Brad: the Provider Guardian (ESFJ)

Brad is in the middle of being an extrovert and introvert. After reading both profiles, I think this one fits him better.

Provider Guardians (ESFJs) take it upon themselves to arrange for the health and welfare of those in their care, but they are also the most sociable of all the Guardians, and thus are great nurturers of established institutions, such as schools, churches, social clubs and civic groups. Wherever they go, Providers take up the role of social contributor, happily giving their time and energy to make sure that the needs of others are met, that traditions are supported and developed, and that social functions are a success.

Providers are very likely more than 10 percent of the population, and this is very fortunate for the rest of us, because friendly social service is a key to their nature. Highly cooperative themselves, Providers are skilled in maintaining teamwork among their helpers, and are also tireless in their attention to details of furnishing goods and services. They make excellent chairpersons in charge of banquets, rummage sales, charity balls and the like. They are without peer as masters of ceremonies, able to approach others with ease and confidence, and seemingly aware of what everyone's been doing. And they are outstanding hosts or hostesses, able to remember people's names, usually after one introduction, and always concerned abou tthe needs of their guests, wanting to insure that all are involved and provided for.

Friendly, sociable, personable, neighborly - in a word, Providers are "gregarious," so much so that they can become restless when isolated from people. And they love to talk with others. Even among strangers (on an airplane, in the line at the grocery store, in a doctor's waiting room), ESFJs will strike up a conversation and chat pleasantly about any topic that comes to mind. Like all the Guardians, they tend to have material things on their mind rather than imaginary things, and in conversation they follow a sort of free association, bouncing from subject to subject, from weather to sports to food to prices, and so on. Social traditions matter to Providers, and their conversations often drift to nostalgic recounting of past experiences in the "good old days." In addition, Providers show a delightful fascination with gossip, not only concerning celebrities, but also their friends and neighbors. If we wish to know what's been going on in the local community, school or church, they're happy to fill us in on all the details. At the same time, ESFJs can occasionally dwell on people's troubles - or their own aches and pains - sometimes to the point of getting themselves down in the dumps.

Providers are extremely sensitive to the feelings of others, which makes them perhaps the most sympathetic of all the types, but which also leaves them rather self-conscious, that is, highly sensitive to what others think of them. Because of this, ESFJs can be crushed by personal criticism, and will work most effectively when given ample appreciation both for themselves personally and for the service they give others. This is not to say that Providers are afraid to express their own emotional reactions. They are quick to like and dislike - and don't mind saying so - tending to put on a pedestal whatever or whoever they admire, and to come down hard on those people and issues they don't care for.

In their choice of careers, Providers may lean toward sales and service occupations. They have such pleasant, outgoing personalities that they are far and away the best sales reps, not only regularly winning sales contests, but earning seniority in any sales group within an organization. Observing ESFJs at work in a sales transaction reveals clearly how this type personalized the sale. They are visibly - and honestly - concerned with their customer's welfare, and thus the customer is not simply buying the product, but is buying personality from the Provider. This same characteristic causes them to be good in many people-to-people jobs, as teachers, clergy, coaches, social workers, office receptionists, and so on. Providers seldom become a source of irritation in the workplace; on the contrary, they are unflagging in their devotion to their company, and show such personal loyalty to their immediate supervisors that they make invaluable personal secretaries.

Providers take their role as family provider seriously, in both a material and a moral sense. They provide a comfortable home environment, healthy food, clean clothes, and a modest store of possessions. But they are also conscientious about routine domestic chores, are orderly about the house, and prefer that other family members be the same. In addition, they have a strong set of family values with clear shoulds and shouldn'ts, which they expect their family to abide by. Providers want family decisions settled quickly and with little fuss, and they want family living regularly scheduled and correctly executed.

Providers make faithful and loving mates, willing to stand by their husband or wife through good times and bad, going beyond the call of duty to keep the marriage running smoothly, even when the road is rocky. They enjoy socializing and entertaining, and take great pride in preparing and serving food and beverages. They love traditional festivities, Christmas parties, dinner dances, church breakfasts, and seem able to express the right feeling for a given social occasion. they are fond-hearted, sentimental and usually make a wonderful fuss over birthdays and anniversaries.

Providers are fiercely supportive of their children, and will sacrifice to see that they get everything they need for their well-being. At times, ESFJs get their own sense of success as a parent wrapped up in their children's successes and failures. They often see their children as an extension of the family, with whatever the kids do reflecting on them as parents. If their children are polite and productive, Providers glow with pride; but if their kids are rowdy or unappreciative, Provider parents may be embarrassed and become critical toward them, trying to instill in them a sense of social decorum and gratitude.