ESTJ Personality

Are you interested in the ESTJ Personality? Then this guide is for you.

With a knack for following order and tradition, someone with the ESTJ personality type can be seen as a calm voice of reason. Great at bringing people together, the person of this type is often referred to by many names including the “Commander,” the “Supervisor,” the “Captain,”, the “Overseer,” and the “Executive.”

Leading by example, this individual believes that those in authority must earn their positions through hard work and dedication. Honesty and integrity are extremely important to someone of this type, and he or she will clearly live by the rules.

The ESTJ type works hard to get things done methodically and appreciates an organized living space and working environment. It’s important that those around this personality share the same values or at least a commitment to following the established guidelines.

Commanders make up about 11 percent of the population.

• E – Extroverted: Outspoken, talkative, friendly, energetic
• S – Sensing: Practical, realistic, conscientious, observant
• T – Thinking: Rational, logical, competent, dependable
• J – Judging: Traditional, organized, disciplined, honest

Often being seen as naturally born leaders, those with the ESTJ personality are able to bring people together, either as individuals, families, or organizations. They have no trouble taking charge of situations any time the need arises.

Those with this personality type value past experiences. Sticklers for rules and tradition, ESTJs use what’s worked well before them. Sticking with the status quo is a reliable way to make progress though this often makes these people seem a bit inflexible.

Thinking with their heads over their hearts, those with the ESTJ personality type prefer logic over conjecture. They base their decisions on facts rather than looking at possibilities. Preferring what’s going on in the here and now, they don’t have much time to worry about the future.

Rituals and routines are very important to Commanders, and they enjoy sharing these traditions with others. It’s just one of the ways that these types make connections with those close to them. Engaging with other people typically involves some structure.

Extremely organized, ESTJs are known to put a lot of effort in just to get things right. Putting work before play, they get frustrated at others who don’t share the same organizational ideals or who are lazy and don’t like to put in effort.

More about ESTJs

Unusually honest, this individual will speak the truth in clear terms, which sometimes makes this person seem insensitive to the feelings of others. One way to get on the ESTJ’s bad side is through lying or cheating because this person cannot stand those traits.

With a clearly defined set of values and beliefs, the Commander will stand firm even when challenged or in the face of adversity. Since this individual holds on to societal norms, he or she may seem old fashioned to some.

The ESTJ enjoys being a model citizen and may be critical of those who break the rules or who live more nontraditional lifestyles. Because someone with this personality may be outwardly vocal on these matters, this person may appear to be judgmental.

Some words are regularly used to describe those with the ESTJ personality:

• Hardworking
• Loyal
• Efficient
• Confident
• Punctual
• Responsible
• Decisive
• Grounded
• Social
• Dutiful
• Objective
• Committed

Strengths of the ESTJ

ESTJs are highly practical. Those with this personality type almost feel an obligation to see tasks completed or matters handled through to the end. They’ll be sure that all household and work chores are completed and attend all scheduled meetings regarding work and home life.

Those of this type are organized and efficient. Commanders cannot tolerate chaos, and they’ll bring order to any situation. Whether through lists or schedules, they’ll make sure that everything in their lives is structured and in order.

Commanders have integrity. You can count on these types to practice what they preach. They enjoy a clear hierarchy. They have no problem following authority, but they expect their leadership to be followed by their subordinates.

These individuals are dedicated and dependable. If ESTJs give you their word on something, you can be sure that it will get done even if it means they’ll make sacrifices in the process. They give full effort to any project and never tire of doing what they feel is right.

Weaknesses of the ESTJ

Commanders aren’t very good at expressing their feelings. Whether for the emotions of themselves or others, these people aren’t very empathetic. Because they focus more on facts and schedules, they can come across as insensitive or uncaring at times.

Those with this personality type care too much about the opinions of others. The need for respect often comes at a high price for ESTJs. They may work too hard, have too little fun, and forget to take the time to relax and recharge.

ESTJs may be too judgmental. Because those of this type have clear-cut values and their own ideas of right and wrong, they often look down on those who are different or who do things in other ways. They can be very verbally expressive about their disdain.

They can be stubborn and inflexible. Since these individuals need structure and order in their lives, it can be difficult for them to adapt to change. If something unexpected comes up, they can have a hard time handling it because they need to stay on schedule.

Cognitive Functions of the ESTJ

Each personality type has a hierarchy of functions that determine how they take in information and make decisions. For the ESTJ, these functions are as follows:

• Dominant Function: Extraverted Thinking
• Auxiliary Function: Introverted Sensing
• Tertiary Function: Extraverted Intuition
• Inferior Function: Introverted Feeling

Extraverted Thinking

As the dominant function, extraverted thinking allows those with this personality type to remain objective when making decisions and following through. By remaining impartial, ESTJs can be firm and fair in leadership positions.

They like to see immediate and concrete results, so commanders often lose interest and patience when it comes to what-if scenarios, decisions based on feelings, or theoretical concepts.

Introverted Sensing

ESTJs have extremely vivid memories. When recalling information, they can call to mind the finer details of past situations or events. This allows these individuals to compare present scenarios with what has worked in the past.

Part of the reason why these types enjoy habit and tradition is due to their auxiliary function of introverted sensing. They enjoy stability and security.

Extraverted Intuition

As the tertiary function, extraverted intuition often is pushed aside in favor of introverted sensing. However, this function can be useful for allowing Commanders to see possibilities and to look for more than one solution when brainstorming a problem.

Because this function is extroverted, they can take in new facts and information and apply it to old problems, potentially finding a better solution.

Introverted Feeling

Introverted feeling as the inferior function might explain why ESTJs have such a problem with identifying and expressing emotions. They’re not prone to outward displays of affection. However, they do take the time to think about their feelings, but they just don’t know what to do about them.

This function operates on a subconscious level and may lead to gut feelings about situations. Once developed, introverted feeling can allow these people to take emotions into consideration when making decisions.

Relationships for the ESTJ

Whether courting, dating, or in marriage, someone with the ESTJ personality will be stable throughout. Because this person is honest and straightforward, he or she can be taken at face value. Someone of this type will be clear about their wants and expectations as well.

The commander will take his or her relationship seriously and will work hard to provide security and stability. However, this person’s partner must be willing to do the same in order for the relationship to succeed.

With solid values, the ESTJ wants a traditional home life where he or she can be productive and responsible. The commander will have no difficulty in managing a household and seeing to the daily tasks that should be done.

Although there may be problems with communication as far as feelings are considered, this can be resolved if the ESTJ learns to be considerate of his or her partner’s emotions. Additionally, the commander can be a little controlling at times.

Friendships can easily be made with others who share similar values and interests to the ESTJ. A truly loyal friend, this person will be with someone through thick or thin. Likewise, this type expects the same loyalty in return.

Because someone of this type always likes to have something to do, he or she may encourage group activities, such as sports or those that take place outdoors. However, since this individual must have everything arranged ahead of time, don’t expect too much in the way of spontaneity.

As a parent, the commander will set clear rules and boundaries for his or her children who will be expected to obey parental authority and grow up to be respectful model citizens. Although someone of this type might have high expectations, this individual is realistic and doesn’t expect perfection.

The ESTJ parent can be strict and expects the children to be responsible for their own actions and chores. Although someone with this personality type may seem inflexible when it comes to rules and schedules, it’s simply to provide the children with a safe and secure environment.

ESTJs at Work

When it comes to employment, commanders require an environment that has a clearly defined hierarchy with established rules and guidelines that are enforced for everyone the same. They have a strong work ethic and a commitment to excellence that are much appreciated in the workplace.

They’ll work by proven methods, but they may take other ideas into consideration if they haven’t fully made a decision. Because they’re dedicated to their work, they’re often the first to make sacrifices to get a project done by the deadline and without errors.

Commanders enjoy working with others and desire to have a sense of belonging with their colleagues and to their organization. Since they always wish to give their best, they’re accepting of criticism as long as its presented in a clear and logical manner.

While they tend to get along with their coworkers well, they can quickly lose respect for others who cut corners or don’t pull their own weight at work. Laziness, cheating, and dishonesty will never be tolerated by a commander.

It can seem that ESTJs were designed specifically to handle supervisory positions. They enjoy managing others to ensure that everything’s organized and the work gets done properly. Those with this personality type have a tendency to micromanage, and they may be overbearing at times.

Due to their commitment to work obligations, these individuals may become workaholics. It’s important for them to take time to unwind to be fresh for each new day.

Commanders like to organize, so a position that utilizes their logic and structure would be ideal. They also need to have clear expectations in a setting where rules and traditions are followed. Self motivated and dedicated, ESTJs have a lot to offer in many settings, which may include the following:

• Police officer
• School administrator
• Building inspector
• Judge
• Insurance adjuster
• Military officer
• Dentist
• Chief financial officer
• Politician

Hobbies and Interests of ESTJs

Someone who is a commander may tend to enjoy playing and watching sports. This type might also like gardening and tending to DIY projects and repairs around the house. Because the ESTJ is often driven, he or she may prefer to spend free time in more relaxing pursuits such as playing board games with the family or just hanging out with friends.

ESTJ Celebrities

Some famous ESTJs you’ve probably heard of are Colin Powell, George Washington, Sandra Day O’Connor, Bernie Sanders, Reverend Billy Graham, Alec Baldwin, Kelsey Grammer, Barbara Walters, and Diane Sawyer.

Summary

Highly principled and traditional, the ESTJ personality type is honest, organized, and hard working. This person adheres to authority and is willing to stand up for what he or she believes in. The commander prefers what’s familiar and may have difficulty adjusting to change.