It’s early on a Wednesday morning and even though I would like to sleep longer, I have already begun to prepare for the day. I got up long before dawn to prepare for a weekly task that I could never have imagined myself doing during my shy days: hosting a radio talk show at the University of Winnipeg.
You’re an ENFJ, the well-known “Teacher” personality who fights for the good of your people. Whether it’s at work or in your personal life, you take the wheel when a problem needs to be resolved and have a strong moral compass that gets your passengers safely and successfully where they need to go.
Not only is leading others part of your natural talent, it’s also something that you truly love doing. Leadership roles add to your day-to-day happiness—so much so that for an ENFJ, it might be hard to imagine working a job that doesn’t embrace your natural knack for guiding others.
Lots of people notice their personalities are a little different at work than at home. You hear people say, “I’m an Extravert for my job, but really I’m an Introvert” or “I’m pretty assertive with friends and family, but I can’t seem to act that way at work.”
If you feel similarly, you’re not necessarily two-faced or insincere. It’s just necessary to change roles when we clock in and out of work. As a result, we draw out personality traits at work that we don’t need at home.
Is it me, or is the world splitting into two tribes of workers?
On the one side, the 9 to 5'ers – salary slaves who have to sell their souls just to keep treading water. On the other, business owners and the self-employed – people who work for themselves, from anywhere, and take control of their time. If you had a choice, which would you choose?
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” - Jorge Luis Borges
One of the biggest lies about introversion is that an Introvert, with enough practice, can turn into an Extravert. For a long time, this misconception was supported, even encouraged, by everyone from psychologists to business professionals. Fortunately, we have enough research and information about introversion and extraversion today to know that these are fixed personality traits. An Introvert can’t turn into an Extravert, and shouldn’t feel pressured to do so.
Picture Mark. He goes to work every day, does what he’s told without asking questions, helps his co-workers when he’s asked, and generally, does his work behind the scenes never asking to be praised for it. Mark knows when everyone’s birthdays and other special occasions are, and he always remembers to congratulate them. Once, he helped John, who he shares his office with, avoid a serious argument with his wife. Mark remembered their anniversary and reminded John just in time for him to buy his lovely wife a present.
Isn’t it strange how the finest qualities of someone’s personality can become their biggest challenge in life? Consider the ISFJ personality type as an example.
If you are like most people, you spend most of your waking hours at work. Getting along with your co-workers is not only necessary for your professional success, but also for your sanity. Whatever your own personality type, it’s likely that you’ll encounter clashing personality types and traits that make existing in your office difficult. This is why knowing these traits and how to deal with them will make work more enjoyable.
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. No, not Dickens, but an apt summary of the radical opposites taking place between my INTJ psyche and the corporate world I found myself working in for almost 16 years. It's a story of contrasts and comparisons between the massive success I achieved and the desperate, inescapable desire to "get out while you can."