At Their Best
People with ENTP preferences constantly scan the environment for opportunities and possibilities. They see patterns and connections not obvious to others and at times seem able to see into the future. They are adept at generating conceptual possibilities and then analyzing them strategically.

ENTPs are good at understanding how systems work and are enterprising and resourceful in maneuvering within them to achieve their ends.

ENTPs can be considered the Logical Explorers. They use Extraverted Intuition (Ne) as their core approach to work and living. ENTPs usually take an energetic approach and are interested in ideas and possibilities. They tend to actively play with new concepts and pursue new ventures. 

Logical Explorers thrive in situations where they have variety and flexibility. They want opportunities to improve things and re-invent old ways of doing things. If you are a Logical Explorer, you are likely at your best when you are engaging in open-ended activities, debates, and discussions. Logical Explorers tend to trust and use a decision making process that evaluates options based on impersonal, logical, analysis. This decision making approach provides direction and ensures the ENTPs don’t get lost trying out the many options they can imagine. Others usually won’t see this secondary process as the evaluation and prioritizing of ideas tends to happen internally. You will see this approach indirectly when the ENTP decides to act on one of the ideas they have been considering.

Characteristics of ENTPs 
ENTPs are enthusiastic innovators. Their world is full of possibilities, interesting concepts, and exciting challenges. They are stimulated by difficulties, quickly devising creative responses and plunging into activity, trusting their ability to improvise. They use their Intuition primarily externally and enjoy exercising ingenuity in the world. ENTPs are likely to be:
  • Creative, imaginative, and clever
  • Theoretical, conceptual, and curious

ENTPs use their Thinking primarily internally to analyze situation and their own ideas and to plan. They admire competence, intelligence, precision, and efficiency. ENTPs are usually:
  • Analytical, logical, rational, and objective
  • Assertive and questioning 

ENTPs are enterprising, resourceful, active, and energetic. They respond to challenging problems by creating complex and global solutions. They are usually adept at “reading” other people, seeing how to motivate them, and assuming leadership. They can do almost anything that captures their interest. 

ENTPs are typically inventive, analytical PLANNERS OF CHANGE; enthusiastic and independent; pursue inspiration with impulsive energy; seek to understand and inspire. Extraverted Intuition being their strongest mental process, they are at their best when caught up in the enthusiasm of a new project and promoting its benefits.

They typically value:
  • Conceiving of new things and initiating change
  • The surge of inspirations; the pull of emerging possibilities
  • Analyzing complexities
  • Following their insights, wherever they lead
  • Finding meanings behind the facts
  • Autonomy, elbow room; openness
  • Ingenuity, originality, a fresh perspective
  • Mental models and concepts that explain life
  • Fair treatment
  • Flexibility, adaptability
  • Learning through action, variety, and discovery
  • Exploring theories and meanings behind events
  • Improvising, looking for novel ways
  • Work made light by inspirations

How Others May See Them
ENTPs are spontaneous and adaptable. They find schedules and standard operating procedures confining and work around them whenever possible. They are remarkably insightful about the attitudes of others, and their enthusiasm and energy can mobilize people to support their vision. 

Their conversational style is customarily challenging and stimulating because they love to debate ideas. They are fluent conversationalist, mentally quick, and enjoy verbal sparring. When they express their underlying Thinking principles, however, they may speak with an intensity and abruptness that seem to challenge others.

Others usually see ENTPs as:
  • Independent, autonomous, and creative
  • Lively, enthusiastic, and energetic
  • Assertive and outspoken 

Potential Areas for Growth 
Sometimes life circumstances have not supported ENTPs in the development and expression of their Thinking and Intuitive preferences.

  • If they have not developed their Thinking, they may not have reliable ways to evaluate their insights and make plans to carry them through. Then they go from enthusiasm to enthusiasm with little actually accomplished. 
  • If they have not developed their Intuition, they may not take in enough relevant information, resulting in “insights” unrelated to current reality.

If ENTPs do not find a place where they can use their gifts and be appreciated for their contributions, they usually feel frustrated and may:
  • Become brash, rude, and abrasive
  • Criticize others, especially those who seem to them to be inefficient or incompetent 
  • Become rebellious and combative
  • Become scattered – unable to focus 

It is natural for ENTPs to give less attention to their non-preferred Sensing and Feeling parts. If they neglect these too much, however, they may:
  • Not take care of the details and routine required to implement their insights
  • Not give enough weight to the impact of their ideas and plans on others 
  • Be excessively and inappropriately “challenging and stimulating”

Under Great Stress
Under great stress, ENTPs can be overwhelmed by detail, losing their ability to generate possibilities. Then they focus on a minor or distorted detail, thinking that it is supremely important. 

Sources
Introduction to Type, Sixth Edition developed by Isabel Briggs Myers

MMTIC®Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children developed by Charles Martin, Elizabeth Murphy, and Betsy Styron

Donna Dunning’s terrific blog