All About the Executive Personality Type

Introduction To Executive Personality Type

Executive personality is one of the 16 types of personality proposed by Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers off Carl Jung’s theories. This personality type is what most people may refer to as boring, stiff, or too disciplined.

The chances are that 11 out of every 100 people you meet are Executives. Remember that friend who always wanted due process followed or would not just cut corners even when it is legal? He/she may be an executive. You could just refer to them as having the supervisor mentality.

The classic acronym ESTJ represents the behavior of these people. This means that an executive is extraverted (out-spoken or enjoys the company of many), sensing or observant (would rather focus on the tangible than the intangible), thinking (bases decision making on logical reasoning alone), and judging (all decisions are carefully calculated and rarely off the hip).

Attributes of Executives

An executive is not one to change with the season, and for this, they are stable and very dependable.
Executives are not splendid when it comes to empathy. That is why they are seen as too insensitive to present their ideas or make opinions.
Their conviction is often contagious. That is why they are often team leaders.
Discipline is more of a way of life for ESTJs. Even as this quality may make it seem like they belittle others, it helps them take necessary actions to achieve a set goal.
It can be said that they are “control freaks” because they tend to want to take charge of the happenings around them; they hate being out of control. This makes their rise to the top in their respective fields seem effortless.
As much as Executives want to take control, they are not lone wolves. Instead, they expect others to be just as devoted as they are; in a bid to demand reciprocity, they may come off as too rigid and demanding.
ESTJs are good wardens of law and order as they uphold an organization’s customary law or place.

Cognitive Functions

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator works on the premise that the human personality is built around sensing, thinking, feeling, and intuitional cognitive functions. These functions are either expressed outwardly or within.

Dominant and auxiliary functions play the main and supporting roles, respectively, in personality formation. Tertiary and inferior functions may not be as influential, but they play a role anyway.

The Dominant Cognitive Function: Extraverted Thinking

ESTJs place rationality and logic above feelings when it comes to decision making. This is a particularly good quality in situations where impersonal and objective judgments are needed. But this quality fails them when the situation demands them to be empathetic and less logical.

Abstracts, ideas, theories, and opinions are nothing but mere postulations to Executives, and as such, they cannot take it seriously. Only the practical and tangible seem to attract them.

Executives are quick thinkers and are always almost ever ready to make quick decisions. As much as this is expected of a leader, especially in reactionary positions, some decisions may not be well thought out.

The Auxiliary Cognitive Function: Introverted Sensing

This aspect of their personality helps them draw from past experiences and memories to help navigate present hurdles, which contributes to the quick thinking Executives possess.

Because this part of them deals with inner expressions, they are more likely to get in-tune with something much more familiar; a routine, a schedule, anything. In this comfort and familiarity with the past, their peers perceive them to be obstinate to changes.

The Tertiary Cognitive Function: Extraverted Intuition

As earlier explained, this level of cognitive function has minimal impact on their overall personality expression. The extraverted intuitive cognitive function causes Executives to explore and be much more creative than they ordinarily would allow themselves to be.

The possibilities that they explore may make them open to recommendations in handling a particular task because they recognize that there may be more than one possible outcome even when the same process is followed.

The Inferior Cognitive Function: Introverted Feeling

This portion of an executive’s cognitive function may cause him/her to follow what they feel rather than what they think. They may come off as plain emotional in their dealings as against their usual abrasive approach. They have no control or knowledge that they are subjective at this point because, ordinarily, ESTJs are very well self-aware when it comes to dealing and using their emotions.

Idealism vs. Reality for Executives

ESTJs are more idealistic and by-the-book than they care to admit. This part of them makes them be viewed as good leaders because they uphold the traditional values on which the society was built, oftentimes without favoritism.

The reality for them is but a messy picture painted by the undisciplined. For this reason, ESTJs have a hard time reconciling reality and what is ideal when it comes to dealing with the inconsistencies in human behavior. ESTJs see inconsistency as instability.

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Executives and How They Can Improve

Every personality type has its strengths and weaknesses, and the Executives are not left out; they are just as fallible.

Strengths:

Dependability — Stability, being straightforward, and security are some of the exemplary qualities Executives embody. They stay true to their promises because they value how others see them in this light; this does not mean they are insecure.
Diligence and Dedication — Executives are usually very hardworking and do not give up easily; how they perceive the task at hand and their feelings usually do not matter. Do not mistake this for indifference.
Resolve — Executives do not give up easily when faced with a challenge; they are ardent crusaders of their beliefs.
Honest — As they are traditional and by-the-book in their doings, ESTJs rely on facts as the Christians rely on the bible for guidance. The truth is non-negotiable irrespective of whose ego is hurt.
Organized — You may mistake Executives with the obsessive-compulsive disorder because of their attention to detail when they get to work because they are usually success-driven.
Good Administrator — Executives can share tasks and jobs with subordinates in all fairness to their ability and without favor.

Weaknesses:

Inexpressive and Insensitive — This is a major weakness of Executives, the inability to express their emotion, and the failure to reconcile their logical thinking with the way they feel. They are sincere, but they usually do away with empathy when making honest suggestions or sharing their opinions. This brings their sensitivity into question as they usually see the logical side to things.
Bossy and Belittle — They usually give off the vibe that they are bossy, whereas, in their eyes, they are only trying to drive their subordinates’ productivity and those around them.
The Perfect Social Appearance — There are suggestions that the perfect persona Executives project is because they want to appear as socially near-perfect, if not perfect. They expend so much energy trying to be perfect and be there for others to forget to be themselves and address their personal needs.
Obstinate and Rigid — Executives prefer the traditional way of doing things, and most times, pass-on the opportunity to adopt a way that works much more efficiently. Sometimes, this is due to their strong resolve characteristics; other times, they let ego get in their way. The practices in an organization are most likely not going to change with an executive in charge; it may stifle the growth.
Workaholics — ESTJs are the perfect example of their dedication to work and their obsessiveness with achieving what they put their minds to. Still, they usually predispose them to the “no break” mentality and may cause them to see others as lazy and undedicated.

How They Can Improve

Executives should look inwards more as this will improve their working relationships with those around them.
ESTJs think letting their feelings play a role in decision making and communication as a weakness. When they let their feelings match their logical approach to issues, most of the problems and friction they experience would be fully resolved. Sometimes this is all that is needed to keep a very talented employee from resigning. Who would like to continue working with a boss who puts the organization before his employees’ well-being?
They should understand that people are unique and should expect that not everyone is just as productive and can handle tasks with the same ferocity.

Career Types Suitable For Executives

If we are to go by the character Executives portray, it is almost easy to guess which career paths suit them. They value being the one who makes it tick at their workplace, upholding law and order, being the one others can count on, and stability.

They can fit well into jobs that involve supervisory and managerial roles because they value organizational structure. Their love for upholding law and order also make them suitable for the law and enforcement agencies.

Being seen as a model is up there on their scale of preference, and that is why they are likely to rise to the top of their chosen profession. As Otto Kroeger says in his book Type Talk at Work, “as a general rule ESTJs will rise to the top of any organization.”

ESTJs In Relationships

Romance

ESTJs enter relationships with the rational mind, hoping they can rationalize their way in and out of romance. Their partners may see them as too domineering and control. Sometimes romance thrives on spontaneity because surprise arouses a special kind of emotion, but ESTJs would rather schedule every part of the relationship.

The good side to being in a relationship with an executive is that they are usually honest with their intentions going into the relationship. They are ever traditional.

Parenting

The relationship between Executives and their wards may be the same as that between Executives and their subordinates at work. There may be friction between parent and child, especially a child in his adolescent years because it is at this age children hat to step out of the shadow of “being told what to do.”

The career path their wards choose to take maybe a source of disagreement, especially when the child is more inclined to a creative profession that they do not see embodying the traditional definition of hard work. For instance, a musician.

Executives mistake control for communication, and this may rue their relationship with those around them. It takes a certain level of self-awareness to do away with this personality trait slowly.

How to Get Along With an Executive?

As a Friend

ESTJs take reciprocity very seriously; for you to get the best out of your relationship with an executive, you need to be committed to the relationship, and they will put themselves on the line for you, even when you least expect it.

As a Lover

As Executives are traditional and very particular about their public image, they tend to come through on their promises. They may hold back being emotional as their bossy nature makes it hard for them to come off as vulnerable. Patience and time will make them more comfortable; then, they may let you see that part of themselves.

In Conclusion:

It is very rare to find people as devoted and result-oriented as Executives. They pack all the necessary dispositions of a good leader but empathy. Having empathy and making an effort to see from others’ perspectives will increase their relationship with others.

They are usually at a loss when they encounter a situation where they need to tap from their emotional database because they are not used to taking this route or suck at it; it crumbles. Executives need to explore this part of themselves consciously, or they will just be high achieving individuals with communication and relationship issues.