ENTP PERSONALITY (“THE DEBATER”)
Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crack-pot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.
Thomas J. Watson
The ENTP personality type is the ultimate devil's advocate, thriving on the process of shredding arguments and beliefs and letting the ribbons drift in the wind for all to see. Unlike their more determined Judging (J) counterparts, ENTPs don't do this because they are trying to achieve some deeper purpose or strategic goal, but for the simple reason that it's fun. No one loves the process of mental sparring more than ENTPs, as it gives them a chance to exercise their effortlessly quick wit, broad accumulated knowledge base, and capacity for connecting disparate ideas to prove their points.
An odd juxtaposition arises with ENTPs, as they are uncompromisingly honest, but will argue tirelessly for something they don't actually believe in, stepping into another's shoes to argue a truth from another perspective.
Playing the devil's advocate helps people with the ENTP personality type to not only develop a better sense of others' reasoning, but a better understanding of opposing ideas – since ENTPs are the ones arguing them.
This tactic shouldn't be confused with the sort of mutual understanding Diplomats (NF) seek – ENTPs, like all Analyst (NT) personality types, are on a constant quest for knowledge, and what better way to gain it than to attack and defend an idea, from every angle, from every side?
There Are no Rules Here – We're Trying to Accomplish Something!
Taking a certain pleasure in being the underdog, ENTPs enjoy the mental exercise found in questioning the prevailing mode of thought, making them irreplaceable in reworking existing systems or shaking things up and pushing them in clever new directions. However, they'll be miserable managing the day-to-day mechanics of actually implementing their suggestions. ENTP personalities love to brainstorm and think big, but they will avoid getting caught doing the "grunt work" at all costs. ENTPs only make up about three percent of the population, which is just right, as it lets them create original ideas, then step back to let more numerous and fastidious personalities handle the logistics of implementation and maintenance.
ENTPs' capacity for debate can be a vexing one – while often appreciated when it's called for, it can fall painfully flat when they step on others' toes by say, openly questioning their boss in a meeting, or picking apart everything their significant other says. This is further complicated by ENTPs' unyielding honesty, as this type doesn't mince words and cares little about being seen as sensitive or compassionate. Likeminded types get along well enough with people with the ENTP personality type, but more sensitive types, and society in general, are often conflict-averse, preferring feelings, comfort, and even white lies over unpleasant truths and hard rationality.
This frustrates ENTPs, and they find that their quarrelsome fun burns many bridges, oftentimes inadvertently, as they plow through others' thresholds for having their beliefs questioned and their feelings brushed aside. Treating others as they'd be treated, ENTPs have little tolerance for being coddled, and dislike when people beat around the bush, especially when asking a favor. ENTP personalities find themselves respected for their vision, confidence, knowledge, and keen sense of humor, but often struggle to utilize these qualities as the basis for deeper friendships and romantic relationships.
Opportunity Is Missed Because It Looks Like Hard Work
ENTPs have a longer road than most in harnessing their natural abilities – their intellectual independence and free-form vision are tremendously valuable when they're in charge, or at least have the ear of someone who is, but getting there can take a level of follow-through that ENTPs struggle with.
Once they've secured such a position, ENTPs need to remember that for their ideas to come to fruition, they will always depend on others to assemble the pieces – if they've spent more time "winning" arguments than they have building consensus, many ENTPs will find they simply don't have the support necessary to be successful. Playing devil's advocate so well, people with this personality type may find that the most complex and rewarding intellectual challenge is to understand a more sentimental perspective, and to argue consideration and compromise alongside logic and progress.
ENTP STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
ENTP Strengths
• Knowledgeable – ENTPs rarely pass up a good opportunity to learn something new, especially abstract concepts. This information isn't usually absorbed for any planned purpose as with dedicated studying, people with the ENTP personality type just find it fascinating.
• Quick Thinkers – ENTPs have tremendously flexible minds, and are able to shift from idea to idea without effort, drawing on their accumulated knowledge to prove their points, or their opponents', as they see fit.
• Original – Having little attachment to tradition, ENTP personalities are able to discard existing systems and methods and pull together disparate ideas from their extensive knowledge base, with a little raw creativity to hold them together, to formulate bold new ideas. If presented with chronic, systemic problems and given rein to solve them, ENTPs respond with unabashed glee.
• Excellent Brainstormers – Nothing is quite as enjoyable to ENTPs as analyzing problems from every angle to find the best solutions. Combining their knowledge and originality to splay out every aspect of the subject at hand, rejecting without remorse options that don't work and presenting ever more possibilities, ENTPs are irreplaceable in brainstorming sessions.
• Charismatic – People with the ENTP personality type have a way with words and wit that others find intriguing. Their confidence, quick thought and ability to connect disparate ideas in novel ways create a style of communication that is charming, even entertaining, and informative at the same time.
• Energetic – When given a chance to combine these traits to examine an interesting problem, ENTPs can be truly impressive in their enthusiasm and energy, having no qualms with putting in long days and nights to find a solution.
ENTP Weaknesses
• Very Argumentative – If there's anything ENTPs enjoy, it's the mental exercise of debating an idea, and nothing is sacred. More consensus-oriented personality types rarely appreciate the vigor with which ENTP personalities tear down their beliefs and methods, leading to a great deal of tension.
• Insensitive – Being so rational, ENTPs often misjudge others feelings and push their debates well past others' tolerance levels. People with this personality type don't really consider emotional points to be valid in such debates either, which magnifies the issue tremendously.
• Intolerant – Unless people are able to back up their ideas in a round of mental sparring, ENTPs are likely to dismiss not just the ideas but the people themselves. Either a suggestion can stand up to rational scrutiny or it's not worth bothering with.
• Can Find It Difficult to Focus – The same flexibility that allows ENTPs to come up with such original plans and ideas makes them readapt perfectly good ones far too often, or to even drop them entirely as the initial excitement wanes and newer thoughts come along. Boredom comes too easily for ENTPs, and fresh thoughts are the solution, though not always a helpful one.
• Dislike Practical Matters – ENTPs are interested in what could be – malleable concepts like ideas and plans that can be adapted and debated. When it comes to hard details and day-to-day execution where creative flair isn't just unnecessary but actually counter-productive, ENTP personalities lose interest, often with the consequence of their plans never seeing the light of day.
ENTP RELATIONSHIPS
If there's one thing ENTPs are good at, it's coming up with a never-ending stream of innovations and ideas to keep things moving forward, and this is evident in their romantic relationships as well. For people with the ENTP personality type growth is key, and even before they've found a dating partner, they imagine all the ways that they can experience new things together, to grow in tandem. This can be an overwhelming process if their partner doesn't match up, but when ENTPs find someone who shares their love of intellectual exploration, watch out.
Show Me a Satisfied Man, and I'll Show You a Failure
From the earliest dates, ENTPs test their partners' limits for this kind of potential, pushing boundaries and traditions, looking for open-mindedness and spontaneity. Dating ENTP personalities is hardly a boring experience, and they make use of their enthusiasm and creativity by delighting and surprising their partners with new ideas and experiences.
ENTPs' idea of fun is often rooted in self-improvement, and people with this personality type bring their partners along the way, as much in a spirit of sharing as in a spirit of expectation. ENTPs see either growth or stagnation and don't buy into the idea of a happy status quo, making them demanding as much as they are exciting.
Some may tire in the face of this constant improvement – while ENTPs' vigor can be attractive, it can also wear down even the most patient partners. A little time to breathe and a chance to rest on one's laurels for a moment is necessary for many people, but not something ENTPs are likely to appreciate. However, if their unwavering enthusiasm is met in kind, it can lead to a magnificent relationship characterized by its strength, depth, and spark.
Genius Is One Percent Inspiration and Ninety-Nine Percent Perspiration
This is perhaps most evident as ENTPs' relationships progress into more inti