What follows is a brief description of the ESTJ personality type, including:
• Natural Strengths
• Common Tendencies
• Interaction Styles
• Stressors and Coping Mechanisms.
• Ideal and Corrupt versions of the ESTJ
•ESTJ Stack

ESTJ Basic

Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging. ESTJs tend to be very respectful of authority and expertise. They tend to worry that they themselves are not “strong enough/skilled enough.” This often leads to a lot of “self-imposed pressure” to “perfect themselves.” They will often carefully manage their diet, exercise routine, and otherwise “drive themselves” to become “better” (particularly in “sensory skills” like crafts, cooking, or physical abilities).

Ironically, this “intense discipline” can lead to a strong “surface level” self-confidence (potentially even arrogance), but “deep down” they may still harbor those secret doubts about themselves. Those doubts can also lead an ESTJ to “refrain from sharing their own thoughts or ideas.” Instead ESTJs may “wait and respond to other people’s ideas” or “find an expert that they can cite” to justify and validate their own opinions.

ESTJs are all about “sensory experiences.” They frequently “express their care for others” by creating a strong sensory experience (i.e. hosting an event). However, their tendency to “strive for perfection” makes “creating an experience for others” very stressful. If they have any doubts about the quality of “what they are creating,” they are likely to “abort the whole thing” rather than risk providing a “less than ideal experience.

ESTJs also enjoy “receiving” potent experiences, but sometimes struggle with “what do I want?” A strong solution is to surprise the ESTJ with “something new (that they’ve never encountered before).” ESTJs tend to favor the thrill of risk (sometimes overlooking the danger).

When interacting with others, ESTJs tend to place more emphasis on their overall reputation (the perceptions of the group), and can struggle to recognize the emotions of the individual. They may “mock or tease,” and only later realize they upset someone. ESTJs are slow to connect with others, but once they do, they are fiercely loyal.

ESTJs like to be in charge, to feel “in control,” so they can struggle when others don’t “go along with their plan.” They find laziness and “a lack of grounded logic” very frustrating, and they are sensitive to criticism or guilt.

When stressed, they double down on “logic” and “concrete details.” They may experience a form of “performance anxiety” and stumble (in various ways). If the problem persists, the tension (caused by an intense pressure to “perform well”) may lead to muscle tension or headaches.

The key is to reduce tension. Consider mellow activities (like gardening or crafting). Strive to accept that “sometimes things are not logical” and may be “out of our control” (asking for help from someone else can help an ESTJ gain new perspective).

ESTJ Ideal

ESTJs are known for their discipline. They work hard and often demand more of themselves than they ask of anyone else. They are knowledgeable, physically fit, and practical. They are natural organizers who strive to create and run “strong events” for their community. (In some cases, they may need the help of others to remember to “relax” from time to time.)

The ESTP emphasis on discipline and progress can feel “insensitive to others.” If they take it too far, they may find that “no one will work with them.”

ESTJ Corrupt

ESTJs are known for their discipline. When they become corrupt, ESTJs can become aggressively controlling. They are confident that they “know what is best,” and if anyone disagrees with them, those people are wrong. This confidence may be rooted in “loyalty to a system,” or it may be rooted in their own experiences, but regardless of the source, ESTJs are known for their strength of conviction, and can be quite stubborn.

In service to their goal (the ends justify the means), a corrupt ESTJ will ignore their own moral values and aggressively “snuff out” any external objections. If someone becomes emotional, a corrupt ESTJ may mock or criticize them for “becoming emotional,” even as the corrupt ESTJ themselves may become intensely emotional (perhaps even throwing a temper tantrum), overlooking or denying that they have “lost control of their emotions.”

ESTJs are known for their sense of discipline, their devotion to order (and this is how someone “gets through to them”). Even corrupt, an ESTJ believes in “maintaining their own discipline” in service to “order.” If someone can get a corrupt ESTJ to recognize that they are no longer “maintaining their own discipline,” the ESTJ may “step down/step back.”

ESTJ Stack

The stack is essentially “what distinguishes one personality type from another.”

1. Te (Effectiveness)
2. Si (Memory)
3. Ne (Exploration)
4. Fi (Authenticity)

5. Ti (Accuracy)
6. Se (Sensation)
7. Ni (Perspective)
8. Fe (Harmony)

If you would like some basic information about what the 8 skills and 8 roles mean (in general, please click the button below.