If ESTJs could be summed up in a single famous quote, it would be Edmund Burke’s, “Good order is the foundation of all things.”
Are you a born leader who is enthusiastic about coordinating people and things to accomplish a shared objective? If yes, you may belong to the ESTJ personality type, also known as “The Director.” The ESTJ is the most common of the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types. They’re known for their practicality, focus, and a strong sense of duty, making them succeed as business and organization leaders.
People with the ESTJ personality are like representatives of order and tradition. They'll efficiently utilize their understanding of what's right or wrong and what's socially acceptable to bring their family and community together. It's intriguing that ESTJs only form about 9% of the U.S. population, but they managed to become the highest-ranking MBTI personality in terms of earnings. This makes make sense, given their pragmatic and task-oriented nature.
What other fascinating aspects of the ESTJ personality type are there? Are there famous people with ESTJ personality? Let’s take a look!
Understanding your personality type allows you to learn how to interact with others and aligns you with a career that best matches your personality. You can easily take the ESTJ personality test if you still need to determine your MBTI personality type.
But, First Things First, What is ESTJ Personality Type?
Simply put, the Director's personality is a set of characteristics, traits, and behavioral tendencies that are commonly associated with individuals who have a leadership style that is directive, decisive, and focused on achieving results. They're logical, assertive, and concerned with things running smoothly according to the rule of law. They prefer to have a plan and structure for whatever they do.
The ESTJ acronym in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI) stands for extraverted (like being around people), sensing (observant and paying attention to the five senses), thinking (are logical and prioritize efficiency) as well as judging (are decisive individuals who prefer order). They’re fond of detailing and having their facts right than just winging off some concepts.
The founder of Keirsey Temperament Sorter, David Keirsey, suggests that ESTJs are the guardian supervisor among the four guardian archetypes. While the Myers Briggs ESTJ personality type is unpopular among the Myers Briggs community, it's among the most common personality along with ISTJ, ISFJ, and ESFJ.
ESTJ Celebrities and Famous ESTJs You May Know
To help you get a “mental picture” of the Director’s personality, let’s take a look at some well-known individuals. Many famous people are thought to have an ESTJ personality.
Here are a few examples of ESTJ personality type celebrities:
- Hillary Clinton: The former U.S. Secretary of State and presidential candidate has been widely described as an ESTJ. Clinton is known for her strong leadership skills, decisive decision-making, and practical approach to problem-solving.
- Judge Judy: Judith Sheindlin, better known as Judge Judy, is a television personality and former judge who is often cited as an example of an ESTJ personality. Judge Judy is famous for her no-nonsense approach, blunt communication style, and practical, results-oriented approach to justice.
- George W. Bush: Many personality experts have identified the former U.S. president as an ESTJ personality type. Bush is known for his decisive leadership style, focus on results, and practical approach to policy-making.
- Martha Stewart: The media mogul and lifestyle guru is often cited as an example of an ESTJ personality. Stewart is known for her attention to detail, practical approach to home management, and strong leadership skills.
- Vince Lombardi: The legendary football coach is another example of famous people with the ESTJ personality. Lombardi was known for his no-nonsense approach to coaching, focus on discipline and hard work, and commitment to achieving results.
- Lee Iacocca: The late Lee Iacocca was a prominent business executive and former CEO of both Chrysler and Ford. He is often thought to have exhibited traits of the ESTJ personality type, including strong leadership skills, a practical approach to problem-solving, and a focus on results.
Now that you know a thing or two about this personality, let's delve into its cognitive functioning.
An Overview of ESTJ Cognitive Functions
According to the MBTI assessment, the ESTJ personality has several functions (thinking, sensing, intuition, and feeling) that are either channeled inwardly or to the outside world. These functions are categorized as auxiliary, inferior, tertiary, and dominant. The dominant function plays a primary role in how a personality type behaves and interacts with others. In contrast, the auxiliary function plays a supporting role. Tertiary and inferior functions take the back seat but can still influence how a personality type interacts.
Let's take a closer look at the cognitive functions of the Director.
- Extraverted Thinking (Te) is the function that ESTJs strongly use to create rational and effective decisions. They frequently put much effort into gathering, evaluating, and organizing information and base their decisions on facts and evidence. They can be excellent problem-solvers and frequently possess the ability to use pre-established norms and procedures to accomplish their objectives.
- ESTJs can draw on their prior experiences to guide their decisions in the present, thanks to their introverted sensing (Si) function. They have excellent recollections of certain events and experiences and are very detail-oriented. Based on their prior experiences, this enables them to make sensible decisions.
- Though they may feel uncomfortable with novel and unproven concepts, ESTJs can still use their Extraverted Intuition (Ne) function to consider many scenarios and outcomes. They’re adept at weighing various choices and can be fantastic at idea generation and brainstorming.
- Finally, ESTJs may find managing their weaker Introverted Feeling (Fi) function challenging. They tend not to be aware of their emotions and can have difficulty empathizing with others. However, training and personal development can improve their ability to understand and connect emotionally with others.
Key Characteristics of ESTJ Personality Type
ESTJ personalities are renowned for their realism, tenacity, and meticulousness. They're decisive, action-oriented, and thrive in environments where they can take charge and make things happen. ESTJs value order, rules, and traditions, aligning them easily with civic duties, community, and government roles.
They hold the maintenance of the status quo in high regard. Moreover, they can set clear goals and objectives, be willing to take responsibility, and have a strong work ethic. However, all is not a bed of roses; ESTJs are sometimes considered rigid and inflexible and might need help adapting to change due to their straightforward approach to life. People can find them stubborn and unyielding.
Backed by their strong self-confidence and conviction, ESTJs can quickly initiate a plan into action. They may come off as judgmental or critical, especially if other people don't live up to their standards. They're practical, honest, committed, and frank, which can sometimes be harsh to other people in instances where they're sharing their opinions.
ESTJ Personality Strengths Vs. Weakness
Like any personality type, individuals with ESTJ personalities have strengths and weaknesses that can impact their performance in different situations. Here are some of the main strengths and weaknesses of ESTJs:
ESTJ Strengths – Areas Where They Excel
- Decisive and assertive: ESTJs are known for making quick and decisive decisions. They’re fearless in taking charge and making tough calls when necessary.
- Strong leadership skills: They’re natural leaders who can inspire and motivate their teams to achieve results. They have a clear vision and are skilled at delegating tasks and responsibilities to others.
- Practical and analytical: ESTJ personalities are practical thinkers who rely on logic and reason to solve problems. They have a keen eye for detail and can spot flaws or inefficiencies in a system or process.
- Responsible and reliable: They’re known for their strong sense of duty and responsibility. They take their commitments seriously and do their best to fulfill their obligations.
- Efficient and organized: People with ESTJ personality strongly focus on getting things done efficiently and effectively. They’re skilled at managing their time and resources to achieve their goals.
ESTJ Weaknesses – Areas That Need Improvement
- Tendency to be inflexible: Individuals with ESTJ personality may resist change or new ideas if they perceive them as unnecessary or unproven. They may stick to tried-and-true methods, even if better alternatives are available.
- The Director may come across as blunt or insensitive: They’re unpopular regarding their diplomatic skills and may come across as blunt or insensitive when communicating with others. They need to work on interpersonal skills to avoid offending or alienating others.
- ESTJs may need help with creativity and innovation: They tend to rely on established methods and procedures. They may need assistance thinking outside the box or developing innovative solutions to complex problems.
- They may be overly critical: ESTJs are often critical of others, especially if they perceive their work as not meeting their high standards. They may need to work on providing helpful, constructive feedback rather than demotivating.
- May struggle to delegate tasks: Since they're used to taking charge and making decisions, ESTJs find it hard to delegate tasks to others. This can lead to burnout and a lack of trust in team members.
Best Careers for ESTJ Personality Type
If all of this sounds like you so far, you may wonder, what career path should I take if I have an ESTJ personality? Let's talk about some "good fits" for jobs.
The ESTJ personality has a strategic vision for the organization and will ensure everyone is working towards achieving that vision. Their take-charge nature allows them to take leadership positions and have the authority to delegate responsibilities and make decisions.
ESTJs are an excellent fit for executive, project manager, or operations director positions because of their strong organizational and management skills. They perform best in orderly settings and enjoy collaborating to produce tangible achievements.
Their attention to detail and capacity for difficult choices make them a good fit for employment in finance and law careers. Ultimately, they'll succeed in a profession that lets them use their efficiency and pragmatism to advance. Other areas where the ESTJ personality type can thrive include law enforcement, military, politics, and any fields requiring strong leadership and decision-making skills.
The Holland career assessment can shed more light on careers that best suit your personality.
What About ESTJ Leadership and Communication Style?
ESTJs have a specific communication and management style. They communicate clearly and directly and expect the same from others. They're also practical and solution-oriented and will work to find solutions to problems that arise.
The Director enjoys discipline and order, making them impatient with people who struggle to keep up with their fast-lightening pace. As much as they're direct and lucid in their communication, ESTJs need to listen better to others' thoughts and opinions. This way, they'll forge greater connections and put other people at ease around them.
Here are some strategies ESTJs can incorporate to improve their leadership abilities:
- Listening actively and empathetically to others' ideas and concerns and being open to feedback and constructive criticism.
- Recognizing and appreciating others' contributions and giving credit where it's due.
- Seeking to understand team members' underlying motivations and values and aligning them with the team's goals.
- Developing a more inclusive approach to decision-making, considering multiple perspectives and potential outcomes.
- Building relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and rapport and communicating with tact and diplomacy.
How Do ESTJs Handle Personal Relationships?
ESTJs naturally assume leadership roles and manage their interpersonal interactions. They respect consistency, fidelity, and devotion and are usually open and honest when expressing emotions. Once they decide to be in a committed relationship, they're dedicated for life.
Due to their extroverted nature, they'll fancy going out and being around others. They love being the center of attention and thus may appear funny or boisterous in a social situation.
An ESTJ partner puts a lot of effort into fulfilling the needs of those they love. They're good at keeping records, so they’ll remember anniversaries and birthdays. However, they tend to be rigid regarding routines and rules. Moreover, they tend to be domineering and uncompromising, which can cause relationship problems.
If you have an ESTJ personality, you will likely be compatible with ISFJs, ISTPs, ISTJs, and ESFJs.
How Do ESTJs Approach New Experiences, Risks, or Changes?
ESTJs approach new experiences, risks, and change with caution and practicality. They value tradition and stability and sometimes hesitate to embrace new ways of doing things. They prefer sticking to tried and true methods and may resist change.
When faced with a new experience or risk, ESTJs take a logical and systematic approach to evaluating the situation. Before making a choice, they weigh the benefits and drawbacks and consider possible outcomes. In addition, they sometimes hesitate to take risks they perceive as too high or that involve too much uncertainty.
However, once an individual with ESTJ personality makes a decision, they commit fully to it and ensure it's a success. They’re action-oriented and take the necessary steps to implement their plan and achieve their goals. Whereas ESTJs are cautious in their approach to change and risk, they don't fear making tough decisions.
What Enneagrams are Similar to the ESTJ Personality Type?
The Enneagram is a personality system that identifies nine core personality types based on their underlying motivations, fears, and desires. ESTJs are often associated with the Enneagram type Eight, or "The Challenger."
Eights are strong-willed, assertive, and confident and value power, control, and independence. They’re natural leaders who are not afraid to take charge and make decisions and have a practical, no-nonsense approach to problem-solving.
ESTJs may also have traits associated with Enneagram type One, "The Perfectionist." Enneagram One is principled, responsible, and detail-oriented and values order, structure, and justice. They have a strong sense of right and wrong and strive to live up to high standards and ideals.
ESTJs share some common traits with Enneagram types Eight and One, including focusing on practicality, organization, and assertiveness. Yet, not all ESTJs will fit neatly into these Enneagram types since individuals have a variety of unique traits and characteristics that may not align perfectly with any personality system.
Want to know your Enneagram? Find out with this quick assessment!
How Do ESTJs Score on the Big Five Personality Traits?
ESTJs emphasis on structure, efficiency, and task-oriented behavior may correspond to high levels of conscientiousness in the Big Five model. Conscientiousness is one of the five broad dimensions of personality, and it describes individuals who are reliable, responsible, and self-disciplined.
ESTJ's preference for logic and facts may also correspond to lower levels of openness in the Big Five model. Openness is another dimension of personality, and it refers to individuals who are imaginative, curious, and open to new experiences. The ESTJ's personality traits mainly focus on practicality, efficiency, and organization. However, the Big Five theory encompasses a more comprehensive range of characteristics, including emotional stability, extraversion, and amicability.
Take the Brain Manager Big Five assessment if you want to see how you stack up on these personality traits!
Do You Have an ESTJ Personality?
Being efficient, reliable, and well-organized are just a few of the many beautiful qualities and unique strengths of the ESTJ personality type. They may, however, also show some weaknesses as they can be excessively strict, controlling, and perhaps lacking in empathy for others.
Despite their flaws, ESTJs frequently succeed in their careers and personal lives because of their strong work ethic and aptitude for task planning and execution.
Think you have the traits of The Director? Not sure?
Take the ESTJ personality type test to find out. It will help you learn how to best relate with others. Indeed, when we know who we are, we can continue to grow and positively impact the world by identifying and improving our flaws.
