ENTJ: Fieldmarshall

Generally, I haven’t ever been much of one for personality tests, online quizzes, or filling out 50 questions about myself because three friends did it and tagged me. However, a friend has had her “Jung Typology Test” personality classification in her IM profile for a while now and I finally broke down and took the test myself. I am an…

ENTJ

Which means I am Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging or, alternatively, a FieldMarshal Rational. Now, I suppose I could probably read through the descriptions of any particular personality type and pull out phrases that seemed to apply to me. That disclaimer given, the ENTJ portrait does seem to fit me well in ways. First, the FieldMarshall:

Hardly more than two percent of the total population, the Fieldmarshals are bound to lead others, and from an early age they can be observed taking command of groups. In some cases, Fieldmarshals simply find themselves in charge of groups, and are mystified as to how this happened.

The second sentence in that quote is particularly amusing to me, but true. Though I wouldn’t say it’s really a matter of being mystified at how it happened, but more of wondering at the fact that it seems to happen so often. I think I would be happy to sit back and let someone else run a group, but if that doesn’t happen promptly, I tend to jump up and take charge myself.

Other parts of the description of the FieldMarshall scare me a bit more: “They are tireless in their devotion to their jobs and can easily block out other areas of life for the sake of their work.” While I can see the first part of that sentence in me, because once I start a job I stick to it, I hope that the second doesn’t come to pass. And if it does, I trust that those close to me will point it out for my own good.

The other description of the ENTJ has a curiously coincidental quote, concerning my current location: “I don’t care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can’t control it, why look?” However, I don’t think this is true about me at all. As I write this I am at 34,000 feet in an airplane and enjoying every minute I spend looking out the window, despite not being in control of the plane.

According to that same description, I am also decisive:

ENTJs are decisive. They see what needs to be done, and frequently assign roles to their fellows. Few other types can equal their ability to remain resolute in conflict, sending the valiant (and often leading the charge) into the mouth of hell.

Another thought occurs to me while reading these descriptions. I just finished William Easterly’s book The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good, in which Easterly makes a distinction between Planners and Searchers, with all the praise going to the Searchers. Well, it seems that an ENTJ tends to be very much like a Planner, though we do have a wealth of creativity. Should I be worried about this?

Maybe I just like being an ENTJ because it has a chic title like “FieldMarshall” associated with it. Perhaps someday I’ll take an actual test to see what my personality type is and be gravely disappointed by being labeled as a “peon” or “minor officer.” Until that point comes, however, I’m content to be an ENTJ.

(If you want to take the test yourself, go here.)