ENTP vs ENTJ: What Are the Differences?

Lisa Sparrow

Content writer

24 Dec 2021

Time to read:

7 min

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Key personality differences explained

The difference between ENTP and ENTJ personality types comes down to what drives them. ENTPs chase the thrill of a debate and value learning immensely. ENTJs, on the other hand, are leaders who value success and achieving their goals.

ENTPs are extraverted, intuitive, thinking, and prospecting personality types. Also known as Visionaries, ENTPs are bold and intelligent people who aren’t afraid of a bit of back and forth. Visionaries are often thought of as witty, quick, and smart - and when combined with their energy and determinism it makes for an individual great at debating.

But ENTPs don’t just debate subjects they’re passionate about, they’re also prone to play devil’s advocate. ENTPs thrive off the energy and mental exercise of a debate; tearing down the arguments of others is a thrill to them.

ENTJ personalities are dominated by extraverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging personality traits. While this may seem incredibly close to Visionaries, Commanders are in fact very different types of people. ENTJs are often thought of as decisive and accomplished individuals. They go after what they want in life with confidence.

Commanders don’t need to debate to feel a rush, they’re driven by reaching their goals and reaching a position of authority. These driven personalities can be ruthless in the pursuit of their aims and ambitions. Commanders aren’t afraid to be insensitive or dominating, so long as they remain efficient and successful.

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ENTPs’ strengths lie largely in their intelligence and energy. Visionaries are always striving to learn more, just for the sake of it. Their love of knowledge means that ENTPs tend to be experts in a range of areas. ENTPs also bring a quick-thinking mind to the table. Not only do they love to learn, but they’re also capable of original and flexible thinking.

Visionaries aren’t just known for their intelligence though. ENTPs are also extremely charismatic people, who can connect, charm, and disarm others with their energy and confidence. This energy also helps Visionaries in other areas, and they’re always ready to put in a hard day’s work for something they’re passionate about.

ENTJs are a commanding presence and have many strengths that will help them in their career goals. ENTJs are extremely efficient people who enjoy putting their energy into work and goals, and they do so in an effective way. You’re unlikely to hear someone call a Commander lazy.

Commanders are also great planners, knowing how to navigate their way through problems and manage a crisis. These strategic types know how to lead a team and spot an issue from a mile away.

While an ENTPs passion for debate can be a strength, their argumentative and slightly insensitive nature can get them into hot water. ENTPs love debating for debating’s sake, and so to them, no topic is off-limits. This can lead to ENTPs creating tension with colleagues or friends and could hinder them in life.

A Visionary’s love for learning can also mean that they get bored easily. ENTPs crave fresh and exciting ideas to learn about and debate, so they can be prone to dropping interests or projects when they lose focus. Practical details can also contribute to boredom for Visionaries, and they can fall short in projects when it comes to completing day-to-day admin tasks.

For ENTJs, argumentativeness isn’t their weakness – stubbornness is. Commanders can be single-minded in pursuit of their goals, resulting in their confidence turning into dominance and arrogance. Stubbornness in their own way means that ENTJs are at risk of blinding themselves to the good ideas of others and burning bridges with friends and colleagues. In work especially, ENTJs are vulnerable to being perceived as ruthless or cold.

Commanders can fall short when it comes to emotional control. While they pride themselves on their rationalism, ENTJs often struggle to control their emotions, especially when they disagree with someone. If you’re in the path of an ENTJ in an emotionally charged state, be prepared to experience their scorn.

ENTPs thrive in careers where they are engaged and able to put their brains to interesting intellectual problems. You probably won’t find ENTPs in people-orientated roles, these types prefer more technical positions. Thanks to their flexible thinking skills and personality, Visionaries can fit into almost any career, provided that it interests them.

Due to their drive and confidence, ENTJs tend to thrive in the workplace and leadership roles are best suited for them. In the right industry, the intelligence, visions, and drive of Commanders means that they can soar to high professional heights.

ENTJs may find it difficult in the early stages of their career before they have attained respect and authority.

When it comes to relationships, Visionaries are exciting and creative partners who are constantly coming up with new experiences to share with their loved ones. These enthusiastic personality types do best with others who match their energy levels.

ENTPs can be quite oblivious to how others are feeling, and as such, they may accidently hurt their partner’s feelings when their need for debate takes hold. ENTPs can hurt and even ignore others in their pursuit of debate and knowledge.

Commanders approach the relationships in their lives in much the same way as they approach a work project. For ENTJs, romance isn’t that much different from business and they try to bring their leadership and problem-solving skills to their relationships.

If a relationship isn’t working for an ENTJ then they can be brutal in how abruptly they decide to end it. On the other hand, when they find a good match, Commanders can be affectionate, imaginative, and confident partners.

Both ENTPs and ENTJs aren’t afraid of a fight, but it’s the fights they prefer that really distinguish these two personality types. ENTPs are always ready for a debate and thrive off the energy and excitement that comes with winning an argument and proving their intelligence. ENTJs, however, save their fight for their goals. These determined individuals can be ruthless and single-minded in their pursuits. They thrive off solving problems and leading a project to success.

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