When does an ESFP look like an ENFP?

The Fine Art of Clarifying Type by Dr. Linda V. Berens

These two types can often look very much like each other.

What would make the difference?
I’ve found many who had identified with ENFP for a long time, yet decided ESFP was a better fit.

Same Interaction Style. ESFPs and ENFPs seek involvement of themselves and others and tend to have the natural facilitative attitude of the Get-Things-Going™ style. When I did the Interaction Styles research, I noticed all four types (ESFJ, ESFP, ENTP, and ENFP) with that style tend to easily fall into facilitative roles, not just those with NF preferences. Both tend to use informing language, but ESFPs will have a little more of a drive to immediate tangible action. ENFPs are more willing to talk about things for a while when talking is moving things along. Both want an upbeat mood and love to make others happy.

Different Temperaments. Differentiating Artisan versus Idealist is key. Often those with ESFP preferences will talk a lot about helping people so they relate to much in the ENFP (Idealist) descriptions. For the ENFP, there are always new potentials to be explored. For the ESFP there are always new possibilities for action and ESFPs don’t want to miss opportunities.

Roles. Very often the first clue in recognizing the ESFP pattern is pragmatism. Pragmatic means having autonomy and calling the shots on your own actions. It means taking a utilitarian approach to things rather than seeking consensus or adherence to norms—taking independent action.

Language. It helps to listen for the abstract language of the ENFP, which is about meaning and purpose, using metaphors that many people can relate to while keeping their own unique meanings. ESFP language tends to reference tangibles with specific details when relevant.

Interest in Motive. Both types are interested in why people do things. The ESFP tunes in to what is in it for the other person, whereas the ENFP is interested in their deeper motives.

Different Cognitive Dynamics. ENFPs lead with Ne—Interpreting meanings. ESFPs lead with Se—Experiencing and Noticing subtle changes. Both “read” the room. ESFPs notice physical clues to people’s feelings, picking up the actual physical energy. ENFPs may not even notice the physical cues and energy, but will just “know” the meaning of what is or has been going on. Both types will describe the experience as getting a feeling of what is going on. You have to probe a little to get identify which process is being engaged.

It makes sense that those ESFPs identified with many ENFP descriptors. They were pleased to finally have recognition of their Artisan core needs, values, and talents. And understanding the richer definitions of Se that are now available, they felt much more validated than before.

About Linda V. Berens, PhD.
Linda V. Berens is the founder and Chief Architect of Interstrength™ Associates (formerly Temperament Research Institute), a corporate consulting and training organization. Interstrength™ Associates (ISA) is one of eight organizations in the United States that qualifies professionals to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument. ISA also certifies professionals in the Interstrength™ assessments and method, the Ideal Team Profile Questionnaire™ (ITPQ™) and the Management Team Role-indicator® (MTR-i®).

Linda holds a doctorate in psychology and serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Masters in Organizational Leadership program at Chapman University. She is the author of Understanding Yourself and Others®: An Introduction to Temperament; Understanding Yourself and Others®: An Introduction to Interaction Styles; and Dynamics of Personality Type: Understanding and Applying Jung’s Cognitive Processes and the coauthor of The I in TEAM, The 16 Personality Types: Descriptions for Self-Discovery; Understanding Yourself and Others®: An Introduction to the Personality Type Code; Quick Guide to the 16 Personality Types and Teams; Groundbreaking Sales® Skills; Working Together: A Personality-Centered Approach to Management and other books and training materials.

Linda is an organizational consultant and has spent over thirty years training professionals in the field as well as helping individuals and teams recognize their strengths, transcend their weaknesses, and work together better. Linda specializes in whole-organization implementation as well as individual and team development.

©2004 Linda V. Berens.