Smart, logical, motivated…
INTJs seem like great leaders, right?
But then again – introversion, emotional distance…
Do they really do well in this role?
As an INTJ, I can tell that they do. But there’s a lot for them to overcome in order to be great.
Today, we’ll talk about INTJ leadership qualities and issues and how you can balance them out.
Let’s dive in.
INTJ Leadership Qualities
INTJs have a lot of traits that make them ideal for leadership roles.
Long-term vision
INTJs are often considered to be conceptual planners thanks to their amazing ability to see the big picture.
When you’re just starting out a project, having a clear vision of how it may turn out is something many people struggle with. But not INTJs. They can put their intuition to work a develop a vision of the problem they’re working on.
Organization and strategy
With a clear goal ahead of them, it’s easy for INTJs to stay in the right lane and direct others.
Having a structure is important for achieving harmony and order in the workplace. Due to their nature, people with the INTJ personality type can be amazing at a leadership role.
INTJs are known for amazing strategic and organizational skills, especially in the workplace.
What’s more, they’ll make all the team members stick to those plans. While that might not be a method all of them will enjoy, it’s a method that keeps the system working properly.
Motivation
INTJs are known for being goal-oriented, so they’ll always focus on the task ahead of them. Even if their job seems dull and insignificant, that’s not a strong enough demotivator to cause INTJs to procrastinate.
Their motivation comes from their ability to see the bigger picture. With a clear vision of their goal, INTJs can easily see how everything they do is an important piece of the puzzle.
Putting plans into execution
To be honest, several MBTI types have great planning skills. This is especially true for those with extraverted thinking as their cognitive functions, like ISTJs or ENTJs.
However, they’re not that great at putting those plans into execution, like INTJs are.
That’s because INTJs take their time to process information and find patterns. Then, they apply what they learned and put it into a long-term plan that allows them to achieve the goal.
INTJ Leadership Issues
Does an INTJ person sound like a good leader to you?
While this MBTI type has some amazing qualities for the role, there are just as many personality traits that make the leadership position hard for them.
Difficulty focusing on details
Being able to see the big picture is an amazing skill for a leader. However, INTJs can get so caught up in it that they lose their focus on smaller details.
What happens is that their goal-oriented brain has figured out which parts of the project matter the most. So their focus is completely shifted toward those parts, neglecting the small details.
Of course, as a leader, you don’t want to forget about even the tiniest thing. But for an INTJ, it can be really hard to focus on little details.
Abstract mind
INTJs are full of ideas, which is something you want from a leader.
However, the problem arises when they have to articulate those ideas to the team.
INTJs are very abstract in their way of thinking. In fact, INTJs think in symbols and images way more than any other MBTI type.
However, INTJs aren’t that great at articulating their thoughts. And that often can lead to miscommunication in the workplace.
Lack of personal connections
As a leader, you can’t be distant from the members of your team. That would turn you into nothing more than a rule imposer, which never turns out right in the workplace.
However, we know that INTJs aren’t the friendliest MBTI type out there. In most cases, they put zero effort into connecting with someone they don’t click with.
What’s worse, the constant interaction required when working in a team is something that drains INTJ too much.
Not a team player
Simply said, INTJs like working alone. And in many situations, they believe they have the best knowledge and approach to solve a problem. They like perfectionism and have high standards in everything they do.
Now, because of this, they might not always give others a chance to offer their solution and knowledge. That’s why INTJs might not seem like team players and, therefore, bad leaders to their subordinates. They might seem too bossy and self-centered, and nobody likes that, right?
How to Become a Better Leader if You Are an INTJ
As you can see, INTJs have many traits that make them natural leaders. But they also have some that don’t help them in that role at all.
Still, that’s not to say you can’t be a great leader as an INTJ.
Here are some tips that should help you in that endeavor.
Share your insights early
You’re already hard to read being an INTJ, so your teammates can’t read between the lines. And to make the team work smoothly, you all need to be on the same page.
Just like you enjoy being challenged, so do your teammates. While they may have completely different personalities, they’re all motivated by encouragement.
I know that doesn’t come naturally to INTJ. But sometimes we need to do such things to ensure others we’re happy with their work.
Apply your strategic insight to social connections
The people in your team have different personalities and very different capabilities. Still, they can all work harmoniously together, guided by your leadership. To achieve that, you need to be able to connect with them on a higher level.
Sometimes, that also means respecting other members’ ideas and opinions, even when they’re contracting your own.
Learn to delegate
Pretty much all INTJs live by this quote – “If you want something done, do it yourself.”
However, that’s not something that works in the workplace.
As an INTJ, you might be compelled to take on most responsibility. However, you can’t do everything – and you shouldn’t.
Your teammates are probably very capable of doing specific tasks themselves. And even if they currently aren’t, that’s why they’re here – to learn from you.
Delegation requires proper balance. It depends on both your and your team’s maturity level and decision impact. But when done right, it can make quite a difference in the workplace.
Ask for feedback
If you’re unsure whether your leadership method is working well or not, you only need to ask.
So, ask your coworkers and team members for feedback. You don’t need to make it very official with quizzes and paper evaluations. You can simply have a one-on-one conversation with each member of the team.
To Sum Things Up
As you can see, INTJs can be great leaders. They’re goal-oriented, very motivated, and excellent at putting plans into action.
However, they also have difficulty focusing on details and putting their thoughts into words.
Still, none of this is something an INTJ can’t overcome. With a bit of patience and practice, an INTJ can be a really great leader many will strive to follow.
Looking for a fun hobby? Here’s a list of the best INTJ hobbies you’ll surely love.