ESFJ Strengths and Weaknesses – Guide For Growth & Development

Table of Contents
ESFJ (A Consul) Strengths, Weaknesses & Growth Explained In-Depth

One of the most common and easily accessible psychological assessments is the MBTI or Myer Briggs Type Indicator. Everyone who takes the test is assigned a four-letter character type, each which has their own strong points and drawbacks.

Taking the test can help you learn more about yourself and identify areas you may need to improve. One of the most common MBTI types is the ESFJ, sometimes referred to as the Consul or Provider.

There are also two subtypes for ESFJs: ESFJ-T and ESFJ-A. The strengths and weaknesses differ slightly for these two subtypes, but there is a common ESFJ meaning: all have extroverted, sensing, feeling, and judging traits. Read on to learn about the ESFJ’s improvement areas and strong points.

Are you an ESFJ?

Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.

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All ESFJ Strengths and Advantages

List of 5 ESFJ strengths:

  1. Strong practical skills
  2. Strong sense of duty
  3. Sensitive and warm
  4. Good at connecting with others
  5. Very Loyal

Strong Practical Skills

This MBTI type enjoys managing day-to-day tasks and taking care of the less exciting (but necessary) activities in their career or home life. They do this to ensure those around them feel loved, appreciated and cared for.

Strong Sense of Duty

Consuls fulfill their duties and obligations in a timely manner. At times, ESFJs are driven to take care of such tasks through social pressure instead of their own desires.

Sensitive and Warm

ESFJs seek to avoid conflict and maintain harmony. To do this, they stay empathetic and try not to hurt their partner’s, friend’s, or colleague’s feelings. Being team players, ESFJs would much rather create win-win situations instead of maximizing their own gain.

Good at Connecting with Others

The previously mentioned qualities make Consuls social and well liked. They enjoy belonging to a group, and will gladly make small talk, follow social norms, or read body language to maintain a crucial role in their community.

Very Loyal

Stability and security are a top priority for ESFJs. They seek to preserve the status quo, which makes them loyal to their employers and truly benefitting the ESFJ’s relationships. Consuls can be relied upon in their communities, families, or any other groups.

Are you an ESFJ?

Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.

TAKE THE FREE PERSONALITY TEST

All ESFJ Weaknesses and Flows You Should Know

As with all personality types, the ESFJ has its own set of weaknesses.

List of 6 ESFJ weaknesses:

  1. Worried About Their Social Status
  2. Inflexible
  3. Reluctant to Innovate or Improvise
  4. Vulnerable to Criticism
  5. Often Too Needy
  6. Too Selfless

Worried About Their Social Status

Consuls have a tendency to obsess over their social status and how they are perceived by others. This can potentially limit their creativity and prevent them from taking risks, as it could result in loss of status.

Inflexible

ESFJs enjoy living their lives according to social norms. Anything outside of socially acceptable behavior is criticised by this type. They may also push their beliefs on others in an effort of making the ideas mainstream.

Reluctant to Innovate or Improvise

Similarly to how they judge other unusual behavior, ESFJs also limit themselves to their comfort zones for a fear of being different or signaled out. This could potentially shorten the list of compatible ESFJ career paths, as many entrepreneurial roles require creative and out of the box thinking.

Vulnerable to Criticism

ESFJs can be easily hurt or become defensive by someone’s criticism, especially if they are a loved one. While they dislike it when someone criticises their habits or beliefs, they will also likely not engage in the conversation for fear of potential conflict.

Often Too Needy

Consuls love hearing compliments, being recognized for their talents, and feeling appreciated. If they do not naturally get this attention, they may start to get demotivated or display their lack of reassurance.

ESFJ Growth and Development

How to Boost and Maximize ESFJ’s Strengths & Advantages

Share your feelings with people and hear the concerns of others as well. This will make you well-liked and trusted within your community, and it will benefit your mental health as well. Also, do not neglect the importance of feedback.

If you give your opinion in a respectful manner, they will likely appreciate your remarks. When you encounter someone less fortunate, take action and help the individual. This will greatly benefit the community around you and allow you to help others live their lives to the fullest, as you likely enjoy doing.

Consider how you can indirectly support others around you, such as by buying climate-friendly products and later try committing to maintaining honest and open communication systems at work. This will make the business more likely to succeed and lets you socialize and share ideas freely.

How to Minimize and Deal with ESFJ’s Weaknesses

Realize that while helping others is admirable, you must also learn to stand up for your own opinions, values, and invest in yourself. Without taking a stand for your individual ideas, no one will understand what you truly desire in life.

Yes, being confident in your beliefs can cause conflict. However, you can skillfully address the conflict by having an honest conversation about your values, not what society instructs you to value.

Also, you cannot continue to help others if you do not first help yourself. Find what you want to achieve, what you want your future to look like, and work for those goals. When you help yourself achieve what you desire, you will generally be happier and more willing to help others naturally.

If someone criticizes you, understand that they likely are not doing so to hurt your feelings (unless they clearly have malicious intent, such as wishing to compete against you). If a trusted person gives you feedback, try understanding they are doing so from a positive place and with the goal of helping you improve.

Likewise, you can criticize others in a respectful manner and build closer bonds with that person, instead of always simply being positive even if it is not fully honest.

Are you an ESFJ?

Take the free personality test to identify your true personality type. 16 Personality Types test reveals who you naturally are and why you do things the way you do. With this knowledge of yourself, you can build successful careers, find a dream job, build strong relationships, and live an authentic life.

TAKE THE FREE PERSONALITY TEST

ESFJ Strengths and Weaknesses F.A.Q

What upsets ESFJ?

ESFJs get upset when people challenge their beliefs and contradict their opinions. They hate it when people manipulate their feelings and try to control them. But whenever someone tries to verbally attack them, ESFJs get furious.

However, they rarely express their negative feelings, which makes them feel even worse. This means that ESFJs just can’t handle emotionally charged situations and conflicts with people.

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