Leading Resilient ENFJ (Protagonist) Personalities

Discover how Darcy the ENFJ becomes more resilient (and motivated) as her leader makes simple communication tweaks to help her overcome challenges

Image from 16personalities.com

How to spot ENFJs (Protagonists):

ENFJs (Protagonists) share the Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality traits. 

They tend to be optimistic when faced with minor setbacks at work, rallying team members together, boosting morale, and encouraging everyone to maintain a positive outlook. However, their desire for harmony may lead them to suppress their own disappointment or frustration, which could build up over time if not properly addressed.

Last week, you met Darcy the Diplomat on a day that tested her resilience. She was feeling uneasy after a conversation with her boss, questioning her place in a work environment that seemed hyperfocused on sales over people. 

Three main factors contributed to her lack of resilience in this situation:

1. Feeling that her focus on culture was seen as a distraction 

2. Struggling with mismatched personal values and company priorities

3. Losing motivation when her emotional connection to work was damaged

Today, we’re going to keep the story going to see how Darcy and her boss can turn things around and have a more positive interaction. You can apply this information to help your ENFJ team members develop more resilience in the face of adversity, too. (Preferably, before things escalate and reach their breaking point.) 

Diplomats include four different personality types (INFJ | INFP | ENFJ | ENFP), but today, we’re going to narrow our focus and imagine Darcy as an ENFJ. Later this month, we’ll explore her perspective as if she were each of the other Diplomat personalities, too. (Make sure you’re subscribed to participate in the full series.)

Story Time: Helping Darcy the ENFJ Develop Resilience

Let’s set the scene:

Darcy the ENFJ’s boss just dismissed her project proposal to transform company culture and improve employees’ lives. 

*roll film*

“My boss values my focus on culture.”

The day after my disappointing meeting, my boss surprised me by revisiting our conversation about company culture. “Darcy, I want to understand how your culture initiatives could contribute to our overall goals,” he said, showing genuine interest in my perspective.

I felt my enthusiasm reignite as I explained my vision, connecting each initiative to our team’s potential for growth and improved performance. My boss listened attentively, asking questions that allowed me to showcase my understanding of our team and that encouraged me to connect my vision to his desired KPIs.

By the end of our discussion, we’d agreed to develop a small-scale pilot program. “Let’s start with one initiative and track its impact,” my boss suggested. 

Leaving his office, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. This experience taught me that my ability to inspire and connect with others – a core ENFJ strength – could be a powerful tool in overcoming setbacks. I also learned that by clearly communicating my people-centric ideas and their potential impact, I could effectively champion positive change, even in the face of initial resistance.

“My values can align with company priorities.”