LETTER CODE: ENFP

PERSONALITY TYPE: Campaigner

I. GENERAL INTERPRETATION

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to

know what you ache for – and if you dare to dream of meeting
your heart’s longing. It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I
want to know if you will risk looking like a fool – for love – for
your dreams – for the adventure of being alive.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

The Campaigner personality is a true free spirit. They are often the life of the party, but unlike
types in the Explorer Role group, Campaigners are less interested in the sheer excitement and
pleasure of the moment than they are in enjoying the social and emotional connections they
make with others. Charming, independent, energetic and compassionate, the 7% of the
population that they comprise can certainly be felt in any crowd.

You Can Change the World With Just an Idea

More than just sociable people-pleasers though, Campaigners, like all their Diplomat cousins,
are shaped by their Intuitive (N) quality, allowing them to read between the lines with curiosity
and energy. They tend to see life as a big, complex puzzle where everything is connected – but
unlike Analyst personality types, who tend to see that puzzle as a series of systemic
machinations, Campaigners see it through a prism of emotion, compassion and mysticism, and
are always looking for a deeper meaning.

Campaigners are fiercely independent, and much more than stability and security, they crave
creativity and freedom.

Many other types are likely to find these qualities irresistible, and if they’ve found a cause that
sparks their imagination, Campaigners will bring an energy that oftentimes thrusts them into the
spotlight, held up by their peers as a leader and a guru – but this isn’t always where
independence-loving Campaigners want to be. Worse still if they find themselves beset by the
administrative tasks and routine maintenance that can accompany a leadership position.
Campaigners’ self-esteem is dependent on their ability to come up with original solutions, and
they need to know that they have the freedom to be innovative – they can quickly lose
patience or become dejected if they get trapped in a boring role.

Don’t Lose That ’Little Spark of Madness’

Luckily, Campaigners know how to relax, and they are perfectly capable of switching from a
passionate, driven idealist in the workplace to that imaginative and enthusiastic free spirit on the
dance floor, often with a suddenness that can surprise even their closest friends. Being in the mix
also gives them a chance to connect emotionally with others, giving them cherished insight into
what motivates their friends and colleagues. They believe that everyone should take the time to
recognize and express their feelings, and their empathy and sociability make that a natural
conversation topic.
The Campaigner personality type needs to be careful, however – if they rely too much on their
intuition, assume or anticipate too much about a friend’s motivations, they can misread the
signals and frustrate plans that a more straightforward approach would have made simple. This
kind of social stress is the bugbear that keeps harmony-focused Diplomats awake at night.
Campaigners are very emotional and sensitive, and when they step on someone’s toes, they
both feel it.

Campaigners will spend a lot of time exploring social relationships, feelings and ideas before
they find something that really rings true. But when they finally do find their place in the world,
their imagination, empathy and courage are likely to produce incredible results.

II. CAREER PATHS

“Can’t I fly helicopters AND be an oceanographer who writes songs and cooks?” It’s a big world
out there – perhaps even a little too big. Campaigners are fascinated by new ideas, both in
terms of developments in fields they are already familiar with, and when new subjects come
along. The trick for people with the Campaigner personality type is to take advantage of this
quality, this wonder with the magnificent breadth and detail in the world, and to use it to propel
themselves further and deeper than others are willing or able to go.

If there’s a challenge Campaigners face when selecting a career, it isn’t that they lack talent or
options or drive, it’s that there are so many things out there that are just cool.

The Opening of a Door Can Be a Wonderfully Joyous Moment

Chief among Campaigners’ talents is their people skills, a quality that is even more valuable now
than ever. Even in traditional Analyst strongholds like engineering, systems analysis and the
sciences, Campaigners’ ability to network and match the communication styles of their
audience means that even as they explore new challenges on their own, they will be able to
work with others, explore others’ perspectives and glean new insights into their projects. Much of
modern progress stems from incorporating other studies into typically disassociated fields, and
no one is better equipped to merge broad interests than talented, energetic and future-minded
Campaigners.

And while Thinking types may be better at applying logic to systems and machines, people with
the Campaigner personality type are able to apply that same logic to human interactions and
networks, using their exceptional social perception to find out what makes people tick. This lends
Campaigners a solid foothold in any human science or service, from psychology, counseling
and teaching to politics, diplomacy and detective work. All of these fields have another
important similarity: they are in constant development, shifting, presenting new angles and new
approaches. It’s simply not possible to be good in these fields and content with the way things
are, and this is where Campaigners truly shine.

Too Many Bosses, Too Few Workers

Where Campaigners do not shine is in systems of strict regimentation and hierarchy, such as
military service. Campaigners thrive on the ability to question the status quo and explore the
alternatives, and if this is a quality that is not just unappreciated but actually frowned upon, this
will not only make them unhappy, but it may even threaten their emotional stability. Repetition,
predictability, boredom… while some Sentinel types may appreciate predictability and clear
hierarchies, these are not selling points for Campaigners. People with the Campaigner
personality type need to feel like they’re pushing boundaries and exploring ideas, and should
focus on interests and careers that encourage that.
Many more career options satisfy these needs, and not just the scientific ones – writing,
journalism, acting and TV reporting all give Campaigners a chance to explore something new
every day and stir the pot a little while they’re at it. It may come to pass though, that the best
way forward for Campaigner personalities is to establish themselves as entrepreneurs and
consultants, blazing their own trails and taking on whatever project is most fascinating. So long
as they get to use their people skills, identify and achieve their own goals and inspire their
colleagues and followers, Campaigners will be happy.

III. WORKPLACE HABITS

There are two basic things that Campaigners seek most in the workplace: The chance to explore
new ideas, and the chance to conduct that exploration alongside other people who share their
excitement. These qualities show through at all levels of hierarchy, though much like other
Diplomat personality types, Campaigners would prefer that there be hardly a hierarchy at all.
People with the Campaigner personality type possess warmth, creativity, and an open-
mindedness that makes them excellent listeners. If these qualities are recognized by their
employers, they will always be able to count on their Campaigner employees to innovate and
boost morale.

Campaigner Subordinates

Campaigners are growth-oriented, and as subordinates they’ll impress their managers with their
creativity and adaptability. People with the Campaigner personality type are excellent listeners,
able to analyze and understand others’ perspectives effortlessly. It’s perhaps this quality that
most makes Campaigners intolerant of micromanagement – the way they see it, they
understand what’s been asked of them, and all they require is the freedom to accomplish their
task. If this need isn’t met, managers may find a quickly stressed Campaigner subordinate.

To a certain extent though, some direct management is often necessary, as Campaigners are
notorious for letting their attention slip from one project to the next before they’ve dotted their I’s
and crossed their T’s. Campaigners love exploring new ideas and learning new things, and once
something becomes familiar, its allure starts to fade. But, if managers are able to maintain a spirit
of guidance and camaraderie instead of "bossiness", they will find loyal and devoted
contributors in their Campaigner subordinates.

Campaigner Colleagues

Campaigners are people-people, and as far as the workplace is concerned, this quality shows
through best among colleagues. More than just coworkers, Campaigners view their colleagues
as friends, people who they take a genuine interest in, providing support and cheer when
they’re down or stressed. People with the Campaigner personality type are warm and optimistic,
always searching for and usually finding win-win situations for everyone.

Brainstorms among equals are Campaigners’ forte, and they listen to different viewpoints and
suggestions not just with tolerance, but genuine excitement. Their ability to relax and have fun
will always make them popular around the water cooler, but what sets Campaigners apart is
that they can transition that popularity into natural leadership, instinctively picking up on
colleagues’ motivations and pulling their teams together, pushing them forward towards
whatever truth they’ve been tasked to find.

Campaigner Managers

Campaigners are not great fans of heavy hierarchy and bureaucracy, and this is most evident
when they take on the role of manager. As managers, Campaigner personalities behave much
like they do as colleagues – they establish real friendships, and use their broad popularity to
inspire and motivate, taking on the role of leader, working alongside their subordinates, rather
than shouting from behind their desks. Campaigners will tend to believe in the concept of
intrinsic motivation, the idea that things are worth doing for their own sake, not because of some
convoluted system of punishments and rewards.

Unfortunately, not everyone buys into this philosophy – challenges arise when faced with
subordinates who actually prefer to be closely directed, with clearly defined objectives and
timetables, people who are just doing their jobs. More challenging still are those rare moments
when a reprimand is simply necessary – while Campaigners prefer to meet dissent with an open
ear, and to use their excellent capacity for sensing mood and morale to preempt such an act to
begin with, sometimes the carrot and the stick are necessary, and using them is the biggest
challenge for the Campaigner personality type. But Campaigners’ capacity for adjusting their
communication to most any style will always shine through, helping to smooth things over and
adapt to the needs of their team.