ENTP vs INFJ

ENTP

The Originator

INFJ

The Confidant

ENTP vs INFJ
Personality

ENTP Curious, communicative with a need to challenge, ENTPs love the intellectual debate, are spontaneous, and assertive. They have a unique view of the world, and bring a fresh perspective. This can make them intellectually promiscuous, enjoying one new experience after another, and failing to follow through on their great ideas as they look for bigger and more novel experiences.

INFJ Serious minded and caring, values are so important to the INFJ. Integrity is their watchword and they will be excellent listeners, supportive and with a strong desire to ‘do the right thing’ often the catalyst for making things better. The INFJ will work patiently long and hard behind the scenes to maintain harmony but they are also intensely independent of thought and spirit.

ENTP vs INFJ
At Work

We all bring something different to the team and we all agree that difference and balance are good things. However when someone is different from us we might not understand them so well so in this section we allow you to compare the differences at work, how these might manifest themselves and how best to manage them.

Contribution to the team

ENTP ENTPs have a radical perspective, looking at newer, better and more interesting ways. Not for them the routine of the past, but a healthy challenge to the status quo, and irritation with a pace that’s too slow.

Contribution to the team

INFJ Although introverted, the INFJ has very strong opinions, honed over much private reflection and will voice these strongly, less concerned with self and ego than with the cause.

Leading

ENTP ENTPs can find ways around obstacles and problems. Headstrong and assertive they can spark life into a team, break through inertia but they may not follow through, as they like to move on to the new.

Leading

INFJ INFJs can make inspiring leaders as followers will believe in them and want to ‘sign up’, having a devotion to the cause that borders on evangelical so people will have a crystal clear vision of what could be.

Being managed

ENTP ENTPs will need space and flexibility as they like to do things their way, working in incredible bursts of energy, getting things moving very quickly but then looking for the next big thing to interest them.

Being managed

INFJ Meaning is at the heart of who the INFJ is and they would not be motivated by ‘doing a job’ but need a cause, something which is important to them, something to believe in.

Attention to detail / focus

ENTP The ENTP does not like to be controlled or micro-managed and they dislike rules or regulations preferring to create as they go, working at pace and focusing on what interests and excites them.

Attention to detail / focus

INFJ Strongly humanitarian, INFJs tend to be idealists, and because of their desire for closure and completion, they are generally ‘doers’ as well as dreamers, who take on a disproportionate amount of responsibility.

Creativity

ENTP ENTPs are true radicals, coming up with ever-better ways of doing things, breaking through conventions and even taking unpopular decisions. However they are less useful when it gets to the detail.

Creativity

INFJ The INFJ is the innovator, coming up with genuinely radical and different ideas and solutions a great driver for the team, often taking on far too much but this is simply due to the INFJ desire to complete.

ENTP vs INFJ
Conflict

Some people seek harmony, some see conflict as simply robust discussions, some people are emotional, some more factual. So there is no right or wrong about this and what we are trying to do is help two different people each understand how the other might deal with conflict and what it will mean for how they work together.

Initial response to conflict situations

ENTP The ENTP is happy with conflict as it allows them to sharpen their debating skills and engage in verbal sparring. They will not really engage at an emotional level seeing it all as an interesting game.

Initial response to conflict situations

INFJ Deep and private the INFJ will keep their own counsel. Yet they have such deeply held beliefs that others may be surprised how forthright they can become to defend values or those they feel need support.

Issues they'll fight on

ENTP Winning the debate is very important to the ENTP and so they will want to be proved right. Telling an ENTP they’re wrong is like throwing down a gauntlet, on they’ll be delighted to pick up.

Issues they'll fight on

INFJ Although the INFJ prefers and will create harmony, they have such strong and deeply held values, these honed over a long time and they will defend those values vigorously if they are transgressed.

Conflict style / communication

ENTP For all their people skills and verbal abilities the ENTP is at heart an analyst and their way will be to use logic, rational argument and empirical data to enjoy the debate and win the day.

Conflict style / communication

INFJ Because the INFJ is basically private, they will fight only on issues that really mean something to them and thus they can switch from being quiet to incredibly crusading, assertive and stubborn.

How they feel after

ENTP The ENTP low boredom threshold means that when conflict occurs it is over and they move on. They tend not to bear grudges or ever look back as there are so many more exciting opportunities to come.

How they feel after

INFJ All interactions, given the nature of the INFJ as champion and supporter, will eventually deplete their energies and they will need to recharge on their own, thinking deeply about issues and connecting the dots.

ENTP vs INFJ
Relationships

We all have different motivators, values and views on the world, in part driven by our personalities. The section below describes how each person is likely to engage with others, and how others may see them.

Being around them

ENTP Engaging, plausible, exciting and entertaining the ENTP is very closely attuned to their surroundings and constantly looking for opportunities and possibilities which will feed their strong desire for something new.

Being around them

INFJ Although quite gentle, and preferring to be out of the limelight, the INFJ will work long and hard behind the scenes to maintain harmony but they are also intensely independent - both of thought and spirit.

Dealing with emotions

ENTP Often confused with the ENFP the ENTP shares the ability to charm, cajole and persuade others. However the ENTP and will be pragmatic decision-makers using empirical data, evidence and logic to decide.

Dealing with emotions

INFJ This is a necessary escape valve for INFJs providing both time to rebuild their depleted energy and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent ‘givers.’

Openness and sharing feelings

ENTP The ENTP has incredible people skills and will enthuse and entertain people who will want to be part of their set. However they are not really emotional and so will move on easily when they get bored.

Openness and sharing feelings

INFJ Although at times strident and outspoken, INFJs can only be emotionally open about themselves with a chosen few. At times INFJs will withdraw into themselves, shutting out even their close friends.

Drivers and values

ENTP ENTPs have a low boredom threshold and they need the different, the exciting the new, some sort of ‘fix’ to hold their interest, moving from one exciting situation to another drive their incredible energy.

Drivers and values

INFJ Values are at the heart of the INFJ and they will take relationships as seriously as they do their causes and their global outlook and big picture focus may mean that it is difficult to get on their wavelength.

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