So You’re Dating a Commander (ENTJ)

Laura's avatar

What’s it like to go out with a Commander (ENTJ)? Commanders don’t hold back on expressing their opinions – their frankness is legendary, as is their sharp, unsparing sense of humor. This personality type’s energy, confidence, and determination can be hard to resist.

Although they’re social and outgoing, people with this personality type often project an air of self-sufficiency – as if they don’t need anyone else to be happy. In many ways this is true: Commanders are remarkably independent and coolheaded. They tend to make decisions based on what’s rational rather than what’s popular, and they rarely fret about other people’s approval or expectations.

But don’t let that fool you into thinking that this personality type is emotionless, unfeeling, or detached from other people. Commanders are perfectly capable of deep feelings and relationships – they’re just highly selective about who they choose to share their feelings with.

No two people with a given personality type are exactly alike – as any self-respecting Commander would make sure to tell you. That said, this personality type does have certain tendencies when it comes to dating, romance, and love. So here are some things to keep in mind if you find yourself going out with a Commander.

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They’re Not Made of Stone

Commanders are driven and ambitious. They generally have a clear idea of what they want to achieve and where they want to go in life – and heaven help anything or anyone who tries to keep them from meeting these goals.

Given their intense focus on success, you might guess that most Commanders don’t leave room in their lives for romance – but you’d be mistaken. Based on our research, Commanders are far from complacent when it comes to relationships. In fact, 73% of people with this personality type say their ideal social life includes a romantic partner.

Rather than leaving their dating lives to chance, Commanders are the types most likely to take the initiative – both when it comes to asking someone out and when it comes to making a relationship “official.” A majority of Commanders say they think that romantic partners should spend as much time together as possible, and an even greater majority say they seek commitment in their relationships.

People with this personality type aren’t made of stone, and they don’t care only about their grand plans and ambitions. In fact, Commanders can be incredibly generous with their attention and care. That said, this personality type doesn’t exactly specialize in mushy declarations of love. At times, you may need to tell your Commander exactly what they can do to make you feel appreciated and cared for. The good news is that Commanders do care about their relationships – and clear, direct feedback tends to go over better than subtle suggestions or passive-aggressive hints.

They Have Their Vulnerabilities

The impression that most Commanders give off can be summed up in a single word: confidence. People with this personality type know their own minds – and they’re usually pretty certain that whatever they think is exactly right.

From the outside, it may seem as though Commanders have no hang-ups or vulnerabilities. In the early days of a relationship, this confidence tends to be a bit intoxicating. It can be quite a rush to spend time with someone who doesn’t seem to second-guess anything – including their interest in you.

As the relationship progresses, though, you might find yourself wondering what lies beneath this personality type’s armor of self-assurance. Are Commanders’ feelings ever hurt? Would they even care if you broke up with them?

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This dynamic can become even more difficult if you have a more sensitive personality. Commanders are known for their sharp tongues, and they tend to poke fun even at people they care about. If you push back, they might say, “Come on, I was just kidding. Why do you take this stuff so personally?”

Beneath it all, Commanders do have their vulnerabilities, and they can feel deeply. It may just take time for them to decide that they’re ready to share these aspects of themselves with you. However, that doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to share your own vulnerabilities and feelings in the meantime. If a Commander’s jokes or wisecracks make you feel insecure, don’t be afraid to push back and make certain topics off-limits. This personality type may get a kick out of pushing people’s buttons, but that doesn’t mean that they want to hurt someone they care about.

What Do You Think?

So, have you ever gone out with a Commander? What advice would you have for other readers who are dating someone with this personality type? Tell us in the comments!

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Comments

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A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
Haha! This is true. Even if we're already in a relationship, I'd still keep a lot of things to myself. Patience and thick skin are needed. I might not be there 24/7, but I'll do my best to be there for you when you need me the most.
ISTJ avatar
Personally, I think I would enjoy dating a Commander more than any other intuitive personality type. Being able to poke fun at each other and to not take it personally is really important to me. I know you can also get that from a Debater but Commanders are also (according to this article) straight to the point about their intentions and take "clear direct feedback" well. Which is important for me because I don't like hurting peoples feelings but have done so on multiple occasions without realizing it, only to be told later 'that you were very curt back there' or 'you really hurt their feelings' or some other sort of variation of such statements, only to think to myself 'what do you mean? I was telling them the truth/facts' and be completely surprised that some had their feelings hurt. I am sure some Commanders can relate.
ENTJ avatar
Yup, can relate lol.
A grayscale avatar for an anonymous user
No, I would not care if you broke up with me. Lol
ENTJ avatar
I think with teasing, if individuals do so with us -- intentionally or not -- us ENTJs think, "By teasing me, I'm inferring that you'd like me to engage in such banter with you by teasing you as well? ...here goes!" Then we engage in teasing as well. Some individuals aren't prepared to be teased back, though, for whatever reason, even with an astute and quick apology for doing so if they aren't willing to be teased as well. Anyways, speaking for myself, I don't really think of our confidence as a "suit of armor" but rather a dapper tuxedo that I think suits me well and that I'm comfortable in. That is to say that the confidence isn't really meant to be a defense mechanism of some sort but rather just a layer of skin that I'm comfortable in. I should say, though, that if we find ourselves in a tense or dangerous situation, it's likely that we'd be able to reach into our tux or dress for some tool to defuse or neutralize the crisis as Agent 007 would. We love daringly, vulnerably, enduringly. I think that about sums it up. :)
ENTJ avatar
That last line, absolutely.
ENTJ avatar
Yeah, we do!
ENFJ avatar
I am a commander and I totally agree. I usually hide my feelings and whenever I ask my friends what they think, they say that I sound very unfeeling, however, it is quite the opposite.