July 1, 2009

“I’m an ENTJ”

Nice to see you again. Follow me, @SydneyOwen. Thanks for being here!

That’s my new response for nearly anything regarding my personality traits. Starting now. Well, I don’t know that I’ll say it out loud, but I’ll definitely think it.

I very rarely take personality tests, and when I do, I very rarely take them seriously. But the profile for ENTJ is so eerily accurate, I can’t help but prescribe to the Myers-Briggs school of thought. 

For those of you that don’t know, ENTJ is a series of letters that makeup my personality traits. There are a lot of different combinations, for more information on what makes up your “dynamic”, click here.

Some things in the analysis that struck me as true (compliments of this page):

1. ENTJ’s are tireless in their efforts on the job, and driven to visualize where an organization is headed. I’ve always given 110% to anything I care about, be it where I’m working, maintaining relationships with friends and family, or anything else that matters to me. Professionally, I think largely of the big picture, where life is going, etc. 

2. There’s nothing more enjoyable and satisfying to the ENTJ than having a lively, challenging conversation. Not to say I’m always down for a great debate – but having a lively conversation, especially on a topic I am passionate about, is always a good time. I didn’t realize how much I need to be around brilliant individuals until I went to SXSW and spent a good amount of time with people like Elysa, Ryan, Ben and Nisha.

3. A strength of ENTJ: they are able to take constructive criticism well. Something that I’ve learned about ENTJ’s in general and about myself is that there is a strong desire to learn. ENTJ’s have no tolerance for inefficiency, so it comes as no surprise to me that I can take constructive criticism well. If it’s being critiqued, it can be made more efficient, which makes me happy. And life is one big learning opportunity, so if for no other reason, I love constructive criticism because it gives me a chance to learn about myself a little bit more!

For more information on the Myers-Briggs test, check this out.

Have you taken the MBTI? What is your type, according to the test? Do you agree? Disagree?

Tagged as: gen-y, Learning

  • I read this on the iPhone a few weeks ago and forgot I never commented to tell you I'm also an ENTJ. When I took the test I was an INTJ but in the past 3 years I've definitely joined the ranks of the E side of the spectrum, I do have my introvert moments though. I love personality tests though - I think it's fun to try to figure people out.
  • In college I took part in a company outing where we all took a Myers-Briggs test and I learned that I was an ENFP. It was actually kind of surprising because I had always thought of myself as an introvert but I guess being a blogger and on Twitter would prove me otherwise.

    I really do love this test and agree that it is one of the few that can really help put things in perspective. Sometimes it's nice to have your life boil down to four letters.

    Great blog - first time stopping by.
  • That's just it. It is nice to have it all boil down to four letters. Simple. Easy. Thanks for reading, welcome!
  • Christian Siegert
    @Norcross:
    There are free Myers-Briggs tests.

    Even if *you* know what your personality is, taking the test can actually help others. Caring employers can find a better place for you in the company, e.g. put you in an environment you feel more comfortable in or set up teams that harmonize more because they think alike and communicate the same way. Things can run much more smoothly.

    Also, knowing others' Myers-Briggs personality types makes it easier to cope with them once you learned how different personality types interact with each other and what they prefer or dislike.

    I find the Myers-Briggs test to be very accurate. Sometimes you need to see your strengths and weaknesses in black and white to realize where you can capitalize or have to work on.

    Two free Myers-Briggs tests:
    http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
    http://kisa.ca/personality/

    The types explained:
    http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html
    http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/mbintro.htm
    http://www.personalitytype.com/career_quiz
  • Love the Myers-Briggs test. I'm not one to tout a test that tells you how you are, but there are some really interesting (and true) insights in the MB test.

    I can attest to this because ever since my high school basketball coach who took MB seriously coached each of us differently and helped us better understand how we acted not just on the court but in life, I have been hooked. My freshman year of college I also took the test as part of a small group communications course. I am an ENFP and always enjoy reading through hearing my personality strengths and weaknesses.

    I agree with the test and answers, on almost all accounts. What's even more interesting is to compare your type to others'. Thanks for sharing!
  • Sydney. I think one of the most underrated positive traits a person can have is the ability to take constructive criticism and spin it into positive growth. Doing so shows that we have a willingness and desire to learn, to grow, to become more proficient within our field. When we take things personally, put up a wall, and get defensive, we limit our potential and ultimately turn off everyone around us.
  • I haven't taken a test, if for no other reason than it costs money. Although, I'd like to think that I have a pretty good gauge on my personality without having a label attached to it.
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