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ENTJs are natural-born leaders. People with this personality type embody the gifts of charisma and confidence, and project authority in a way that draws crowds together behind a common goal. But unlike their Feeling (F) counterpart, ENTJs are characterized by an often ruthless level of rationality, using their drive, determination and sharp minds to achieve whatever end they've set for themselves. Perhaps it is best that they make up only three percent of the population, lest they overwhelm the more timid and sensitive personality types that make up much of the rest of the world - but we have ENTJs to thank for many of the businesses and institutions we take for granted every day.

HAPPINESS LIES IN THE JOY OF ACHIEVEMENT

If there's anything ENTJs love, it's a good challenge, big or small, and they firmly believe that given enough time and resources, they can achieve any goal. This quality makes people with the ENTJ personality type brilliant entrepreneurs, and their ability to think strategically and hold a long-term focus while executing each step of their plans with determination and precision makes them powerful business leaders. This determination is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, as ENTJs push their goals through with sheer willpower where others might give up and move on, and their Extroverted (E) nature means they are likely to push everyone else right along with them, achieving spectacular results in the process.

At the negotiating table, be it in a corporate environment or buying a car, ENTJs are dominant, relentless, and unforgiving. This isn't because they are coldhearted or vicious per se - it's more that ENTJ personalities genuinely enjoy the challenge, the battle of wits, the repartee that comes from this environment, and if the other side can't keep up, that's no reason for ENTJs to fold on their own core tenet of ultimate victory.

The underlying thought running through the ENTJ mind might be something like "I don't care if you call me an insensitive b*****d, as long as I remain an efficient b*****d".

If there's anyone ENTJs respect, it's someone who is able to stand up to them intellectually, who is able to act with a precision and quality equal to their own. ENTJ personalities have a particular skill in recognizing the talents of others, and this helps in both their team-building efforts (since no one, no matter how brilliant, can do everything alone), and to keep ENTJs from displaying too much arrogance and condescension. However, they also have a particular skill in calling out others' failures with a chilling degree of insensitivity, and this is where ENTJs really start to run into trouble.

CULTIVATING THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

Emotional expression isn't the strong suit of any Analyst (NT) type, but because of their Extroverted (E) nature, ENTJs' distance from their emotions is especially public, and felt directly by a much broader swath of people. Especially in a professional environment, ENTJs will simply crush the sensitivities of those they view as inefficient, incompetent or lazy. To people with the ENTJ personality type, emotional displays are displays of weakness, and it's easy to make enemies with this approach - ENTJs will do well to remember that they absolutely depend on having a functioning team, not just to achieve their goals, but for their validation and feedback as well, something ENTJs are, curiously, very sensitive to.

ENTJs are true powerhouses, and they cultivate an image of being larger than life - and often enough they are. They need to remember though, that their stature comes not just from their own actions, but from the actions of the team that props them up, and that it's important to recognize the contributions, talents and needs, especially from an emotional perspective, of their support network. Even if they have to adopt a "fake it ‘til you make it" mentality, if ENTJs are able to combine an emotionally healthy focus alongside their many strengths, they will be rewarded with deep, satisfying relationships and all the challenging victories they can handle.

ENTJ STRENGTHS

• Efficient - ENTJs see inefficiency not just as a problem in its own right, but as something that pulls time and energy away from all their future goals, an elaborate sabotage consisting of irrationality and laziness. People with the ENTJ personality type will root out such behavior wherever they go.

• Energetic - Rather than finding this process taxing ENTJs are energized by it, genuinely enjoying leading their teams forward as they implement their plans and goals.

• Self-Confident - ENTJs couldn't do this if they were plagued by self-doubt - they trust their abilities, make known their opinions, and believe in their capacities as leaders.

• Strong-Willed - Nor do they give up when the going gets tough - ENTJ personalities strive to achieve their goals, but really nothing is quite as satisfying to them as rising to the challenge of each obstacle in their run to the finish line.

• Strategic Thinkers - ENTJs exemplify the difference between moment-to-moment crisis management and navigating the challenges and steps of a bigger plan, and are known for examining every angle of a problem and not just resolving momentary issues, but moving the whole project forward with their solutions.

• Charismatic and Inspiring - These qualities combine to create individuals who are able to inspire and invigorate others, who people actually want to be their leaders, and this in turn helps ENTJs to accomplish their often ambitious goals that could never be finished alone.

ENTJ WEAKNESSES

• Stubborn and Dominant - Sometimes all this confidence and willpower can go too far, and ENTJs are all too capable of digging in their heels, trying to win every single debate and pushing their vision, and theirs alone.

• Intolerant - "It's my way or the highway" - People with the ENTJ personality type are notoriously unsupportive of any idea that distracts from their primary goals, and even more so of ideas based on emotional considerations. ENTJs won't hesitate a second to make that fact clear to those around them.

• Impatient - Some people need more time to think than others, an intolerable delay to quick-thinking ENTJs. They may misinterpret contemplation as stupidity or disinterest in their haste, a terrible mistake for a leader to make.

• Arrogant - ENTJ personalities respect quick thoughts and firm convictions, their own qualities, and look down on those who don't match up. This relationship is a challenge for most other personality types who are perhaps not timid in their own right, but will seem so beside overbearing ENTJs.

• Poor Handling of Emotions - All this bluster, alongside the assumed supremacy of rationalism, makes ENTJs distant from their own emotional expression and sometimes downright scornful of others'. People with this personality type often trample others' feelings, inadvertently hurting their partners and friends, especially in emotionally charged situations.

• Cold and Ruthless - Their obsession with efficiency and unwavering belief in the merits of rationalism, especially professionally, makes ENTJs incredibly insensitive in pursuing their goals, dismissing personal circumstances, sensitivities, and preferences as irrational and irrelevant.

As in other areas of their lives, ENTJs approach dating and relationships with a set of goals and a plan to achieve them, and proceed to do so with impressive energy and enthusiasm. People with the ENTJ personality type are in it to win, and will gladly take leading roles in relationships from the start, assuming personal responsibility for how smoothly things go and working actively to ensure a mutually rewarding experience. Romantic relationships are a serious business, and ENTJs are in it for the long haul.

WE CANNOT SUCCEED UNLESS, WHEN WE CHOOSE, WE CHOOSE WISELY

This sense of personal responsibility means that ENTJs put a lot of energy into their relationships, and they show their creativity by always having something new on the agenda to keep things interesting, especially in the dating phase. At the same time though, ENTJ personalities keep their eyes on the long term, and if they determine that a relationship is heading towards a dead end, they will cut their losses and move on in what will seem to their partner an abrupt end to the attention they had been receiving.

This occasional ruthlessness with personal relationships is ENTJs' primary weakness, and if they aren't careful they can develop quite the reputation. Sensing others' feelings and emotions will never be a comfortable skill for ENTJs, but it is critical that they work consciously to develop it, both for their partners' sake and for their own healthy emotional expression. If they don't, they risk dominating and overruling their partners, and this insensitivity can easily break a relationship, especially early on.

CONFIDENCE THRIVES ON UNSELFISH PERFORMANCE

But as all goes well in the dating phase and a future is deemed viable, people with the ENTJ personality type continue to impress with their creativity and energy. Their authentic confidence makes ENTJs' sex life dynamic to say the least, and they often push to explore new ways to express their affection with imaginative enthusiasm. Yet ENTJs tend to have these innovations planned in advance, with some structure and predictability to their sex lives, leaving the true spontaneity to those less organized personality types.

ENTJs are extremely growth-oriented, and will seize any opportunity to improve themselves, listening to and acting on criticisms, so long as they are logical ones, and always striving to improve their knowledge. At the same time, ENTJs expect this of their partners, and it is surprising to them that others, especially Feeling (F) types, don't always share this attitude. Still more surprising to ENTJ personalities is others' active efforts to avoid these tense situations.

ENTJs in particular would do well to remember that their approach is just one angle of a multi-faceted spectrum of alternatives. While ENTJs may view criticism as the most efficient route (and they're often right), they should bear in mind that their partners may be more interested in emotional support and growth, an area of self-improvement that ENTJs themselves too often avoid.

As with most things, balance is key, and ENTJs should strive to meet their partners half-way, whatever their needs, be it through honest criticisms or steady emotional support and praise.

As with other Analyst (NT) types, ENTJs' best matches are with other Intuitive (N) types, with one or two opposing traits to create more balance in the relationship. Mature ENTJs are able to recognize and adapt to the needs of their partners, and know that even the most rational individuals have emotional needs that must be met. Fortunately the same logic that dismisses emotions is also able to recognize that a conciliatory attitude can be the best tool to get the job done. With their strong senses of responsibility and dedication, people with the ENTJ personality type are sure to make this effort, resulting in long-lasting, satisfying relationships.

As in most aspects of their lives, in friendship ENTJs seek personal growth and inspiration, and they often have a plan for how to accomplish it. Friendships of circumstance, built on things like shared routines, are not ENTJs' preferred method - rather, they pursue their friends, seek out individuals who share their passion for deep, meaningful discussions, and who enjoy learning and development as much as they do. It is not always easy to be ENTJs' friends - they demand a lot from these relationships - but they pay a great deal of attention to their friendships, and it is unlikely that it will ever feel stagnant.

ENTJ friendships are built on ideas, and a lot of what they find enjoyable is the repartee of putting thoughts forward and defending them from assault from every angle. People with the ENTJ personality type are very smart and highly critical, and they won't back down if they are put on the defensive - in fact, there's no better way to earn their respect.

It's not easy to stand up to a personality as big and blustery as ENTJs', and they too often find that others crumple under the force they apply when they really start to enjoy themselves.

Only the most hardened rationalists are able to hold their ground against strongly expressed ENTJ personalities, who neither need emotional support, nor understand others' need for it. This lack of sensitivity is ENTJs' chiefest weakness. Their tendency to challenge their friends, question their conclusions, and dismiss emotional arguments as irrelevant is especially difficult for Feeling-oriented friends to cope with. Either a point is supported by logic and reason, or it is erroneous.

PRISONERS OF OUR OWN MINDS

More enlightened ENTJs recognize that if ever there was an area where they could learn from others and improve themselves, it is in the realm of emotional sensitivity - to dismiss any aspect of personal growth borders on hypocrisy. Friendships with people from the Diplomat (NF) type group can be especially rewarding for ENTJs, as the shared Intuitive (N) trait fosters an instantaneous connection that can bridge the chasm between their uninhibited logic and the recognition that cooperation and conciliation can often accomplish more than that logic ever could alone.

Still, the bulk of ENTJs' friends will likely fall into the Analyst (NT) category, as all of these types share the same passion for logical, far-reaching ideas and critical debate. Anyone who can match ENTJs' ability to brainstorm and theorize will find an honest and dedicated friend. Anyone who can't, as with many Observant (S) types who often question the point of such discussions, will find themselves ignored - perhaps a situation that is best for everyone.

It is in the world of careers that ENTJs' boldness and drive are truly at their best. No other personality type is better suited than ENTJs to be the respected leader of an organization or team, and no other personality type enjoys it quite so much. Combining their vision, intelligence and determination to push ideas through to completion no matter the obstacles, ENTJs are a force to be reckoned with.

WE ALL GO UP, OR WE ALL GO DOWN

In the world of business, the sometimes overbearing level of self-confidence that ENTJs (especially Assertive ones) too often mishandle in their personal relationships is transformed into an admirable authority, keeping people on track and getting things done. Naturally the best careers for people with the ENTJ personality type make the fullest use of these qualities, and many would describe executive positions and entrepreneurialism to be ideal lines of work - any position high enough that they can clearly see the horizon.

For ENTJs, failure is not an option - they conceive a vision of the future, formulate a strategy to achieve that vision, and execute each step with ruthless precision.

Structure and order are key, and if someone gets sloppy, or holds things back with incompetence, laziness or inefficiency, ENTJs will not hesitate to come down, hard. ENTJ personalities pursue their goals with singular vision, and have strict standards for themselves and others that are designed above all else to be effective. This makes ENTJs excellent corporate strategists, and their objectivity and clarity of thought make them respected lawyers and judges.

None of this could work if no one could understand what ENTJs were thinking, and they have the good fortune of being clear and concise communicators, especially in person, making business administration a comfortable fit - so long as their tasks don't stray too far into routine maintenance and upkeep. ENTJs also have a thirst for knowledge, and they aren't afraid to use a principle once they've grasped its underlying mechanisms. Combining this with their leadership makes ENTJs trying, but effective, university professors.

WE ARE STILL IN THE MAKING

The only problem is, it takes time for ENTJs' skills to be recognized, and stagnating as low-level employees will have them bouncing off the walls and deeply unhappy. People with the ENTJ personality type crave leadership and responsibility, growth and opportunity, and genuinely enjoy managing others to get a job done. ENTJs are visionaries and leaders, not grunts or day-to-day administrators. Getting that to be recognized is not always easy, but ENTJs are probably up to the task.

For people with the ENTJ personality type, the workplace is all but a natural habitat. ENTJs' efficiency and clear communication are valued, their leadership is admired, and their ability to simply get things done is unrivaled. That being said, some situations are more appropriate for ENTJs than others - these qualities all point to a managerial or executive role, making any position of comparative powerlessness highly undesirable.

ENTJ personality types are strident ones though, able to adapt themselves to just about any hierarchical relationship by doing what they do best: asserting their opinions, taking the initiative, and accomplishing feats that others thought impossible.

ENTJ SUBORDINATES

Subordinate positions are challenging for ENTJs, and it takes active management to ensure their satisfaction and engagement. Ever the high achievers, ENTJ subordinates set out to learn new skills and to seek out new challenges and responsibilities, eager to prove that nothing is impossible with a little hard work. If things get a little slow, ENTJ personalities may slip into periods of absentmindedness, but when they feel involved in the projects around them, they prove well organized and well prioritized.

ENTJs hold themselves to very high standards, but a lot of what sets this tone is feedback from their environment - namely, criticism from their managers. Objective, rational statements about what is done right and what can be done better are helpful to ENTJs, and far from resenting such criticisms, they appreciate them. Opportunities for growth keep people with the ENTJ personality type engaged and productive, and so long as their managers recognize this as their primary responsibility, it will be a fruitful and satisfying relationship.

ENTJ COLLEAGUES

Among colleagues, ENTJs are sociable and greatly enjoy sharing ideas and critiques in their frequent brainstorming sessions. Natural leaders that they are, ENTJs tend to assert themselves into positions as representatives and project leads, considering their objectivity and charisma the perfect qualities for these roles. ENTJ personalities enjoy working with equals, but people must demonstrate that they are equals - anyone ENTJs view as being less competent or driven will see only condescension and arrogance.

ENTJs are strong-willed, even dominant, and though they enjoy inspiring and tutoring others, the energy they bring to the process can seem overbearing. When these roles are reversed, ENTJs' mentors should bear in mind that their students are very rational and respect firm confidence - hand-holding, emotional appeals or wavering indecision will likely burn the bridge then and there. In a partnership, what is best is what is most effective, and time wasted sugarcoating reality is just that - time wasted.

ENTJ MANAGERS

ENTJ managers are confident, charismatic communicators, and they communicate but one vision: to get the job done as efficiently as possible, and to the highest standard of quality. All else is subordinate to that objective, but the means by which ENTJs achieve it cause others to adopt this cause as their own. ENTJs are natural leaders, and their ability to formulate a strategy and to identify the strengths of each member of their teams, incorporating those abilities into their plans so that each individual fills a unique and important role, makes them able motivators.

But while these efforts boost morale and satisfaction among ENTJs' likeminded subordinates, they are still crafted to achieve that ultimate goal of timely and exceptional work. Those seen as inefficient by their ENTJ managers, or who demonstrate themselves to be lazy or to produce shoddy work will know in no uncertain terms of their failure to impress. The only way to recover is to comply, the only alternative is to find a new manager to impress, somewhere else.