This article is about the Myers-Briggs personality type. For the Socionics
ESTj, see Logical Sensory Extrovert. ESTJ is an abbreviation used in the
publications of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to refer to one of sixteen
personality types. The MBTI assessment was developed from the work of prominent
psychiatrist Carl G. Jung in his book Psychological Types. Jung proposed a
psychological typology based on the theories of cognitive functions that he
developed through his clinical observations.
From Jung's work, others developed psychological typologies. Jungian
personality assessments include the MBTI assessment, developed by Isabel Briggs
Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, developed by
David Keirsey. Keirsey referred to ESTJs as Supervisors, one of the four types
belonging to the temperament he called the Guardian. ESTJs account for about
8–12% of the population. The MBTI instrument
The MBTI preferences indicate the differences in people based on the
following: How they focus their attention or get
their energy How they perceive or take in information
How they prefer to make decisions How they orient themselves to the
external world By using their preference in each of
these areas, people develop what Jung and Myers called psychological type.
This underlying personality pattern results from the dynamic interaction of
their four preferences, in conjunction with environmental influences and their
own individual tendencies. People are likely to develop behaviors, skills, and
attitudes based on their particular type. Each personality type has its own
potential strengths as well as areas that offer opportunities for growth.
The MBTI tool consists of multiple choice questions that sort respondents
on the basis of the four "dichotomies". Sixteen different outcomes are possible,
each identified by its own four-letter code, referred to by initial letters..
The MBTI is approximately 75% accurate according to its own manual.
E – Extraversion preferred to introversion: ESTJs often feel motivated
by their interaction with people. They tend to enjoy a wide circle of
acquaintances, and they gain energy in social situations.
S – Sensing preferred to intuition: ESTJs tend to be more concrete than
abstract. They focus their attention on the details rather than the big picture,
and on immediate realities rather than future possibilities.
T – Thinking preferred to feeling: ESTJs tend to value objective criteria above
personal preference. When making decisions, they generally give more
weight to logic than to social considerations.
J – Judgment preferred to perception: ESTJs tend to plan their activities and
make decisions early. They derive a sense of control through predictability.
Characteristics of ESTJs = Myers-Briggs description =
ESTJs are practical, realistic, and matter-of-fact, with a natural head for
business or mechanics. Though they are not interested in subjects they see no
use for, they can apply themselves when necessary. They like to organize and run
activities. ESTJs make good administrators, especially if they
remember to consider others' feelings and points of view, which they often
dismiss. = Keirsey description =
According to Keirsey, ESTJs are civic-minded individuals who dedicate
themselves to maintaining the institutions behind a smooth-running
society. They are defenders of the status quo and strong believers in rules
and procedures. ESTJs are outgoing and do not hesitate to communicate their
opinions and expectations to others. Interaction Style
According to Linda V. Berens' Interaction Styles model, ESTJs fall
into the "In Charge" style, being both "extraverted" and "Directing". They are
outgoing, yet task-oriented, which also explains the behavior described above.
Cognitive functions Drawing upon Jungian theory, Isabel
Myers proposed that for each personality type, the cognitive functions form a
hierarchy. This hierarchy represents the person's default pattern of behavior.
The Dominant function is the personality type's preferred role, the one they feel
most comfortable with. The secondary Auxiliary function serves to support and
expand on the Dominant function. If the Dominant is an information gathering
function, the Auxiliary is a decision making function, and vice versa. The
Tertiary function is less developed than the Dominant and Auxiliary, but it
matures over time, rounding out the person's abilities. The Inferior
function is the personality type's fatal weakness. This is the function they are
least comfortable with. Like the Tertiary, the Inferior function
strengthens with maturity. Jung and Myers considered the attitude
of the Auxiliary, Tertiary, and Inferior functions to be the opposite of the
Dominant. In this interpretation, if the Dominant function is extraverted, then
the other three are introverted, and vice versa. However, many modern
practitioners hold that the attitude of the Tertiary function is the same as the
Dominant. Using the more modern interpretation, the cognitive functions
of the ESTJ are as follows: = Dominant: Extraverted thinking =
Te organizes and schedules ideas and the environment to ensure the efficient,
productive pursuit of objectives. Te seeks logical explanations for actions,
events, and conclusions, looking for faulty reasoning and lapses in sequence.
The dominant Te means ESTJs use logical fact-based judgments in the outer world
of people and actions. This again explains their behavior and leadership
qualities. = Auxiliary: Introverted sensing =
Si collects data in the present moment and compares it with past experiences, a
process that sometimes evokes the feelings associated with memory, as if
the subject were reliving it. Seeking to protect what is familiar, Si draws upon
history to form goals and expectations about what will happen in the future.
The auxiliary Si's connection with memory and familiarity leads ESTJs to
defend the status quo and procedures. = Tertiary: Extraverted intuition =
Ne finds and interprets hidden meanings, using “what if” questions to explore
alternatives, allowing multiple possibilities to coexist. This
imaginative play weaves together insights and experiences from various
sources to form a new whole, which can then become a catalyst to action. Ne's
use of abstract perception in the outer world gives ESTJs the ability to
conceptualize. However, Ne is subservient to the inward, concrete
focus of Si. = Inferior: Introverted feeling =
Fi filters information based on interpretations of worth, forming
judgments according to criteria that are often intangible. Fi constantly balances
an internal set of values such as harmony and authenticity. Attuned to
subtle distinctions, Fi innately senses what is true and what is false in a
situation. With Fi in the inferior position, some ESTJs may not make full
use of Fi's associations with kinship, personal connections, and congruency of
values or beliefs. = Shadow functions =
Later personality researchers added four additional functions to the descending
hierarchy, the so-called "shadow" functions to which the individual is not
naturally inclined but which can emerge when the person is under stress. The
shadow processes "operate more on the boundaries of our awareness…We usually
experience these processes in a negative way, yet when we are open to them, they
can be quite positive." For the ESTJ these shadow functions are:
Introverted thinking: Ti seeks precision, such as the exact word to
express an idea. It notices the minute distinctions that define the essence of
things, then analyzes and classifies them. Ti examines all sides of an issue,
looking to solve problems while minimizing effort and risk. It uses
models to root out logical inconsistency. For the ESTJ, Ti
supports Te by expanding the use of the Thinking function. But using Ti requires
more effort, and Ti's application is narrower.
Extraverted sensing: Se focuses on the experiences and sensations of the
immediate, physical world. With an acute awareness of the present surroundings,
it brings relevant facts and details to the forefront and may lead to
spontaneous action. Introverted intuition: Attracted to
symbolic actions or devices, Ni synthesizes seeming paradoxes to create
the previously unimagined. These realizations come with a certainty that
demands action to fulfill a new vision of the future, solutions that may
include complex systems or universal truths.
Extraverted feeling: Fe seeks social connections and creates harmonious
interactions through polite, considerate, and appropriate behavior.
Fe responds to the explicit wants of others, and may even create an internal
conflict between the subject’s own needs and the desire to meet the needs of
others. References
External links The Myers & Briggs Foundation: The 16
MBTI Types