ISTP vs ENTP

ISTP

The Craftsman

ENTP

The Originator

ISTP vs ENTP
Personality

ISTP The ISTP moves seamlessly from quiet bystander to being at the heart of solving problems then back again. They get an incredible buzz from difficult situations using their incredible store of knowledge, grasp of facts and practical nature to jump in and fix things but when it’s over, will get bored and withdraw once again to the sidelines, waiting for the next problem to arise.

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.

ISTP vs ENTP
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

ISTP The ISTP will bring their vast store of knowledge and experience to bear on the team, showing great determination but their low boredom threshold means once they have sorted the problem they withdraw.

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.

Leading

ISTP ISTPs are great in a crisis as they love the whole buzz and action of problems and difficulties. They are less good when the going is not tough and not so good at the more sensitive side of leading people.

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.

Being managed

ISTP ISTPs are extremely independent and will like the freedom to work in short bursts of energy on difficult action oriented practical problems that hold their interest. Routine and steady detail will bore them and they need their space.

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.

Attention to detail / focus

ISTP Because of their full on or full off nature, ISTPs will either be right at the heart of the detail, surprising others with their vast store of knowledge and data, or if it is boring they will go back to their space.

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.

Creativity

ISTP ISTPs are essentially practical, preferring the concrete and factual to anything they perceive as woolly or impractical. But when they focus on a problem they can be forensic, coming up with practical solutions.

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.

ISTP vs ENTP
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

ISTP ISTPs love difficult situations and they will see conflict as something, like everything else, to be fixed then move on. They do not seek conflict but are impervious to their environment so it goes with the territory.

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.

Issues they'll fight on

ISTP Intensely practical the ISTP will only want to get the problem solved or the issue addressed, practically and as quickly as possible. Personal feelings matter only insofar as they relate to what needs to be done.

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.

Conflict style / communication

ISTP The ISTP tends to be economic with words and a little terse in their communications. This is not rudeness just a desire to get everything resolved and so they will have no problem getting to the point.

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.

How they feel after

ISTP As ISTP’s are factual and living for the moment, any conflict will just be a small part of getting the problem fixed (which energises them) and then if it becomes chitchat their energies will deplete. They need action.

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.

ISTP vs ENTP
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

ISTP ISTPs tend to be either full on or full off. They can be passive bystanders until something grabs their interest or a practical problem needs fixing and then they take over, fix it, and withdraw loving the buzz.

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.

Dealing with emotions

ISTP Although friendly the ISTP is more practical and factual and so may not understand emotions. They tend to break things down to constituent parts and do not like anything they see as irrational.

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.

Openness and sharing feelings

ISTP The ISTP is quite closed to emotional issues. It does not make them uncaring but sharing feelings or intuiting how others are feeling doesn’t really compute with their scientific nature.

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.

Drivers and values

ISTP At their heart ISTPs are thrill seekers and will love to be where the action is. However once they have jumped in and experienced they will tend to go back to being passive and quiet.

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.

Facebook LinkedIn Whatsapp Twitter Reddit