Commander – ENTJ
Commander – ENTJ
Commanders are natural-born leaders. People with this personality type embody the gifts of charisma and confidence, and project authority in a way that draws crowds together behind a common goal. However, Commanders are also characterized by an often ruthless level of rationality, using their drive, determination and sharp minds to achieve whatever end they’ve set for themselves. Perhaps it is best that they make up only three percent of the population, lest they overwhelm the more timid and sensitive personality types that make up much of the rest of the world – but we have Commanders to thank for many of the businesses and institutions we take for granted every day.
If there’s anything Commanders love, it’s a good challenge, big or small, and they firmly believe that given enough time and resources, they can achieve any goal. This quality makes people with the Commander personality type brilliant entrepreneurs, and their ability to think strategically and hold a long-term focus while executing each step of their plans with determination and precision makes them powerful business leaders. This determination is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, as Commanders push their goals through with sheer willpower where others might give up and move on, and their Extraverted (E) nature means they are likely to push everyone else right along with them, achieving spectacular results in the process.
At the negotiating table, be it in a corporate environment or buying a car, Commanders are dominant, relentless, and unforgiving. This isn’t because they are coldhearted or vicious per se – it’s more that Commander personalities genuinely enjoy the challenge, the battle of wits, the repartee that comes from this environment, and if the other side can’t keep up, that’s no reason for Commanders to fold on their own core tenet of ultimate victory.
main strengths
- Efficient – Commanders see inefficiency not just as a problem in its own right, but as something that pulls time and energy away from all their future goals, an elaborate sabotage consisting of irrationality and laziness. People with the Commander personality type will root out such behavior wherever they go.
- Energetic – Rather than finding this process taxing Commanders are energized by it, genuinely enjoying leading their teams forward as they implement their plans and goals.
- Self-Confident – Commanders couldn’t do this if they were plagued by self-doubt – they trust their abilities, make known their opinions, and believe in their capacities as leaders.
- Strong-Willed – Nor do they give up when the going gets tough – Commander personalities strive to achieve their goals, but really nothing is quite as satisfying to them as rising to the challenge of each obstacle in their run to the finish line.
- Strategic Thinkers – Commanders exemplify the difference between moment-to-moment crisis management and navigating the challenges and steps of a bigger plan, and are known for examining every angle of a problem and not just resolving momentary issues, but moving the whole project forward with their solutions.
- Charismatic and Inspiring – These qualities combine to create individuals who are able to inspire and invigorate others, who people actually want to be their leaders, and this in turn helps Commanders to accomplish their often ambitious goals that could never be finished alone.
ENTJ – Commander in Workplace
For people with the Commander personality type, the workplace is all but a natural habitat. Commanders’ efficiency and clear communication are valued, their leadership is admired, and their ability to simply get things done is unrivaled. That being said, some situations are more appropriate for Commanders than others – these qualities all point to a managerial or executive role, making any position of comparative powerlessness highly undesirable.
ENTJ – Commander Subordinates
Subordinate positions are challenging for Commanders, and it takes active management to ensure their satisfaction and engagement. Ever the high achievers, Commander subordinates set out to learn new skills and to seek out new challenges and responsibilities, eager to prove that nothing is impossible with a little hard work. If things get a little slow, Commander personalities may slip into periods of absentmindedness, but when they feel involved in the projects around them, they prove well organized and well prioritized.
Commanders hold themselves to very high standards, but a lot of what sets this tone is feedback from their environment – namely, criticism from their managers. Objective, rational statements about what is done right and what can be done better are helpful to Commanders, and far from resenting such criticisms, they appreciate them. Opportunities for growth keep people with the Commander personality type engaged and productive, and so long as their managers recognize this as their primary responsibility, it will be a fruitful and satisfying relationship.
ENTJ – Commander Colleagues
Among colleagues, Commanders are sociable and greatly enjoy sharing ideas and critiques in their frequent brainstorming sessions. Natural leaders that they are, Commanders tend to assert themselves into positions as representatives and project leads, considering their objectivity and charisma the perfect qualities for these roles. Commander personalities enjoy working with equals, but people must demonstrate that they are equals – anyone Commanders view as being less competent or driven will see only condescension and arrogance.
Commanders are strong-willed, even dominant, and though they enjoy inspiring and tutoring others, the energy they bring to the process can seem overbearing. When these roles are reversed, Commanders’ mentors should bear in mind that their students are very rational and respect firm confidence – hand-holding, emotional appeals or wavering indecision will likely burn the bridge then and there. In a partnership, what is best is what is most effective, and time wasted sugarcoating reality is just that – time wasted.
ENTJ – Commander Managers
Commander managers are confident, charismatic communicators, and they communicate but one vision: to get the job done as efficiently as possible, and to the highest standard of quality. All else is subordinate to that objective, but the means by which Commanders achieve it cause others to adopt this cause as their own. Commanders are natural leaders, and their ability to formulate a strategy and to identify the strengths of each member of their teams, incorporating those abilities into their plans so that each individual fills a unique and important role, makes them able motivators.
But while these efforts boost morale and satisfaction among Commanders’ likeminded subordinates, they are still crafted to achieve that ultimate goal of timely and exceptional work. Those seen as inefficient by their Commander managers, or who demonstrate themselves to be lazy or to produce shoddy work will know in no uncertain terms of their failure to impress. The only way to recover is to comply, the only alternative is to find a new manager to impress, somewhere else.
