Instigator INTJ

Typology description - Instigator

Even though the dominant preference of Instigators (hereinafter INTJ) is strongly developed intuition their introvert orientation is not always apparent at first sight and many people consider them extroverts. Of all types INTJ have probably the greatest amount of self-confidence. This rare type which accounts for around 1 percent of the population is seen by its surrounding as the most individualistic and independent one. INTJ think in forms of pure rationality. According to them, people and things should serve to a positive purpose and objective. Usually they make decisions easily. Because they themselves know the best how things should be in their judgements they have a tendency to ignore feelings and opinions of others – both of those who could support them and those who are critical to them. They look into the future which is too remote for someone, and they do not like looking back.

They excel in precision in expression and thinking. Their ability to trace even smaller inconsistency or illogicality in any conclusions or statements, irrespective of how remote they are in time and space, can sometimes make the impression they are intellectual snobs. INTJ permanently seek the most important things. If they adhere to some rules and procedures they do not usually do so because they have a prior believe in them or because they assign deeper sense or meaning to them but because they find them useful. INTJ are the most theoretical of all types.

While ENTP sees ideas as pawns on the chessboard of reality INTJ sees them contrarily: reality is for them a pawn on the chessboard of ideas. No idea is unconventional enough not to deserve their attention. INTJ are open to ideas and concepts and often seek them with considerable amount of intellectual aggression.

INTJ have exceptional sense to follow through with things and they are able to foresee also the long-term consequences of present actions. When they are convinced that these are correct and beneficial they can carry them into life, with merciless callousness if necessary, and with no regard to sacrifices, time or energy.

From time to time, INTJ may be focused on one and only target and simply neither to see nor to listen anything and anyone else. This can be their asset as well as weakness.

They'd rather see their mental constructions and systems materialising and transforming into something real. Where INTP is satisfied with the creation of a system, INTJ is looking for grants, setting up companies, organising political parties, societies or movements so that they can help their ideas get into the world. They excel in generalisation, classification, summation and finding suitable examples. Since their arguments come from inside they can make their explanations unclear and obscure them for example by operating with imprecisely defined concepts or by referring to unspecified principles, theories or authorities.

For people who will work with INTJ, a tactics is useful of how to prevent conflicts and misunderstandings, to prompt them to regularly and repeatedly go through joint intentions and aims. Their co-workers or partners sometimes feel that INTJ can see their inside and that they often 'catch them with their trousers down'. This sentiment of transparency, almost nakedness, is causing that INTJ subconsciously keep distance in relations. This further supports the impression that INTJ seem to be cold, emotionless and incapable of passion. Due to their tendency of requiring from others the same hard work as they do, they look like those who are almost disproportionately demanding and it is very difficult to satisfy them. At work they can appropriate the targets of organisation to such extent that they fulfil them with almost sacred determination.

INTJ belong to the most independent types but because of that they sometimes make an impression of self-importance and arrogance. At work and at play they may seem to take it easy, frequently they are in argumentative mood. When people reproach them for these qualities and find them hostile, they are surprised. Paradoxically, they express affection and interest exactly this way .

Emotional conditions are not common in their behaviour. Both women- and men-INTJ do not show them openly. They can be cold, reserved, unapproachable. This, however, is their defence reaction because in practice they are even hypersensitive to rejection on the side of those whom they value and who matter to them. Therefore they protect themselves using the cold shell.

For example, when negotiating INTJ may skip the obvious introductory courtesy and conversational phrases saying that there is no time for 'speaking to the winds' and this way unwillingly send the signal that it is necessary to hurry; although they did not mean it so then they wonder where does the atmosphere of tension and stress come from. However, they are usually better in work-related situations compared to relax-related activities.

Relying on intuition causes that they choose their friends, co-workers, lifelong partners and subordinates often very surprisingly and sometimes even despite the blatant evidence that this choice is not the best one. When they take a fancy to someone they can be devoted and attentive. When they have a weakness for someone they can be very tolerant, they are full of support and leave a great deal of freedom in making decisions. For their achievements they need others; a considerable amount of autonomy and privacy is needed for them as well as the chance to be with themselves, without anybody else. Lack of interest of the surrounding, even criticism, is not making them unsettled because they mostly do things about which they are inwardly convinced that they are right, if not the only possible ones.