ENTJ Weaknesses - 7 Struggles of Being ENTJ

ENTJ is one of the 16 MBTI personality types and is grouped alongside the INTJ, INTP and ENTP as part of the temperament group known as “the Rationals”. ENTJs have been referred as “the executive”, “strategic fieldmarshal” and “commander”. Their strengths include an ability to devise effective plans and strategies, focus on goals and manage their time well. As with the other personality types, the ENTJ personality has its advantages and disadvantages. Here is a look at 7 weaknesses associated with being an ENTJ.

1. Being Emotionally Supportive

Rational types like the ENTJ tend to be limited in their ability to console and comfort others emotionally. Whenever confronted with a problem, the ENTJ impulse is to propose solutions and take the most effective course of action. When it comes to issues causing emotional distress to others, the ENTJ is inclined to focus on what can be done to improve the situation and can easily overlook addressing the emotional needs involved. ENTJs can often forget how important it is to not only solve problems but to also stop, hear people out and try to just empathize with what they are going through.

2. Impatience

Being the resolute decision-makers they are, ENTJs can quickly grow impatient with people and situations that stall them or slow their momentum. ENTJs may have a tendency to perceive indecisive people who need more time to process and weigh their options as being stupid or incompetent. Additionally, ENTJs are not fans of bureaucracy and other administrative hurdles and tenuous processes that waste their time and resources. As the chief of efficiency, ENTJ seeks to accomplish their ends with minimal waste and maximum results. ENTJs may sometimes forget that the world doesn’t run according on their schedule or their expectations no matter how much they think it should.

3. Imposing Their Will On Others

ENTJs can be very bossy control freaks who often take for granted, the superiority of their judgement. Additionally, they may sometimes not realize the degree to which their subjective values inform their decisions. Sometimes, what they purport to be objectively obvious may in fact be a matter of personal perspective. Because of their intensity and the authoritative way in which they tend to communicate and assert themselves, ENTJs can be very effective at getting others to bend to their will and see things their way. Sometimes, their take-charge attitude can veer into domineering territory. Furthermore, ENTJs have a hard time listening to others and tend to be highly critical of opinions that don’t match theirs. Still. ENTJs hold respect for those who are able to stand up to them and prove them wrong.

4. Dealing With Emotions

While they are adept at exercising control in the external world, ENTJs feel less in control of their inner world. Their personal feeling responses are something that often get suppressed because ENTJs seek to avoid appearing vulnerable or exposing the various emotional buttons and triggers that others could use against them. They don’t want to give people that kind of power over them. Like other rational types, ENTJs are not very comfortable sitting in their feelings and tend to find little value in dwelling on them. They tend to intellectualize, rationalize or ignore them and will often seek do something productive to distract themselves from the internal interference they may cause. Because of their lower awareness of what they feel, emotions can come out in awkward and volatile ways and at weird and inappropriate times.

5. Lack of Diplomacy

Being strong-willed and sure minded, ENTJ can be especially forceful and overbearing in debates and negotiations. They are cited as one of the most confrontational or argumentative types according to surveys. The strength of their convictions can make them less concerned about politeness and more inclined to double down in response to opposition. Whenever they hold the upper hand in a situation, ENTJs are inclined to pull the “my way or the highway” card. Furthermore, ENTJs have a way of cutting straight to the point. They seek to make themselves clear and well understood and so their delivery can often be brutal in its directness. Although this can be effective in getting their point across, ENTJs may find that their message is sometimes better received when they use their powers of persuasion rather than blunt force logic.

6. Ruthlessness

ENTJs are out to kick butt and grab life by the horns. For ENTJ, moral concerns and ethical considerations will often take a backseat to their objectives and desire for efficiency and resolution. They are very driven and will take great measures to outpace their competitors. ENTJs are less likely than other types to get hung up on moral dilemmas. When they see a pathway to success or valuable opportunity in front of them, ENTJs will pursue it without delay. They tend to get preoccupied with their “ends” to the extent that they may overlook or minimize the ethics or lack thereof in their “means”. They may, for example, push their employees too hard or cut back on costs at their expense for the sake of optimization. With efficiency and growth at the forefront of their goals, ENTJs can sometimes make decisions that make others feel undervalued or tread upon.

7. Explosive Temper

Under stress, ENTJs can be testy and short-tempered. With their strong egos, ENTJs tend to think they handle anything and so when things do not go their way, it can invoke their wraith. ENTJs can be hypercritical and raise complaints about relatively minor issues. In the face of failure, the ensuing stress and frustration can arouse feelings of incompetence which they despise. They can be hard on themselves and that can spill over into their relations with others. Additionally, ENTJs can sometimes appear angry to others even when they aren’t. Their enthusiasm and chutzpah can be perceived as aggressive.

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Jetta Moon

Jetta Moon is an artist, writer and astrology blogger with a passion for creativity and psychology. He is also an enthusiast of MBTI theory and loves to research and write about what he learns. Jetta's background in creative writing has helped develop a unique and insightful perspective on the zodiac, which he shares with readers of this blog.