On this page, you will discover the INFJ MBTI profile.
You will find:
- The meaning of its preferences
- Its main characteristics Its strengths and possible challenges
You will also gain a better understanding of:
- The type of environment in which the INFJ functions most comfortably
- Their way of communicating and their leadership style
- How they react to change and stressful situations
- Key reference points to better understand them and support them more effectively in coaching.
This page provides an overall view of the INFJ profile. To go further and gain a more nuanced and personalised understanding, an MBTI® training programme helps clarify whether you are INFJ and identify concrete ways to develop.
What does INFJ mean?
INFJ is the code created by Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs to represent the MBTI personality type that shows a preference for:
- Introversion (I)
- Intuition (N)
- Feeling (F)
- Judging (J)
What are the typical characteristics of an INFJ?
How does the INFJ perceive information?
Early in life, the INFJ develops a primary cognitive function, known as the Dominant function, which is Introverted Intuition (Ni).
They process information in a global way. Their perception operates through the association of ideas.
They are conceptual and strategic thinkers.
Their language is abstract, conceptual, and often metaphorical.
Nikki (Ni)*
Introverted Intuition
How does the INFJ analyse information?
As they grow, usually around adolescence, the INFJ develops a second cognitive function, their Auxiliary function, which is Extraverted Feeling (Fe).
They analyse information subjectively. They make decisions while remaining sensitive to the impact those decisions may have on others.
They have a need to take care of others and to create an environment in which everyone feels included.
Félicie (Fe)*
Extraverted Feeling
* The characters representing Introverted Intuition (Ni): Nikki and Extraverted Feeling (Fe): Félicie come from our book on personality types, Vous êtes unique, and are protected by copyright.
How does an INFJ function?
People with an INFJ profile need to step back and spend time alone so their mind can analyse and connect information. This explains their need for withdrawal and their strong capacity for concentration.
Once the INFJ has formed a point of view, they tend to express it in a gentle and considerate way.
The INFJ needs to live in a structured and organised environment that aligns with their vision of what a harmonious environment should be.
A lesser-known characteristic of the INFJ is that they are more visionary when they are able to withdraw and gain perspective.
What are the natural strengths of an INFJ, and what are their potential weaknesses?
What are the strengths of the INFJ?
The INFJ is generally calm and has a strong ability to concentrate. They are a visionary, with a strong capacity to project themselves into the future, define a strategy, and follow it consistently.
They are often able to connect information very quickly and draw conclusions from data that may appear separate or unrelated.
They tend to be considerate, attentive, and genuinely concerned about others.
They are often very focused on helping others reach their potential.
What are the potential challenges of the INFJ?
The INFJ often finds it difficult to live in the present moment.
Their communication style can become very abstract. INFJs may struggle to “keep things simple”.
They can lose touch with practical realities, overlook details, and lack realism.
Their level of self-expectation can become very high, to the point of neglecting their own health, especially when they are focused on contributing to the well-being of others.
They often find it difficult to express their needs in a sufficiently assertive way and tend to place too much emphasis on maintaining group harmony.
INFJs frequently avoid dealing with conflict and may seek “too much” agreement from others.
They regularly experience difficulties behaving in an assertive manner.
What kind of work environment suits an INFJ?
What kind of work environment suits an INFJ?
INFJs need an environment that is:
- Structured
- Guided by a long-term vision that everyone strives to follow
- Characterised by harmonious relationships
- Inclusive, where everyone feels integrated.
What does an INFJ not want in their work?
INFJs dislike work environments that are:
- Chaotic;
- Where priorities change constantly according to events
- Marked by conflict and a lack of consideration for the needs of others.
What is the INFJ’s preferred leadership style?
The INFJ belongs to the Idealist temperament identified by David Keirsey.
They need work that gives meaning to life.
They seek to feel in harmony within the group and look for an environment where people take care of one another and live in alignment with shared values.
They appreciate a manager who allows them to grow as a person. To manage an INFJ effectively, it is helpful to adopt a coaching-based leadership style.
In their management style, they are visionary leaders who enjoy inspiring the team.
During leadership training, an INFJ will need to develop their pragmatic side, their ability to focus on short-term tangible results, and their capacity to give direct feedback, even when it may be uncomfortable.
What is the INFJ’s natural communication style?
An INFJ tends to use imaginative, conceptual and metaphorical language.
They may have difficulty explaining the factual elements that led them to certain conclusions; they tend to speak in more general and global terms.
They communicate primarily to express their point of view, which they usually do in a delicate and diplomatic manner. This makes them a good candidate for developing “under-assertive” communication.
Their reasoning is based on subjective considerations; they tend to make decisions by thinking about the impact their decision will have on others.
The INFJ appears much more reserved than the ENFJ and has a different energy, which is one of the criteria used to distinguish between these two MBTI® profiles.
What is the INFJ’s preferred change management style?
The INFJ is often among the first to intuit future trends.
Their new ideas can be highly innovative, but they may lack clear links to operational realities.
The INFJ is at their best when providing a global, strategic vision and when grouping projects into coherent categories.
Areas for development that INFJs often identify during change management training relate to their ability to connect with on-the-ground realities, simplify their language, and express their point of view more assertively.
What is the INFJ’s natural conflict management style?
The INFJ’s natural response to conflict is to try to protect everyone involved by avoiding sensitive topics and seeking solutions that allow all stakeholders to feel comfortable.
For them, relationships and group harmony need to be preserved.
In conflict situations, they may appear overly reserved or overly concerned with protecting others, and may even be perceived as avoiding conflict altogether (which they may indeed do on a regular basis).
What stresses an INFJ? How can they improve their stress management?
The MBTI helps to understand what causes stress for an INFJ and to anticipate their behaviour under mild stress and severe stress. This understanding supports better stress management.
What stresses an INFJ?
The main stressors for an INFJ include:
- Having to deal with tasks that are poorly defined, or lacking an overall view of what needs to be done
- Working in an environment that lacks structure and is disorganised
- Having to focus on trivial details or administrative tasks
- Dealing with people who act without a clear guiding thread
- Interacting with people who communicate in an overly factual way
- Operating in an environment where their concern for others is not valued
- Being in contact with people who do not respect group norms.
How does an INFJ react under stress?
Under mild stress:
- They become even more visionary
- They lose touch with reality
- They distance themselves further from operational realities
- They become more abstract
- They withdraw more
Under severe stress, an INFJ may:
- Become extremely active
- Engage in excessive physical activity
- Rush forward without thinking, as if their guiding thread had suddenly disappeared.
How can an INFJ manage their stress?
To reduce stress, an INFJ will seek to (re)connect with a structured environment in which:
- They have a clear view of the long-term strategy
- They can organise and plan activities in line with long-term objectives.
A calm, harmonious environment where everyone feels included can also help a,n INFJ move out of a state of stress.
What is the type dynamics of the INFJ?
- The INFJ’s Dominant function is Introverted Intuition (Ni)
- Its Auxiliary function is Extraverted Feeling (Fe)
- Its Tertiary function is Introverted Thinking (Ti)
- Its Inferior function is Extraverted Sensing (Se)
- Its Opposing function is Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
- Its Critical Parent function is Introverted Feeling (Fi)
- Its Trickster function is Extraverted Thinking (Te)
- Its Demonic function is Introverted Sensing (Si)
Understanding the INFJ’s type dynamics makes it possible to adapt coaching to their preferences. This is known as differentiated coaching. Results are achieved more quickly and tend to be more sustainable.
How can an INFJ develop over the course of their life?
What kind of child is an INFJ?
- INFJ children are naturally imaginative and calm.
- They enjoy spending time alone daydreaming and are not strongly drawn to practical matters.
How does the INFJ develop during adolescence?
- Adolescence is a period marked by the development of extraversion and a search for harmony.
- INFJs have many more social contacts and become increasingly interested in values (their own, those of people close to them, their career, and so on).
How can an INFJ develop in adulthood (possible development in their thirties)?
- In their thirties, INFJs may develop more logical thinking and behave in a more assertive way.
- In this phase, they tend to be less concerned about hurting others.
How can an INFJ develop in midlife (possible development around 40–50 years old)?
- In midlife, INFJs may begin to live more in the present moment, seek out more sensory experiences, and pay closer attention to details.
How to Coach an INFJ?
The INFJ is an MBTI® type that is generally quite comfortable with the first stage of the GROW model.
In differentiated coaching, the coach supports the INFJ coachee in analysing the situation (Realities) within the GROW framework. The coach will need to regularly support the exploration of Options (O), so that the INFJ gives sufficient consideration to their own needs.
What Links Exist Between the INFJ Profile and Process Com® Profiles?
MBTI® and Process Communication Model® are based on different underlying models.
MBTI® is founded on an innate model: we are born with natural preferences in how we function, which influence the way we perceive reality and make decisions.
Process Communication®, on the other hand, is an acquired model. The profile develops through education and life experiences, particularly during early childhood.
However, a link can be observed between these two approaches. Certain Process Communication® profiles may be more likely to appear among certain MBTI® types, without there being any systematic correspondence.
A more frequent presence of the Empathic or Imaginer profiles in Process Com could be considered among INFJ profiles. However, our experience in Process Communication® training has not enabled us to confirm this hypothesis.
