How can you tell an ENTJ from an INTJ? I know, this should be easy, but I've been having trouble "typing" one of my friends for a while now. I'm pretty sure he's one of those two types.
The first one tends to initiate contact with people more often, tends to say more what's on his mind, acts more before he speaks, is more enthusiastic and noticeably louder.
He's a hard-working biology student, active in several clubs, has a lot of friends, etc. but doesn't seem to particularly want to manage other people, or have control over them. Isn't that an important thing to ENTJs?
Supposedly it is. However, when you think about it, it doesn't really make any sense for the type that is supposedly the "leader" in the MBTI.
I think that anyone that is actually interested in controlling and managing people for its own sake is not a leader. Such a person would seem more to have a mental illness of some sort and be a "Little Dictactor". Little Dictactors achieve very little in this world apart from alienating themselves from others. They might be feared for their attitude, but when they have their back turned people's resentment surfaces. They only manage to anger others and eventually people gang up on them.
I think that a real leader doesn't take control, but senses the moment where other people are giving it to him. A real leader is not interested in controlling people but in helping facilitate team decisions. A leader must not impose other people to do things (the only exception is in a crisis). Leaders get out the best out of others and make them feel good.
I consider myself an ENTJ and I've never been seen as controlling or wanting to manage other people. Then again, I'm not what one would describe a leader either, even if I have often landed in such a role. However, I have seen other ENTJ's be more of the leader types and they did not show signs of controlling people outside situations where that possibility was actually given to them by others.
I have two INTJ friends and he doesn't seem quite like an INTJ to me.
Maybe just a well developped ENTJ then?