What's a MBTI?
- General
- ENFPs are both "idea"-people and "people"-people, who see
everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. They
want to both help (at least, their *own* definition of "help") and be
liked and admired by other people, on both an individual and a humanitarian
level. They are interested in new ideas on principle, but
ultimately discard most of them for one reason or another.
- Social/Personal Relationships
- ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm,
which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their
unconventionality. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. As
SOs/mates they are warm, affectionate (lots of PDA), and disconcertingly
spontaneous. However, attention span in relationships can be short; ENFPs
are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances,
forgetting about the older ones for long stretches at a time.
ENFPs often have strong, if unconvential, convictions on various issues
related to their Cosmic View. They usually try to use their social skills
and contacts to persuade people gently of the rightness of these views;
his sometimes results in their neglecting their nearest and dearest while
flitting around trying to save the world.
- Work environment
- ENFPs are pleasant, easygoing, and usually fun to work
ith. They come up with great ideas, and are a major asset in
brainstorming sessions. Followthrough tends to be a problem, however;
they tend to get bored quickly, especially if a newer, more interesting
project comes along. They also tend to be procrastinators, both about
meeting hard deadlines and about performing any small, uninteresting tasks
that they've been assigned. ENFPs are at their most useful when working
in a group with a J or two to take up the slack.
ENFPs hate bureaucracy, both in principle and in practice; they will
always make a point of launching one of their crusades against some aspect
of it.
ENFPs are friendly folks. Most are really enjoyable people. Some of the
most soft-hearted people are ENFPs.
One study has shown that ENFPs are significantly overrepresented in
psychodrama. Most have a natural propensity for role-playing and
acting.
ENFPs like to tell funny stories, especially about their friends.
This penchant may be why many are attracted to journalism. I kid one
of my ENFP friends that if I want the sixth fleet to know something,
I'll just tell him.
ENFPs are global learners. Close enough is satisfactory to the ENFP.
which may unnerve more precise thinking types, especially with such
things as piano practice ("three quarter notes or four ... what's the
difference?") Amazingly, some ENFPs are adept at exacting disciplines
such as mathematics. Go figure.
Friends are what life is about to ENFPs, moreso even than the other
NFs. They hold up their end of the relationship, sometimes being taken
advantage of by less caring individuals. ENFPs are energized by being
around people. Some have real difficulty being alone, especially on a
regular basis.
One ENFP colleague, a social worker, had such tremendous interpersonal
skills that she put her interviewers at ease during her own job interview.
She had the ability to make strangers feel like old friends.
ENFPs sometimes can be blindsided by their secondary Feeling function.
Hasty decisions based on deeply felt values may boil over with
unpredictable results. More than one ENFP has abruptly quit a job in
such a moment.
by Azundris
This work-in-progress
is in German.
Famous ENFPs
- Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
- Theodor "Dr." Seuss Geisel, children's author ("The Cat in the Hat")
- Robin Williams, actor, comedian ("Dead Poet's Society")
Fictional
- Dr. Doug Ross, "ER"
- Ariel ("The Little Mermaid")
- "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"