This is a popular discussion on ENTJ discussion boards – Who is Not Really an ENTJ. As one of the Real ENTJs who was actually tested in college with a Real MBTI II by a Real, Licensed Tester, I find those discussions amusing. Most of the pretenders are Fe-users who are trying to “become more J” and do not share any of the same cognitive functions. The differences are very obvious. An ENTP who uses a day planner is nothing like an ENTJ. My own mother was one such ENTP (not particularly with that motivation) – very organized with her finances, but to the core very fascinated with introverted logical things like astronomy and Napoleonic history and very much the Ne-dominant user in many different ways.
The real witch-hunt, however, is for ESTJs hiding out among the ENTJs. This would seem to be an easy task. ESTJs tend to have short-range plans, no longer than a month in advance, and rely on introverted sensing, not the long range introverted intuition and extraverted sensing that ENTJs use. But then, once in a while, one runs into a rare ESTJ with extremely well developed extraverted intuition, and things become a little more complicated. Te-Ne-Si-Fi shows up on a low quality test as ENTJ and brings with it all the bragging rights.
You can watch the full scene from Game of Thrones here.
I must admit I mistyped him as ENTJ as well in a previous blog. When I saw this scene, it jumped out at me as pure ESTJ. This quote is pure Ne/Si ESTJ visionary talk. Petyr Baelish does not really care about winning over the loyalties of the other lordships or fealties he will need to rule the Seven Kingdoms on the show. He only wants the Iron Throne itself, which symbolizes the authority and its position and therefore is to be respected. It is the institution itself that carries the respect. Again, this is an ESTJ sentiment, not an ENTJ sentiment.
Another example of an ESTJ with well-developed Ne would be Mrs. Beauvais on the infamous episode of Wife Swap when they matched a family of Arizona millionaires who literally visualized their dreams into reality with a family of Indiana Welfare recipients.
In both examples, these “ENTJs” used their intuition to visualize outlandish possibilities, i.e., extraverted intuition (sitting on the Iron Throne, building up a multi-million dollar enterprise based on selling empowerment books) that are also built on a traditional family foundation (marrying Sansa Stark despite being lowborn, an infertile couple having two children, respectively). These outlandish dreams were built upon memories (introverted sensation) of deprivation earlier in life. These are actually simply ESTJs with extremely high Ne that allows them to function in the long term like an ENTJ. Their goals are still very narrow and traditional, like an ESTJ.
True ENTJs use Ni (introverted intuition) to project future trends by creating patterns from known data. Because of our high level of Se, or extraverted sensing (use of the five senses), we live in the moment and can be thrill seekers or highly sensitive, although not to the degree that ESxPs or ISxPs are. Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones would be a perfect example of an ENTJ (except for her twincest). She does not hesitate to act when it is necessary to achieve her means and seizes the moment to achieve her goals.
So now you know how to spot the mistypes. In the mean time, however, it is fun to watch the witch-hunts. Speaking of which, I think I smell some popcorn burning in the microwave downstairs.
For more information on the differences between ESTJs and ENTJs, see:
http://www.preludecharacteranalysis.com/types/entj/vs/estj
http://www.personality-central.com/distinguishing-ESTJ-and-ENTJ.html
ENTJ vs ESTJ (video)
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