Jean-Luc Dupont | 20 Decembre 2025 | 12 min
On this page, you will discover the MBTI ENFP profile:
You will also gain insight into:
ENFP is the MBTI® personality type that shows a preference for:
From early childhood, the ENFP develops their Dominant Function: Extraverted Intuition (Ne).
They perceive information through associations of ideas: show them an apple and they may think of New York, Newton, Adam and Eve…
When an ENFP sees or hears information, their brain immediately generates new ideas and new reflections. This way of functioning is even more pronounced when an ENFP is interacting with other people.
This is what gives the ENFP their creativity and their ability to constantly generate new ideas.
In the same way, this leads them to connect the messages they receive with past data, present events, and projections of what could happen in the future.
During adolescence, the ENFP develops their Auxiliary Function: Introverted Feeling (Fi).
The ENFP makes decisions on a subjective basis, according to their personal value system—what they consider good, right, or meaningful.
They tend to seek harmony in their life: living in alignment with their values and meeting people with whom they can share constructive and enriching human experiences.
The characters representing Extraverted Intuition (Ne)—Nelly—and Introverted Feeling (Fi)—Fiona—are taken from our book on the MBTI®: Vous êtes unique, vos interlocuteurs aussi! and are protected by copyright.
ENFPs often recognise themselves when they are described as cheerful, communicative individuals who are deeply attached to their values and who seek harmony in their lives.
An ENFP needs a living environment (and a professional one) that is aligned with their value system. After the INFP, the ENFP is the most frequently represented profile among participants in MBTI training.
ENFPs are generally very creative, highly adaptable, and have a strong ability to bounce back when faced with unexpected situations.
Naturally very communicative, ENFPs usually find it easy to connect with others, but under significant stress, they may withdraw into themselves.
ENFPs generally find it very easy to connect with others. They have a remarkable ability to build relationships and are often the people who stand out at events.
They are often enthusiastic and positive, which reinforces a natural tendency to communicate in a charismatic way.
They are highly creative and tend to “land on their feet” easily, whatever the circumstances or unexpected events.
They also show a certain tendency towards idealism and are naturally comfortable in roles where they can help others grow.
ENFPs may appear unstable, frequently changing ideas, and their moods can also shift suddenly from euphoria to deep discouragement.
They generally lack realism and often struggle to remember deadlines and concrete details.
Combined with their strong creativity, this difficulty regularly leads them to take on too many projects at once, which often has significant consequences in terms of stress.
Their concern for the quality of relationships can sometimes prevent ENFPs from standing up for their ideas.
ENFP profiles often recognise themselves as people who can experience very strong optimism and joy when they are doing well, and equally intense periods of discouragement when they are not feeling well.
ENFPs love working in an environment characterised by enthusiasm, freedom and autonomy.
They seek variety in their work and need a framework that allows them to express their creativity freely and take many initiatives. They enjoy being involved in a wide range of different projects.
They appreciate jobs that give them frequent opportunities for human contact.
ENFPs feel “stifled” in work environments that are too rigid or overly regulated, or where there is a lack of frequent and varied human interaction.
They need a positive, tolerant and constructive organisational culture that is aligned with their value system.
ENFPs may change their minds unpredictably and may struggle to create order and structure; however, they are often the right people to bring in new, “out of the box” ideas.
The ENFP belongs to David Keirsey’s Idealist temperaments.
They seek harmony, meaning, and consistency with their own value system.
They appreciate a manager who allows them to grow and develop as a human being. In particular, they value a leader who adopts a coaching-oriented management approach.
As a leader, the ENFP is especially comfortable in a coaching relationship. They enjoy communicating, instilling positive energy, and seeing their team members grow and develop.
In a leadership training, ENFP types tend to work on learning how to:
ENFP types are often managers whose style is based on coaching, enthusiasm, and lively, engaging communication.
ENFPs generally find it easy to make contact and are often highly visible and forward-presenting at social events such as receptions or networking gatherings.
They often appear cheerful and dynamic and can usually sustain a conversation with great ease.
Their communication style is vivid and metaphorical, and rarely concrete.
They may move very quickly from one topic to another and then return to it later, following the constant flow of associations generated by their dominant function: Extraverted Intuition (Ne).
They tend to communicate in a global way, starting with conclusions, and may sometimes struggle to clearly present the facts on which those conclusions are based.
The main areas for improvement for ENFPs are usually to:
They communicate primarily to exchange ideas and often forget to communicate their decisions once they have reached a conclusion.
Like INFPs, ENFPs often greatly enjoy brainstorming, an exercise in which they frequently excel.
They generate numerous and original ideas. Even if many of these ideas are unrealistic, this is precisely the purpose of brainstorming: to generate as many ideas as possible before sorting and selecting them.
As a result, ENFPs may spread their energy across a large number of projects without having prioritised them or assessed their feasibility. This can increase their stress levels, as will be discussed later.
The areas for improvement they typically seek in change management training relate to their ability to:
ENFP profiles are often catalysts for change. However, they can sometimes create a degree of instability by losing sight of what has already been decided.
What is the ENFP’s natural conflict management style?
For ENFPs, the most significant aspect of conflict relates to subjective and interpersonal dimensions rather than to the objective nature of the disagreement.
When managing conflict, they therefore tend to express their feelings, needs, and frustrations, and encourage the other person to do the same.
In conflict situations, they may appear overly sensitive, overly emotional, overly intrusive, or even indiscreet, and not sufficiently focused on objectives, solutions, or concrete action.
During conflict, ENFPs can be quite talkative and tend to focus on the relational aspect, often at the expense of searching for logical solutions.
A work or living environment in which the ENFP is confronted with an excess of operational details or strict deadlines is a major source of stress for this type. As ENFPs tend to generate many ideas and start too many projects at the same time, they often create the conditions for their own stress.
ENFPs have a strong need for positive relationships. Dealing with critical, negative, or change-resistant people is also a significant source of stress for them.
Under mild stress, the ENFP tends to:
Under severe stress, the ENFP may:
When discomfort becomes long-lasting, the ENFP may tend to:
An ENFP may also alternate between phases of deep low mood and periods of very high positive energy.
To reduce stress, the ENFP benefits from seeking environments and people that allow creative expression without having to carry an “operational burden”.
Spending time with optimistic, positive, and creative people is also an effective way for an ENFP to move out of stress.
Under deep stress, the ENFP may adopt a highly controlling behaviour and become overly attached to minor details, which contrasts strongly with their usual more global and adaptive way of functioning.
From early childhood, the ENFP shows creativity and little interest in practical matters and details.
They are often an enthusiastic child who enjoys contact with others.
During adolescence, the ENFP tends to seek more moments of distance and self-reflection, as well as a deeper connection with their core values.
They may also become more sensitive.
In their thirties, the ENFP may develop a more logical side and find it easier to express their opinions without worrying as much about hurting others.
They may show greater assertiveness.
They also tend to become more comfortable with authority, whether it is authority imposed on them or authority they are required to exercise.
At midlife, the ENFP may become more attentive to the practical aspects of life and to details.
They may also start paying much closer attention to their health.
An ENFP who has successfully achieved individuation may demonstrate structure, continuity, and reliability, while still remaining creative and capable of generating original ideas when faced with the unexpected.
The ENFP is probably the MBTI® profile that is the least well suited to making progress through a coaching methodology such as GROW.
In differentiated coaching, the coach will help free the ENFP by moving away from a linear approach and by showing a high degree of flexibility in how the coaching journey is conducted.
MBTI® and Process Communication® are based on different underlying logics.
MBTI® is an innate model: we are born with natural preferences that influence the way we perceive reality and make decisions.
Process Communication® is an acquired model. The profile is shaped by upbringing and life experiences, particularly during early childhood.
That said, there is a connection between these two models. Certain Process Communication® profiles are more likely to be found among certain MBTI® types, even though there is no systematic one-to-one correspondence.
Our experience in Process Com® training shows that ENFPs are not an MBTI profile that lends itself well to the development of an Analytical or Imaginative base in Process Com®, unlike INFPs, among whom we have often encountered Imaginative base profiles.
We have also quite frequently observed ENFPs with an Energiser profile, and sometimes an Empathic profile, in Process Com®.
Both INFPs and ENFPs have developed Introverted Feeling (Fi) and Extraverted Intuition (Ne), but in a different order. For the INFP, Fi is the
Dominant function and Ne the Auxiliary; for the ENFP, the order is reversed.
Both MBTI profiles continuously generate new ideas and connect them to their personal value system.
They share similarities in certain areas, such as a global communication style, a leadership approach focused on people development, and the way they address change and conflict.
However, their energy and decision-making style differ. The INFP is a Behind the Scenes® type in Linda Berens’ Interaction Styles®, with a focus on finding the best possible decision, whereas the ENFP is a Get Things Going® type, more oriented towards building consensus.
The INFP may be more strongly attached to their values and may struggle with anger, while the ENFP may encounter more challenges related to structure and order.
Your type does not change.
However, it is possible to grow within your type, particularly through the development and dynamics of your functions.
They seek to reach consensus within the group.
This approach is linked to their Get Things Going Interaction Style.
This can happen.
Because of their Get Things Going Interaction Style, the search for consensus can slow down the decision-making process.
Conversely, after seeking consensus for too long without success, the ENFP may sometimes become more abrupt. This pattern can be understood through John Beebe’s model.
This is entirely possible.
Introverted Feeling (Fi) in the Auxiliary position can contribute to a certain level of sensitivity.
That said, we generally observe a more pronounced sensitivity in INFP profiles than in ENFP profiles.
Sharing, a common life path, deep connection, energy, enthusiasm, and frequent contact.
According to David Keirsey, the ENFP belongs to the Idealist temperament.
Their “survival strategy” involves idealising situations and people.
As a result, the ENFP may overlook certain realities—such as conflict or insincere relationships—as a form of self-protection.
Many ENFPs are found in roles that bring meaning to life and foster a sense of usefulness—not through concrete achievements, but through a broader contribution and rich, frequent human interaction.
People-focused professions, such as coaching, are part of this category.
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Jean-Luc Dupont Certified MBTI Practitioner Jean-Luc delivers la formation MBTI en France and the MBTI® and Process Com® training in Belgium, Luxembourg, Europe and Canada. Author:
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MBTI® is a trademark registered by the Myers-Briggs Foundation; OPP holds the rights for Europe.
