What is the INFJ Personality?

INFJ’s are those who have a strong sense of the complexity of human beings and a quest for meaning in human relationships. They are the most visionary of types. They will often be found in the role of excellent counselors. Their idealism often draws them to religion. They are also able teachers, especially at the college level.

They have a sense of knowing what motivates other people even before the people know it themselves. INFJ’s are aware of the significance of other people’s feelings.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) lived the life of oppression in the Southern United States during the post-Depression era. As an INFJ type, King learned his philosophy of non-violence from Gandhi and applied it to the civil rights movement. King’s idealism and willingness to suffer for his ideas was a main impetus for desegregation.

They are confident and emphatic about their intuitive insights to the point of “knowing,” and are often not dissuaded by the doubts of others. They have a keen confidence and feel assured about their insights.

INFJ’s guide their lives through the search for personal meaning and connectivity. They are loyal to people and institutions as long as those people and institutions represent their internal values and vision. They are uninterested in details, unless those details can verify their internal vision. Their work must go beyond compensation and have meaning for themselves and their personal quest. INFJ’s are one of the most idealistic of types. They carry complex insights deep inside and are guided by sensitivity and compassion. They are rich in symbol and metaphor. They are often willing to take unconventional paths to follow their quest. INFJ’s tend to be rather private and others may find them hard to get to know.

They can be commanding in communicating their personal vision, but the complexity of their ideas and vision are often hidden from others. INFJ’s share their vision only with those whom they trust and only in the moment that their intuition tells them is right.

They can be reserved in many situations but they engage once their values and vision have been violated.

INFJ’s and Teams

INFJ’s are quite effective in teams that represent their vision and values and where their role allows them to state a message that represents their own personal vision. In these roles they can be powerful communicators and very persuasive. Their natural tact and empathy can enable them to sway opinion.

What Are INFJ Issues and Challenges in Groups/Best Alliances?

INFJ’s have a targeted and sometimes intense vision that may cause them to brush aside important details that need attention. They may lack the pragmatism that is necessary in a hard-nosed organization and may be quite conflict-averse. INFJ’s may find it useful to ally themselves with some of the more pragmatic types. They can be powerful when they have the right platform of organizations and people to help implement their vision.

INFJ’s and the Rest of Their Lives

INFJ’s value people and are committed to those closest to them. They genuinely care about people and understand their needs. They are one of the most kind and compassionate of the types. The sureness of their vision can be intimidating to others in a world that seems uncertain and full of ambiguity.

The complexity of their ideas, along with their way of explaining things in metaphor and analogy, may make them seem hard to understand to more literal and matter-of-fact people.