ESTP
“The Dynamo”
ESTPs are energetic thrillseekers who are at their best when putting out fires, whether literal or metaphorical. They bring a sense of dynamic energy to their interactions with others and the world around them. They assess situations quickly and move adeptly to respond to immediate problems with practical solutions.
Active and playful, ESTPs are often the life of the party and have a good sense of humor. They use their keen powers of observation to assess their audience and adapt quickly to keep interactions exciting. Although they typically appear very social, they are rarely sensitive; the ESTP prefers to keep things fast-paced and silly rather than emotional or serious.
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ESTP is an acronym used to describe one of the sixteen personality types created byKatharine BriggsandIsabel Myers．It stands for Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving. ESTP indicates a person who is energized by time spent with others (Extraverted), who focuses on facts and details rather than ideas and concepts (Sensing), who makes decisions based on logic and reason (Thinking) and who prefers to be spontaneous and flexible rather than planned and organized (Perceiving). ESTPs are sometimes referred to as Dynamo personalities because of their high-energy, active approach to life.
ESTP Values and Motivations
ESTPs are often natural athletes; they easily navigate their physical environment and are typically highly coordinated. They like to use this physical aptitude in the pursuit of excitement and adventure, and they often enjoy putting their skills to the test in risky or even dangerous activities.
The ESTP's focus is action in the moment. They are engaged with their environments and solve practical problems quickly. ESTPs are excellent in emergencies, when they can apply their logical reasoning to situations where immediate action is necessary. Long-term goals are less interesting to the ESTP, who prefers to see tangible results in the moment.
How Others See the ESTP
The first thing you notice about the ESTP is likely to be their energy. They’re often chatting, joking, and flirting with friends and strangers alike. They enjoy engaging playfully with others and amusing everyone around them with their irreverent sense of humor. They tend to keep people on their toes, never quite knowing what the ESTP will poke fun at next. ESTPs are unabashedly gregarious with people, but their interest in individuals may not last long; they are more likely to work a room, having a laugh with everyone, than they are to engage in depth with any one person. ESTPs are comfortable in their physical environment and always looking for some action or activity. They tend to be the most naturally coordinated of all the types and are often found playing sports or engaging in various physical activities, especially ones with an element of danger. They are the stereotypical “adrenaline junkies” and may be found skydiving, motorcycle racing, or enjoying other extreme sports.
For more information:The Art of SpeedReading People
How rare is the ESTP personality type?
ESTPs make up:
- 6.1% of the general population
- 7.8% of men
- 4.7% of women
Famous ESTPs
Famous ESTPs include:
- Mike Tyson
- Angelina Jolie
- Donald Trump
- George W. Bush
- Winston Churchill
- Kevin Spacey
- Park Ji-min (Jimin)
- Meryl Streep
- Mae West
- Eddie Murphy
- Miley Cyrus
- Bruce Willis
- Madonna
- John Wayne
- Evel Knievel
ESTP Quotes
"They tend to prefer action to conversation. The more directly a matter can be translated into action, the clearer and more effective they become."
- Isabel Briggs Myers,Gifts Differing
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"None are as socially sophisticated as they, none as suave and polished—and none such master manipulators of the people around them."
- David Keirsey,Please Understand Me II
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"With a basic built-in restlessness, these are they hyperactive 'doers,' who like to keep their hands in a variety of pots, churning as much as they can to keep everyone on their toes and to keep life exciting."
- Otto Kroeger,Type Talk at Work
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Facts about ESTPs
Interesting facts about the ESTP:
- On personality trait measures, score as Dominant, Flexible, Demanding, and Sociable
- More frequent among patients suffering from chronic pain
- One of four types reporting highest levels of assertiveness in college
- One of two types with lowest college GPA
- Among most likely of all types to stay in college
- Values at work include autonomy, variety, independence, and structure
- Overrepresented among MBA students
- Commonly found in careers in marketing, skilled trades, business, and law enforcement
ESTP Hobbies and Interests
Popular hobbies for an ESTP include all sorts of sports and athletic pursuits, especially team sports and risky or adventurous activities like race car driving, boxing, or flying.
ESTP Strengths
Can-do attitude．No one will ever call an ESTP lazy or uncertain, and this very self-assured, can-do approach to life and work is certainly a strength. People of this type spend more time acting than thinking, and while this may seem potentially unwise and hasty, they actually process information very rapidly and have a knack for improvising as they go. This makes them excellent in emergency situations as they think on the fly and respond reflexively.
Bold．ESTPs also abound in a mental toughness and sense of competition that make them relentless in pursuing what they are after. They respond well to their physical environment and know how to maneuver their world. They are efficient, clever, bold and driven. And as a result, they often get what they are after and aren’t afraid to take a few risks to get there.
Personable and sociable．ESTPs are people-focused and get along well with just about anyone. They are observant and perceptive, and they read people well. This has the benefit of helping others to feel that they are cared about because the ESTP pays attention and responds appropriately. Though ESTPs may not always pick up on or prioritize emotional cues, they are quick to notice and respond to tangible needs.
Direct．ESTPs are efficient, matter of fact, direct and to the point. They don’t mince words or want to spend a lot of time hemming and hawing. Many people appreciate their honesty and even their bluntness; you always know where you stand with an ESTP. They aren’t afraid to call it like they see it.
ESTP Weaknesses
Judgmental．While ESTPs’ powers of perception and observation are often seen as strengths, it may also mean they are quick to prejudge situations and people, and to categorize them based upon initial perceptions. The downfall of this is that they potentially sacrifice many opportunities for profitable or enjoyable relationships or experiences simply on the basis of initial outward appearances.
Impatient．Because ESTPs are quick thinkers and doers, they easily become impatient with those who process at a slower pace than they do, who lack their capacity for common sense or street smarts or who tend to be more sensitive or emotional. They feel the emotional concerns of others to be an unnecessary drain on their energy and may resent them. ESTPs will also be reluctant to afford weight to intuition or feelings-based arguments.
Unstructured．People of this type tend to live in a state of urgency and emergency because they do very little advance planning. Though they may be comfortable with this pattern of living, it breeds chaos for everyone around them and can impede their professional and personal relationships. The crux of the issue is that ESTPs are often unstructured and undisciplined, exercising poor time management skills and taking on far more than they can handle; often because they have a hard time saying no or they refuse to admit they can’t fit it all in.
Commitment phobic．ESTPs hate to be bored and want life to always be new, stimulating and interesting. The reality, however, is that life is often not interesting or novel and relationships can get a little dull at certain points. They often lack the patience and the drive to stick it out through the low points.
ESTP Growth and Development
In order to reach their full potential, ESTPs should:
Look inward．ESTPs will benefit from taking time for self-reflection and introspection, especially as they age. Throughout their lives they are prone to focus externally, always responding to their environments and the needs of the moment. The constant attention to things outside of themselves can distract them from healthy introspection, causing them to overlook important aspects of their own character and development and leave personal blind spots unaddressed.
Consider the consequences．ESTPs are natural risk takers, prone to pursue adventure and risky behaviors. Naturally, this invites the potential for disastrous consequences. Though ESTPs are quite confident in their abilities and usually accurate in these personal assessments, they will benefit from greater time spent considering the potential outcomes of their actions and decisions.
Think ahead．ESTPs生活在当下are often incapable of effectively planning for the future. Though they do enjoy flying by the seat of their pants, ESTPs will find they benefit from composing at least a loose plan or framework. It isn’t necessary to follow it exactly, but it can help ensure that they move in the direction of meeting their personal and professional goals. They may benefit from help with long-range future planning as well as developing time management skills.
Follow through．Constant living and responding in the moment can impede follow through and follow up. People of this type must endeavor to balance the acute with the chronic, the emergency situation or deadline with regular life. ESTPs should try to look at the whole project or problem and its future impact, not just the urgent piece. For the ESTP it is easy, and even comfortable, to jump from urgency to urgency, putting out fires one by one. But jobs need to be finished and wrapped up before hopping to the next task.
Check the rulebook．ESTPs naturally follow their own plans, systems and internal codes. This isn’t because they are intentionally insubordinate, but because they often don’t consider that there may be rules or established protocol that should be considered before plunging ahead. They will avoid unnecessary conflict and tension in the workplace if they can remember to get their plans approved before getting started.
The ESTP at Work
At work, the ESTP is motivated to solve logical problems in the moment. ESTPs have a solid grasp of the concrete realities of a situation and a good sense of the resources at their disposal. Because they understand the facts of the present, they are often able to quickly see a way out of difficult situations. The ESTP relies on past experience to choose the best approach for the situation at hand. ESTPs are concrete and hands-on, and have a kinetic sense of how things work. Although ESTPs may have trouble envisioning abstract ideas, they are flexible in their approach: if something sounds logical, they are usually willing to give it a try. ESTPs often choose careers that take advantage of their athleticism, their mechanical skills, or their ability to negotiate their physical surroundings. They tend to prefer objects to ideas and often like a tangible product. They may have trouble sitting still and often avoid being stuck behind a desk. ESTPs like a job that is a bit unpredictable, and offers them some fun and adventure throughout the workday. They want a job which allows them plenty of flexibility to solve problems on the spot, without pressure to follow set procedures or plans.
The ESTP on a Team
ESTPs are enthusiastic participants who enjoy identifying resources and moving dynamically through problems to find practical solutions. They’re often great in a crisis, when their flexibility and action orientation makes them a clear head in the crowd. They may act as the voice of reason and will often point the group toward using available means to take immediate action. ESTPs often want to keep interactions fun and casual on a team, and may have conflict with team members who are overly serious or insist that things be done a particular way. ESTPs prefer to keep things open-ended and flexible, and colleagues who want to lock into a plan may find resistance from the ESTP, especially if the ESTP does not see immediate, concrete benefits to the proposed action. They do best when they’re allowed to solve problems in their own practical, no-nonsense way, without a lot of imposed structure or rules.
For more information:What's Your Type of Career?
The ESTP as a Leader
ESTPs are eager to take charge, especially in a crisis situation. They are energetic and persuasive, and read others easily to adapt their approach and move the group toward their own point of view. Blunt and assertive, ESTPs readily offer their opinion without much attention to office politics or personal reactions. ESTP leaders seek efficiency and trust what they’ve seen done before. They sometimes struggle with long-range planning; they may have trouble visualizing the future and prefer to solve problems as they arise. They want action and movement, and will engage enthusiastically with their teams to produce immediate results.
Top Careers for the ESTP
Top careers for the ESTP include:
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ESTP Careers to Avoid
It is important to note that any personality type can be successful in any occupation. However, some occupations are well suited to the natural talents and preferred work style of the ESTP, while other occupations demand modes of thinking and behavior that do not come as naturally to the ESTP. Occupations that require the ESTP to operate outside their natural preferences may prove stressful or draining, and often sound unappealing to ESTPs who are choosing a career.
The following occupations have been found to be unpopular among ESTPs, based on data gathered from surveys of the general population.
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Kindred Spirits
People of the following types are more likely than most to share the ESTP’s values, interests, and general approach to life. They won’t necessarily agree on everything, and there’s no guarantee they’ll always get along, but they’re more likely to feel an easy rapport and have plenty of things in common.
Intriguing Differences
People of the following types are likely to strike the ESTP as similar in character, but with some key differences which may make them seem especially intriguing. The ESTP may find people of these types particularly interesting and attractive to get to know. Relationships between ESTPs and these types should have a good balance of commonalities and opportunities to challenge one another.
Potential Complements
与pe ESTPs可能感觉不到立即联系ople of the following types, but on getting to know each other, they’ll likely find they have some important things in common, as well as some things to teach one other. Although people of these types may not attract the ESTP initially, their relationships present a lot of potential to complement and learn from one other.
Challenging Opposites
People of the following types present the most potential for personality clash and conflict with the ESTP, but also the best opportunities for growth. Because people of these types have fundamentally different values and motivations from the ESTP’s, initially, it may seem impossible to relate. But because they are so different, their strengths are the ESTP’s weaknesses, and if they are able to develop a relationship, they can learn a tremendous amount from each other.
ESTPs in Love
In relationships, the ESTP is fun-loving and pragmatic. Hedonistic and flirtatious, ESTP partners tend to keep things exciting. They are often pursuing adventure and like a playmate who will come along for the ride. ESTPs tend to have little patience for serious discussions or emotional exploration, preferring to keep things fun and action-packed. They tend to be attentive to their partners’ physical needs, but may neglect the deeper emotional connections. Serious discussions about feelings rarely hold much appeal for the thrillseeking ESTP. ESTPs are enthusiastic and reasonable problem-solvers. However, their orientation toward quick thinking may lead them to try to apply a solution before they fully understand the issues involved in a conflict, especially when complex and difficult emotions are involved. ESTPs want a partner that will appreciate their practicality and willingness to get their hands dirty, and allow them plenty of freedom to pursue excitement.
ESTPs as Parents
作为父母,ESTPs经常与他们的孩子们n through a shared appreciation for activity and spontaneity. ESTPs are often as interested and curious about the world as their children are, and will encourage their children to engage physically and take risks. ESTP parents are less patient with timid or sensitive children, and may want their children to be hardy and thick-skinned. They may not have much interest in quiet moments or emotional discussions. They enjoy seeing their children succeed, especially in athletic or competitive pursuits, and will often play the role of enthusiastic coach.
For more information:Please Understand Me II
ESTP Communication Style
ESTPs tend to be persuasive, energetic communicators. They quickly observe the realities of the present situation and engage others to take action on practical problems. Many ESTPs speak very freely, and can be blunt and impatient in getting their message across. They may not want to wait for someone else to buy in before they can act. The ESTP may come off as charming, and many ESTPs are masters at negotiating with others so that they can achieve their goals in the most efficient way possible.
