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Leadership

Do you enjoy leadership?


  • Total voters
    76

htb

New member
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
1,505
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
1w9
Manager of a project, captain of a team, principal of a company: have you been there, and did you want to be?
 

The Ü™

Permabanned
Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
11,910
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Of course I do. You make me laugh.

I had a lifelong desire to be a filmmaker.

But since filmmaking involved having to work with other people who might be able to think, I switched to writing; that way I'm the writer, director, and producer. That way, I have total control.

Unfortunately, most of my family dismissed my career desires as being unrealistic, so in return, that made me less motivated. Hence, my ideas remain in my head and hard to express.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
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594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I don't like being in charge.

I would much rather work within an autonomous collective. Everyone is responsible for themselves, but people can advise and/or communicate with each other and offer influence by example.

I've been in charge, and it has been very very difficult for me. It doesn't help that I have a deplorable lack of Te expression. Even when I use it, it makes me feel bad, like I'm violating the people under me by treating them like resources and playing "chess" with them.

(Note: I don't think that's what it is, intellectually, and I even annoy myself because I just can't get past the bad feelings of violating others. So I don't much enjoy exerting my direct influence, even when I do. I'd rather state a case, then let them decide how they want to respond and let things go at that.)

What's unfortunate is that I feel I do have some good ideas -- or at least can see what sort of things "work" and what things do "not work" or are inefficient/inconsistent -- but don't have the sort of temperament that wields power well. My ideal position is being a trusted adviser to the leader; I have the concepts and ideas, they see the value in them and do the implementation.
 

rivercrow

shoshaku jushaku
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
1,555
MBTI Type
type
I enjoy leadership.

My preferred leadership style tends to be anti-Boomer, anti-SJ, anti-hierarchy. I prefer a consensus-based decisions, more in line with my political and life values; on the other hand, I am perfectly capable of providing absolute control if that is needed.

Edit: Compare / Contrast leadership styles of the mods for extra credit. :tongue:
 

htb

New member
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May 14, 2007
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Leadership styles? A very good idea. This page caught my eye a couple of weeks ago.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
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594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I enjoy leadership.

My preferred leadership style tends to be anti-Boomer, anti-SJ, anti-hierarchy. I prefer a consensus-based decisions, more in line with my political and life values; on the other hand, I am perfectly capable of providing absolute control if that is needed.

Edit: Compare / Contrast leadership styles of the mods for extra credit. :tongue:

Crowsie! You're back.

You know what's funny? I almost mentioned you as a contrast to me in my post, since we have very different working styles. But I'll let someone else do the comparisons... You're definitely much more of a take-charge person.

Leadership styles? A very good idea. This page caught my eye a couple of weeks ago.

nice page, htb... and I have never seen it before. Thank you.
 

rivercrow

shoshaku jushaku
Joined
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Messages
1,555
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type
Leadership styles? A very good idea. This page caught my eye a couple of weeks ago.

Nice. I haven't seen that for a while.

My work persona -- and probably my leadership style at work -- is more INTJ-ish.

Hm. Personally, when I am at my best, I'm probably between INTP and INFx.
 

rivercrow

shoshaku jushaku
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
1,555
MBTI Type
type
Crowsie! You're back.

You know what's funny? I almost mentioned you as a contrast to me in my post, since we have very different working styles. But I'll let someone else do the comparisons... You're definitely much more of a take-charge person.
:hi:

I'm at "home," thinking about getting off the internet to go read a book. I only logged on b/c my spidey-sense detected someone needed assistance.

I've spent so much time directing incident response teams, managing migrations, and working to publication deadlines, getting things done when it's important is an ingrained habit.

The other thing, I've pretty much sorted out that if I want something done the way I want it, I really need to be involved in pushing it. The flip side of that is learning what can be negotiated or dropped, how to communicate what's important, and how to let go when it's time. Not one damn part of that comes easy.
 

Dark Razor

New member
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
271
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Yes I enjoy leadership, at least if the task I am working on is interesting and important, if the job of the leader is just to supervise stupid tasks then I dont enjoy that. I'd rather think that with most tasks people can figure out what to do themselves and I only step in where I really know better.

I also understand what Jennifer is saying about feeling bad about "violating peoples rights", however I usually get that if people obey me without reflecting on what I said, or if people just cave in in a discussion, like when I they say something and I respond with "NO, I think it's like this!"(while not even beeing sure of it) and they just look to the floor and say "Uh, ok". In those situations I feel like I am braking their will or something, like I destroy their personality, dealing with such people I find to be highly difficult. I'd rather prefer to have people talk back to me, at least if they can do so intelligently.

Oh, and your poll taught me a new word, mh.. covet.
 

Metamorphosis

New member
Joined
May 9, 2007
Messages
3,474
MBTI Type
INTJ
I enjoy leadership, but only if I know what I'm doing (the best suited for the job).

I think the problem with most leaders is that they see it as some form of control, and that's why they like it. To me, being a leader is about helping your subordinates succeed. It is basically an exchange of loyalty and respect for experienced help. The leader is just a catalyst for the success of the whole group, and in exchange, he gets manpower.
 

The_Liquid_Laser

Glowy Goopy Goodness
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
3,376
MBTI Type
ENTP
I prefer to lead as a mentor, to inspire and bring out the best in people. I don't really believe in democracy or coming to a consensus, but what I will do is first gather everyone's input and then make a decision that benefits the whole group without taking it to a vote. That's really only if a central decision needs to be made too. I'd rather stand back and give people confidence and only step in to help someone compensate for a natural deficiency.

I don't mind following someone else's leadership if they know what they are doing. Few people do though and it can be frustrating.
 

Lateralus

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May 18, 2007
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3w4
I'm not a very good long-term leader. I have a difficult time criticizing people. I don't have a problem motivating.
 

niffer

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Apr 26, 2007
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sx/sp
Of course! I'm an enn8! Delegating tasks and working together is fun! I never have to announce my position, I just naturally adopt it. People just assume that I'm going to take it, or nothing happens. After a while of nothing happening, they will eventually push me to the pedestal, and then things will get going.
 

Zergling

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Apr 26, 2007
Messages
1,377
MBTI Type
ExTJ
I don't naturally seek out leadership roles, I tend to just work with people as equals, perhaps giving out information if some people happen to not know something at the moment.

The situation where I tend to end up leading are either in a group of people where I am considered the smartest, so end up expected to lead, or situations where people aren't organizing themselves. In the first case, it's pretty neat to be considered "the leader", the second case is often not a lot of fun since cases where I end up trying to get things organized and working well get less accomplished than cases where people know what to do and can organize themselves. (I do seem to provide some improvements, but these are often short term situations, without enough time to bring people up to a level where they can figure things out on their own.)
 

cafe

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
9,827
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INFJ
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9w1
Hate it. Avoid it. I consider myself a very gifted follower. Somebody's gotta do it.
 

Mycroft

The elder Holmes
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,068
MBTI Type
INTP
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5w6
Instinctual Variant
so/sp
Leading human beings is so much cat-herding, but until I acquire an army of androids to carry out tasks it can't be avoided.

In stark contrast to Jennifer, while I wouldn't say that I enjoy leadership in and of itself, nothing brings me greater tingly glee then those times when I correctly assessed that Mr. X would be the kind of person to react to situation Y in Mr. X fashion and Mr. Y would be the sort of person to react to situation Y in a Mr. Y fashion, and that by seeing to it that they wind up in situation Y objective Z can be achieved.
 

laughing dolphin

New member
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
40
MBTI Type
INFJ
I really don't enjoy being in a position of leadership, but I do it because I have to right now. I definitely prefer a more egalitarian, everyone-knows-what-their-job-is-and-simply-does-it kind of workplace, but alas, I am not there.

Unfortunately, I have a tendancy to assume that, once a task has been spelled out and a deadline set, that people will simply do it. I am, I've come to find, something of a leadership idiot for thinking this. And I freely admit that my intense dislike of confrontation or discord of any kind makes supervising most people very difficult for me.

In the past, I have been much more comfortable in the advisor to the leader role, much like Jennifer said. I'm trying to find a way to get back into such a role...
 

alex

New member
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
12
MBTI Type
INTJ
Leadership styles? A very good idea. This page caught my eye a couple of weeks ago.

Thank God a thinktank out there can recite and confirm my thought process (not that I'm trying to break my arm patting myself on the back, thinking like Eisenhower and his "industrial complex speech).

The only problem is, I need constructive criticism when it comes to learning how to deal with others when they don't conform to my expectations. :steam: I tend to dismiss those who do not work or think like I do. At home, I have no close friends and need to decompress from my husband; is this normal?
 

ptgatsby

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Joined
Apr 24, 2007
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4,476
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ISTP
The only problem is, I need constructive criticism when it comes to learning how to deal with others when they don't conform to my expectations. :steam: I tend to dismiss those who do not work or think like I do. At home, I have no close friends and need to decompress from my husband; is this normal?

It's not abnormal, in the sense that while not part of what soceity considers a 'norm', it's not really a disorder either.

However, as you say, it is destructive. I'd recommend, and I'd recommend this for any INTJ in a leadership position that believes they have these kinds of issues, that you write down a list of your core advantages - why are you a leader? For each advantage you write down, write down the opposing disadvantage. The longer it takes you to come up with one, the more important it is to think about it seriously, maybe even try to come up with more than one. For each disadvantage, name costs - strategic costs, personal costs... but find the costs that you have inflicted on yourself.

In the case of not being able to relate to people, write out why other people don't have these costs... look at it from the POV of how other people can balance out your own style, your own flaws. For personal relationships, write down how you inflict costs on your spouse - it always helps if both sides are doing this in the couple cases. Change it for friends, work... anything.

The mistake that INTJs seem to have is fighting only in the present and forward - not looking at the big picture. Yes, you might be able to solve this problem, get it done on time... but there are costs to your methodologies. Balance can only be achieved when you see your own shortfalls and identify the solutions in other people.

[/armchair psychology. But seriously, it's a good excersize for anyone.]
 

alex

New member
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Jun 29, 2007
Messages
12
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INTJ
Wow, that is very helpful and I will truly consider doing this.

I think the person who suffers the most is obviously my husband, the poor guy. I just gave him the MB test and he's an ISFP. Bad for compatibility which sometimes makes me wonder if I know I need him to counter my preferences.

I seem to be ok with the strategic picture; perhaps this comes from my leadership training and understanding the importance of the big picture...but at home, you're probably right. I'm not sure I understand the big picture, especially because I'm second generation; mom's Japanese and dad's English, leaving me in the US all by my lonesome (with one brother and an English aunty.)

Thanks, pt.
 
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