ENFP Personality profile: The Advocate

ENFPs are warm positive, optimistic fun-loving people who would do anything for those close to them. They bring a real sense of togetherness and will be superb at lightening the load and making everyone feel special and valued. They’re charming and excellent icebreakers so that even the most formal and serious people will quickly take to them, whether one-to-one or in groups. Their spontaneity means they’ll be up for anything new and are happy to jump in and be the first one to sample whatever new things come up, and they’ll be genuinely creative and unconventional. ENFPs are affectionate people and so cheerful but this hides someone who is sensitive to criticism and will take it to heart, they also need to be liked and they’re so inclusive that they also need to be part of something and would struggle being left out or ignored.

ENFPs process their thoughts through speaking and so they tend to be animated chatterboxes, great storytellers and so interesting to be around. They are excitable and love the drama of deep personal relationships, wide-ranging conversations and helping people out. They are superb networkers and their dislike for planning or formality means they’re happy to drop what they’re doing and switch tasks and if that task is people-focused and more interesting, then so much the better. They are people-centric and tactile and are totally comfortable in using emotional language, peoples’ names and speaking out and listening to emotional conversations, emotions are an almost intrinsic part of the ENFP vocabulary.

ENFPs have very strong personal values and they base their decisions on these values, on the impact on people and on emotions, which they trust as they have such a super ‘tuning in’ power. They will, however, be more likely to procrastinate and put off decisions that are either less important (to them) or which require a tough call, like giving negative feedback. ENFPs are quite open-ended and don’t like too much structure, or planning, all of which can tie them down and they like to be free to dabble, to go where the action, drama and interest are.

ENFPs want everyone to be happy and they are superb at creating harmony, tuning into others and making sure everyone is OK. They dislike conflict but, because they’re witty and charming, they are very good at diffusing friction and tension and creating peace. The ENFP will be at the beating heart of what’s going on, loving the drama but also very keen to help and support people. They want harmony and everyone to rub along together and will go to great lengths to make that happen. An ENFP will always go the extra mile, and will be there, after everyone else has gone, checking that people are OK and that peace and harmony reign. ENFPs won’t generally fight conflict, they will subtly smooth it all over and make it go away.

ENFPs are great at maintaining group morale, they take a warm, genuine and in-depth interest in others, they can 'read' people well, and will act as the catalyst for new initiatives and creative methods of solving problems. They are verbally astute, quick-witted and love life.

In a work situation the ENFP personality type will have a radical perspective, looking at newer, better and more interesting ways of doing things. Not for the ENFP the routine of historical convention, but instead fresh new solutions, a healthy challenge to the status quo and risk-taking experimentation.

ENFPs are at their most useful when working in a group with some ‘Js’ to enforce the plans. ENFPs hate bureaucracy, both in principle and in practice and they will always make a point of launching one of their verbose and eloquently argued tirades against it.

ENFPs take a warm, genuine interest in others, they can 'read' people well, and will act as the catalyst for new initiatives and creative ways of solving problems. ENFPs are so insightful and people centric they will be caring leaders taking a genuine interest in those in their care. They may not be so good at giving bad news or creating systems and processes though.

ENFPs do not like bureaucracy or rules and regulations and they will argue long and eloquently defending their reasons. They are quick and nimble, working in short bursts of energy and need flexibility. ENFPs need variety, stimulus and to be surrounded by people. Solitary tasks, targets, repetition, formal structures or hierarchy don’t suit, as they work best in a flexible workplace where relationships are valued. The ENFP is creative, quick, and impulsive. They are excellent at devising new ways of doing things and bring a totally unique and fresh perspective to people, projects and situations.