Having a work buddy can be a lot of fun – and it has many benefits. Whether it’s practical assistance or someone to share a laugh with and keep your energy up, an ally is an asset on the job. But not every personality type puts the same kind of care into the social niceties of the workplace.
While we’re expected to be friendly with our coworkers, finding real buddies is rarer. It requires a certain deeper connection, and some personality types just aren’t as warm and fuzzy as others. Two that stand out to me in this regard are Debaters (ENTPs) and Entrepreneurs (ESTPs). In some ways, they’re the roughest rogues in the personality type spectrum.
Could they make great work buddies? I think so. Let me explain. If you’re a Debater or Entrepreneur, I’m especially talking to you.
Swashbucklers of a Feather Succeed Together
Compared to other personalities, Debaters and Entrepreneurs have an unmatched comfort with controversy and conflict. This doesn’t necessarily make them mean or immoral, but rather incredibly durable and bold – at times, even mercenary rebels of sorts. They willingly face risk, and many of them actively embrace it. Most personality types just aren’t comfortable with that, which can get in the way of friendships.
But these two personality types won’t limit each other in that way. They’ll be free to think, say, and do pretty much whatever they want as work buddies. If they have any problems with each other, they’ll be up front about it, willing to speak and hear blunt truths. When they join forces, it’ll feel like they can finally shrug off the burden of social limits, be honest, and act without restraint.
That kind of shared freedom can lead to amazing innovation and accomplishment. When Debaters and Entrepreneurs put their heads together, they brave uncharted territory and master professional challenges. Novelty excites their shared Prospecting personality trait, and Extraversion leads them to actively engage opportunities. Neither of these personality types will be a wet blanket – they both love to play with fire. Professionally, they’ll back each other’s unconventional, daring moves.
They’ll also handle failure reasonably well, as neither one is likely to get bogged down in rigid expectations or distracted by emotions when they make mistakes. Their Thinking trait means that they’ll offer each other rational perspective, helping them weather disappointments together and come out swinging. Even if one of them gets knocked down, the other won’t let them stay down.
Heading for the Rocks
Their bold, pirate-like attitude doesn’t mean that things will always be smooth sailing for Debater and Entrepreneur work buddies. Their competitiveness may cause some friction at times. And even if they remain loyal to each other, their similarities may cause harmful blind spots.
These personality types often don’t know when to slow down or use caution. There’s a fine line between bravely pushing boundaries and dangerously breaking rules, and neither type tends to care when they step over it. Their boldness can become foolhardiness if they both stoke each other’s risk-taking with cheerful disregard for consequences.
Another unhappy potential is that their shared rapport may encourage each other’s rougher social behavior. They may lose themselves in their heady mutual permission and end up offending or hurting other people, whether through rambunctious disregard or merely overheard uncensored conversations. Obviously, that can get them into trouble at work.
Ever Onward
While it’s possible that any similar personality types can bring out each other’s bad sides, that’s more a matter of personal wisdom and maturity than anything else. There’s no reason that Debaters and Entrepreneurs can’t feed each other’s best virtues and help each other parley them into professional success.
Want to learn more? This is just a glimpse at some of the common tendencies of these personality types. To take a deep dive, check out our Premium Profiles on Debaters (ENTPs) and Entrepreneurs (ESTPs).
One of the best things about these work buddies is where they differ – the Intuitive and Observant traits. Debaters have an unconventional kind of imagination that can surprise even the most flexible-thinking Entrepreneurs with new, appealing options. And Entrepreneurs have a way of masterfully accomplishing real-world maneuvers that can complement yet go beyond Debaters’ brilliant theory. Together, these personality types increase both the scope and practicality of their accomplishments. That’s critical to success in a world where the value of an idea is often linked to its functionality.
And last but far from least, these sharper-edged personalities will benefit from each other’s lighter side. Nothing helps the stress of a workday pass like laughter and fun, and one of the best qualities of irreverence is irreverent humor – something that Debaters and Entrepreneurs know well. It may be this link that ultimately guides them through difficult waters to success and happiness.
Because no matter what else is going on, they can always fall back on their rough-and-ready style of friendship, where nothing is taken too seriously and anything seems possible.
Further Reading
- Most Debaters and Entrepreneurs might want to check out an interesting perspective on emotional intelligence in the workplace.
- Does your personality type determine your job?
- When you understand 3 issues that Turbulent personality types face when trying to fit in at work, it helps you overcome them.
- Whether you’re an Introvert or an Extravert, you need to know these 10 ways to handle working from home.