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Ask an ENTJ a question

[ENTJ] 
313K views 5K replies 410 participants last post by  Warp11 
#1 ·
Want to ask us a quick question that isn't covered by an open thread?

Ask us anything.

All ENTJs are welcome to answer.




FIRE AWAY !!!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Figure out which way forward progress is, plan a strategy to get there. Implement it. Get it done.

Easy peasy. :wink:
 
#7 ·
Maybe I should have titled this thread:

ENTJs ask each other questions. :laughing:
 
#11 ·
Alright, I'll bite. Oh ENTJs, arbiters of wisdom and holders of knowledge, have you ever made anyone cry?
 
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#16 ·
I should be winning, I am winning (educationally, socially, work is ok and expected to get better), the problem is being satisfied with what I have and where I place my standards.

Dunno if there's any thread about this, but how to spot an ENTJ 'irl' ? :kitteh:
http://personalitycafe.com/entj-forum-executives/17222-where-can-i-find-entjs.html
Business casual dress even on normal days; unless doing a specific activity.
Our conversation topics tend make you feel empowered to action.
...now flip the question, how to get an ENTJ to spot you? ;)
 
#26 ·
What has prevented you from being where you want to be in your most recent careers?

I am seeking someone with initiative. Someone who takes charge, and can get the job done. In what specific directions would you like to see this position go, should you be hired?
 
#33 ·
hip surgery
 
#35 ·
My boss is an INTJ, so dealing with her belongs on a different thread. My boss's boss, is an ENTJ. I have a corporate job and the work I do is a step above clerical, but barely. I graduated 3 years ago, bounced around some contract jobs and I'm 26. My weekly production is at 140% of what's required while most people are 90-110%. I'm going into my third month and I've been consistent, except one day where I was an hour & half late after sleeping through the alarm. I knew better than to make excuses and owned up to it, and it seems to have passed (happened last week).

With this in mind, my ambition is to get involved with data analysis. The ENTJ does some of the spreadsheets that deal with the numbers and I've independently calculated them on my own and build a database from scratch. My actual data is not useful, since they already have it, but I did this to show that I am capable of working with data and I have natural analytic abilities, as I've typed up a report of what I've done. I told the INTJ about this, but she wasn't impressed because she copy and pastes an SQL entry to generate the data, which is something I'm learning. Also, if anyone is wondering how an ENTP can follow through with all of this, I take adderall.

Questions:
1. Because the INTJ was not impressed, could I risk going over her head to show the ENTJ what I've done?
2. If yes, how long should I wait to present?
3. How much could my tardy be held against me?

Psychologically, the ENTJ appears as a 8w7. At the very least she commands with enthusiasm. She's also 32 years old, so she might not be biased against younger employees. The INTJ is 1w9. I'm still learning to recognize Enneagram which is why I only listed the main type + wing.

Hopefully this structured and direct post also demonstrates that I am capable of addressing an ENTJ on their terms, but I might be out of my mind. After all, I didn't start my own "special snowflake" thread.
 
#36 ·
My boss is an INTJ, so dealing with her belongs on a different thread. My boss's boss, is an ENTJ. I have a corporate job and the work I do is a step above clerical, but barely. I graduated 3 years ago, bounced around some contract jobs and I'm 26. My weekly production is at 140% of what's required while most people are 90-110%. I'm going into my third month and I've been consistent, except one day where I was an hour & half late after sleeping through the alarm. I knew better than to make excuses and owned up to it, and it seems to have passed (happened last week).

With this in mind, my ambition is to get involved with data analysis. The ENTJ does some of the spreadsheets that deal with the numbers and I've independently calculated them on my own and build a database from scratch. My actual data is not useful, since they already have it, but I did this to show that I am capable of working with data and I have natural analytic abilities, as I've typed up a report of what I've done. I told the INTJ about this, but she wasn't impressed because she copy and pastes an SQL entry to generate the data, which is something I'm learning. Also, if anyone is wondering how an ENTP can follow through with all of this, I take adderall.

Questions:
1. Because the INTJ was not impressed, could I risk going over her head to show the ENTJ what I've done?
2. If yes, how long should I wait to present?
3. How much could my tardy be held against me?

Psychologically, the ENTJ appears as a 8w7. At the very least she commands with enthusiasm. She's also 32 years old, so she might not be biased against younger employees. The INTJ is 1w9. I'm still learning to recognize Enneagram which is why I only listed the main type + wing.

Hopefully this structured and direct post also demonstrates that I am capable of addressing an ENTJ on their terms, but I might be out of my mind. After all, I didn't start my own "special snowflake" thread.
Nicely done. And, we bear some of the burden for some of the special snowflake threads. We should have had a thread like this a long time ago.

I think this is less about personality types and more about new employee vs management.


1. "Going into your third month" implies a work history of about 8 weeks. Most businesses have a probationary period, usually about 90 days. Keep in mind that your probationary period is sort of an audition. You have to prove you can do the job you said you could when they hired you. During this time you are also being evaluated for other items like appearance, attendance, working well with others, and so on. They're not only looking for someone who can do the job, but someone who is a good fit, and works well with the rest of the department. It's not the time to start jockeying for position, or trying to circumvent your boss (the INTJ).

2. Your production rate is very impressive. It will get you noticed. I would wait before trying to push for more responsibility. Do what you were hired to do. Going to your boss and saying, "Look, I can do this, instead." this early in the game - You're shooting yourself in the foot. It's saying "I don't really want to do this, I'd rather do that." (then why should they keep you? It's to their advantange to fill the postion with someone who wants do the job.)

Do what they hired you do to, and do it really well. That's what will get you more responsibilities and opportunities in the future. Going to your boss's boss looks arrogant. Don't do that. If an opportunity arises to discuss your future goals, for example if the ENTJ asks if you are enjoying the work, it's fine to say "Yes, but I have and interest in [whatever] and hope to one day [whatever]. Duly noted.

3. It depends what your company policy is. Managers usually have some leeway with this sort of thing. It draws negative attention, but you can recover from it. It might carry more negative weight because you are a new employee.

Personally, I wouldn't be too troubled by one isolated tardy. An hour and half is a bit excessive, though. Everyone gets one free major malfunction before I would take action. It happens. You could be tardy on day one or three years in. When is random. It's not necessarily a reflection of your ability to be responsible and show up on time. Just don't do it again.
 
#38 ·
Do you keep your computer desktop minimal? (I keep the recycle bin in the top left corner and nothing else.)
Yes. I have a recycling bin, and 3 - 4 of my most frequently used software programs.

How about organizing the rest of your computer?
All neatly organized in labelled folders. Photos are sorted by year and event. Songs are sorted alphabetically by artist. Movies are sorted separate from TV shows.

How about physical work space? Clean? Neat?
Always neat. Everything has it's place and within reachable distance. Items I use the most are closer.
 
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#41 ·
@MsBossyPants thanks for the reply. You say it's more new employee vs management and I disagree. If my bosses were ISTJ and ESTJ, for example, I'd have no problem knowing what to expect. The personality type conflict is real in that there's often conflict or tension between quasi-identical types, because most people don't understand how personalities work. Everyone on here knows that ENTJs use different functions than ENTPs, and so on with all the other corresponding pairs. Ever since I've been studying psychology, I've gotten along better with all the types, especially ENTJs. The issue with this job/life is that "nobody" knows these differences and my INTJ boss is definitely clueless. She doesn't know she's being bossy as she controls many aspects of my day. I have assigned breaks, lunch, and I have to clock in and out at specific times. Pretty normal if I'm working at McD, but an awful change of pace, for me, and pretty extreme for the type of work we do.

I've actually already screwed up, when I asked the INTJ if there was a way I could work with the data. Perhaps my Ne mind sees it as a harmless project in addition to my work and she might have seen it as a breach of the system? I'm manic bipolar so I happened to have thought it was a good idea at the time, as I was coming off an episode. The mania happens when it seems like life is too stagnant. I don't want to continue shooting myself in the foot which is why I came here to see how ENTJs perceive it. Honestly, I know I'm a corporate wreck, but I'm just trying to delay the inevitable. As you can see from signature, I understand that I'm not entitled to anything. But as both a type 7 enthusiast, and type 3 achiever, I notice my timeline for expecting something new is about 4 times faster than what a lot of people consider. So what I'll try to do, like you suggested, is get through 90 days first, and not become too fixated on the future.
 
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#42 · (Edited)
@MsBossyPants thanks for the reply. You say it's more new employee vs management and I disagree. If my bosses were ISTJ and ESTJ, for example, I'd have no problem knowing what to expect. The personality type conflict is real in that there's often conflict or tension between quasi-identical types, because most people don't understand how personalities work. Everyone on here knows that ENTJs use different functions than ENTPs, and so on with all the other corresponding pairs. Ever since I've been studying psychology, I've gotten along better with all the types, especially ENTJs. The issue with this job/life is that "nobody" knows these differences and my INTJ boss is definitely clueless. She doesn't know she's being bossy as she controls many aspects of my day. I have assigned breaks, lunch, and I have to clock in and out at specific times. Pretty normal if I'm working at McD, but an awful change of pace, for me, and pretty extreme for the type of work we do.

I've actually already screwed up, when I asked the INTJ if there was a way I could work with the data. Perhaps my Ne mind sees it as a harmless project in addition to my work and she might have seen it as a breach of the system? I'm manic bipolar so I happened to have thought it was a good idea at the time, as I was coming off an episode. The mania happens when it seems like life is too stagnant. I don't want to continue shooting myself in the foot which is why I came here to see how ENTJs perceive it. Honestly, I know I'm a corporate wreck, but I'm just trying to delay the inevitable. As you can see from signature, I understand that I'm not entitled to anything. But as both a type 7 enthusiast, and type 3 achiever, I notice my timeline for expecting something new is about 4 times faster than what a lot of people consider. So what I'll try to do, like you suggested, is get through 90 days first, and not become too fixated on the future.
I actually have some experience with this scenario.

One thing to keep in mind - In the same way that you are constrained by what seems like the arbitrary rules of your job duties, your boss is constrained by hers.​ In a supervisory capacity, part of her duties may be insuring that breaks and lunches are taken in a timely, orderly fashion. Making sure no one punches in or out improperly so that it doesn't generate overtime pay, or that since you're getting paid to work 8 hours, you provide the full 8 hours. That you don't come back from lunch 20 minutes late. And so on. If you feel like she is singling you out - you're on probation, she's going to watch you more closely. You see this as trying to controll you, in her view she's trying to run a department. Her scope is larger. In short, her job is to make sure you do your job. This doesn't mean she is bossy. It means she is your boss.

Having to enforce rules on a particular employee, or on the whole department may actaully also seem arbitrary to her in the larger scope of what needs to get done, but she's responsible for seeing that those rules get enforced. I've had almost that exact job. I worked for a data entry company.

Quick overview:
**room full of employees at terminals, processing information 8am -5pm
**me, supervising the employees
**assigned lunches, breaks

I'm sitting at my desk thinking - this is stupid.
**Why 8 -5? It's not like someone has to be here at 8:00 am to pick up a phone and talk to a customer.
**It doesn't matter if 4 people go to lunch at the same time, they're still going to be here for 8 hours why do we have to stagger lunches every 15 minutes?
**Why do people have to punch in at exactly 8:00? If they punch in 5 minutes late, they can punch out 5 minutes late.
**Every time someone punches in late or leaves early, we lose productivity.
[and so on]

The conclusion: It doesn't matter WHEN you put in your 8. We need a flextime. Duh. But my ENTJ butt is sitting in the chair having to enforce this nonsense. Why? because was my job. It wasn't until I got promoted that I could lobby for change. I instituted a flexible schedule of 6 am - 6 pm. Come anytime, work your eight hours. Doctor's appointment? Need an extra long lunch hour to pick up your kid from school and drop him off at the babysitter's? Do it. Punch out, come back, finish your full shift. Go to lunch whenever you want. Take your break with your buddy. Everybody is happy. Productivity went up. Simple problem, that was easily solved.

But in the meantime, I had to sit at the desk and enforce that 8-5 nonsense. Doesn't mean I was happy about it. Employees probably thought I was clueless and bossy.
 
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#45 ·
 
#64 ·
^^ This is all fun to read. Change of topic below, but please carry on the innuendo around my post.

1. Are you as productive as you want to be?

2. If not, what is preventing you from getting to that level of productivity?

3. What is your strategy to overcome these productivity-blockers? If you don't have one (unlikely), take the opportunity to make one now.
 
#66 ·
^^ This is all fun to read. Change of topic below, but please carry on the innuendo around my post.
Let's not and say we did; still pink- cheeked from my prior post; you stay classy, Leslie.

1. Are you as productive as you want to be?
While high- functioning and very productive, I'm sure, as many would corroborate, I could benefit from less PerC and more productivity. Who couldn't?

2. If not, what is preventing you from getting to that level of productivity?
1.Hone in on my intrinsic values: what is it that really matters to me?
2. Revisit my long and short term projections: so what's the gameplan, Leslie?
3. Do it. Get ish done. Do something; sitting around LOLing and OMGing isn't going to make it happen! *laughing*

3. What is your strategy to overcome these productivity-blockers? If you don't have one (unlikely), take the opportunity to make one now.
See aforementioned #3
 
#65 ·
@qyune
1. Yes
2. N/a
3. If something is making me unacceptably unproductive, it goes. If that something is a person, I talk to them about it. If that something is under my control- media, TV, etc.- I usually just cut it out. That's why I haven't actually sat down and watched TV without a social/familial purpose for about two years.
 
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#67 ·
Question! I have an ENTJ step-dad and at times we clash. I want to understand this more: I asked him the question "Are men better at driving than women"? And he inquired what I meant and I got stuck cuz I had all these reasons for asking and it overwhelmed me to the point where i concluded that the best question to ask was the same question before. So i repeated it. Then I said well men from what iv seen tend to be more aggressive at driving than women and get to places much quicker, so does that mean they are better? And i get all this heat that im asking vague questions and want general answers when im trying to say I just want your opinion. And its like 30 minutes later he finally says i dont like to answer vague questions. How is that a vague question? It isnt to me exactly I mean i dont mind if someone says "No, because this this and this, or yes because etc". And I mean i tend to tune out when i get my answer and he just seemed to keep talking...........So can anyone tell me what it is? o_O I just want to know if its just him or me or us or anything? And If I can improve and change this so it does no repeat in the future.
 
#68 ·
Define good driving, without it, its a vague question.

My preferred definition is safe, legal and functional. Since men are aggressive, the get more utility from the vehicle, especially in urban areas. Safety comes first though, so statistically women are the better drivers according to my values.
 
#71 ·
@Artemis 2x4 He might have felt like you were trying to trap him into saying something sexist. "Better" is a really vague term. Also, that's a huge generalization to make, and I know that personally, I don't like making sweeping generalizations without some kind of data to back me up.

@Starflakes They're both flammable.
 
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#72 ·
o_O hmmm oh ok. Why and how is better a vague term? I mean he obviously didnt believe it so he could have said no. o_O But you said you need knowledge of data so that explains why he didnt say no cuz he didnt have that. I mean im just trying to understand cuz my INTJ mom just said "look it up cuz we dont know", yet he kept going on about it after i was like ok ill do that. o_O
 
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