[NT] Consciously Changing From INTP to ENTJ?

[rav3n]

Yeah, I relate to this quite a bit. Your example of 35 rapid-fire decisions - I hate to say it, but situations like that sometimes make me think, "I need an ExTJ! Quick, where's my ExTJ!" I really do much better when I can think things through, map them out, mull them over in my head, sleep on them, etc. I have to let things "saturate" a bit.

An example was yesterday when I went to a "fair" where vendors are there talking about what they can do for you. Financial advisors, bankers (home buying, loans), etc. I went up to one financial advisor and he gives me his "speech" about what he can do for me, etc. I said, "I'm interested in investing more, but the time isn't now. Can I get your card so that when that time comes, I can call you?" He said, "Nobody who takes my card ever ends up calling me. They always say 'I'll invest more next year or at some later date', but that later date never comes. If you want to invest more, I suggest that you do it now."

That, to me, feels like a form of pressure. I cannot (and will not) make that decision "on the spot". I haven't given it enough thought yet. I need more time. A lot of J's are able to say, "OK, yeah, sign me up. I'll put an extra $300/month into my investment portfolio." It's hard for me to react quickly like that because I often end up regretting my decision. I can only reach "the best decision" when I've had time to mull it over in my brain. Anyone who tries to pressure me for a quick decision: :banned:

Maybe I'm wrong but making on-the-fly decisions would erode on INTPs after awhile since they would agonise afterwards, whether the correct decisions were made. That's not to say that ENTJs don't do the same but in my opinion, we don't self-flagellate near the level of INTPs, viewing errors in judgment as learning experiences instead of the endless slow motion replay of the decision point.

The above opinion comes from my personal experiences with INTPs and how they appear to process. It's possible and likely that there will be different INTPs since not everyone is cookie cutter image of the other.

 

[slowriot]

Ever been bombarded by demands to decision-make on the fly with much at stake, riding on your decisions? When I say bombarded, let's use the set number of say 35 at any given time where for every 35 decisions you make, more comes down the pike. Bluntly speaking, this type of environment wouldn't be a comfortable situation for any deep thinker.

Having said that, it doesn't mean that INTPs aren't capable of leadership. In slower environments where INTPs can play to their strengths of having the luxury of time to consider decisions by examining all aspects, I can see an INTP flourishing in a "lead by example" leadership role. That is, the type of INTP who's not on the extreme end of introversion, where social contact is viewed as an irritant.

I can only assume the first paragraph means in a military situation where there are lifes at stake. Then I would use my experience and the military guidelines for which to get us out of said situation. I adapt quite well in dificult situations, but I know that if you asked me this question when I was in my teens I may not have been able to do so well. Experience is the basis of leadership. And in many situations you are not the only one that have experience and Im quite good at asking and recieving advice if Im uncertain of how to progress, what a leader should be able to do and I assure you there is nothing wrong with my skills of deduction and quick analysis.

 

[slowriot]

Maybe I'm wrong but making on-the-fly decisions would erode on INTPs after awhile since they would agonise afterwards, whether the correct decisions were made. That's not to say that ENTJs don't do the same but in my opinion, we don't self-flagellate near the level of INTPs, viewing errors in judgment as learning experiences instead of the endless slow motion replay of the decision point.

The above opinion comes from my personal experiences with INTPs and how they appear to process. It's possible and likely that there will be different INTPs since not everyone is cookie cutter image of the other.

This I agree with, I can mull over things for quite some time. Doesnt make me less of a decision maker. I usually get over it once I get some sleep. And then try to analyze the situation and what I can get out of it if Im put in another situation like it.

 

[INTPness]

Maybe I'm wrong but making on-the-fly decisions would erode on INTPs after awhile since they would agonise afterwards, whether the correct decisions were made. That's not to say that ENTJs don't do the same but in my opinion, we don't self-flagellate near the level of INTPs, viewing errors in judgment as learning experiences instead of the endless slow motion replay of the decision point.

The above opinion comes from my personal experiences with INTPs and how they appear to process. It's possible and likely that there will be different INTPs since not everyone is cookie cutter image of the other.

Yeah, it's something like that. I can make quick decisions and I actually do quite well "on the fly" (like telling that investment manager "no thanks buddy"), but when decision after decision comes at me that requires rapid-fire decision making (without time to mull things over), I feel like I'm losing a bit of control and that I might end up charting a different course than I intended to. After each decision, I like to reflect on what that decision entails - did it take the organization in the wrong direction or are we still headed where we want to go? I'm heavily concerned with "getting off course" and then having the wheels fall off the whole operation. I want to carefully chart each move.

I'm OK with making a decision and then chalking it up to bad judgment (as you say ENTJ's do), but my goal is always to eliminate as many of those occurences as possible. In other words, I'd rather take my time with decisions and have a 99% success rate, than to make quick, fast-reaction decisions and only have an 85% success rate. I hate having to go back and pick up the pieces of a bad decision. That painful process (and mainly the time involved in correcting it: going back, filling out more paperwork, having to take time off work, making phone calls, etc, etc, ad finitum) is SUCH a pain in the neck, that I'd rather take my time and make a decision that will have a 99-100% hit rate. Neurotic? Maybe. Slow moving? Probably. Efficient and accurate without having to go back and correct mistakes all the time? Yes! When I act on something, you can bet that I've thought it out in detail.

 

[INTPness]

And it has a lot to do with "how important the decision is" or how far-reaching the implications are.

If it's something like "should I eat steak for dinner or pasta" or "should I wear the blue shirt or the black shirt" - ehh, who cares. Just pick one that suits me well and roll with it.

But if it's something like "what direction is the organization going in" or "should we hire this person or that person" (or some form of strategy) or "will I be able to live happily with this person for the rest of my life", then it gets dissected from every possible angle, 100 times over. It's almost like running a simulation in your head. Out of 1,000 trials, how many times do you think it would be a success? Sometimes its quite ridiculous actually. But, dang it, I aint getting divorced, so I'm either gonna be 100% sure or forget it.

 

[Fluffywolf]

But if it's something like "what direction is the organization going in" or "should we hire this person or that person" (or some form of strategy) or "will I be able to live happily with this person for the rest of my life", then it gets dissected from every possible angle, 100 times over. It's almost like running a simulation in your head. Out of 1,000 trials, how many times do you think it would be a success? Sometimes its quite ridiculous actually. But, dang it, I aint getting divorced, so I'm either gonna be 100% sure or forget it.

Totally the same in terms of personal relationships. When hiring people for a job, I tend to trust my Ne and go with that though. If their presentation was adequate, and I have a good feeling with them, I will hire them. Then I'll have a month to test them out and throw them out if they do not turn out to my liking.

(I suppose that extra month is exactly what takes away the pressure of it being a quick descision though. Because it's not a quick descision. :> )

As for what direction the organization is going in. Well, I am pretty much constantly looking for inspiration and thoughts about new ideas I could implement and new roads and paths I could take for the company. It's not always easy to put any of those ideas in action by myself though, it's a good thing I have some employees that can help me out in that department.

 

[mrcockburn]

Sorry, you can't change. Accept it. Just take advantage of the positive INTP traits.