ENTP:Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving

(File Last Modified Fri, Oct 25, 2002.)

• ENTP (5% of the American Population)
• Extraverted, Intuition, Thinking, Perceiving
• Possible Blind Spots

ENTP (5% of the American Population)

Extraverted, Intuition, Thinking, Perceiving

ENTPs love excitement and challenge. Enthusiastic and ingenious, they are talkative, clever, and good at many things and constantly strive to increase their competence and personal power.

ENTPs are born enterprising. They are fascinated with new ideas and are alert to all possibilities. They have strong initiative and operate on creative impulse. ENTPs value their inspiration above all else and strive to turn their original ideas into reality. They are inquisitive, versatile, adaptable, and resourceful in solving challenging and theoretical problems.

Alert and outspoken, ENTPs can easily see the flaw in any position and often enjoy arguing for fun on either side of an issue. They have excellent analytical abilities and are great strategic thinkers. They can almost always find a logical reason for the things that they want.

Most ENTPs like to test the limits around them and consider that most rules and regulations are meant to be bent, if not broken. They are sometimes unconventional in their approach and enjoy helping others to push past what is accepted and expected. They like to live freely and look for fun and variety in everyday situations.

ENTPs deal imaginatively with social relationships and often have a great number and variety of friends and acquaintances. They can display great humor and optimism. ENTPs can be charming and stimulating company and often inspire others to become involved in their projects through their infectious enthusiasm.

Possible Blind Spots

Because ENTPs value creativity and innovation above all else, they sometimes ignore the standard way of doing something simply because it is not original. Their intense dislike for the routine and predictable can make it difficult for them to notice the necessary details. They sometimes neglect the needed preparation when, in their zeal to take on something fresh, they dive in too quickly. And once major problems are solved, they are often off to the next exciting adventure rather than sticking around to see the original project through. They need to work toward making commitments to fewer project so they will complete more of the ones they start.

Often, ENTPs talk so quickly, and so much, they don't allow others to contribute. They are honest and fair but can be blunt and tactless in their ready criticism of others. ENTPs need to consider the feelings of others as valid and important, even if they don't share them. While they can be charming, funny, and entertaining, they can also be insincere. ENTPs need to resist the urge to simply adapt and perform, and instead share their genuine emotions.

ENTPs reluctance to commit to one thing stems from the fear that they may miss other, more appealing opportunities. Their desire to remain open and responsive to new challenges can make them undependable and inconsiderate of the plans and schedules of others. Thinking through how their actions affect others will help them be more dependable.

ENTPs natural quickness and ability to anticipate what is coming means they occasionally assume erroneously that they knew what the person was going to say, and may jump in to finish their sentences. Taking the time to pay closer attention to what is actually going on in the real world around them and listening carefully to the input and reactions of others will help them avoid appearing arrogant and rude.