- There are a lot of stereotypes
surrounding the 16 Myers-Briggs personalities.
Now, some of these stereotypes
might provide inspiration for hilarious comedy sketches
that you should probably watch.
Stereotypes like ISTJs, they love tradition.
Do not mess with their traditions.
Or INTPs are socially inept doofuses.
INFJs have everything planned out for the next 10 years.
They're the best planners.
But what if those things aren't true?
What if those humorous surface-level stereotypes
lead us to make incorrect assumptions
about what is truly going on beneath the surface
with each of the 16 personalities?
Let's take a look at every personality type
and discuss what we are getting dead wrong.
That's right.
We're gonna look at the biggest misconception
for each of the 16 personalities.
To get us warmed up,
enjoy this comedy sketch sponsored by Cloverleaf.
I need those reports on my desk by 5:00 PM.
Okay, Mom.
Mom, what?
You just called me mom.
Oh, sorry, mom.
She just did it again.
Crap, I was hoping you wouldn't notice.
I'm only like five years older than you.
Oh, that's awkward.
Okay, look, I know we have some similar facial features,
but you are not my daughter.
Yeah. I know.
Do you?
Or do you have a misconception about yourself
because you don't know who you really are?
Well, this is getting unexpectedly deep.
I need you to take this test right now.
What is this?
This is Cloverleaf's 16 Types assessment.
It's a free and reliable test
to discover which of the 16 personality types you are:
to discover who you really are.
I've always wondered what was the best test to take?
Frank James recommends it.
Who's Frank James?
Everyone on our work team
can take the Cloverleaf assessment,
and then we can compare profiles to see
how our different personality preferences work together.
That's pretty cool.
My personality type is INFJ.
Plus, Cloverleaf has lots of valuable content,
including a free ebook called "Boss to Coach,"
a playbook for new managers.
Wow, is this your way of telling me
you're gonna promote me to a manager?
Yes, it is.
Wow. Thanks, mom.
Take Cloverleaf's reliable and free 16 Types assessment now,
along with their Enneagram and DISC assessments.
And if you're a new manager,
download their free ebook.
Links are in the description.
Okay. Get outta here.
Okay. Love you.
Thanks to Cloverleaf for sponsoring that sketch.
Now back to my regular content.
First up are the Se dominant types: the ESFP and ESTP.
Yes, I will be referring
to the cognitive functions in this video.
Cognitive functions or the building blocks
that make up personality types.
But don't worry, I'll make it Simple Simon enough
that even a beginner can follow along.
And if you wanna take a deeper dive into cognitive functions
after you've watched this video,
click the card above my head
or click the link in the description.
Se is short for extroverted sensing.
It's all about perception of the real concrete world
through your five senses in real time.
In other words, what is happening right now?
How about right now?
Oh, come on out and shoot.
Frank just lost it, like one minute into the video.
Because Se is the opposite of Ni, introverted intuition,
it can be easy to think that ESFPs and ESTPs
will struggle to make plans or think deeply about anything.
Some might even say they lack wisdom.
But what if that's just a misconception?
What if in reality ESFPs and ESTPs are quite wise?
They just come to their wisdom in their own unique way.
While many types prefer to hang back,
observe and learn before trying their hand at something new,
the Se dominant types prefer to just jump in
and try it for themselves hands on.
So what this means is over time,
ESFPs and ESTPs gain much more life experience
than other types.
And just like you learn
not to touch the stove when it's hot,
after you burn your hand for the first time,
the ESFPs and ESTPs learn their life lessons in real time
through trial, error, and eventually success.
At least I hope.
This leads to a wisdom and level of preparation
that stereotypically, these types are not supposed to have.
Next is the Si dominant types: the ISTJ and the ISFJ.
Stability, dedication, and a preference for the familiar
are all traits of these personalities.
And one of the biggest stereotypes about Si dominant types
is that they love tradition
and they don't question the way we've always done things.
While it is true that these types
prefer to keep things the way they are,
what if it isn't due
to them being unthinkingly loyal to tradition?
What if that's just a misconception?
Maybe what's really going on is that ISFJs and ISTJs
spend much more time thinking
about their preferred way of life
and how to keep it running smoothly than the other types do.
Think of the ISFJ who spends weeks
meticulously planning a weekend getaway with their friends,
or the ISTJ who works 50 hours a week
so he can afford to pursue his true passion
of getting his pilot's license.
These types get annoyed by people
who casually waltz in offering suggestions and changes
to the ideas and lifestyle choices that they hold sacred.
Two intuitive types who are constantly coming up
with alternative possibilities, it can be frustrating
when they have an idea they think is better
but their ISTJ or ISFJ friend
just shoots it down immediately.
The truth is that the Si dominant type
has probably put much more thought
into the realities of the situation,
accounting for details and variables
that intuitives will only think of later
when it turns out that their amazing new idea
was totally unrealistic.
So do ISFJs and ISTJs actually stick to their ways
because they're closed-minded
and they just wanna blindly stick to the status quo?
Or do they just need solid proof that their methods
which have been working up until now should be changed?
If it ain't broke, why fix it?
Next are the F Fe dominant types: the ENFJ and ESFJ.
These types are usually stereotyped
in an almost too positive way.
Oh, they're just so caring and supportive.
They just wanna create social harmony
and have meaningful relationships
with their friends and family.
And yeah, okay, that's all true: mostly.
But the other side of that desire for harmony
is that ESFJs and ENFJs
can actually be quick to judge people
who don't make an effort to integrate into a social setting.
I mean, they can quickly get annoyed or even angry
at people who aren't going along with the group
and are disrupting the group harmony.
So let's say you're out with some friends,
and everyone's like, "Let's get Mexican food for lunch."
But then one person is like, "I don't like Mexican food."
That type of behavior
is really gonna set off an ESFJ or ENFJ.
Because to those types,
group harmony is the most important thing.
So if you're the one causing an issue with that,
they will come down on you
in an effort to establish emotional equilibrium.
If you gotta be sad to make everyone else happy,
they're okay with that.
Now, let's go on the Fi dominant types: The INFP and ISFP.
And I bring these types up next
because they're usually the ones
who get into conflict with the Fe dominant types.
They can typically be hard to convince to do things
that they don't wanna do,
and may come off as stubborn or inflexible.
This leads to the misconception
that Fi dominant types are selfish.
Of all the types, these types are likely to be self-focused.
They follow their personal interests,
their passions and their goals.
But that does not mean it's coming from a selfish place.
So what is most important to the ISFPs and INFPs
is being authentically themselves and true to their values.
In other words, it's very important to them
to express themselves and their feelings honestly.
So in that example about a group of friends
going to get food at a restaurant:
"Frank, I don't know what you're talking about
'cause I just skipped right to my type."
Well, go back and watch the last section, you skipper.
Why don't you go get lost
with Gilligan and his crew, Skipper?
No one understands that joke.
So in that last example, you have a group of friends.
They're saying where should we go to launch?
Everyone's like, "I wanna go to a Mexican place."
And one friend is like, "I don't like Mexican."
Oh, they're spoiling it for everyone.
Yeah, that would be an INFP or ISFP most likely.
Not that they're being selfish or petulant or whatever.
It's not like they're trying to do that.
But the introverted feeling dominant types
are the least likely to lie about what they like or dislike,
which can cause problems in situations like this.
'Cause instead of just going along with the group,
they will often express their honest feelings.
And this becomes even more likely
when the situation is more important
than where are we gonna go to lunch.
So be careful bringing up politics or religion or ethics
around these types.
It's not like they're gonna try
to shove it down your throat,
but they're not gonna like lie to you
about what they really feel.
So if you ask these types to engage in an activity
that is not in line with their identity or values,
from their perspective,
you are asking them to lie to themselves.
They aren't gonna go along with it.
You want me to go to a Mexican restaurant?
that is lying to myself.
The last time I ate refried beans (laughs),
just don't go there. Frank.
So are INFPs and ISFPs selfish?
Or are they just being honest,
like Outkast in the hit song, "Hey Ya!"
The extroverted thinking or Te dominant types are next:
the ENTJ and ESTJ.
And a large misconception about these types
is that they are bossy
and just wanna tell you what to do all the time.
While these two types
will certainly act more authoritatively than others,
the reason that they do this
is because they are easily able to see
how a task or a problem can be solved efficiently.
So let's use kind of a weird example
to really illustrate the ENTJ and ESTJ mindset,
or grindset, if you will.
All right, imagine you have a man
who gathers water to drink from a river,
but every time he is thirsty,
he walks to the river and only fills up one cup
before going back to his house.
This guy is really dumb.
Then one day an ESTJ or ENTJ sees this dummy
and he says, nicely: "Why are you doing it that way?"
Because Te types love to ask those kind of questions.
That alone, like they're just asking you honestly,
"Why are you doing it that way?"
And that can feel like,
"Dude, are you trying to tell me what to do?"
Especially if you're a TP or FJ type,
when they start asking those questions,
it's very irritating.
But I digress.
So back to our story.
the ESTJ or ENTJ offers this dumb person a bucket and says,
"Instead of taking a bunch of trips with your cup,
you can just fill up the bucket once
and be set for a while."
So dominant extroverted thinkers
see every situation kind of like this.
They see the ways in which things could be done easier
or more efficiently.
Where the bossy DISC comes into play
is when people refuse their advice.
Sometimes something that is extremely clear
to a Te dominant type might be very hard
for another type to grasp.
These Te types, they see the spectrum of ideas,
and they're like, "These are the best ideas.
These are the stupidest ideas."
Your idea is here.
Do this idea on this end of the spectrum instead.
So yeah, you can't blame these types
for getting a little bossy.
If they tell this guy: "Here, use a bucket instead,"
but then the guy just keeps going back to the river
over and over, and he's like, "I don't need no bucket."
But then he's also complaining
because it takes so much effort to get all the stuff.
But if we just used the bucket.
So maybe the Te dominants
aren't actually like these bossy people
who are on a power trip.
Maybe they're actually just trying to help you out,
and maybe they get a little frustrated
if you don't see the things that are clear to them.
Introverted thinking on the other hand
is less about productivity and efficiency
and more about internal logical consistency.
So the two dominant Ti types, the INTP and the ISTP
are all about doing what makes sense to themselves
and developing their understanding of how the world works.
Because they are spending so much time
in that logical realm,
one big misconception about these types
is that they are bad at interacting with other people.
Now, this is due to their inferior extroverted feeling.
Some might go so far as to believe the misconception
that these types don't even care about other people.
But in reality, these types like to feel included
and enjoy their social circles,
however small they may like to keep them.
Having extroverted feeling, even as their inferior function,
means that they generally also feel connected
to a larger social sphere in some sense,
like a family or a community.
The struggle these types face
is with their love-hate relationship
with extroverted feeling.
Because of their dominant, TIs need to make sure
that things are discussed logically and correctly.
So an ISTP or INTP might be in a conversation
with a group of people,
and someone says something that doesn't make much sense.
So just as the Fi dominant types we discussed earlier
need to be authentic in their feelings and values,
Ti dominant types need to be authentic
in their logic and understanding.
So while many types
would just hear this person say something illogical
and just let it slide,
the INTPs and ISTPs might point out mistakes to others
in ways that are less than tactful,
maybe even hurting that person's feelings.
But are they trying to hurt your feelings?
Are they socially adept doofuses?
Or possibly, do they actually desire
to have connections with others
and to have their ideas valued by everyone else?
Maybe for the INTPs and ISTPS,
pointing out what they see as the truth
will help other people,
and maybe cause others to admire them.
The issue is they just struggle
with knowing how to point out those logical inconsistencies
in a way that doesn't ruin the mood.
Ain't that always the issue.
Now we move on to the ENFP and the ENTP,
the Ne dominant types.
A bit wacky, full of ideas, and often energetic,
these two types can be found in a wide variety of fields:
corn fields, wheat fields, soybean fields.
No, I'm kidding, guys.
That was just a little joke.
Because of the stereotype that they like to bounce around
to different topics and interests,
there's often the assumption
that dominant extroverted intuitive types
are flaky and unable to finish things they have started.
But is this true or is it a misconception?
Ne, extroverted intuition,
is the opposite of Si, introverted sensing,
the function most associated with stability.
So there is some truth to the idea that Ne types
don't like to be rooted down for too long.
But there's a better way to think about these types
than they're just unable to finish a project.
It's not that ENFPs and ENTPs
can't finish things because they're flaky.
Really what's going on is that their natural strength
is in discovering and creating new possibilities.
By its very nature,
extroverted intuition is expansive and moving,
always noticing the connections between ideas
and generating new ideas.
So imagine having a great idea and starting to work on it,
but then you have another better idea
before you've even finished the first one.
In that situation, is it smarter to keep working
and finish what you started,
or is it better to drop that project
in favor of working on the latest and greatest idea?
ENTPs and ENFPs constantly have to battle out the importance
of their many ideas in their minds.
And while many types struggle with perfectionism,
I think it's these two types
who struggle with perfectionism the most.
So are they flaky?
Are they unable to finish the things they start?
Or are they just trying their best
to keep up with the speed of their intuition?
Last but not least, we have the Ni dominant types:
the in NTJ and the in INFJ.
Reserved, perceptive, and forward thinking,
these two types are commonly associated
with their ability to predict how things might play out
and their focus on the future.
Being so tuned in to their vision of what the next year,
five years, or even 20 years might look like,
these types are often stereotyped as being very planned out.
But what if they aren't?
Ni dominant types tend to start with an endpoint in mind
and then create a rough or general guideline to get there.
Because the destination is seen as the important part,
INTJs and INFJs are often willing to change course mid-plan,
or even leave parts of the plan hazy
as long as it leads to that endpoint that they desire.
And because they are J types, that adds to the misconception
that they are very planned out.
Certainly, these types do plan, but it's not gonna be
like a concrete, detailed, meticulous plan
like you might see from an ISTJ or an ISFJ.
If anything, you see these types plan the most
when they are anxious about something
in the real sensory world.
For example, an INFJ or INTJ
might spend time planning out a trip
to an unfamiliar grocery store.
Like what is the parking situation gonna be like?
Do they carry the brand of potato chips that I want?
What aisle is it gonna be on?
Can I just get this delivered?
They're planning
so that they don't have to interact too much with reality
in real time.
Let me know in the comments
if there are other misconceptions you wanna see addressed.
And until next time, stay cool and attractive.
(relaxed music)