The following article provides a comprehensive guide to core values and leadership styles based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory.
MBTI is an introspective self-assessment indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. While some claim that MBTI is pseudoscientific, proponents of the system claim that there is no evidence that the framework is invalid. Either way, millions of people find great value in understanding their personality type.
If you are unsure which type you are, we highly recommend trying the free assessment over at 16 Personalities.
Without further ado, here are the Myers-Briggs types, their core values, and descriptions of their leadership styles. If you are a leader, you might share this with your team. As an employee, you can learn to shape your behavior based on what is important to your leader. Mutual awareness of core values and behavioral styles leads to better interpersonal skills and richer connections.
Mutual awareness of core values and behavioral styles leads to better interpersonal skills and richer connections.
Personality type: ISTJ (introverted, sensing, thinking, judging)
Values: focus on facts, fairness, objectivity, clarity, organization, control, accuracy, attention to details
This personality type is quiet and careful in its leadership. They want their organizations to have a clear direction, honest and consistent leadership, and a logical plan of action. They have a strong urge to organize people and take charge of projects. They place great value on accuracy and attention to detail. They value clarity and want it to be easy for people to understand where they’re going and how they’re getting there. They always try to be fair and objective when making decisions for a team or a company.
Personality type: ESTJ (extroverted, sensing, thinking, judging)
Values: efficiency, fairness, objectivity, cooperation
ESTJs are known as fair, efficient, and objective leaders. They like making tough decisions and getting a team to fulfill a task quickly. They are down-to-earth, practical, and sensible. When they make decisions, they consider the pluses and minuses and determine the most logical process. They have a very practical, no-frills approach as leaders and are usually able to find a clear direction quickly.
This personality type can get overly focused on objective pros and cons and ignore the personal effects decisions might have on people.
Personality type: ESFJ (extraverted, sensing, feeling, judging)
Values: hard work, charisma, empathy, compassion, kindness
ESFJs are hard-working, encouraging, and empathetic. They value compassion and use it to make sure that everyone is heard and taken care of. They are efficient and dedicated to their team and their shared objectives. They tend to put their team’s needs ahead of their own. They will support and help others in times of crisis.
ESFJs can struggle with long-term strategy and planning. They are good at practical planning and short-term task completion, but taking a risk for the long-term benefit of a team or company is a problem for them. They can also find it hard to stay objective.
Personality type: ISFJ (introverted, sensing, feeling, judging)
Values: commitment, conscientiousness, thoughtfulness, generosity, attention to detail
ISFJs are very dedicated, conscientious, and committed leaders. They know how to take care of their team, meet deadlines, and stay organized. They try to maintain harmony within a group and ensure tasks are executed properly. They demonstrate attention to detail, generosity, and thoughtfulness. They make their instructions and expectations clear and will put their team’s needs above their own. They always take the potential impact of their decisions on other people into account.
ISFJs can have a hard time prioritizing goals and seeing “the big picture.” Another issue with their decision-making is that they try to avoid confrontation, sometimes at any cost. They don’t know how to move forward if a decision might negatively impact anyone in their group.
Personality type: ISTP (introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving)
Values: open-mindedness, focus, achievement, adaptability, flexibility
ISTPs are effective, quiet, and observant leaders. They are casual and open-minded and focus on plans, realistic opportunities, and strategies for success. They are happy to explore different perspectives. They like giving people the freedom to find their unique paths toward success.
They prefer solitary activities and try to achieve the most with the least effort. They are great troubleshooters, flexible, and keep their cool in times of crisis.
ISTPs can struggle with long-term plans or visions for the future. They tend to be impersonal and ignore others’ emotional needs. If they don’t agree with an organization’s values, they will struggle with being “tied down” to it.
Personality type: ISFP (introverted, sensing, feeling, perceiving)
Values: helpfulness, attachment, fairness, flexibility.
ISFPs are considerate, unassuming, and compassionate as leaders. They are empathetic in their approach, adaptable, and good listeners. They tend to be quiet leaders who will only seek out leadership positions in organizations or companies they truly believe in.
They are most effective if they are leading a good cause, especially helping marginalized or persecuted groups. They can lead with determination in these cases.
When making decisions, they consider if those align with their values of helpfulness, attachment, fairness, and flexibility and with their conscience. Then, they will consider how the decisions will affect the people involved.
Being hands-on and flexible in their work, this personality type can feel frustrated if they are stuck with tight deadlines and strict rules. Other people’s expectations and lengthy lists of tasks and engagements can overwhelm them. They can also struggle with finding the most objective and logical approach to meeting a goal.
Having to fire people or pass on bad news to teammates can be extremely stressful for them.
Personality type: ESTP (extraverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving)
Values: courage, enjoyment, opportunity-seeking, inspiration, humor, optimism, logical thinking
ESTPs are fun-loving, effective, and charismatic leaders. They are very good at quickly taking advantage of opportunities that arise. They tend to improve any endeavour with adventure and humor. Their speeches inspire, and they are skilled problem-solvers armed with optimism and courage in the face of adversity.
When making decisions, the ESTP will try to be as logical as they can. They will think of the upsides and downsides and look for the most effective, streamlined path toward success. They present goals and plans in ways that maintain morale and motivate others.
Seeing opportunities is where ESTPs excel, but when it comes to the details of reaching a long-term vision, they start getting frustrated. They get tired of planning ahead and don’t want to focus on the future. They are freedom-loving by nature, and being in a culture or organization that demands too much of their time can feel stifling.
Personality type: ESFP (extraverted, sensing, feeling, perceiving)
Values: honesty, compassion, hard work, foresight
ESFPs are inspiring, fun-loving, and likable leaders. They lead with compassion and integrity and are in tune with their team’s needs. They are flexible and adaptive and easily get excited about new opportunities. They have no problem with hard work to get a job done and connect with those around them. They make the most of their resource and encourage subordinates and counterparts alike.
When they make decisions, they consider many possible outcomes. They think about how decisions will impact the people involved and how they will align with their values.
This free-spirited personality type doesn’t like to be tied down. They tend to skirt commitment unless it is somehow associated with one of their values. Being deeply concerned about how their decisions will affect people, they can struggle to remain objective.
Personality type: INTJ (introverted, intuitive, thinking, judging)
Values: rationality, vision, determination, intuition, direction, calmness, forward-thinking
INTJs lead with determination, rationality, and vision. Their intuition to see strategic pathways to a future goal guides them. They direct and implement plans easily. Their focused and calm demeanor inspires confidence in their teammates.
Their plans are ambitious, and they are determined to succeed. They don’t make decisions unless they’re certain of the outcome.
INTJs can struggle with keeping morale high because tact is less important to them than being objective. Their intuition is dominant, and they can struggle with putting their vision into words. Their team might remain unmotivated as a result.
Personality type: INTP (introverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving)
Values: open-mindedness, curiosity, knowledge, accuracy, freedom, strategic thinking
INTPs lead with curiosity, knowledge, and accuracy. They are not authoritarian leaders. They accept different viewpoints and make sure everyone feels heard. They give their staff the freedom to find creative solutions to problems. Despite that, they will be quick to intervene when something goes awry. Their strategic thinking and insight make it easy for them to see how events will develop. Their visions for the future are strong, and they lead others to them gradually and with care.
INTPs are fiercely independent and don’t fare well at the mercy of others’ whims and schedules. They need the space and freedom to think creatively. They have an affinity for leading in the background through suggestions. They dislike administrative obstacles and get frustrated with details that deter them from achieving their goals.
Personality type: ENTJ (extraverted, intuitive, thinking, judging)
Values: Assertiveness, decisiveness, confidence, ambition, honesty, determination, focus
ENTJs lead with decisiveness, insight, and confidence. They are ambitious, straightforward leaders who don’t struggle to inspire confidence. You can count on them to dream big and deliver on their promises. They always say what they mean and can come off as inconsiderate due to this. However, they set an example for their team through initiative and determination.
They inspire through a visionary outlook, and their rapid decision-making and rational logic keep things moving at a steady pace at work. They might be lacking in sensitivity, but they’re intensely focused and highly motivated. In decision-making, they first focus on the short-term than the long-term impact.
Personality type: ENTP (extraverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving)
Values: Innovation, competition, entrepreneurship, challenge, hard work,
ENTPs are competitive, strategic, and enterprising. They strive to grow and like taking on new challenges. They also have a knack for entrepreneurship. They’re always trying new things, experimenting, and trying to progress.
As leaders, ENTPs are quick to see potential problems and are skilled at troubleshooting. They have a strong vision and try to inspire determination in their teams. When making decisions, they look at the available opportunities, followed by the most logical course of action.
ENTPs can be unpredictable, getting worked up about new possibilities and abandoning old projects. They have problems with deadlines and struggle to prioritize their myriad plans and visions. They are prone to overworking their teams as they try to focus on every single possibility and idea that comes into their mind.
Personality type: ENFJ (extraverted, intuitive, feeling, judging)
Values: motivation, understanding, passion, encouragement, goal-orientedness, focus, discipline
ENFJs are good motivators, understanding, and charismatic. They believe in leading by example, encouraging their staff, and making the world a better place. They are organized and goal-oriented, always keeping an eye on the future and motivating their team to work together to get there.
ENFJs dislike conflict and try to encourage their teams. They withhold criticism for as long as they can, which can cause negative situations to escalate. They may also be so focused on the personal aspects of a situation that they lose sight of a logical, clear, and objective course of action.
Personality type: INFJ (introverted, intuitive, feeling, judging)
Values: Perception, vision, insight, understanding, hope, perfectionism, encouragement
INFJs are insightful, passionate, and visionary leaders. They are drawn to leadership positions with a humanitarian element. They believe in listening and taking care of their team and understanding where everyone is coming from. Their strategic vision sets them apart from other leaders. They are always looking forward to accomplishing a future goal by finding the most innovative ways to get there.
They are perfectionists and demand a lot from themselves, but they encourage and motivate their team. When they make decisions, they will first consider how a decision will play out in the future and how that decision will impact the people involved.
INFJs can struggle with workaholism as leaders. They are prone to experiencing burnout as they push themselves to the highest (and sometimes unattainable) standards. They can also have issues presenting their vision comprehensibly, with sequential steps and a straightforward course.
Personality type: INFP (introverted, intuitive, feeling, perceiving)
Values: Care, empathy, novelty, open-mindedness, communication, improvement
INFPs are passionate, caring, and empathetic leaders. They often take up leadership positions that allow them to fight for a humanitarian cause they believe in. They are very innovative in their plans and open-minded to hearing many different viewpoints. They have excellent written communication skills and are skilled at conveying a viewpoint in a moving and compassionate manner. They are excellent listeners, encouraging leaders, and passionate in their pursuits.
INFPs strive to create an encouraging atmosphere and find it hard to criticize people or otherwise deal with conflict. They refrain from corrective intervention unless someone violates one of their values.
Personality type: ENFP (extraverted, intuitive, feeling, perceiving)
Values: Inspiration, passion, imagination, resourcefulness, novelty, support, freedom, creativity
ENFPs lead with passion, vision, and imagination. They are innovators who find many resources to make a difference in the world. They give everyone an opportunity to express themselves and organize frequent brainstorming sessions with their subordinates. They encourage and uplift, motivating others with all the possibilities they see around them and their ideas. ENFPs like giving their team the freedom to fulfil tasks creatively.
Some ENFPs try to give their ambitions and ideas equal priority and end up overexerting themselves or putting excessive pressure on their team. They can have a hard time completing the many projects they have started. They are easily drawn to new projects and lose interest in existing ones.
