ENFJ-A / ENFJ-T (How they differ)

In this article, we will discuss ENFJ-A / ENFJ-T. We will do that by discussing the four cognitive functions common in both personalities namely extraversion, intuition, feeling, and judging. We will move on to explain what assertiveness and turbulence mean and explain how it manifests in ENFJ-A and ENFJ-T. Finally, we shall discuss how both personalities are different from each other with respect to how they approach emotions, stress, and decision making. Furthermore, differences between them in terms of empathy, body image, self-confidence, the tendency of personalization, self-esteem, and leadership qualities shall also be discussed.

ENFJ-A / ENFJ-T 

The four cognitive functions of ENFJ-A and ENFJ-T  personalities are the same. They differ in terms of one function. ENFJ-A has an assertiveness function whereas ENFJ-T has the turbulence function. Accordingly, ENFJ-As are called assertive protagonists. They are more confident and do well in leadership roles. They do not experience a lot of self-doubt or personalize things. They are comfortable in their skin and handle emotions and stress in a calm and composed manner. It can, however, reduce their ability to relate to others and be empathic. We can say they are emotionally intelligent personalities who can rely on logic when needed. ENFJ-As make decisions independently most of the time and are unlikely to doubt their judgment.

Compared to them, ENFJ-Ts are called turbulent protagonists. They are less-confident but their humility makes them humble leaders. They are conscious of their body and self-image, occasionally personalize things and experience self-doubt. They can handle stress sometimes but it can overwhelm them. ENFJ-Ts are able to empathize with others and are more likely to feel and act on their emotions. Their decision making is mostly dependent on seeking advice from others since they doubt their judgment. Asking for advice gives them a sense of security and reassurance.

Myer Brigg Type Indicator-MBTI

According to Carl Jung, people perceive and process information through certain cognitive functions. There are two dominant functions that explain a dominant part of someone’s personality. Also, there are two other cognitive functions that explain less part of someone’s personality but they have their own significance. These functions direct how a person gathers, processes, and use the information to make daily decisions.

Cognitive functions of ENFJ Personality

ENFJ personality is one of the 16 types of personalities. Both ENFJ-A and ENFJ-T have the same cognitive functions. They just differ with respect to one function. Where ENFJ-A has an assertiveness function, ENFJ-T has the turbulence function. The other four cognitive functions of these two personalities are the same and they are stated as follows.

Extroverted feeling

ENFJ personalities engage in social behavior and enjoy harmony in their relationships. They are in tune with their surroundings and attentive to the needs of others. They have a tendency to please others and gain their approval. They make decisions while taking into account their personal values and subjective ideas rather than focusing on objective or logical information. They also pay attention to how their decisions may impact others.

Introverted Intuition 

ENFJ personalities like to think about the future. In other words, they are not present-oriented people. They have a tendency to focus on long-term goals and accordingly miss out on details. They process information based on impressions and broad ideas rather than minute details. This helps them connect different pieces of information and spot patterns. It also enables them to understand complex abstract information.

Extroverted Sensing

ENFJ personalities focus on concrete information and sensory information gathered from their environment. Accordingly, they seek new experiences that stimulate their senses. They are aware of their environment and appreciate aesthetic and pleasing spaces. 

Introverted thinking 

These people spend a lot of time planning and organizing information in their minds. They like structure and predictable schedules. This is because it helps them feel in control. Although this function is less developed which plays out in the form of under-confidence in personal abilities. However, if this is developed, these people can be more self-assured, balanced, and confident in their decision-making. It can also help them focus on logic along with personal values while making important choices.

Assertive vs Turbulent

Assertive personalities are usually calm and composed in their overall approach to life. They cruise through situations in an easygoing and relaxed manner. It is rare that they stress out or worry about minor things. Compared to them, turbulent personalities are perfectionistic in their approach, and accordingly, they worry about minor things and stress out. They also experience self-doubt and are conscious of their self-image. If we compare them, we cannot say one personality is better than the other. Both of them have their strengths and weaknesses depending on the context and circumstances.

ENFJ-A vs ENFJ-T

As mentioned earlier, ENFJ personalities may have 2 subtypes depending on whether they possess the Assertive (A) function or the Turbulent (T) function. Other than this, both of them are relatively similar to each other in their overall approach to processing information from their surroundings. The main differences between them are stated as follows:

ENFJ-A	ENFJ-T
ENFJ-As are called Assertive Protagonists	ENFJ-Ts are called Turbulent Protagonists.
Self-confidence and leadershipAssertive protagonists have higher self-confidence. This helps them be assertive and charismatic especially in leadership roles. However, sometimes they can be quite overbearing for others.	Self-confidence and leadershipTurbulent protagonists perceive themselves to be less confident. This makes them seem humble and they are not overbearing as leaders. Rather, they have humility and modesty.
Personalization and Self-esteemAssertive protagonists have a low tendency to personalize things especially if situations are not according to their expectations. They also do not wallow into a state of self-doubt too quickly.	Personalization and Self-esteemTurbulent protagonists have a tendency for personalizing situations if they are not going according to their expectations. They easily start doubting themself and worry about their capabilities.
Body image and EmpathyWith respect to body image, it is less likely that assertive protagonists experience anxiety. Since they are comfortable in their own skin, they find it difficult to relate to others who are not. So, they are likely to have a low degree of empathy.	Body image and EmpathyTurbulent Protagonists frequently have anxiety about their body image and worry about how others perceive them. They are uncomfortable in their own skin and quite self-conscious. Although, this can make situations difficult for them at an emotional level, yet it helps them relate to others who have similar feelings to them. Accordingly, they have a higher level of empathy since they can put themselves in the shoes of other people.
Approach to EmotionsAt an emotional level, assertive protagonists are usually in an emotionally stable state. They are able to control their emotions and also handle the emotions of others. We can say that they are emotionally intelligent people. They try to protect themself from being hurt. In situations in which they actually get hurt, they focus on managing the pain. They dislike being vulnerable.We can say these personalities are more objective and less influenced by emotions. They can detach from their emotions and make decisions while using logic.	Approach to EmotionsAt an emotional level, turbulent protagonists have a higher tendency to be in an emotionally unstable state. They have slightly less control over their emotions. When they share the emotions of others, they take that on as well. This can affect their mental health negatively.These personalities are more dependent on emotions and accordingly behave in an emotional manner. Their decision making is based on their values and how they feel about something.
Approach to StressThe assertive protagonist’s manner of handling emotional and stressful situations is calm and composed. They see stress as a part of life and something that needs to be overcome.	Approach to StressTurbulent personalities are more likely to get stressed easily but they can manage situations calmly half of the time. They see stress as something that triggers their emotions and leaves them feeling overwhelmed. Yet, this helps them understand others in a better way especially those who are going through a difficult time. It inculcates a sense of kindness in them
Reliance on others and Decision makingAssertive protagonists can make decisions without seeking approval or advice from others. They are more independent in nature. These qualities help them be self-sufficient. However, this does not mean they do everything on their own. They can seek advice if they are confused, they just don’t doubt themselves or worry about making the wrong choice too much.	Reliance on others and Decision makingTurbulent protagonists are more likely to seek approval and advice from others while making an important decision. Due to their low self-confidence, they doubt themselves and worry about making mistakes. Consulting someone gives them a sense of security and reassures them.

FAQs: ENFJ-A / ENFJ-T

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed ENFJ-A / ENFJ-T. We found that the four cognitive functions of ENFJ-A and ENFJ-T  personalities are the same. They differ in terms of one function. ENFJ-A has an assertiveness function whereas ENFJ-T has the turbulence function. Accordingly, ENFJ-As are called assertive protagonists. They are more confident and do well in leadership roles. They do not experience a lot of self-doubt or personalize things. They are comfortable in their skin and handle emotions and stress in a calm and composed manner. It can, however, reduce their ability to relate to others and be empathic. We can say they are emotionally intelligent personalities who can rely on logic when needed. ENFJ-As make decisions independently most of the time and are unlikely to doubt their judgment.

Compared to them, ENFJ-Ts are called turbulent protagonists. They are less-confident but their humility makes them humble leaders. They are conscious of their body and self-image, occasionally personalize things and experience self-doubt. They can handle stress sometimes but it can overwhelm them. ENFJ-Ts are able to empathize with others and are more likely to feel and act on their emotions. Their decision making is mostly dependent on seeking advice from others since they doubt their judgment. Asking for advice gives them a sense of security and reassurance.

 I hope you found this article interesting. If you have any queries or comments, please state them in the comment section 😊

Citations

https://www.16personalities.com/articles/assertive-protagonist-enfj-a-vs-turbulent-protagonist-enfj-t

https://www.16personalities.com/articles/the-turbulent-personality-dont-worry-be-happy#:~:text=Where%20Assertive%20individuals%20(their%20opposite,about%20how%20others%20perceive%20them.