Of the 16 personality types illustrated by the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), the ESTJ is the one that indicates responsible, assertive, firm, and logical people. We dive deep into important characteristics of ESTJ personality type in this post.
They also like to be in control of the situation to make sure everything follows the rules and works out in the end. For many, this is a kind of appreciation for tradition, laws, and specific molds.
But in addition to going on with their lives in this way, ESTJs expect others to do the same. Despite their strong beliefs and conservatism, they are people who, in general, do not abandon common sense.
Such common sense is also used in contact with the outside world. Therefore, leadership positions are natural for these people, and they perform this role in a very adequate manner.
This is the ESTJ in practice, but what happens in theory and explains this view is their cognitive functions. How about understanding it better?
6 Important Characteristics of ESTJ Personality Type
Follow the reading to check the 6 ESTJ personality type characteristics!
#1 Extraverted Thinking (Te)
Te is the dominant function of this personality. Through it, ESTJs show themselves as people who seek to maintain coherence and rationality in thinking and executing their decisions.
Acting like this can sound like coldness, mainly because they are decisions that despise emotions. But it’s all just a fight between opposite poles. It turns out that all apparent firmness and security are the result of fear and lack of confidence in one’s own feelings.
As an example of this, the most successful decisions for ESTJs are those that surround the most impersonal realm. In these cases, they can take action without hesitation and take an entire army to lead.
Being more outward-oriented and less inward-looking is also a feature of the Te function in this personality. There will always be critical thoughts at the most decisive moments, but they are very good at leaving your feelings out of that equation.
Another typical feature of this cognitive function is the way ESTJs act when they are under pressure. They often take coolly thought-out actions quickly. This can be positive, but most of the time, the rushed way makes some important facts go unnoticed at crucial moments.
After all, they care more about going ahead and solving cases. Thinking and rethinking the smallest details about possible solutions would just be a waste of time. After all, they are considered masters of finding workable solutions, especially if they are pretty obvious to them.
#2 Introverted Sensing (Si)
The cognitive function Si shows a more internally oriented version of the ESTJ personality. In this regard, we can see a side where these people are brilliant with details, especially those stored in their memories.
Even the memory of events that happened a long time ago can still appear vivid in their minds and be useful in helping with matters of the present. In fact, the Si function is the element that helps these people to store, catalog, and later access important information even after such a long time.
Therefore, when their minds understand that something is worth keeping, ESTJs stick to the facts and store the information to use when needed at another time.
But this is not the only peculiar habit concerning the auxiliary function of the personality in question. ESTJs also tend to find novelties irrelevant, are remarkably stable, don’t give up routine, and so on.
Most of these actions are responses to the help of the dominant function Te. For example, these people use introverted perception in the background, capture the facts collected by Te, filter them through past experiences, and make the Te – Si link to make predictions, make decisions, and thereby achieve some goal or lifestyle.
#3 Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
Ne is the third cognitive function of ESTJs, and it explores the creative aspects of this personality type.
It focuses on ideas, the immaterial world, connections, the creation of new theories and new possibilities.
The more creative version is often touched on to learn new things about the world and themselves. But this fresh information is used to continue old connections and patterns. This is a way to not escape too much from what is natural for them, that is routine.
Creativity is also used during the decision-making process. This function helps to understand that there is more than one possible solution and different outcome options in the same situation. This new range is the result of excellent critical thinking skills coupled with remarkable creative power.
Lastly, there is something really positive about this cognitive function. This same critical thinking ability is present in the analysis of certain information.
For example, data will not be stored in their mind lightly and indiscriminately. Occasionally, ESTJs will assign this information various patterns and meanings to best categorize it and, only then, accept it as valid. This becomes something valuable on a day-to-day basis.
#4 Introverted Feeling (Fi)
Fi is an inferior role for ESTJs which means they use it less often, but it can cause quite a stir in their lives. That’s because they can use this function when their feelings become stronger than common sense. Everything gets even more dangerous when it comes to the decisive moment of decision-making.
In other words, this is the time to forget all about a super logical, practical, and rational person when it comes to their choices. No more decisions made hastily, impersonally, or rigorously. With this function touched upon, the ESTJ is allowed a little more consideration before reaching a conclusion.
But like any lower cognitive function, it is more present in the unconscious, and this becomes just one more reason why ESTJs don’t trust their emotions all that regularly.
It is a pity because this function is often considered a saving grace for the personality type, precisely because it adds more empathy and sensitivity to the facts.
In an ideal world, this would be the perfect function to combine with the other ones. However, they usually are missing, which can cause some issues between relationships with other people. strong
As you can see after explaining the four cognitive functions, ESTJs have a solid connection to the rules, their leadership skills, and community involvement. Still, they can be rigid about viewing these rules and the world in general. All of which makes them a little difficult to deal with.
You will see below the explanation of situations where this difficulty becomes clear due to the function. Check out!
Bonus Characteristics
#5 The unhealthy ESTJ by Extroverted Thinking function
No function in itself makes a personality type harmful, but its distortion or imbalance is perfectly capable of doing that.
The extroverted thinking cognitive function is a perfect example of such a situation. In ordinary cases, ESTJs can already be considered aggressive, confrontational, domineering, and controlling, which means a consequence of preferring to assume a position of command.
The damage is when, along with this position, there is also excessive rigidity that makes only your vision the correct one.
In addition to showing intransigent, this makes the person lose the opportunity to perceive alternative paths and more appropriate perspectives.
These situations are common for extremist people who can only perceive two opposite poles, have few options for solutions, and end up jumping to conclusions.
More common than healthy, circumstances like this make ESTJs proud to be so critical and practical, even if they are hurting others.
But the origin of all this lies in the distortion of another function explained below!
#6 The unhealthy ESTJ by Introverted Feeling function
Much of the behavior explained above stems from the repression of feelings. The Fi function is strongly marked by the awareness and defense of values and beliefs and even the inner consciousness of what right or wrong is.
Therefore, the repression consequences of this function are equally strong. This becomes dysfunctional and is characterized by extreme resistance to seeing how your own actions can go against your values and beliefs at times.
As an aggravating factor, these people generally do not present any steps on the way to change this reality. All because they believe that self-analysis and contact with the inner world is more of a weakness than a necessity.
This unhealthy version of ESTJ usually includes those who had problematic childhoods or little opportunity to develop the other cognitive functions of this personality.
Generally speaking, when ESTJs are unhealthy, they lose much of their usual objectivity. This represents a great loss, especially because objectivity is a successful asset they can use in various areas of life.
What about you? Do you consider yourself as objective as an ESTJ? Did you find any common traits between the points we explained and your way of being?
If you want to see other topics like this, keep following our articles about different personality types and make new considerations!