# Differences between ENFP and ENFJ



## spifffo

What are some hallmark ways to tell if a person is an ENFP or an ENFJ? What are the main distinctions between the two types?

Do these same rules apply for INFP vs. INFJ?


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## Later Days

ENFPs will be more likely to tell you how they're feeling.

ENFJs avoid the topic of feelings.


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## walkawaysun09

Waffle said:


> ENFPs will be more likely to tell you how they're feeling.
> 
> ENFJs avoid the topic of feelings.


I don't avoid topics of feelings, more or less...it's along the lines of "Do I trust you enough to see what I'm feeling? I'd rather you intuitively know than have to drop this armor to tell you and possibly say something wrong."

In the end, I only show my feelings to those I trust, I think many other ENFJ's would, where as an ENFP may be more liable to wear their feelings on their sleeve, instead of controlling them and holding them in just enough so that they can fake a smile and go on with their day, just so those who won't actually HELP you, don't ask about it...it's all about being protective of yourself, I believe, though correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Arioche

ENFP (Ne-Fi-Te-Si) versus ENFJ (Fe-Ni-Se-Ti).
It's a pretty huge difference, actually, not one function in common. And yes, it can be applied to INFP (Fi-Ne-Si-Te) and INFJ (Ni-Fe-Ti-Se) as well.

ENFJs' Fe tend to make them more people orientated, a team player, while ENFPs are more get-up-and-beat'em-up for personal belief type due to their Fi. Also, primary Ne tend to make ENFPs look more wacky and, for the lack of better word, probably will make them appear more crazy.

I wont be going into the functions in depth because I want to make it brief, but the two types are pretty obviously different.

Also: I disagree on the ENFP showing more emotion part. I think we are more prone to expressing our personal opinion due to our Fi, but it doesn't necessarily have to do anything with our feelings, just our values and opinions.


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## Memphisto

Regarding showing emotions...

Two of my closest friends are ENFP and ENFJ. In general neither one of them really show their emotions. They both show them to me...because we're close friends. But it took a while to gain trust before either of them opened up to me. Generally speaking most people don't truly know the real them or what's really going on with them as far as emotions go. They are both very warm and friendly people but the ENFJ is much more touchy feeley and huggy than the ENFP. Of course I can only speak for the ones that I know...this may not be the case in general.


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## Deja Vu

No one ever knows what is going on with either. I swear, you'd have a hard time telling the two distinctable apart in my experience.


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## GoSG1

This is the major difference I’ve found with my interactions with ENFP & ENFJ. 
I find ENFJ’s to be quicker about things and decisive. 
I find ENFP’s to be more open. 
Being a far side J, I find it easier to talk with ENFP’s.


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## Blue Butterfly

I have an ENFJ supervisor, an INFJ coworker, an ENFP coworker and I am an INFP. Each of us deals with things differently even though we all are NF"s. My ENFJ supervisor will stop at nothing to please some else. That is his signature. The INFJ's signature is highly intelligent and intuitive. He just knows things without knowing why and most of the time he is right. He will also avoid conflict at all cost. The ENFP is very people ornamented but not with everyone. She has her selected clique and will follow whatever the most popular person is in the clique. If that person don't like someone the ENFP will not like the person in front of her leader but will befriend that person behind the leaders back. I am an INFP and I just go about doing my thing regardless whether people like it or not. I don't like conflict but if someone else starts it I will fight it until the end.


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## Vaka

I don't know if those are the best indicators, Blue Butterfly, because those all have to do with cognitive functions...I won't necessarily avoid all conflict...You could learn to recognize Ne dominance though...


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## Arioche

Anti-Helena said:


> I don't know if those are the best indicators, Blue Butterfly, because those all have to do with cognitive functions...I won't necessarily avoid all conflict...You could learn to recognize Ne dominance though...


That and our Fi auxiliary/Te tertiary/Si inferior.

If I may say, Blue, I've NEVER seen an ENFP follower. Ever. Although our Ne-Fi combination often makes us empathic, we're definitely not necessarily sympathetic, and it also tend to make us highly individualistic. In fact, our individual "we-do-what-we-want" attitude is probably one of the most obvious stereotype of ENFP. 

Although traits are never a definite pointer to functions, because it's so highly correlated, your co-worker's attitude makes me doubt her ENFP'ness.


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## Shadow1980

ENFJ's make decisions and stick to them: they have tenacity and resilience. 
ENFP's explore every possibility and may come to a decision: they have an open mind and are adaptable.


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## Pyroscope

Arioche said:


> Also: I disagree on the ENFP showing more emotion part. I think we are more prone to expressing our personal opinion due to our Fi, but it doesn't necessarily have to do anything with our feelings, just our values and opinions


 I really like this way of putting it. I'd say this is a big difference between xNFJ and xNFP. That maybe xNFPs would be focused on the value-system rather than specific feelings, whereas xNFJs would probably focus on the feeling it evokes.

A hazy example might be that if you upset both of them, the J would be upset more in terms of 'you evoked these feelings' whereas the P would be more 'you violated these values' if that makes sense?

I guess I have a hunch that they reverse in terms of which seems more emotional at times. When the P and J are feeling okay, then the P seems more open because they'll talk about values and why they're important to them. However, when they're upset then the J will probably seem more open because they're not stewing in Fi to try and get through it. While Ne might mean the P asks questions to work things out, the actual process of solving is more hidden so whoever they're talking to might feel like something's missing.

This could well all be total bollocks though :happy: It's pretty much just crazy theorising.


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## Tridentus

GoSG1 said:


> This is the major difference I’ve found with my interactions with ENFP & ENFJ.
> I find ENFJ’s to be quicker about things and decisive.
> I find ENFP’s to be more open.
> Being a far side J, I find it easier to talk with ENFP’s.


yes i find it easier to talk to INFJs than INFPs.
pretty much what everyone else said, ENFPs are more open, ill spill my feelings and opinions to any old stranger if i think there's a chance they might relate. ENFJs are too emotional, it's strange to observe at times, even for me.

and ill second arioche, enfps don't follow ppl. i'd rather be on my own than be a follower, the very idea disgusts me.


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## CFII2fly

Creativity/brainstorming: 
ENFJ: because I Ni inside my head... when I create (write, design, etc) I must be alone inside my head, door shut and no interruptions. Although I will accept intruptions without complaint, it throws off my creative process and we have to start all over again. When in a brainstorming session I bring things up that were talked about a few minutes ago. The group has already gone on... This is because I heard things that took me someplace inside my head and to explore that idea I disconnected from the conversation for a few seconds to a few minutes. Then I ether say something no one else had thought of or they did say it and I did not hear it because I was inside my head.

ENFP: i dont want to speak for them, yet i find that because they Ne, or may I change that to nE, I find they do their best brainstorming/creating in a group and are out in front of the group ready to go to the next idea before the group is done with the original idea. They need to talk out their idea.


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## Mausi

Arioche said:


> That and our Fi auxiliary/Te tertiary/Si inferior.
> 
> If I may say, Blue, I've NEVER seen an ENFP follower. Ever. Although our Ne-Fi combination often makes us empathic, we're definitely not necessarily sympathetic, and it also tend to make us highly individualistic. In fact, our individual "we-do-what-we-want" attitude is probably one of the most obvious stereotype of ENFP.
> 
> Although traits are never a definite pointer to functions, because it's so highly correlated, your co-worker's attitude makes me doubt her ENFP'ness.



I'm trying to think of a time when I would be seen as a follower... and sometimes, depending on the group and harmony or whatever, I might align myself to certain socially powerful people... so I can see being seen as a follower in that sense. I think as an ENFP, I will always be true to what's inside for me, so I guess I will never be a follower, but I can behave as one, depending on the situation... and depending on what I need from it.

I've noticed places where there are people who have super dominant personalities and rather than butt heads with them, I try to get along with them, find a way to get past their hard exterior or their obnoxiousness and hope to sort of temper it eventually. And in trying to understand them, it can look like I am following them because who knows? Maybe I am trying on their way of thinking for a little bit. But inside, I know who I am and that's what I will always stay true to.


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## Demitrius Graves

ive seen plenty of enfp followers! they never anticipate anything after the immediate moment so when they're too flustered or feel overwhelmed they completely just latch onto someone elses way of operating. I know one enfp whose not a follower and shes like a young guru, i feel like thats the other end of the spectrum


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## Akbar2k7

CFII2fly said:


> Creativity/brainstorming:
> ENFJ: because I Ni inside my head... when I create (write, design, etc) I must be alone inside my head, door shut and no interruptions. Although I will accept intruptions without complaint, it throws off my creative process and we have to start all over again. When in a brainstorming session I bring things up that were talked about a few minutes ago. The group has already gone on... This is because I heard things that took me someplace inside my head and to explore that idea I disconnected from the conversation for a few seconds to a few minutes. Then I ether say something no one else had thought of or they did say it and I did not hear it because I was inside my head.
> 
> ENFP: i dont want to speak for them, yet i find that because they Ne, or may I change that to nE, I find they do their best brainstorming/creating in a group and are out in front of the group ready to go to the next idea before the group is done with the original idea. They need to talk out their idea.


Not really... Ni and Ne are like two vehicles.

Ne is like a:








An F1 car will go real fast but not far and not long lots of turns and twists but always in a circuit.

Lots of directionless connections of course Ti or Fi cleans this up but yea.

while Ni like a:













The bus will go slowly but with go far deep and ultimately reach a conclusion.

A more organised directed approach.

This is my general understanding.


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## COLORATURA

Demitrius Graves said:


> ive seen plenty of enfp followers! they never anticipate anything after the immediate moment so when they're too flustered or feel overwhelmed they completely just latch onto someone elses way of operating. I know one enfp whose not a follower and shes like a young guru, i feel like thats the other end of the spectrum


...I think you just described them in the "grip" of their inferior functions. An imbalanced ENFP. Alot of people say Seth McFarlane is an ENFP, and I really don't see him following AT ALL. Nor would I say that about alot of ENFP's I have known, or celebrities that are thought to be ENFP by certain "experts." 

Side note, though, I am dating an ENFJ, and used to be married to an ENFP. I am INTP. I only started learning about MBTI/Jung (& etc.) after my divorce from ENFP. I left him for many reasons, but he was known to be quite volatile, and flip on me at the drop of a hat. By "flip," I mean emotionally freak out, and took EVERYTHING personally and it was OBVIOUS. He had OBVIOUS VALUES that I had violated, even though I had no clue. My ENFJ boyfriend will "flip" on occasion, but it is usually b/c he thinks he has made me unhappy, and therefore our relationship is over. He doesn't understand that I don't base my decisions on feelings. He NEVER flips b/c I have hurt HIS FEELINGS. He usually hides those from me. ENFJ's inferior function is introverted thinking. He is a very good example of someone who hasn't developed his thinking side very much, but he is only 26. He is ALWAYS trying to promote good feelings & pass them along. My ex husband wanted to have a good time, but if someone violated his values, he would stop the good feelings IMMEDIATELY. If he wasn't happy, no one was gonna be, AND if I tried to rationalize why someone acted that way b/c I thought it would "help" him understand, he would say I wasn't taking "his side." 

Don't get me wrong, ENFP is smart, creative, hard-working, funny, and so many other good things. However, as an INTP I live on principles, and his "values" were confusing and frustrating to me. The ENFJ I can understand more so, even though I sometimes feel he is more "fake." 

Sorry for all the "quotes." Ha.


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## Coffee Soap

Hmm I'm really only basing this off 1 ENFP (myself) and 1 ENFJ plus things I've read and agree with, so take my opinions as a consideration and not a conclusion, but..

ENFJs get angry/heated more often (esp social injustice they discover and people's actions, etc). An ENFP usually knows how they feel about things, whereas an ENFJ often ask how they should feel about things. ENFPs are relieved to have some alone time after interaction-rich situations, while ENFJs aren't good with being left alone and prefer continual interaction. ENFPs throw out new ideas more often than ENFJs, although ENFJs make more judgements and link up things to make big calls.

There's more; not off the top of my head right now though. I'll be back to edit!


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## Nevermind_me

The ENFJ will probably know where their keys, wallet and phone are. They will have a diary (_And actually look at it and use it regularly! :shocked _They will be punctual and will look for punctuality in others. 

As an ENFP, I never have a clue where my keys, wallet or phone are, I have a diary but frequently double book myself anyway, and time is a totally infinite thing, I am ALWAYS late, but hey, the world won't end. :wink:

(This makes Js :angry:, :tongue

(These are sweeping and totally non-scientific generalisations based on my naive observations)


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