EJ, or Linear-Assertive Temperament (Extroverted, Rational, Dynamic)
These types exhibit the following core characteristics:
- Quick to start (Extroversion): They are easily and quickly energized or stimulated.
- Slow to stop (Dynamic): Once they begin, they tend to carry on due to the inertia of the initial quick impulse. They have difficulty halting momentum.
- Driven to completion (Rationality): They are inclined to see projects and tasks through to the very end.
EJ types implement their intentions directly, openly, and without compromise. They possess the internal drive to push themselves into action even when they lack the initial motivation to start a task. They prefer to push through obstacles rather than seek detours, and their communication and actions are often direct and assertive.
One can learn persistence from them, as this quality is a fundamental reason behind the genuine success of highly successful individuals. However, even the strongest cliffs crumble, and it is not uncommon to find many burned-out or demotivated individuals belonging to these types.
It is difficult for a rational extravert to sit still in one place; they practically start feeling ill. They must be "plugged in"—included in some kind of situation. Their activity and dynamics are always tied to the entire process they're engaged in. For as long as they are in a given context, they are interacting with it, trying to influence the process. They are constantly being carried somewhere by their momentum; it is hard for them to stop. Their processes follow a specific sequence—like a "macro" or program that has to be run from start to finish. They will be dissatisfied if they stop halfway through.
That is why, if such a person wants to tell you something—say they come to you after an event and want to share it—they won't calm down until they finish the story. Even if people interrupt them, they will keep talking. If they happen to be a Declatim as well (like an ESE or an LIE), they are almost impossible to interrupt.
For instance, an ESE is telling a story, full of emotion and impressions. Someone else tries to cut in. She just raises her voice, emotionally overrides the background noise, shuts the other person down, and keeps going. When you listen to an ESE—at least in my experience—it's all about relationships: who shouted at whom, a dog bit someone's backside, something else happened. It's like a "Brazilian soap opera" or everyday drama. You just want to "change the channel" to the news or something else.
As for LIE... when they start explaining something, it seems the thought of stopping them rarely even enters anyone's head. Because he is so "technical"—so logical—that you find yourself wanting to understand: "Where is he going with this? What is the point?" You get absorbed in what he's saying. He explains how it started here, then consistently moves through point A, B, and C... and it feels like it must lead somewhere.
Source: S. Ionkin