ESTJs -
From Conversations with Implementor Supervisors

The following is adapted from Linda V. Berens and Dario Nardi, The 16 Personality Types: Descriptions for Self-Discovery (Telos Publications, 1999) *Used with permission.

What's it like to be you?

I like for things to be organized, and when they are not, I'm great at getting them organized.

I am very strong on work ethic and expect that from others. I cannot just sit around and do nothing for very long, especially if I have a lot to do and I don't have a plan. I am extremely organized when I work and I can work on four or five things through the course of the day. I think about what I have to do on the way to work or the way home or the night before. It's very gratifying to work extremely hard and sacrifice in order to take care of people, and I like when people appreciate that I have given of myself for them. I feel a lot of responsibility for what goes on when I have put time and effort into something and want to see that continue.

Things have to make sense to me. They have to be reasonable, logical, and simple and when they are not, that's frustrating. I think a lot of my life is tied up in responsibility and structure and organization. That's key-to have a frame around which to build everything else. It's satisfying to see something that was not working start working with tangible results. Once the structure is in place, then it fades into the background and allows the other, relational elements to bloom. You've got to have that backbone and structure or the rest of it falls apart. I can't relax when things aren't done right.

I have a sense of order and I like making sure things run smoothly, the practical nuts and bolts, on a day-to-day basis. Planning is challenging and exciting. I make sure others have what they need, not just what they want. I am pretty fast paced and want things done, and I get aggravated when people are late. I want to keep ahead of things to be ready to move on to the next thing. I am always trying to find the best way to save money, but I have very high expectations and I take the extra steps that need to be done. I take pride in my accuracy and detail, and I take pride in my accomplishments...

I hate when things fall apart because of disorganization and lack of leadership. I hate fraud, inefficiency and waste, cheating and stealing, lack of loyalty and integrity, and people who don't play by the rules or are only going after their own good. When people take the easy quick way out that really irritates me. And I resent it when other people don't respect my time. I need people I can depend on, and I get rid of people I can't depend on.

I have a lot of common sense. I believe you can build leadership by giving people genuine responsibility and genuine recognition, and I'm someone who can get things done. Sometimes people think I am too structured, but I feel best when I accomplish a lot. I relax when my work is done.