| iSfJ:
Portrait of the Protector Copyrighted © 1996
|
In addition to being concrete
in speech and cooperative in getting things done, the "Protectors" are
also informative and attentive in their social roles. Their strength is
in protecting others from harm and loss since they tend to practice doing
this even when they are children.
The primary desire of the Protector is to be of service and to minister to others, but here "service" means not so much providing others with the necessities of life (the provider's concern) as protecting others from life's pitfalls and injuries. There are probably lots of Protectors in the population, as many as ten percent. A good thing, because they are vigilant in their protecting, and seem fulfilled in the degree they can insure the safekeeping of those in their family, their circle of friends, or their place of business. They also derive a great deal of satisfaction from caring for others, and they offer their comfort gently and helpfully. They enjoy assisting the downtrodden and can handle disability and neediness in others better than any other type. Protectors go about their task of caretaking quietly, unassumingly, and because of this their efforts are sometimes not fully appreciated. They are not as open and talkative as the Providers, except with close friends and relatives. With these, however, they can chat tirelessly, and for as long as it takes to cover in minute detail everything concrete in their lives. But their shyness with strangers is often misjudged as stiffness, even coldness, when in truth iSfJs are warm-hearted and sympathetic, giving happily of themselves to those in need- although, curiously, their interest may wane when the recipient is no longer in trouble. Their quietness ought really to be seen as an expression, not of coldness, but of their sincerity and seriousness of purpose. Like all the Guardians, iSfJs have a highly developed puritan work ethic, which tells them that work is good, and that play must be earned- if indulged in at all. The least hedonic of all types, iSfJs are willing to work long, long hours doing all the thankless jobs the other types seem content to ignore. Thoroughness and frugality are also virtues for iSfJs. When they undertake a task, they will complete it if at all humanly possible; and they know the value of material resources and abhor the squandering or misuse of these resources. Protectors are quite content to work alone; indeed, they may experience some discomfort when placed in positions of authority, and may try to do everything themselves rather than insist that others do their jobs. |