INTPness
New member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2009
- Messages
- 2,157
- MBTI Type
- INTP
- Enneagram
- 5w4
I'm going to be working under an ESTJ boss for awhile. I've worked for one before and have several in my family, so I'm pretty familiar with ESTJ's. But, I'm struggling with this guy.
Let's start of by saying that he really needs me - or someone who can do what I do - if he were to "lose me", it would really cause a big void for several weeks until he could find a replacement. Because of this, he is being really nice to me and kind of watching his words. I see him talk down to other people and really rip into them at times. He's not a horrible guy, but he tends to micro-manage, be all up in everyone's stuff, and relentless (nothing gets by him and it annoys people). He's very efficient and gets stuff done (like ExTJ's do so well), but he can be a real jerk at times.
With me, I know that he thinks that certain things I do are not "efficient" - because they aren't the way he would do them. But, I work efficiently (INTP's are extremely efficient when we need to be/want to be - in fact, recognizing inefficiencies is probably what we do best). He really has nothing to worry about. I'm doing things as efficiently as they can be done. I sense sometimes that he wants to rip into me (I can see that he is frustrated and kind of wants to "go off" on me), but because he needs what I'm providing so desperately at this time, he holds his tongue.
I feel like he's testing me to see how far he can go with me. He wants to see if he can talk to me the same way he talks to others. He talks down and very blunt to certain people, and then I notice that others he doesn't talk to that way (because he knows it won't fly with certain people).
So, what can I do to:
1. Earn this guys respect? What do you guys respect in a worker?
2. Get him off my back? If he's hovering around me and watching me and probing and asking lots of questions, he's only hurting my performance. INTP's can't perform under that type of pressure. The best thing a boss can do for us is explain clearly what he expects out of us, train us if he wants it done a certain way, and then let us go do it. How can I convince him to take a step back, and let me go? Get out of my face and let me do what I'm paid to do (without pissing him off or being arrogant or getting in a heated argument)???
What should my strategy be here? I'm confused with this guy.
Let's start of by saying that he really needs me - or someone who can do what I do - if he were to "lose me", it would really cause a big void for several weeks until he could find a replacement. Because of this, he is being really nice to me and kind of watching his words. I see him talk down to other people and really rip into them at times. He's not a horrible guy, but he tends to micro-manage, be all up in everyone's stuff, and relentless (nothing gets by him and it annoys people). He's very efficient and gets stuff done (like ExTJ's do so well), but he can be a real jerk at times.
With me, I know that he thinks that certain things I do are not "efficient" - because they aren't the way he would do them. But, I work efficiently (INTP's are extremely efficient when we need to be/want to be - in fact, recognizing inefficiencies is probably what we do best). He really has nothing to worry about. I'm doing things as efficiently as they can be done. I sense sometimes that he wants to rip into me (I can see that he is frustrated and kind of wants to "go off" on me), but because he needs what I'm providing so desperately at this time, he holds his tongue.
I feel like he's testing me to see how far he can go with me. He wants to see if he can talk to me the same way he talks to others. He talks down and very blunt to certain people, and then I notice that others he doesn't talk to that way (because he knows it won't fly with certain people).
So, what can I do to:
1. Earn this guys respect? What do you guys respect in a worker?
2. Get him off my back? If he's hovering around me and watching me and probing and asking lots of questions, he's only hurting my performance. INTP's can't perform under that type of pressure. The best thing a boss can do for us is explain clearly what he expects out of us, train us if he wants it done a certain way, and then let us go do it. How can I convince him to take a step back, and let me go? Get out of my face and let me do what I'm paid to do (without pissing him off or being arrogant or getting in a heated argument)???
What should my strategy be here? I'm confused with this guy.