ESTJ - Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging

"Taking Care Of Business"

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I am great at getting things done. I like to run the show and make things happen. I am responsible, conscientious and faithful to my commitments. I like structure and can remember and organize many details. I systematically set about achieving my goals on schedule and as efficiently as possible.


I am driven to make decisions. Often I base my decisions on my own past experience. I am logical, objective and analytical and have great reasoning power. In fact, I am unlikely to be persuaded by anything but logic.


I am realistic, practical and matter-of-fact. I am more interested in “real things” than in intangibles, such as abstract ideas and theories. I tend to not be interested in subjects for which I see no practical application. I know what is happening around me and is concerned primarily with the here and now.


Because I live by a certain set of rules, I am consistent and dependable. I tend to be traditional and interested in maintaining established institutions. I am consistent in my relationships, although my emotional and social life is not as important to me as other aspects of life. I am comfortable judging others and can be a crisp disciplinarian.


I am outgoing, sociable, direct and friendly. I am usually easy to get to know since “what I see is what I get.”

Possible Blind Spots

Because I adopt a strict code of ethics for both myself and others, I can be seen as dictatorial in my attempts to impose my standards of behavior on others. Attempting to be more flexible and open-minded will prevent me from becoming rigid.


Being logical and an impersonal analyst, I don’t naturally consider the impact my decisions have on others. I can bee seen as cold and uncaring and often need to become more aware of my own feelings as well as more respectful of the thoughts and feelings of others.


Since I am naturally critical, I usually don’t demonstrate my appreciation of the positive attributes or contributions of those around me. I need to try to become more aware of the talents and efforts of others and then offer compliments and praise.


Sometimes I am so intent on my own plans that I don’t stop to listen to what others have to say. I don’t naturally ask “what if” so I often miss possible meaning, implications, connections and patterns. An easy way to protect against being closed-minded would be to wait a few seconds before speaking, giving others a chance to offer input.


I often jump to conclusions without gathering all the necessary information or taking the time to fully understand a situation. I need to learn to consciously delay making decisions until I have considered more information, especially alternatives I may have overlooked.


Once I have been able to relinquish some of the control I seek and have learned to see that there are gray areas in life (rather than only black and white) I becomes more adaptable to success.

 

The 3 Most Important Things For Me To Focus On

Slow
down

Consider implications for other people

Don't take things so personally

My Strengths

  • Lots of energy and enjoyment of being active

  • Ability to adapt well to change and shift gears quickly

  • Sensitivity to people’s needs and desire to help them in real ways

  • Caring nature; I’m a cooperative team player

  • Ability to make work fun and exciting

  • Practicality and great common sense

  • Loyalty to the people and organizations I care about

  • Process-oriented approach; I create a lively and fun atmosphere at work

  • Flexibility and willingness to take calculated risks and try new approaches

  • Desire to cooperate, pitch in, and help people in real and concrete ways

  • Ability to clearly assess current resources and conditions and immediately see what needs to be done

My Weaknesses

  • Difficulty working alone, especially for extended periods of timeTendency to accept things at face value and miss deeper implications

  • Dislike of advance preparation; I have trouble organizing my time

  • Difficulty seeing opportunities and options that don’t exist at the moment

  • Tendency to take criticism and negative feedback very personally

  • Trouble making decisions

  • Impulsiveness and tendency to be easily tempted or distracted

  • Dislike of excessive rules and structured bureaucracy

  • Difficulty making logical decisions if they conflict with personal feelings

  • Resistance to setting long-term goals and difficulty meeting deadlines

  • Difficulty disciplining myself or others

Be willing to compromise. Be flexible in negotiations

  • Decide ahead of time what criteria are of critical importance to me and which ones are not.
  • Demonstrate my flexibility by giving in on less important points.

 

Invest the time preparing before jumping in

  • Spend some time reflecting on where I have been and where I wish to see myself in the near and distant future to add a long-range perspective to my thinking

  • Examine my real needs for my life and my true motivations before rushing into action.

 

Consider possibilities in addition to those that currently exist

  • Generate a list of possibilities without prejudging any of them during the process. Include even those that seem outlandish or those for which I may not have considered myself qualified.
  • Ask a creative friend to help me imagine what I might do outside of my current involvement and list how my skills might transfer to another area.

 

Develop and follow through on my plans

  • Even the tedious parts of a task are important to getting something done
  • Resist the urge to drop what I’ve started when a more interesting situation arises or to socialize.
  • Make sure I get enough time to interact with co-workers and colleagues.
  • Consider taking a time management course. Try to find people with opposite strengths to consult with
  • Ask people to be clear about their expectations, repeat it back to be sure I’ve understood.
  • Find time during the day to get outside and do something physical
  • Volunteer to help run and/or participate in recreational or socially responsible activities.
  • Make sure I have a variety of tasks to perform; try to avoid routine jobs
  • Set some short-term achievable goals
  • Think about where I want to be five years from now.

 

To learn more about your personality type, purchase the book, "DO WHAT YOU ARE" by Barbara Barron-Tieger & Paul Tieger