ENTJs are renowned for being blunt and straightforward; they are one of the most, if not the most, driven personality types. They are also natural-born leaders who often take the helm of a project or task. However, some elements make them hard to pinpoint, and this is where the question of whether the idea of an ENTJ being introverted is a thing comes up.
It is true that the ENTJ is among, or may even be, the least of the “social” extrovert types. They are known to be reclusive and do not mind being alone. They prefer to use their extroverted nature to gather and consolidate data and information to form practically appropriate action plans.
Many others will look at the ENTJ and describe them as the sort of individuals who are confident, assertive, and, at times, outspoken (especially about their ideas and theories). They are a rare breed, and according to certain psychologists, they make up as little as 2% of the population. This makes them highly fascinating, and the way they interact with others just as much so.
Is It Possible That There Are Introverted ENTJs?
A vital facet of the ENTJ is they are highly impatient with people who are not as efficient and focused as they are. When dealing with such people, they may not conduct themselves as other extroverts would and may avoid or become short-tempered with them.
And this trait alone can lead to them easily being labeled as introverts, and there may well be a ring of truth to that.
The ENTJ will become drained by such people, and unlike other extrovert types, they will not exert themselves to connect with these people. Instead, they will rather cut the person from the project or have as little to do with them as possible. Although they can be social and outgoing, many elements make the ENTJ appear more introverted.
One prime example is that ENTJs place a high value on withholding their independence, which is a quality that we often associate with introverts. They do value certain social elements such as commitment and loyalty, but they do not appreciate feeling as though anyone is smothering them.
Rather, they will seek out people who will allow them room to do what they want and need to do. We will touch on a little further: the ENTJ type is not adept at expressing themselves emotionally, which is why they value their space and often privacy from those around them.
Now, this is a result of them merely not naturally being thus inclined, and it more often than not comes across as somewhat of an introverted trait, and we would not be wrong to be thinking along these lines. If you know an ENTJ or are one yourself, you will be aware that one thing they desire in many areas of their lives is their space.
One reason is that once they commence working on a task or project, they become entirely zoned in and focused on the work they are engaging in. This is yet another example of why the ENTJ is seen as an introvert; however, this is not entirely true, as we shall get to shortly. Instead, they merely direct their extroversion into their work and tasks instead of people.
Can ENTJs Be Introverted?
This is a double-edged sword because they may very well struggle to feel energized by large numbers of people, and this is undoubtedly an introverted trait; there is no doubt about that. However, if they are around people they care about and work well with, they often become more energized in their presence.
Another facet, as mentioned, is that ENTJs quite enjoy being by themselves for lengths at a time and will often prefer to get things done on their own instead of relying on other people to complete the tasks. If they do have to work with others, they tend to lose their patience rather quickly, and resultantly, their extroverted side shows as they step up and take charge.
The ENTJ needs time to themselves; this is usually spent thinking through, planning, and strategizing what should be done next. Once they have the vision in their mind, the ENTJ may feel that it is simply easier to complete things on their own to ensure that the task is completed correctly and efficiently. They will delegate, but only to reliable people.
Another point regarding the ENTJ is that they relish time spent alone to rest and relax without the distractions of others. They can be quite content if they spend time with the right people, but if given a choice between solitude and being with the wrong people, they would rather isolate themselves.
ENTJs also do not require constant interactions with others, but they enjoy being around people with whom they can discuss ideas, concepts, and information. They like to theorize and come up with unique and fresh thoughts but have the right people to bounce those ideas off of.
Can ENTJs Be Shy And Quiet?
One of the main confusions regarding extroversion is what it relates to, which is the orientation of cognitive function. Resultantly, the extrovert type functions with a clear focus on the external world around them. This is often confused with the notion that if one is an extrovert, their focus must be on socializing with people continuously.
Now, things begin to get interesting because an ENTJ can have physical and sensory experiences independently, without input from other individuals. That is not to say that ENTJs cannot develop good socializing skills, but it is not a prerequisite.
Therefore with this in mind, we can denote extraverted sensing outlets through physical experiences.
When it comes to allowing people into their lives, especially their inner circles, the ENTJ will be picky and choosy about which people they allow in and choose to include in their worlds. This aspect of the ENTJ is undoubtedly one that mimics that of an introvert as their behavioral patterns are much the same; however, at the same time, they are capable of being unafraid of interactions.
Qualities of the ENTJ
As we have outlined, one key feature of the ENTJ is that they become impatient with people far more quickly than other extrovert types; they also tend to become drained by interactions with others more easily. Both of these things are traits more commonly found in introvert types.
Their pet peeve is engaging with people who seem to put in the bare minimum amount of effort or who are incapable of being effective and efficient team members. They usually expect more of people, especially those they deem as slackers, and hence they despise dealing with those who (perhaps in their eyes) do not work hard enough.
If an ENTJ has a choice regarding who they are surrounded by, they will select people they deem capable and intelligent and do not require constant supervision to accomplish tasks. This is also something that an introvert would likely enjoy, as they only need to interact with others when needed.
ENTJs are still classified as extroverts, requiring interaction to stay recharged and motivated; however, they are relatively complex individuals, and their personality type is somewhat layered, along with possessing the individual characteristics apart from their “assigned” type.
Therefore we can say that a fair portion of ENTJs lean more toward the introverted personality type. They can also find themselves to be those who sit somewhere in the middle of being extroverted and introverted. They enjoy the chance to interact with select people and love sharing ideas and information to feel inspired; they do not always want this.
We often find with the ENTJ that they require time to themselves, which is usually done when they wish to escape the frustrations, stress, and pressures of life. This becomes particularly apparent when they constantly have to interact with people whom they deem to be inefficient or ignorant.
There is also an interesting phenomenon whereby they can switch from wishing to engage in socialization to being left alone, which is a crucial reason why the ENTJ is considered to be more introverted than other extrovert personality types. This is often influenced by their surroundings and the situations they find themselves in.
How The ENTJ Tackles Challenges And Their Surroundings
The ENTJ is a highly driven individual for the most part, and they are individualistic in their thinking and typically have immensely clear ideas of what they want to achieve in their lives. Their thinking style is extroverted, and they will create systems and plans that they will execute within the external world. They are unafraid to put in the necessary work.
They are highly efficient people and are often practical in their approach to matters concerning all elements of their lives. This component of their personalities allows them to accomplish what others may deem unreasonable or out of reach.
An auxiliary function of their personality is introverted intuition, enabling them to process information and then utilize it to comprehend how the future outcomes will look; they are more focused on the future than the immediate present. The combination of these skills generally empowers them to be immensely successful people, regardless of their field of work.
ENTJ Interpersonal Skills And Relationships
Unlike the traditional introverted traits where socializing is a cause for the expense of energy, ENTJs actually gain energy from socializing. They relish intellectual and passionate conversations and debates. And they also often have strong verbal skills, and with this comes a level of confidence that intimidates certain other personalities.
When they have a good idea or concept, they are the sort of people who feel compelled to share it and look to gain valuable input and discussions regarding the matter. Their point of view on something is often rather firmly based, but they are open to learning from others they deem qualified on the matter in question.
Now, although they have excellent verbal skills, their overall ability to communicate certain things does lack slightly. This is particularly evident in their general lack of comprehension and understanding of others’ emotions.
They also struggle to convey their emotions or emotional states. Thus when they communicate, it can often come across as argumentative or confrontational. They can overcome this weakness, though, but it comes with making a conscious decision to work on learning how to read others’ emotions more easily and opening themselves up to the idea of sharing their own emotions.
Without putting in this effort, though, they are likely to have difficulty getting along with those who are of the more sensitive personality types. As we have touched on, them being extroverts does not denote that they are emotionally expressive either, and this can resultantly cause others to view them as cold and insensitive.
When it comes to personal and romantic relationships, the ENTJ often struggles to find their footing in this arena. They are the sort of extroverts who have a greater tendency to be task-based and exert their energy on completing work rather than investing in building relationships with people.
Thus you will often find that ENTJs are far more career orientated and will focus on developing and growing in this aspect of their lives rather than constructing meaningful relationships with others. This predisposition can cause them to lack the ability to form strong, well-built, and supportive relationships with others.
How To Tell The Difference Between The ENTJ And INTJ
It often happens that ENTJs either mistype themselves or are mistyped by others as being INTJs. This comes from the fact that ENTJs are far more focused on work and completing tasks, while they tend to neglect to connect with people. Resultantly they may appear or even feel that they do not actually fit the extrovert box, which is often categorized as constantly wanting to socialize.
The ENTJ looks at the dichotomy of extrovert versus introvert and uses that as their defining component. It is much easier for an INTJ to realize that they are not ENTJs, while the reverse cannot be said about ENTJs. The primary difference is that the INTJ possesses the introverted intuition cognitive function as their primary means of processing things, while it is auxiliary for the ENTJ.
Ultimately it comes down to the nature of their cognitive functions and having a greater understanding of the MBTI system and its classification methods. INTJs prefer to spend a great deal of time alone and use their introverted functionality to allow them to process information and analyze things; it is of a more internal nature.
They are happiest when they can sit alone quietly and ponder about things for extensive periods. At the same time, the ENTJ does this, but they also require external stimulation and relish engaging with like-minded people they can interact with on a level they find valuable and fruitful. Additionally, the ENTJ is motivated by actually doing, more so than merely considering and anticipating.
Conclusion
Although this may sound counter to our findings, ENTJs are indeed extroverts, but it all boils down to how we define extroversion. The ENTJ is typically going to be an individual who is strong-willed and driven, and these traits are usually easily recognizable within them. However, we can say that the ENTJ may well be more “introverted” as opposed to other extroverts.
