This gift is sometimes translated encouragement, and sometimes exhortation. If we look at the exhortation side, to exhort is to “urge one to pursue some course of conduct[1].” This is a difficult job, because it is easier to follow the commands of a leader than it is to follow advice to change our behavior. But the popular and eloquent ENFJ has all of the skills needed for this task:
Keirsey expands on the ENFJs skill at exhortation:
The gift of exhortation is often called the gift of encouragement, and encouragement involves more than words—it involves seeing the capacity for growth in people. Encouragers must be able to see the potential in others and encourage them toward that potential. Marilyn Hickey calls exhortation the “gift of encouragement to personal progress[4].” This same idea is found in Keirsey and Bates’ word for the ENFJ: “pedagogue.” “What is a pedagogue? A catalyst of the growth process, someone who has that uncanny ability to ‘bring out’ the other, to activate the differentiation or ‘unfolding’ process in the learner[5].”
Summary: For each of the sixteen personality types there is a theme or set of related themes that run through the various descriptions of that type. The theme of the ENFJ is usually related to mentoring or teaching. The teaching done by the ENFJ, however, could better be classified as encouraging growth. ENFJs often sense more of a calling to teach at the junior high or high school level as opposed to elementary or college, and it is in these crucial years of identity formation that they are often chosen as the best teachers. They are not chosen because they “make the complex understandable” but more likely because their students are inspired that someone sees more potential in them than they have ever seen in themselves and they respond with “a desire to live up to” the teachers’ expectations, not for increased knowledge and understanding, but expectations for personal growth. Even though encouragement is not the primary theme of the ENFJ it shows up clearly in the descriptions and makes a very good match.
References
[1] William McRae, Dynamics of Spiritual Gifts (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976), 50.
[2] Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen, Type Talk (New York: Broadman Press, 1988), 272-273.
[3] David Keirsey, Portraits of Temperament (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis, 1987), 97-98.
[4] Marilyn Hickey, Motivational Gifts. (Word of Faith, 1983), 35.
[5] David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis, 1978), 71.
The ENFJs combination of preferences makes this type a natural when it comes to motivating people—even motivating them to do something they may not initially have wanted to do...ENFJs have a zeal for imposing “what’s good for humanity” upon humanity—and, fortunately, more often than not, humanity is better off as a result.[2]
Keirsey expands on the ENFJs skill at exhortation:
They expect the very best from those around them, and this expectation, which they present in an encouraging manner, induces action and desire to live up to the expectations. Pedagogues seem to take it for granted that their implicit commands will be obeyed, and with good reason, since their suggestions are more often followed than not.[3]
The gift of exhortation is often called the gift of encouragement, and encouragement involves more than words—it involves seeing the capacity for growth in people. Encouragers must be able to see the potential in others and encourage them toward that potential. Marilyn Hickey calls exhortation the “gift of encouragement to personal progress[4].” This same idea is found in Keirsey and Bates’ word for the ENFJ: “pedagogue.” “What is a pedagogue? A catalyst of the growth process, someone who has that uncanny ability to ‘bring out’ the other, to activate the differentiation or ‘unfolding’ process in the learner[5].”
Summary: For each of the sixteen personality types there is a theme or set of related themes that run through the various descriptions of that type. The theme of the ENFJ is usually related to mentoring or teaching. The teaching done by the ENFJ, however, could better be classified as encouraging growth. ENFJs often sense more of a calling to teach at the junior high or high school level as opposed to elementary or college, and it is in these crucial years of identity formation that they are often chosen as the best teachers. They are not chosen because they “make the complex understandable” but more likely because their students are inspired that someone sees more potential in them than they have ever seen in themselves and they respond with “a desire to live up to” the teachers’ expectations, not for increased knowledge and understanding, but expectations for personal growth. Even though encouragement is not the primary theme of the ENFJ it shows up clearly in the descriptions and makes a very good match.
References
[1] William McRae, Dynamics of Spiritual Gifts (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976), 50.
[2] Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen, Type Talk (New York: Broadman Press, 1988), 272-273.
[3] David Keirsey, Portraits of Temperament (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis, 1987), 97-98.
[4] Marilyn Hickey, Motivational Gifts. (Word of Faith, 1983), 35.
[5] David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis, 1978), 71.
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