5 Ways to Annoy an ENTJ
Today I want to talk about the ENTJ personality type. I have a lot of love for ENTJs because my father is an ENTJ and my best friend is also an ENTJ. ENTJs seem to invite admiration or conflict wherever they go because they have such intense, driven personalities. However, underneath their intensity and dauntless determination they truly care very deeply about those close to them. They can be incredible listeners, challenging debaters, and intensely loyal friends. Most of all, they have an infectious determination to achieve their goals which makes them not only great thought leaders, but very inspiring friends and family members that will help you to achieve your own goals and ambitions.
I thought it would be interesting and helpful to find out the things that annoy or stress out ENTJs, so that those of us who have relationships with them can enjoy better communication and understanding of each other.
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Now to our point – how to annoy an ENTJ. If you want to keep yourself on good terms with your ENTJ friend or family member, please DON’T do the following things:
1 – Be Lazy
Being around laziness is a sure way to stress out an ENTJ. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, and every moment should count. ENTJs are often driven by a single goal (thanks to their introverted intuition) and they will dedicate their lives to achieving it. Wasting time is a tragedy to an ENTJ, and they have a hard time respecting people who use their time carelessly. ENTJs generally don’t care for a lot of leisure time, so don’t be offended if they balk at your idea of going on a cruise or binge-watching a whole season of Game of Thrones.
2 – Ignore or Dismiss Their Visions and Goals
ENTJs are big-time dreamers and doers. Their ideas may seem crazy to someone who is more focused on the day-to-day, they may even seem unrealistic – but chances are, they’ve put a lot of thought and logical consideration into their ideas. Don’t be quick to dismiss their goals and dreams, no matter how outlandish they may seem to you. Take an interest in what their goals are, listen to them, and try to open up your mind to the possibility they are presenting. ENTJs are some of the most effective thought-leaders in the world and they despise not being taken seriously.
3 – Debate Using Emotion Instead of Logic
Emotions are a wonderful thing – and they should not be dismissed or rejected. However, if you really want to get on an ENTJs nerves, one of the best ways is to argue a point based purely on emotions and feelings without regard for logic and objectivity. ENTJs love a good debate, but they hate being stuck in an argument that revolves around the ever-changing emotions of the person they’re arguing with. This can stress them out and make them feel frustrated and bewildered. Feelings and emotions are confusing to many ENTJs because they cannot be defined by logic or explained by rationality. If you do need to discuss your emotions and feelings with an ENTJ, try to do it in a non-threatening, non-debative way and be as direct and straightforward as possible.
4 – Try to Control Them
ENTJs are fiercely independent and like to be leaders and free thinkers. They usually make better bosses than employees and their natural position is in authority. This isn’t to say you should just be their doormat (they don’t like that either), but that you shouldn’t try to micromanage them or control them. Be your own person and let them be theirs, but try not to control too many aspects of their life.
5 – Fuss Over Them When They Are Stressed
ENTJs need some space when they’re stressed out. When they are “in the grip” of their inferior function, introverted feeling, they often feel even more helpless and humiliated if forced to talk about their feelings. Later, when they’ve calmed down, you can talk to them about it calmly and in a straightforward way. But don’t make a big deal out of it! ENTJs are often embarrassed if they have an emotional outburst or if they’ve been highly stressed.
Find out more about your personality type in our eBook, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type.
Did You Enjoy This Post? Check Out Some More Here!
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I know several ENTJs myself, and I find them incredibly stimulating people.
Great post. Accurate, amusing, and helpful. I greatly enjoy your work.
Thank you Steven! I really appreciate your encouragement 🙂 It’s always good to know I’m not on the wrong track completely 😉
This is so accurate Susan! I know a couple ENTJs too, and I agree with Steven, they are incredibly stimulating, driven, and focused. Thanks for the follow. ~Gloria
Thank you Gloria! I’m really glad you enjoyed the post! They are definitely a very inspiring group of people 🙂
How awesome to be an INFJ with an NT dad! Bonus! Your work is superb. I use it as a resource a lot. Keep it up.
Thanks!! That’s so cool!! I’m really glad you find it helpful 🙂
The only things that don’t annoy me are “Let’s finish this later” and “Let’s change the subject”, because I’m the one saying them. Although if an ENTJ is willing to humour me on the subject change, they’ll see that I was actually doing it in order to find a solution to the initial subject, and will return to where they want me if they hear me out.
Random details are interesting (to me), unless they’re part of a long emotional build-up to asking me for a favour, in which case I loathe them with all the fury of a blazing inferno.
Everything else I hate just as much as the ENTJ is supposed to. I’m an ENTP.