, and if things are shuffled too often, people with this personality type can become surprisingly vocal about their opposition. It’s important for Logisticians to remember that even the most traditional and stable career paths can and need to change as time goes by. It is much better to accept this with grace than to develop reputations of being enemies of new ideas.

Business Discourse Should Be Short and Comprehensive

Logisticians may also struggle with the increasingly open and social requirements of modern work life. Being somewhat bad at sensing others feelings, Logisticians’ “just the facts” attitude can be downright alienating when it comes to more sensitive personality types. This applies not just to coworkers but to customers as well – service positions like retail sales and waiting tables, as well as more emotionally demanding careers such as psychiatry are, generally speaking, a terrible fit.

The ideal career paths feature a trend: they place facts above feelings and allow Logisticians to uphold the hard standards that are the backbone of society. Rules are the basis for everything people take for granted about modern life, from the social contract that smooths relationships, to the laws that protect peoples’ most basic safety, to the constitutions and treaties that govern nations. People with the Logistician personality type take on roles as the defenders of these ideas, in big ways and small, and are rightfully proud of it.

LOGISTICIANS IN THE WORKPLACE

When it comes to the workplace, Logisticians are almost a stereotype for the classic hard-working, dutiful employee. In all positions, the Logistician personality type seeks structure, clearly defined rules, and respect for authority and hierarchy. Responsibilities aren’t burdens to Logisticians, they are the trust that has been placed in them, an opportunity to prove once again that they are the right person for the job.

On the other hand, the change that comes with assuming those new responsibilities, or in losing old ones, is often a significant struggle for Logisticians. This presents itself differently in different positions of authority, but it is one of Logisticians’ most significant challenges to overcome. The usual insensitivity common to all Thinking (T) types is also a running theme here, something many people with the Logistician personality type choose to focus on in their personal and professional development.

Logistician Subordinates

Logisticians crave responsibility, which makes them the go-to subordinates for odds and ends and unpopular projects. Often seen as jacks of all trades, Logistician personalities can competently tackle any project that comes with a manual. On the other hand, this makes them reluctant to give up responsibilities even when they are overburdened, or when there are better people for the job. The seriousness in Logisticians’ approach to their work makes them surprisingly sensitive to criticism, leading to a sometimes vexing level of inflexibility.

Their stubbornness aside, or perhaps because of it, Logisticians are quite possibly one of the most productive subordinates – they respect authority and hierarchy, and have no problem following orders and instructions. Punctuality is unlikely to ever be an issue, either in terms of showing up to work on time, or in terms of meeting project deadlines. While Logisticians may need clearly set steps and well-defined responsibilities, they are exceptionally loyal, dedicated, meticulous and patient in completing their work.

Logistician Colleagues

Among colleagues, no one can be trusted more to ensure that projects are finished on time and by the book than Logisticians. Quiet and methodical, people with the Logistician personality type keep cool when the going gets tough, but expect their colleagues to share their approach. Significantly different types, especially more emotional ones, baffle Logisticians with their need for emotional support and openness, or capacity for dropping something, half finished. To Logisticians, either something’s been done right or it’s been done wrong, and sugarcoating it or walking away isn’t going to fix it.

Logisticians value peace and security in the workplace, and the easiest way for this to happen is for them to simply work alone. Innovations, brainstorming, theories and new ideas all disrupt this comfortable state, and it takes a great deal of respect on Logisticians’ part to acknowledge their validity. Once the details have been laid out and a plan of implementation established though, Logisticians are an indispensable part of the team in putting these ideas into practice.

Logistician Managers

Logisticians love responsibility and the power resulting from it. Pressing themselves hard to meet their obligations, Logisticians regularly go above and beyond their duties, and expect their subordinates to act with the same level of dedication. At the same time, Logisticians’ preference for doing things by the book, adherence to hierarchy, and general aversion to innovation makes their subordinates ride a very thin line when they do – stepping out of bounds must be backed up with just the facts, and results.

It is said that it is better to do first and ask permission later – it’s difficult to say whether this applies to Logisticians, as they are very intolerant of their subordinates’ failures to meet their obligations, and one of those obligations is to stick to the plan. Believing that truth, at least as far as they see it, is more important than sensitivity, Logistician personalities are capable of laying down hard criticism, and their willingness to make tough decisions can make perceived insubordination the final trespass.

LOGISTICIAN PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as practical and dedicated as Logisticians. Known for their reliability and hard work, Logisticians are good at creating and maintaining a secure and stable environment for themselves and their loved ones. Logisticians’ dedication is invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Logisticians can be easily tripped up in areas where their practical and methodical approach is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.

[bobotomago]

“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you surely don’t deserve me at my best.”

                                                                                                    -- Marilyn Monroe

ENTERTAINER PERSONALITY (ESFP, -A/-T)

If anyone is to be found spontaneously breaking into song and dance, it is the Entertainer personality type. Entertainers get caught up in the excitement of the moment, and want everyone else to feel that way, too. No other personality type is as generous with their time and energy as Entertainers when it comes to encouraging others, and no other personality type does it with such irresistible style.

We Are All of Us Stars...

Entertainers love the spotlight, and all the world’s a stage. Many famous people with the Entertainer personality type are indeed actors, but they love putting on a show for their friends too, chatting with a unique and earthy wit, soaking up attention and making every outing feel a bit like a party. Utterly social, Entertainers enjoy the simplest things, and there’s no greater joy for them than just having fun with a good group of friends.

It’s not just talk either – Entertainers have the strongest aesthetic sense of any personality type. From grooming and outfits to a well-appointed home, Entertainer personalities have an eye for fashion. Knowing what’s attractive the moment they see it, Entertainers aren’t afraid to change their surroundings to reflect their personal style. Entertainers are naturally curious, exploring new designs and styles with ease.

Though it may not always seem like it, Entertainers know that it’s not all about them – they are observant, and very sensitive to others’ emotions. People with this personality type are often the first to help someone talk out a challenging problem, happily providing emotional support and practical advice. However, if the problem is about them, Entertainers are more likely to avoid a conflict altogether than to address it head-on. Entertainers usually love a little drama and passion, but not so much when they are the focus of the criticisms it can bring.

...And We Deserve to Twinkle

The biggest challenge Entertainers face is that they are often so focused on immediate pleasures that they neglect the duties and responsibilities that make those luxuries possible. Complex analysis, repetitive tasks, and matching statistics to real consequences are not easy activities for Entertainers. They’d rather rely on luck or opportunity, or simply ask for help from their extensive circle of friends. It is important for Entertainers to challenge themselves to keep track of long-term things like their retirement plans or sugar intake – there won’t always be someone else around who can help to keep an eye on these things.

Entertainers recognize value and quality, which on its own is a fine trait. In combination with their tendency to be poor planners though, this can cause them to live beyond their means, and credit cards are especially dangerous. More focused on leaping at opportunities than in planning out long-term goals, Entertainers may find that their inattentiveness has made some activities unaffordable.

There’s nothing that makes Entertainers feel quite as unhappy as realizing that they are boxed in by circumstance, unable to join their friends.

Entertainers are welcome wherever there’s a need for laughter, playfulness, and a volunteer to try something new and fun – and there’s no greater joy for Entertainer personalities than to bring everyone else along for the ride. Entertainers can chat for hours, sometimes about anything but the topic they meant to talk about, and share their loved ones’ emotions through good times and bad. If they can just remember to keep their ducks in a row, they’ll always be ready to dive into all the new and exciting things the world has to offer, friends in tow.

Entertainer Strengths

Bold – Entertainers aren’t known for holding back. Wanting to experience everything there is to experience, people with the Entertainer personality type don’t mind stepping out of their comfort zones when no one else is willing.

Original – Traditions and expectations are secondary to Entertainers, if a consideration at all. Entertainer personalities love to experiment with new styles, and constantly find new ways to stick out in the crowd.

Aesthetics and Showmanship – Not stopping at mere outfits, Entertainers inject artistic creativity into their words and actions, too. Every day is a performance, and Entertainers love to put on a show.

Practical – To Entertainers, the world is meant to be felt and experienced. Truth is stranger than fiction, and Entertainers prefer to see and do than to wax philosophical about “what-ifs”.

Observant – With all this focus on the here and now, on doing and acting, it makes sense that Entertainers are naturals when it comes to noticing real, tangible things and changes.

Excellent People Skills – More so than things though, Entertainers love to pay attention to people. They are talkative, witty, and almost never run out of things to discuss. For people with this personality type, happiness and satisfaction stem from the time they spend with the people they enjoy being with.

Entertainer Weaknesses

Sensitive – Entertainers (especially Turbulent ones) are strongly emotional, and very vulnerable to criticism – they can feel like they’ve been backed into a corner, sometimes reacting badly. This is probably Entertainers’ greatest weakness, because it makes it so hard to address any other weaknesses brought to light.

Conflict-Averse – Entertainers sometimes ignore and avoid conflict entirely. They tend to say and do what’s needed to get out of such situations, then move on to something more fun.

Easily Bored – Without constant excitement, Entertainers find ways to create it themselves. Risky behavior, self-indulgence, and the pleasures of the moment over long-term plans are all things Entertainers get into a little too often.

Poor Long-Term Planners – In fact, Entertainer personalities rarely make detailed plans for the future. To them, things come as they come, and they rarely bother with taking the time to lay out steps and consequences, with the belief that they could change at any moment – even with things that can be planned.

Unfocused – Anything that requires long-term dedication and focus is a particular challenge for Entertainers. In academics, dense, unchanging subjects like Classic Literature are much more difficult than more dynamic, relatable subjects like psychology. The trick for Entertainers is to find day-to-day joy in broader goals, and to tough it out with those tedious things that must be done.

ENTERTAINER RELATIONSHIPS

Entertainers are social, fun-loving, free-spirited people who live life in the moment and squeeze every little bit of excitement from everything. Naturally, they don’t spare any of this freshness and energy when dating. For people with the Entertainer personality type, relationships aren’t about slowly building foundations for the future, or planning out a life – they are bubbling, unpredictable things to be enjoyed for as long as there’s enjoyment to be had.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Of course, when that enjoyment does burn out, it’s gone. Entertainers reevaluate their situations and commitments constantly, regardless of professions of love and dedication today. If a week later they just don’t feel the same, that’s it, and Entertainer personalities have no problem seriously considering breaking things off. While Entertainers can be willing to work on their relationships rather than swap them out, it takes a great deal of maturity and experience for them to realize that it can be worth the bother.

While they do last though, relationships with Entertainers are simply unforgettable. People with this personality type always have some new and exciting activity up their sleeves, and they genuinely enjoy spending each moment with their partners. Entertainers enjoy physical intimacy immensely, and they prove themselves affectionate, inquisitive, and open-minded lovers who love to share pleasure with willing and reciprocative partners.

Conversation with Entertainers is similar, focusing on fun, sometimes quirky subjects rather than deep, soul-searching expressions. The past and the future, the sciences and politics, and long-term plans and commitments are all routinely ignored by Entertainer personalities. They slow things down and add too much weight to Entertainers’ freewheeling style.

Entertainers happily chat about just about anything or anyone that comes to mind, but won’t have a topic forced.

Highly emotional people, and sensitive, Entertainers respond poorly to outside “suggestions” on how to manage their love lives. They respond even worse if criticisms come from their partners, and trying to take emotions out of the picture by telling Entertainers to “not take this personally” isn’t helpful either. Handling these situations better is a definite area for improvement for Entertainers, as there are entire dating strategies (pretty distasteful, manipulative ones) that revolve around exploiting this very trait.

On the other hand, the issue can be a lack of criticism at all. Entertainers value social input a lot, and are almost as affected by their friends’ opinions of their dating partners as their own. Since Entertainers are attracted to people who share their attitudes, whether dating partners or friends, this can leave them in an echo chamber that only tells them what they want to hear, reinforcing immature behaviors.

Just Trying to Find Somebody to Love

All of these tendencies can really come back to haunt people with the Entertainer personality type later on. Entertainers’ tendency to avoid promises and commitments and jump from partner to partner sabotages necessary long-term goals like retirement planning. Building real relationships takes time and conscious effort.

Luckily, Entertainers are incredibly likeable people who enjoy life’s small pleasures, and hardly want for diversity in their partners. Enthusiastic and affectionate, with a pure and down-to-earth love that just takes things at face value, Entertainers are fortunate that they take the time to find someone they truly enjoy being with every day, rather than settling too soon for stability over happiness, only to lose both.

ENTERTAINER FRIENDS

Entertainers are known for their irrepressibly social and excited attitudes. They don’t internalize much of anything, sharing it all with their extensive circles of friends with wit, style, enthusiasm, and optimism. Entertainers are explorers of the pleasures of life, and they take particular pleasure in sharing those experiences with others. For Entertainers, there’s no point in living if you can’t feel alive.

Better Be Totally Ridiculous Than Totally Boring

Entertainers are people of action. Getting out with activities that engage all five senses is Entertainer personalities’ idea of a good time. Sometimes though, Entertainers may go too far with risky or careless behaviors, and try to bring others along for the ride. People with this personality type are sensitive, and rejecting these pastimes can be taken personally, ending friendships then and there. Entertainers don’t have time to be lectured.

Making new friends isn’t a problem for Entertainers though – they use an alluring combination of blunt truths and disarming openness and charm to keep things moving. Where Entertainer personalities falter is in keeping the friends they already have. In their excitement and focus on here and now over history, Entertainers too easily exhaust the adventure one person has to offer, moving on once one person’s novelty has worn off.

This can all give the impression that Entertainers are shallow, pleasure-centric creatures who care little for anyone but themselves. This is a terrible misunderstanding, and far from the truth, but nevertheless makes friendships with Intuitive (N) personality types challenging. Entertainers care sincerely about their friends – it’s why they put so much effort into coming up with group experiences they believe everyone will enjoy – and they are deeply distressed by the occasional conflicts that end these relationships.

As they grow and mature, Entertainers respect different personality types and approaches more and more.

Novelty is king for people with the Entertainer personality type, and there’s only so much diversity among fellow Explorer types. Entertainers love touching on intellectual and philosophical subjects, and they seek out a diversity of personality types and perspectives to keep among their friends. But as these friends grind into the details of some esoteric topic about the long-term consequences of faltering European economic output, Entertainers inevitably find their minds wandering, hoping for someone to rush up and say “Guess what just happened!”

ENTERTAINER PARENTS

Entertainers are some of the most relaxed, fun-loving parents out there. Playing with children is a genuine pleasure for them, and people with the Entertainer personality type constantly devise new and exciting ways to enjoy their time with their children. From the first moment they hold their babies, Entertainers are taken with the joy and wonder that their children experience in everything around them, and share and encourage it as much as possible.

They Who Are Brave Are Free

Exploration and experiences are key philosophies for Entertainer parents – when their children ask questions, the answer is “Let’s find out!” Overbearing structures and tightly scheduled activities aren’t a big part of Entertainer personalities’ parenting. They’d much rather take things day by day and break up the crust by letting their children explore something new in their own way, something much appreciated by Entertainers’ children.

Of course, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any rules – Entertainers were young once, too!

Discipline is far from their strongest suit, but hindsight and maturity have their effects, and Entertainers are often keen to prevent their children from suffering the same hurts and setbacks they themselves experienced. People with the Entertainer personality type are quite sensitive themselves, and expect their children to be respectful and considerate with what rules there are, a point of contention through the teenage years.

Entertainers always keep up their end of the bargain though, providing plenty of emotional support. While not especially demanding parents, warm affection and a sense of practicality give Entertainer personalities a very nurturing and encouraging parenting style, filling the gap nicely. When their children declare themselves future astronauts, Entertainers happily build make-believe spaceships, and later use those declarations to help their children focus on their schoolwork and goals. After all, successful astronauts need to know their math!

ENTERTAINER CAREERS

Entertainers have a unique quality that makes them exceptional in some careers, and miserable in others – they mirror the mood around them. When people with the Entertainer personality type are at a party or concert, they reflect that mood, giving them that “party people” image. When their friends are sad, they mirror that with sympathy and empathy. And when there is a crisis, Entertainers adapt as well, matching the intensity of the situation.

Trying to Find Yourself...

As a result, just about any career that focuses on working with others is a good fit, and is even essential for Entertainers to be happy and productive. Entertainer personalities are natural event planners, sales representatives, trip planners, and tour guides, as each of these creates a sense of excitement, stimulation, and novelty between them and their customers.

Entertainers balance their emotional sensitivity with a strong sense of independence and resourcefulness, making each experience unique.

Entertainers genuinely enjoy spending time with others and getting to know them, and have a knack for making people happy, even in the most frustrating situations. A good challenge is always appreciated by Entertainer personalities, and they make wonderful and inspiring counselors, social workers, personal coaches, and consultants who improve employee or customer satisfaction.

With their ability to respond with resourcefulness and passion when their help is badly needed, Entertainers make brilliant medical professionals, especially as EMTs, paramedics, and nurses. They quickly pick up information about others, helping them get straight to the heart of the issue when dealing with the sick or injured. Entertainers thrive on intense emotion, and there’s hardly a better place for it.

Not everybody has the energy for that though, or wants the responsibility of life and death – some Entertainers prefer to make people happy and excited by creating beauty instead. People with this personality type have plenty of creative energy, and many build fulfilling careers in music, fashion, photography, and interior design. With the best aesthetic sense of any personality type, Entertainers are renowned for their sense of style.

...Isn’t Always Easy

However, jobs that eliminate human contact and focus on impartial, data-driven decisions are torturous to Entertainers. Some Entertainer personalities do well enough by blowing off steam with friends after work, but for the most part, careers like technical writing or data analysis are poor fits. Add Entertainers’ loathing for schedules, structures, and repetition, and nine-to-five administrative work is quickly sent to the “nope” bin.

Regardless of where their diverse passions lie, Entertainers need freedom, novelty, and above all, human contact. People with the Entertainer personality type need to know that they aren’t just appreciated, though that is very important, but liked. When Entertainers come in to work, they want to see a touch of chaos, and to navigate it with a crack team of capable friends who are all too happy to take action by their sides.

ENTERTAINERS IN THE WORKPLACE

Regardless of what position Entertainers find themselves in at work, they share a desire to make the environment as friendly and enjoyable as possible. People with the Entertainer personality type are able to take a social and relaxed attitude and use it to get everyone else on board with practical tasks that just need to get done. The more freedom Entertainers have to meet these needs, the better the results, so long as they know what the goal is, and there’s hardly a better personality type to have around in a dynamic, hectic work environment.

Entertainer Subordinates

As subordinates, Entertainers thrive on change and new ideas, and loathe repetitive and strictly defined tasks. Entertainer personalities’ managers find willing and able experimenters who can brainstorm, quickly grasp new methods, and actually put those methods to practical use – so long as Entertainers have a little leeway apply their own creative style. Changes may take a few tries though, as Entertainers can be forgetful in the heat of the moment, and can get more caught up in trying to get quick returns.

Entertainers give honest feedback on whether things make sense, but are quite sensitive to others’ criticism of their own habits. Under fire, people with this personality type (especially Turbulent ones) become defensive and are easily upset. But in the end, if they believe that the criticism comes from an honest intent to help, not hurt, Entertainers take it to heart. The biggest struggle for Entertainers in subordinate positions is that they value freedom and independence far more than safety and security – if their conditions aren’t met, they’re as likely to leave as make do.

Entertainer Colleagues

If anyone can make friends with their colleagues and keep tension at bay within their team, it’s Entertainers. A fun atmosphere is important, and people with the Entertainer personality type use their strong observational and social skills to bring everyone together, shifting a souring mood if need be. Entertainers rarely want for ideas on how to make this happen, happily organizing events and activities inside and outside the workplace. Entertainers’ spontaneity, wit, and enthusiasm have no equal.

Entertainer Managers

As managers, Entertainers do everything they can to pump energy and fun into the day-to-day work that needs to be done. Entertainer personalities enjoy being the center of attention, and even more so to feel like they’re needed and appreciated. Jumping into the thick of the work and applying themselves to anything they’d ask their subordinates to do is something Entertainers consider part of the job. Authority and social status are secondary to feeling like they’re an important part of a team that gets the job done.

Entertainers are great at noticing others’ moods, and there are few personality types better at preventing conflict and encouraging relaxed, enjoyable workplaces. Subordinates are always welcome to speak their minds, and people with this personality type are always happy to hear others out, especially if something is upsetting them. Entertainers’ ability to relate to others and think on their feet makes them resourceful and inspiring leaders.

ENTERTAINER PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as charming and attractive as Entertainers. Known for their boldness and willingness to improvise, Entertainers are great at finding exciting new things to explore and experience. Entertainers’ creativity and down-to-earth attitude are invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Entertainers can be easily tripped up in areas where their kind and practical approach is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.

[rilespan]

“Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others.”

                                                                                                         -- Brian Tracy

DEFENDER PERSONALITY (ISFJ, -A/-T)

The Defender personality type is quite unique, as many of their qualities defy the definition of their individual traits. Though sensitive, Defenders have excellent analytical abilities; though reserved, they have well-developed people skills and robust social relationships; and though they are generally a conservative type, Defenders are often receptive to change and new ideas. As with so many things, people with the Defender personality type are more than the sum of their parts, and it is the way they use these strengths that defines who they are.

Defenders are true altruists, meeting kindness with kindness-in-excess and engaging the work and people they believe in with enthusiasm and generosity.

There’s hardly a better type to make up such a large proportion of the population, nearly 13%. Combining the best of tradition and the desire to do good, Defenders are found in lines of work with a sense of history behind them, such as medicine, academics and charitable social work.

Defender personalities (especially Turbulent ones) are often meticulous to the point of perfectionism, and though they procrastinate, they can always be relied on to get the job done on time. Defenders take their responsibilities personally, consistently going above and beyond, doing everything they can to exceed expectations and delight others, at work and at home.

We Must Be Seen to Be Believed

The challenge for Defenders is ensuring that what they do is noticed. They have a tendency to underplay their accomplishments, and while their kindness is often respected, more cynical and selfish people are likely to take advantage of Defenders’ dedication and humbleness by pushing work onto them and then taking the credit. Defenders need to know when to say no and stand up for themselves if they are to maintain their confidence and enthusiasm.

Naturally social, an odd quality for Introverts, Defenders utilize excellent memories not to retain data and trivia, but to remember people, and details about their lives. When it comes to gift-giving, Defenders have no equal, using their imagination and natural sensitivity to express their generosity in ways that touch the hearts of their recipients. While this is certainly true of their coworkers, whom people with the Defender personality type often consider their personal friends, it is in family that their expressions of affection fully bloom.

If I Can Protect You, I Will

Defender personalities are a wonderful group, rarely sitting idle while a worthy cause remains unfinished. Defenders’ ability to connect with others on an intimate level is unrivaled among Introverts, and the joy they experience in using those connections to maintain a supportive, happy family is a gift for everyone involved. They may never be truly comfortable in the spotlight, and may feel guilty taking due credit for team efforts, but if they can ensure that their efforts are recognized, Defenders are likely to feel a level of satisfaction in what they do that many other personality types can only dream of.

DEFENDER STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Defender Strengths

Supportive – Defenders are the universal helpers, sharing their knowledge, experience, time and energy with anyone who needs it, and all the more so with friends and family. People with this personality type strive for win-win situations, choosing empathy over judgment whenever possible.

Reliable and Patient – Rather than offering sporadic, excited rushes that leave things half finished, Defenders are meticulous and careful, taking a steady approach and bending with the needs of the situation just enough to accomplish their end goals. Defenders not only ensure that things are done to the highest standard, but often go well beyond what is required.

Imaginative and Observant – Defenders are very imaginative, and use this quality as an accessory to empathy, observing others’ emotional states and seeing things from their perspective. With their feet firmly planted on the ground, it is a very practical imagination, though they do find things quite fascinating and inspiring.

Enthusiastic – When the goal is right, Defenders take all this support, reliability and imagination and apply it to something they believe will make a difference in people’s lives – whether fighting poverty with a global initiative or simply making a customer’s day.

Loyal and Hard-Working – Given a little time, this enthusiasm grows into loyalty – Defender personalities often form an emotional attachment to the ideas and organizations they’ve dedicated themselves to. Anything short of meeting their obligations with good, hard work fails their own expectations.

Good Practical Skills – The best part is, Defenders have the practical sense to actually do something with all this altruism. If mundane, routine tasks are what need to be done, Defenders can see the beauty and harmony that they create, because they know that it helps them to care for their friends, family, and anyone else who needs it.

Defender Weaknesses

Humble and Shy – The meek shall inherit the earth, but it’s a long road if they receive no recognition at all. This is possibly Defenders’ biggest challenge, as they are so concerned with others’ feelings that they refuse to make their thoughts known, or to take any duly earned credit for their contributions. Defenders’ standards for themselves are also so high that, knowing they could have done some minor aspect of a task better, they often downplay their successes entirely.

Take Things Too Personally – Defenders have trouble separating personal and impersonal situations – any situation is still an interaction between two people, after all – and any negativity from conflict or criticism can carry over from their professional to their personal lives, and back again.

Repress Their Feelings – People with the Defender personality type are private and very sensitive, internalizing their feelings a great deal. Much in the way that Defenders protect others’ feelings, they must protect their own, and this lack of healthy emotional expression can lead to a lot of stress and frustration.

Overload Themselves – Their strong senses of duty and perfectionism combine with this aversion to emotional conflict to create a situation where it is far too easy for Defenders to overload themselves – or to be overloaded by others – as they struggle silently to meet everyone’s expectations, especially their own.

Reluctant to Change – These challenges can be particularly hard to address since Defender personalities value traditions and history highly in their decisions. A situation sometimes needs to reach a breaking point before Defenders are persuaded by circumstance, or the strong personality of a loved one, to alter course.

Too Altruistic – This is all compounded and reinforced by Defenders’ otherwise wonderful quality of altruism. Being such warm, good-natured people, Defenders are willing to let things slide, to believe that things will get better soon, to not burden others by accepting their offers of help, while their troubles mount unassisted.

DEFENDER RELATIONSHIPS

When it comes to romantic relationships, Defenders’ kindness grows into a joy that is only found in taking care of their family and home, in being there for emotional and practical support whenever it’s needed. Home is where the heart is for people with the Defender personality type, and in no other area of their lives do they strive with such dedication to create the harmony and beauty they wish to see in the world.

The trouble is, these are the benefits of an established long-term relationship, and Defenders’ unbearable shyness means it can take a long time to reach this point. Defenders are most attractive when they are simply being themselves in a comfortable environment such as work, where their natural flow shows this kindness and dedication. Relationships built on established familiarity are a warm prospect for Defenders – they take dating seriously and only enter into relationships that have a real chance of lasting a lifetime.

Our Upward Course Is Due to Our Soundness of Heart

Defenders’ shyness and sensitivity shield what are, beneath the surface, incredibly strong feelings. While not always obvious to others, this river of emotion can’t be taken lightly or for granted – Defender personalities can value the idea of committed romance almost as highly as some regard religious beliefs. Hard as it may be, if either dating partner doubts their feelings, they must part ways before real emotional damage is done.

As their relationships do progress, Defenders often continue to struggle with emotional expression, but they have the opportunity to let physical affection stand in for their loving words. People with this personality type take no greater joy than in pleasing others, often even considering this a personal duty, and this applies to intimacy as well. While dutiful sex may not sound especially attractive in those specific terms, intimacy is tremendously important to Defenders, and they spare no effort in this department.

Nor is the pleasure they take in ensuring their partners’ happiness limited to the bedroom – Defenders spend an enormous amount of time and energy finding ways to keep their relationship satisfying for their partners. All they ask in return is commitment, love and, perhaps most of all, appreciation.

Like All the Best Families, We Have Our Disagreements...

However, not everyone is prepared to pay even that small price for the benefit of Defenders’ kindness. If their partners aren’t willing or able to express this thanks, or worse still are openly critical of their Defender partners, they will find that, given time and pressure, all of those repressed emotions can burst forth in massive verbal attacks that all the future regret in the world won’t blunt.

These outbursts are something to watch out for, but the more pervasive issue in Defenders’ relationships is that it can be too easy for their altruism and kindness to be taken advantage of, maybe even without their partners realizing it, while leaving Defenders’ own needs and dreams unfulfilled. This is something that Defenders’ partners, and Defender personalities themselves, must look after if they want the sort of long, fulfilling relationships they dream about. Expressing appreciation is often more than just the right words, it is reciprocation.

If these couples can manage this balance of mutual appreciation and goal-setting, they will come to find that the best Defender qualities emerge later in the relationship, as they work towards establishing families and homes together.

While perfectly capable in the workplace and among friends, Defenders’ true passions lie in taking care of their families, from playing with their children to the mundane needs of the household, efforts Defenders are only too happy to contribute.

Defenders are trustworthy, loyal, loving and faithful and nothing brings them more joy than the commitment of an appreciative and thriving relationship. The best matches are those who share these sensibilities, namely those who share the Observant (S) trait, with one or two opposing traits to ensure that both partners have room to grow, develop and help each other along, ’til the end of their days.

DEFENDER FRIENDS

Given how generous Defenders are with their warm praise and support, it’s not surprising that others enjoy their company enough to call them friends. The challenge is to be considered a friend back – people with the Defender personality type are shy and a little protective of themselves, but they also need to be able to connect on a deeper emotional level. It makes sense then that most of Defenders’ friends are made not by random encounters on a wild night out, but through comfortable and consistent contact, as in class or in the workplace where they have the time to get to know each other little by little.

A lot of what establishes and deepens Defenders’ friendships is the mutual support, advice and reassurance that the friends give each other.

Defenders need a lot of positive feedback, and admitting this need certainly shows vulnerability, but if that vulnerability is well handled, it creates the deep bonds that Defender personalities look for. If badly handled or not reciprocated, it’s hard to see the burgeoning friendship surviving without quite a bit of extra effort.

Yet, as their friendships develop, Defenders’ sense of loyalty may push them to lean ever more on themselves to meet their friends’ needs, to the point of neglecting their own. Defenders show this in a few ways, from going clearly out of their ways to stick to even trivial commitments, to simply not wanting to disagree or say no for fear of causing turbulence. More cynical types would call this naïve, and may even take advantage of Defenders’ altruism – but these are hardly the type of people who could be called “friends”, and they have no business being discussed here.

To What Greater Inspiration and Counsel Can We Turn?

The real friends, those close inner circles, are the ones Defenders truly cherish for their quality of character and quality of discussion. Defenders aren’t particularly picky about what personality types they make friends with, at least not initially, but because they prefer so strongly to avoid conflict and miscommunication, most of their friends are likely to end up being fairly similar personalities.

DEFENDER PARENTS

Defenders’ warmth and care make parenting something that often comes naturally to them. Many people with this personality type feel like parenting is the task they were born for, taking no small pleasure in the sense of personal importance and responsibility they feel in ensuring that their children grow up to be healthy, confident and successful. At the same time, Defenders are anything but arrogant, and will hardly take their natural skill in this department for granted.

From the start, Defenders’ altruism is apparent in their approach towards their children, ensuring that they have a safe, stable environment filled with love, care and support. In their children’s younger years, Defenders’ patience comes in very handy as well, as their children learn to become more independent and self-deterministic, testing any limit they can find.

Seeing the World in Its True Light

It is this transition though, from the utter dependence of infants, to the insatiable exploration of toddlers and young children, to the rejection of authority of adolescents that Defenders are taken by surprise.

Very traditional personality types, Defenders accept historic standards, with clearly defined roles as parents and children. They view their role, and often rightly so, as the imparter of their own wisdom and values, ensuring that their children understand the importance of dedication and responsibility.

What many Defender parents may not realize is that more independent children often reject the seemingly overbearing love and support that make Defender personalities such wonderful parental figures. They wish to determine their own values and make their own choices, and Defenders’ good intentions can make them feel like every aspect of their lives is sealed off and controlled. All the while, Defender parents must ensure that more dependent children, who are willing to lean on all of this care and support rather than rebel against it, do not take these admirable qualities for granted, neglecting their own independence entirely.

Do Right, Even if We Suffer in so Doing

Defenders are uncomfortable when their children don’t behave as expected, and oftentimes more insightful children see, and sometimes exploit, this potential weakness with tantrums and mind games. It takes a strong will for Defenders to put their foot down and teach clear and reasonable boundaries and values, while at the same time affording their children the freedom to grow and develop on their own.

Parenting is not easy for any personality type, not if they’re doing it right, but Defenders do have the advantage of not just being caring, but being thoughtful and responsible in how they administer that care. Often seen as ideal parents, people with the Defender personality type are able to be there for their children, but to also know that there’s more to people than meets the eye, and to respect those differences – if not always to understand them.

DEFENDER CAREERS

In many ways, Defenders are the backbone of the modern workforce. Altruistic and well-rounded, no other personality type is so well-suited to be of service of others. It is no surprise that many Defenders are not just good at supporting their coworkers and customers in human resources and support positions, they genuinely enjoy it, as it gives them the chance to calm frustrations, see things through to a practical solution, and to be thanked, appreciated, at the close of each ordeal.

Be Humble and Earnest

Defenders are skilled at remembering things about others which makes them not only valuable assistants, but well-liked colleagues. People with the Defender personality type can always be counted on to remember a birthday, a graduation, or simply a frequent customers’ name, and that can make all the difference. Add to these amiable qualities Defenders’ meticulousness, hard work and dedication, and it’s no surprise that their careers often progress smoothly, with few of the ups and downs that accompany more high-flying types.

However, Defenders are unlikely to actively seek out managerial positions, and are still more unlikely to brag about their accomplishments. Defender personalities prefer to be rewarded by seeing first-hand the positive impact of their efforts, and will remain enthusiastic simply knowing that what they do is genuinely appreciated by the people they care for. This makes them natural counselors, technical support, and interior designers, where they are able to help others one-on-one without having to worry about corporate politics.

Whether they seek promotion or not it happens often enough, as Defenders’ ability to implement ideas and “create order from chaos” is bound to make an impression.

Respecting tradition and security, Defenders have no problem with the idea of moving along in a structured hierarchy, and while they may not always seek out these managerial positions, they fill them well. Defenders are well-tuned to others’ emotions and have a strong sense of practicality, extending their own ability to get things done to their teams.

Where Defenders struggle is in generating new ideas and in grasping abstract concepts – fields like academic research and corporate strategy are too intangible and too impersonal to utilize Defenders’ strengths. Similar challenges arise in more typical careers when changes are forced through by Defenders’ employers – advance warning and a proper explanation can help to smooth the shock, but if the changes cut back on things like the quality of customer service, it can feel like a betrayal in the face of their loyalty and dedication.

Live Pleasantly and Do Good

Strong, well-developed institutions alongside like-minded friends are attractive workplaces for people with the Defender personality type, and careers as nurses, elementary school teachers and social and religious workers are attractive options. Sometimes the desire to help others is enough in itself – it’s not uncommon to find Defenders volunteering and helping the community at shelters, food banks and their children’s schools. Defenders are warm, service-oriented people, and hardly anyone is more welcome in these (and many, many other) roles.

DEFENDERS IN THE WORKPLACE

Whether subordinates, colleagues or managers, Defenders share the goal of putting good service and dedication above all else. Whether helping customers directly, helping coworkers get projects finished on time or helping teams keep organized and productive, people with the Defender personality type can always be relied on for their kindness and ability to listen to concerns, and to find ways to resolve them. Win-win situations are Defenders’ bread and butter, and no one takes quite the same pleasure in finding satisfying resolutions to day-to-day challenges.

Defender Subordinates

As subordinates, Defenders exemplify the strength of humble dedication. Relied on and respected for their patience and commitment, Defender personalities really only seek one reward for their work: the satisfaction of knowing that whoever they helped feels heartfelt thanks. On the other hand, this humbleness can hold them back – Defenders are quite unwilling to advertise their achievements, often for fear of creating unnecessary friction, which makes it too easy for them to be overlooked when opportunities come along.

Defenders are people of incredible loyalty, often trying to follow favored managers to new positions and locations. This contrasts with their usual feelings on change which, if it compromises their principles (as cutbacks to customer care might), is met with stress and unhappiness. Though perfectly capable of accepting change, Defenders must feel that it’s for the right reasons. If a policy change results in disappointed customers, Defenders take it very personally.

Defender Colleagues

Among their colleagues, people with this personality type seek a frictionless environment, a spirit of friends helping friends to get the job done. Close-knit and supportive teams are what Defenders enjoy most, allowing them to express their altruistic spirit among people who rely on their dedication and warmth. Defenders are natural networkers, but they use this skill to keep things running smoothly, not as a tool for professional advancement.

These qualities can be drawbacks though, as Defenders’ aversion to conflict and desire to help can be abused by less scrupulous colleagues. Instead of only asking help when they need it, some may ask for help when they just don’t feel like working hard, knowing that their Defender colleagues have a hard time saying no. The result is that Defenders can become overburdened and stressed, and it takes a few good workplace friends to put pressure on these less savory characters in order to maintain balance.

Defender Managers

While management isn’t necessarily at the top of Defenders’ list of goals, it is a natural progression as their hard work and good people skills are recognized over the years. Oftentimes they don’t actually enjoy managing others, but this can be one of their greatest strengths – as managers, Defenders are warm, approachable and great listeners. Having no real desire to issue authoritarian dictates from some high tower, Defender personalities prefer to work alongside their subordinates, organizing people and minimizing conflict.

This helps them to create personal relationships with their subordinates, to be friends in the workplace who simply have different sets of responsibilities. While they may be slow to accept some changes, they are great at helping their teams put them into practice once they’ve been agreed on. Defenders may be too sensitive to be fully executive material, but they make exemplary floor and office managers who know what it takes to satisfy their customers.

DEFENDER PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as practical and dedicated as Defenders. Known for their reliability and hard work, Defenders are good at creating and maintaining a secure and stable environment for themselves and their loved ones. Defenders’ dedication is invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Defenders can be easily tripped up in areas where their kind and practical attitude is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or managing your workload, you need to put in a conscious effort to develop your weaker traits and additional skills.