| Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
by Marina Margaret Heiss
Profile: INTJ
Revision: 3.0
Date of Revision: 27 Feb 2005
To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness",
of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple
arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather
than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge
systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes
to their own areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they
will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can
help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps still
more importantly, they know what they don't know.
INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for
improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them
from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is
the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often
ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?"
to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social
norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing
the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment
for its own sake.
INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in
part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination
and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is
for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism
and disregard for authority may come
into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others
on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including
superiors, will lose their respect -- and will generally be made aware
of this; INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to
implement critical decisions without
consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do
tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual
contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for
seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.
In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they "know".
Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but
they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness
are required (e.g., law, some areas of academia). INTJs can rise to
management positions when they are willing to invest time in marketing
their abilities as well as enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of
ambition or the desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn
to simulate some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their
inherent unconventionality.
Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the
INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for
others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of
time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence
that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or
mislead them in interpersonal situations.
This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the
social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and
less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which
most types consider half the fun of a
relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely
private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which
makes them easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most
fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense.
This sometimes results
in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many Fs -- only instead of
expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic
relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and
directness.
Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are
their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a
relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind of
natural empathy that many Fs do, the Intuitive function can often act
as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable meanings behind such
things as tone of voice, turn of phrase, and facial expression. This
ability can then be honed and directed by consistent, repeated efforts
to understand and support those they care about, and those
relationships which ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend
to be characterized by their robustness, stability, and good
communications.
Functional Analysis
by Joe Butt
Introverted iNtuition
INTJs are idea people. Anything is possible; everything is negotiable.
Whatever the outer circumstances, INTJs are ever perceiving inner
pattern-forms and using real-world materials to operationalize them.
Others may see what is and wonder why; INTJs see what might be
and say "Why not?!" Paradoxes, antinomies, and other contradictory phenomena
aptly express these intuitors' amusement at those whom they feel may be
taking a particular view of reality too seriously. INTJs enjoy developing
unique solutions to complex problems.
Extraverted Thinking
Thinking in this auxiliary role is a workhorse. Closure is the payoff
for efforts expended. Evaluation begs diagnosis; product drives process.
As they come to light, Thinking tends, protects, affirms and directs
iNtuition's offspring, fully equipping them for fulfilling and useful lives.
A faithful pedagogue, Thinking argues not so much on its own behalf, but
in defense of its charges. And through this process these impressionable
ideas take on the likeness of their master.
Introverted Feeling
Feeling has a modest inner room, two doors down from the Most Imminent
iNtuition. It doesn't get out much, but lends its influence on behalf of
causes which are Good and Worthy and Humane. We may catch a glimpse of it
in the unspoken attitude of good will, or the gracious smile or nod. Some
question the existence of Feeling in this type, yet its unseen balance to
Thinking is a cardinal dimension in the full measure of the INTJ's soul.
Extraverted Sensing
Sensing serves with a good will, or not at all. As other inferior
functions, it has only a rudimentary awareness of context, amount or
degree. Thus INTJs sweat the details or, at times, omit them. "I've made
up my mind, don't confuse me with the facts" could well have been said by
an INTJ on a mission. Sensing's extraverted attitude is evident in this
type's bent to savor sensations rather than to merely categorize them.
Indiscretions of indulgence are likely an expression of the unconscious
vengeance of the inferior.
Famous INTJs:
Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers)
Susan B. Anthony
Arthur Ashe, tennis champion
Augustus Caesar (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus)
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)
William J. Bennett, "drug czar"
William F. Buckley, Jr.
Raymond Burr (Perry Mason, Ironsides)
Chevy Chase (Cornelius Crane) (Fletch)
Phil Donahue
Michael Dukakis, governor of Mass., 1988 U.S. Dem. pres. candidate
Greg Gumbel, television sportscaster
Hannibal, Carthaginian military leader
Veronica Hamel (Hill Street Blues)
Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote)
Orel Leonard Hershiser, IV
Peter Jennings
Charles Everett Koop
Ivan Lendl
C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)
Joan Lunden
Edwin Moses, U.S. olympian (hurdles)
Martina Navratilova
Charles Rangel, U. S. Representative, D-N.Y.
Pernell Roberts (Bonanza)
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
Josephine Tey (Elizabeth Mackintosh), mystery writer (Brat Farrar)
Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor
Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defense
General Colin Powell, US Secretary of State
Lance Armstrong
Richard Gere (Pretty Woman)
Katie Couric
- U.S. Presidents:
- Chester A. Arthur
- Calvin Coolidge
- Thomas Jefferson
- John F. Kennedy
- James K. Polk
- Woodrow Wilson
Fictional:
Cassius (Julius Caesar)
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
Gandalf the Grey (J. R. R. Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' nemesis
Ensign Ro (Star Trek--the Next Generation)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet)
George Smiley, John le Carre's master spy
Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)
Copyright © 1996-2005 by Marina Margaret Heiss and Joe Butt
Type Relationships for INTJs:
The Portrait of the Mastermind Rational (iNTj) |
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| Copyrighted © 1996-2005 Prometheus Nemesis Book Company |
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Of the four aspects of strategic analysis and definition, it is the
contingency planning or entailment organizing role that reaches the highest
development in Masterminds. Entailing or contingency planning is not an
informative activity, rather it is a directive one in which the planner
tells others what to do and in what order to do it. As the organizing capabilities
the Masterminds increase so does their inclination to take charge of whatever
is going on.
It is in their abilities that Masterminds differ from the other Rationals,
while in most of their attitudes they are just like the others. However
there is one attitude that sets them apart from other Rationals: they tend
to be much more self-confident than the rest, having, for obscure reasons,
developed a very strong will. They are rather rare, comprising no more
than, say, one percent of the population. Being very judicious, decisions
come naturally to them; indeed, they can hardly rest until they have things
settled, decided, and set. They are the people who are able to formulate
coherent and comprehensive contingency plans, hence contingency organizers
or "entailers."
Masterminds will adopt ideas only if they are useful, which is to say
if they work efficiently toward accomplishing the Mastermind's well-defined
goals. Natural leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command
of projects or groups, preferring to stay in the background until others
demonstrate their inability to lead. Once in charge, however, Masterminds
are the supreme pragmatists, seeing reality as a crucible for refining
their strategies for goal-directed action. In a sense, Masterminds approach
reality as they would a giant chess board, always seeking strategies that
have a high payoff, and always devising contingency plans in case of error
or adversity. To the Mastermind, organizational structure and operational
procedures are never arbitrary, never set in concrete, but are quite malleable
and can be changed, improved, streamlined. In their drive for efficient
action, Masterminds are the most open-minded of all the types. No idea
is too far-fetched to be entertained-if it is useful. Masterminds are natural
brainstormers, always open to new concepts and, in fact, aggressively seeking
them. They are also alert to the consequences of applying new ideas or
positions. Theories which cannot be made to work are quickly discarded
by the Masterminds. On the other hand, Masterminds can be quite ruthless
in implementing effective ideas, seldom counting personal cost in terms
of time and energy.
A full description of the Mastermind and Rational
is in People Patterns
or Please Understand Me II
General Ulysses S. Grant is an example of Mastermind Rational
Survey:
http://humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
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