OK, now I've gotta add my 10 cents...
I think ENFPs can be very good leaders, but it all depends on whether or not they have mastery over their use of Fi and Te. This only comes with maturity and life experience, I think. Thus, we see a dichotomy:
- ENFPs in leadership positions without mature use of Fi and Te = Disaster. Terrible follow through and all the other ENFP leadership faults people have described.
- ENFPs in leadership position with mature use of Fi and Te = Strong leader.
I've been in leadership positions several times and judge myself a competent leader. My strengths are my ability to logically organize things and figure out the most logical / efficient route from point a to point b. (Voila Te.) My Fi also means that I work very hard to lead in a way that is consistent with my Fi values. I really care about the people who report to me and want to see them succeed. I tend to act more like a coach than a boss. And, in general have received high marks from my direct reports.
So fooey to those who say that ENFPs can't lead. That's a bunch of hogwash. They can and do lead if they can apply their Fi and Te to maximum advantage.
BTW, my weaknesses as a leader are pretty close to a lot of things [MENTION=6166]Orobas[/MENTION] has observed.
I didn't think about until she pointed it out, but I have a very hard time... very, very hard time... connecting with ESTPs in my employ. (ISTPs I have no problem with for some reason.) ESTPs seem to be speaking a foreign language to me and it's easy for me to completely discount them. I wind up either patronizing them or passive aggressively ignoring them.
I'd say my biggest weakness is my avoidance of confrontation. I am super good at avoiding confrontation, much to my own chagrin. Sometimes, as a boss, you just need to go into "Dick Mode" and tell the other person exactly what's wrong with no hedging or molly coddling. Boy is that hard for me to do.... I tend to put it off until I get emotionally worked up about the problem (i.e., my Fi gets offended). This is not a good combination, and is a recipe for a good old-fashioned ENFP Te Bitchslap... which is usually not a productive move in the workplace.