ESTP Ability and Job Satisfaction Characteristics!

You are ESTP, Extraverted with Sensing, Thinking and Perceiving, with ESTP ability, or you are interested in someone who is, and you are perhaps seeking information regarding how the ESTP personality type and associated ESTP 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 ESTP ability can be maximally used in the workplace and how all this knowledge of ESTP ability can increase workplace motivation and job satisfaction for you, and your organization.

You can also learn how knowledge of ESTP strengths and weaknesses in the workplace, that is ESTP ability, can insure that the ESTP 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!

ESTP Workplace Strengths

ESTP 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
• may seem distant and/or unapproachable; are direct, sometimes at the cost of being insensitive to others
• focus on the work at hand; don’t allocate much time to get to know others and build relationships
• are naturally critical of ideas and proposals; identify deficiencies in ideas and plans, and impediments to achieving goals
• believe that what is accomplished is more important than how a group works together; expect the best ideas and solutions to emerge from argument and debate; enjoy give and take
• analyze impersonally; are able to step back and be impartial
• champion sticking to the principles
• 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 ESTP to use the strengths listed above, ESTP ability, as a natural part of doing the job would be the jobs/careers providing maximum workplace motivation for the ESTP. With increased workplace motivation normally follows increased job satisfaction. Likewise, jobs/careers not allowing the ESTP ability to be used will provide much less workplace motivation and consequently much less job satisfaction for the ESTP personality type.

ESTP Workplace Weaknesses

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

• may need to be more sensitive to what others think or feel
• may view meetings as naturally negative events that cause more work that is accomplished by having them
• 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 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 not willing to take risks
• may struggle with others who present natural personal approach to things

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

What Others Might Observe First

• are energetic, action-oriented, outgoing, and restless-want to have things happening and be involved (and often become bored, tired, or passive when they are disinterested)
• are down-to-earth and expedient; they do what works but also like a challenge
• are trouble shooters and good in a crisis
• are curious and aware of things that others may overlook

Work Style

• size things up quickly and dive right in, are hands-on workers, may have intense bursts of energy to get something done “right now,” and like seeing a task completed
• want to start doing it (rather than preparing a proposal or plan) and shape the work based on current experience, so they may begin with little planning and appear to “make it up” as they go along
• prefer minimal structure and procedures, and may stretch, ignore (and sometimes rebel against) rules to get the job done in the most straightforward, simple way
• like a variety of work and contact with a variety of people, like to learn new things, and will seek out other activities or challenges if the work at hand is not sufficiently stimulating

On Work Teams/In Groups

• want to try something (“just do it”), not talk about what might be done (particularly if the discussion is prolonged or abstract)
• pay attention to and put energy into the issues, concerns, and tasks of the immediate present
• are persuasive, skilled at convincing others
• like to have fun at work; having fun is a motivator

Facing Change

• like and may be at their best during situations that require an immediate response, improvising, and thinking on one’s feet; a crisis may call forth and highlight their leadership skills
• decide by doing so they may not know the best approach until it has been tried
• adapt readily to changing circumstances and are not reluctant to change courses in mid-stream; however, may also readily adapt to or accept what is and not see a need to change
• their action-or crisis-orientation may be experienced as stressful by others

During Conflict

• are good negotiators who are flexible, open-minded, willing to compromise, and able to see and bring together divergent views and the different sides to an issue
• willing to try something new if the previous approach didn’t work, readily adopt others’ ideas if they will work better
• may be less aware of or comfortable with the personal aspects of a conflict, so the solutions they propose may de-emphasize or overlook these elements
• under stress, may withdraw, become pessimistic, focus on only one option, or imagine “worst case” scenarios

Workplace Contributions

• resourcefulness-making good use of what is at hand being willing to jump in wherever needed
• create fun, liveliness, and activity, and introduce humor
• keep the team or organization reality-based
• flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness

May Be Experienced As

• direct, straightforward communicators who tell it like it is and sometimes as quite frank, brusque, and unaware of or unresponsive to others’ feelings and needs
• willing to take risks and wanting the team or organization to do the same
• action-oriented and sometimes as so inclined to act that they overlook the long term implications of their actions, putting energy into ideas that are not well thought out
• not consistent at follow through, “winging it,” “last minute,” or putting off tasks deemed unimportant

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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