Leading ENTPs: Change Leadership Series

Explore ENTPs’ change-related strengths and blind spots to see how you can help them thrive in times of flux.

Aug 16, 2024

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An ENTP man wearing a purple jacket and pants stands in a room with a finger raised, exuding confidence. He is engaging another man in a debate, and that person is sweating and appears nervous. To their right, two monochrome people sit attentively in chairs, watching. Behind the ENTP man, the bold letters “ENTP” are prominently displayed on a large screen. — Image from 16personalities.com

How to spot ENTPs (Debaters):

ENTPs (Debaters) share the Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Prospecting personality traits.
They’re energized by change and will enthusiastically brainstorm ideas and discuss possibilities with colleagues, playing devil’s advocate to test the strength of ideas and spot potential improvements. Once the excitement wears off, they may struggle with implementation.

Do the ENTPs on your team enjoy playing devil’s advocate? Well, if they’re like most people with their personality type, then the answer is a resounding yes. 👇

A purple character icon with a speech bubble sits above the text: “Insight of the Day. ENTPs (Debaters) are the most likely personality type to say they enjoy playing the role of devil's advocate in a debate.” — Image from 16personalities.com

ENTPs love to challenge ideas. But their intellectual sparring isn’t about being difficult – it’s about exploring all angles of a situation. They believe this process leads to better solutions and more robust decisions. During times of change, ENTPs can spot potential pitfalls and suggest innovative alternatives. But bear in mind that their constant questioning might be perceived as resistance or negativity by others.

Here are three leadership strategies you can apply when guiding ENTPs through change:

Engage ENTPs in brainstorming sessions: Give them space to explore ideas freely without immediate judgment.
Channel their devil’s advocate tendencies productively: Ask them to identify potential issues with new initiatives before implementation.
Clearly communicate the why behind changes: ENTPs respect logical reasoning and will be more cooperative when they understand the rationale.

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Now it’s time to go a little deeper. For ENTPs, no workplace rule or routine is too fundamental to be broken or questioned. These quick-witted and curious individuals readily challenge the status quo, making them natural champions of change. However, they still face their own hurdles during transitions. Let’s explore their change-related strengths and blind spots to see how you can help ENTPs thrive in times of flux.

Next, we’ll cover:

The special strength that ENTPs bring to navigating workplace change
The greatest hurdle that ENTPs encounter during periods of uncertainty
A key leadership strategy for supporting ENTPs through transitions

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