How to tell the difference between ISTJ and INTJ.

[saslou]

Originally Posted by Eiddy

I wouldn't mind getting on the bad side of an INTJ, they would probably wander off muttering to themselves how stupid people can be.

On the other hand an ISTJ, would probably be in your face about it and won't leave until the situation is resolved.

It can be a good thing on both sides, one decides it's not worth it to argue, the other will accomplish something from it.

Babe, i would seriously advise against it. Lol. Unless you enjoy being ripped to pieces as your views are different/wrong.

Originally Posted by TheChosenOne

Eh... I wouldn't be so sure. I'd rather be on the bad side of a fellow ISTJ than an INTJ. The INTJs seem more like heartless strategists than the ISTJ who can find more practical things to do than plan for revenge.

+ 1

[Take Five]

Originally Posted by JivinJeffJones

Personally I've never really understood the "to be a good leader you have to be a good follower" maxim. INTJs tend to be good leaders because they are goal-oriented, pragmatic, adaptable and very strategic. With everything they ask themselves "How does this serve the goal, and the critical path to that goal?" If it doesn't, they ditch it and try something else. They don't have a problem with confrontation, yet aren't especially egotistical (at least, not where the goal is concerned) and so are open to suggestion.

Factors in why they make such poor followers:
1. high value on autonomy
2. intolerant of fuzzy thinking, especially when it hinders the goal
3. often offend leaders when objecting to #2 through lack of diplomacy
4. natural leadership qualities when coupled with the underrated charisma of this type can lead to them accumulating a following of people disgruntled with the current leadership (or creating one), especially if they are in a position which denies them a realistic ability to change policy
5. unforgiving of leadership mistakes
6. generally unhappy doing as they're told if it seems to them to hinder the goal. The reasons for doing something may be ultimately sound and may involve more factors than the INTJ is aware of, but until the INTJ discovers this for themselves they will be unhappy with perceived inefficiency. Some leaders may be fine with explaining how things fit in to the bigger picture, but most probably won't.

There are more, but this post is too long already.

I haven't really addressed ISTJs here, but in general I'd say they are more focused on doing things the right way than doing the right things. More concerned with process than with the goal, though that's an oversimplification.

Unless of course doing the right things is the right way to do and act.

[bananatrombones]

An old pal of mine, a former soldier and ISTJ, seemed to typify the cross-wires in communication between the two. I noticed he rarely challenged convention and rather resented suggetions on how things could be improved. Radical ideas that I floated such as legalising hard drugs, he used to respond with horror, which amused me enough to try even more radical (and shocking) suggestions. For the lulz.

To be fair, he usually spotted the wind-up, albeit late on in the gag. On a few occasion he tried the same ploy back, using an equally controversial hook that he knew I wouldn't "approve of", such as "The Saudis are right to hang drug smugglers..." Just for fun I used to agree, which pissed him off even more.

[JivinJeffJones]

Originally Posted by Take Five

Unless of course doing the right things is the right way to do and act.

Definitely. But the INTJ is more likely to discover whether that's the case than the ISTJ.

[iwakar]

Pay attention to what they boast about.

My boyfriend's father (INTJ) can chatter like a magpie on the right topic. Ask him anything involving martial arts, nutrition & fitness, or Eastern medicine/philosophy and he'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know.

His ISTJ brother on the other hand can discuss alcohol, his beloved Chevy, or his government job with equal zest and confidence.

Add: It should be noted that while his brother LOVES his government badge and the perks it entails, his father wavers between disgust and indifference towards it.

[Habba]

ISTJs have better sense of humor.

[Cimarron]

When looking for any NJ type, I test to see if I feel something "strange" about them. NJs have the strangest mental-structures.

Different than Ps.

In the way that SJs have a defined idea of what life should be like, NJs also have a solidly-built idea, but on bizarre info.

Even when they might appear outwardly normal and SJish, getting to know them shows a quite different mental-process, that almost "feels" different. (Letting you know my hocus-pocus NJ verification skills.)

On the off-chance that an ISTJ is "weird," he or she will still have a somewhat reasonable thought-structure, even if unconventional. Hard to explain.

But yes, INTJs and ISTJs can look very similar on the surface.

[Litvyak]

Originally Posted by Antisocial one

While ISTJ will simply be boring to an INTJ instead of annoying.

Boring and/or annoying. Strictly following rules + concentrating on seemingly unimportant details = annoying for some intuitives. Not for me though, I always play as the lawful knight in D&D

Originally Posted by Habba

ISTJs have better sense of humor.

If I simply say "no", does that make me humorless?

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by Eiddy

I wouldn't mind getting on the bad side of an INTJ, they would probably wander off muttering to themselves how stupid people can be.

On the other hand an ISTJ, would probably be in your face about it and won't leave until the situation is resolved.

It can be a good thing on both sides, one decides it's not worth it to argue, the other will accomplish something from it.

An INTJ is quite possibly the worst enemy to make. You are correct, we will walk away, although not muttering about how stupid someone is.

We will come at you sideways, we will find ingenious and insiduous ways to destroy you. We are creators of systems, we excel at understanding how something works, we are equally good at deconstruction.

While you believe the problem has passed, the INTJ has already set in motion your destruction.

Want to know why the major villians in almost every movie are INTJs? Think about that one for a few.

[MacGuffin]

Originally Posted by Exodus

Want to know why the major villians in almost every movie are INTJs? Think about that one for a few.

Because movies need super-smart villians whose plans go hilariously awry at the end.