ESFP Ability and Job Satisfaction Characteristics!

You are ESFP, Extraverted with Sensing, Feeling and Perceiving, with ESFP ability, or you are interested in someone who is, and you are perhaps seeking information regarding how the ESFP personality type and associated ESFP ability gleaned from the Myers Briggs Test can perform optimally and at their very best in the workplace. You may also be seeking information as to how ESFP ability can be maximally used in the workplace and how all this knowledge of ESFP ability can increase workplace motivation and job satisfaction for you, and your organization.

You can also learn how knowledge of ESFP strengths and weaknesses in the workplace, that is ESFP ability, can insure that the ESFP will not fall victim to job dissatisfaction which has been termed “Falsification of Type” and which is the core reason an estimated 70% of all the workers in the world dislike (or hate) their jobs!

ESFP Workplace Strengths

ESFP ability and strengths are many and would mean for you in the workplace that you:

• are someone who reaches understanding through interaction and discussion, someone who wants to talk it through
• are energetic, enthusiastic, and prone to take action
• move around and may “do business” in various locations
• participate, often speaking up right away, letting others know what you think or feel
• regard meetings as places to build relationships and as vehicles to get work done
• are aware of the impact of what’s going on in the larger organization and the outside world
• focus first on and are most interested in specifics and the details of current or past reality; you notice the “trees” before noticing the “forest”
• are realistic, practical, and work with “what is”
• work on one thing at a time; like to begin from and use what is already known
• want the work of a team to be realistic and doable, and are less interested in (and may be impatient with) discussions about vague, unrealistic, or “theoretical” possibilities
• take things literally, at fact value
• bring previous experience to bear on work at hand; keep things grounded
• are amiable and approachable; are sensitive to others, sometimes at the cost of being direct
• often want to spend some time getting to know others and build relationships before getting to the work at hand
• are naturally appreciative of people’s ideas and contributions
• believe that how a group works together is equally important as what is accomplished; expect the best ideas and solutions to emerge from cooperation; may experience give and take as disruptive arguments
• are sensitive to how others will react or be affected; promote harmony, conciliation, and well-being; seek win/win results
• are spontaneous, “go with the flow,” open to new experiences and not wanting to miss out on anything, fun loving
• bring in new information, perspectives, and options; are adaptable and often devise flexible or innovative approaches to work
• like to start things-motivation and interest may decline when it’s time to finish
• are comfortable proceeding without a definite plan; take a “let’s wait and see what rolls out” approach; may frustrate others by bringing up new information or possibilities after a decision seems to have been made
• are comfortable not having something definite to work toward, and may feel constrained by what you perceive to be narrow or rigid goals and deadlines; focus on processes and want a team to organize around the ways they will work
• initially welcome a new assignment or project, thinking there’s lots of time to get it done-and later feel pushed to fit everything in

Basically those jobs/careers that would allow the ESFP to use the strengths listed above, ESFP ability, as a natural part of doing the job would be the jobs/careers providing maximum workplace motivation for the ESFP. With increased workplace motivation normally follows increased job satisfaction. Likewise, jobs/careers not allowing the ESFP ability to be used will provide much less workplace motivation and consequently much less job satisfaction for the ESFP personality type.

ESFP Workplace Weaknesses

ESFP personality and ESFP ability would include a tendency toward the following workplace weaknesses:

• may need to be more logical in the workplace and “feel” less at times
• may have difficulty in environments where work relationships are not valued
• will have difficulty seeing in the future realities and being conceptual toward that reality
• may have difficulty with theoretical brain storming activities
• may have difficulty with non-person centered decision making
• will be uncomfortable to troubled proceeding with strict plans
• hesitancy to finish things may be viewed as negative
• may have difficulty with others who are willing to take risks
• may struggle with others who do not present a natural “personal” approach to things
• may be troubled in an isolated work environment, need people

Now take a few moments and consider how ESFP’s behave and perform in the workplace from the following seven aspects:

What Others Might Observe First

• enthusiastic and energetic, warm and joyful, optimistic and uplifting, accepting of others
• like to be where the people and the action are (right in the middle of things), involved, gregarious, and sociable
• communicative, often have good people skills, and take a sympathetic approach to others
• observant, pay attention to what is going on in their environment

Work Style

• enjoy being with others, like to work with a variety of people and challenges, and want the job to be fun
• see and put themselves in a helping role and like to feel personally involved in their work
• have an involved, hands-on work style; trust more and learn best from direct experience (try it first, read the instructions if stuck)
• like freedom to be active and prefer little structure

On Work Teams/In Groups

• bring a sense of unity to the team, work to create an environment where people feel valued and in on things, and encourage others and spur them on
• share about themselves and their life’s experiences, and can be a catalyst for others to do same
• attend to the people and processes before the task; value cooperative, harmonious relationships where people are regarded as equals
• flexible and adaptable, favor altering plans to account for team or individual needs as they arise

Facing Change

• prefer change that is directed toward specific, people oriented goals-with lots of encouragement and support to reach those goals
• are comfortable moving into a hectic situation and helping others/the team through a crisis; often come through difficult situations with flying colors
• practical and realistic problem solvers who respond and improvise according to the needs of the moment
• more prone to act than to plan or systematically consider alternatives

During Conflict

• value unity and agreement, and may find conflict among people unsettling
• tactful, not confrontational-may withhold “constructive criticism” even when providing it would be helpful
• often bring a sense of ease to a tense situation
• under stress, may be uncharacteristically pessimistic or negative, or doubt themselves (though they may not show these reactions overtly)

Workplace Contributions

• concern for people-help keep the focus on the needs of the people being served (e.g., customer, client, patient, student)
• bring and help create excitement, optimism, and fun
• ability to pay attention to and keep track of numerous things at the same time
• being open about themselves and their concerns (what you see is what you get), and encouraging others to do the same

May Be Experienced As

• very aware of other’ needs and sometimes as wearing themselves out trying to meet those needs
• liking everything to be fun and sometimes as too lighthearted
• quite responsive to immediate demands and sometimes as so adaptable that they may not see the need for making plans, may become diverted and leave things unfinished, or may deviate from established routines
• high energy and giving others a lot of personal attention and sometimes as overpowering or putting others off with the attention they give

The Myers Briggs Test can be looked upon sometimes as an ability and personality test. Once you have identified your personality type via the Myers Briggs Test and have some understanding of the associated strengths, weaknesses, abilities and behaviors of your type you can better determine the kind of work environment and associated factors that provide the maximum workplace motivation and job satisfaction for you. Again, view the results of the Myers Briggs Test concerning work as a kind of ability and personality test.

If you would like to study a different personality type link here and go back to the Personality and Work page to find links to the other 15 personality types, follow those links and enjoy!

If you have questions regarding your personality type in the workplace as it relates to using the Myers Briggs Test as an ability and personality test, please do not hesitate to use the Support/Contact Request form on the navigation bar to the left. We would enjoy hearing from you and will try to answer any questions you may have about the Myers Briggs Test and its uses and/or the Myers Briggs focused consultation services offered by Solid Rock Consulting Group, LLC.

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