ISTJ
ISTJs are the behind-the-scenes workers who make things happen. Their sense of duty and loyalty means that they will rarely be happy in front of the crowd, instead preferring to be working behind the scenes.
ISTJs are the sensible ones who want to get it right and “do good.” Their value to the team is protection—from mistakes, from omissions, from self-delusion, and from going off-track. They love seeing things come to fruition. Ideas, complexity, and imagination are of value only if they lead to a practical end result.
ISTJs need to be clear on what is expected so that they can plan and work with consistent and steady energy toward completion. Opinions are slowly arrived at and, consequently, will be thought out, tried, and tested. ISTJs are not prone to bursts of emotion, flying by the seat of their pants, nor will they thrive in a chaotic environment—unless they have the opportunity to formalize it!
Logical, detached, and detailed, ISTJs pride themselves on their store of data and knowledge, all arrived at with clinical procedure and experience. They take great care not to get it wrong, and they want everyone to take responsibility for their actions—and their mistakes.
Serious-minded, individualistic, and thorough, ISTJs may focus so much on the task that they forget the needs of others—including themselves.
ISTJs like to plan, schedule, and drive through to completion in a logical, linear sequence. Any deviation from the plan would be questioned and may take some convincing of its merits.
Characteristics
- Serious and quiet
- Action-oriented
- Responsible and trustworthy
- A “no-nonsense” person
Areas of Growth
- Consider other possible solutions
- Be open to the “big picture”
- Make time for fun
- Listen more to those around you
Attitude
The basic attitude of ISTJs is things are what they are and little can be done to change them. ISTJs tend to be quiet, very serious, and concerned about procedures and rules, especially when others are not doing their duty.
Energizers
- Organizing facts and details to accomplish a goal
- A quiet workspace with few interactions
- Clear and stable structures
- Being in control of work schedule
Stressors
- Deadlines
- Being asked to change something with no rational reason
- Requirement to do things in an inefficient way
- Being asked to “wing it”
To function at their best
ISTJs need organization and a clear structure in which to work. They need projects to complete and tasks to accomplish. Opportunities to organize and preserve data or materials are key to an ISTJ, as is a clear understanding of their role.
Relationships
ISTJs are consistent and can be easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when others don’t adhere to their commitments or agreements. ISTJs do, however, usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. But when asked, they are unlikely to mince words; they believe that facts, truth, and telling it like it is always wins over tactfulness.
Detached and factual, ISTJs often find it difficult to deal with emotions, as they see these as irrational and illogical. When others display emotions, they have to translate the emotion into factual language that they can understand. Deep and private, ISTJs will tend to keep their own feelings to themselves and, until they have the measure of the people around them, ISTJs will be unlikely to proactively share their feelings.
Too much interaction sucks their energy. ISTJs like people to stick to agreements and commitments and may not understand that this is human nature, not human deficiency, as they themselves take such commitments incredibly seriously.
ISTJ at work
ISTJs value protection at work—from mistakes, from omissions, from self-delusion, and from going off track. In a team situation, ISTJs will bring order, clarity, organization, and planning. Although introverted and so not the most vocal member of the team, ISTJs will seek to make sure the team is best placed to move toward a “known” conclusion in a thorough, planned, and detailed way, without deviation from the plan.
Consummate planners, ISTJs love seeing things come to fruition. ISTJs will be great at spotting flaws in arguments, missed details, and preventing the team from heading off in the wrong direction. They seem to have a built-in immunity from getting excited, so they will bring a strong sense of reality and factualness to the team. This may not be inspiring, but it will add so much value in the long term, ensuring agreements are adhered to and things progress according to the plan.
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