This page is to make you aware of those having virtually unlimited authority or influence (omnipotent). We explore the characteristics of The Power Hungry Leader™.

We also have some comments as to why someone lacks self-confidence which could apply to any pattern. You may have already picked their pattern using the Oxor Method™.
Composed by Modern Maven Elizabeth Hunter™ from decades of observation - Latest update January 30, 2024.

Situation - You now know what to expect as the top four show you their scale of being Omnipotent. Plus the runners up!

1. Pattern 2 - The Developer - ENTJ

The top one should be no surprise to anyone. The Developer is a natural born leader and manager with a bully boy approach. Accordingly, others are either ess, aitch, one tee scared of them or respect them. They can delegate like no tomorrow. They have a knack for figuring out how to get things done, an asset. This pattern is extremely powerful. They work their contacts, know the right people in the right places and how to leverage them. They have the resources and know how to fully maximize them. They see opportunities with next to no effort.

The Developer combines a volatile mix of coercion and total and complete ruthlessness in the attainment of their goals. They share the 'the end justify the means' with the Persuader. They will cause an unjust end for a lot of people - the boss, supplier, employee and grandmother. The Developer is very hard to trust, so it makes sense never to do that. If you cross a Developer as an employee, you have implemented the CLM - the career limiting move and you generally are running the risk of being stabbed in the back. If you do decide to cross a Developer, you either will be a Developer or know a bigger Developer.

They absolutely desire power in their lives mostly because they dislike losing control. They value being able to be in control of their own lives and their own choices. They often search for a position of power so that they can educate and build a positive future. They want to be able to inform others and dislike witnessing ignorance in the world around them. Their desire to acquire power is often from the good intention of simply wanting to be able to get things done without having the wrong people controlling them.

MO: "Here is the way forward” - A confident, reasoned and convincing influencer, who presents an informed and intellectual argument.

Tips - to influence your Developer (and Enhancer). Be competent, credible and compelling. Acknowledge their expertise and listen to their ideas. See their questions and doubts as enabling everyone to get a fuller picture. DO NOT be overly emotional or fake goodwill. DO NOT be unprepared or lack focus. DO NOT have nothing to back up your claims.

Conclusion: Brilliant manager, mostly very difficult to work with.

2. Pattern 16 - The Enhancer - INTJ

It may come as a surprise for an introvert to come in at number two. The Enhancer is the wonderful leader and manager who works behind the scenes and prefers to be out of the spotlight. However, they can manipulate all manner of things, from organisational systems, to data and to people on a grand scale. There is absolutely nothing that an Enhancer cannot turn into reality. And they are brilliant enough to let all eyes be elsewhere while they pull the strings from the shadows.

This pattern would prefer to be regarded as the most omnipotent. However, they prefer to appear to be less powerful than the Developer. This aspect is liked by some, particularly those who do not respect the Developer. But, if any reader wants a little bit of quiet advice, you should think very carefully if it wise to dare to cross an Enhancer. They will do all they can to see the other party rot in hell. The Enhancer will dig your hole for you, throw you in, fill the hole with substantiated facts and then concrete the hole over. While the Enhancer rates behind the Investigator as the 'doorslammer', the Enhancer has no issue in holding others to account. They are ridiculously reliable so being late is tempting fate. So it is wise not to mess with them, never appeal to their emotion and realise that the Enhancer will ask for proof of anything that you say, write or claim.

They crave a sense of power simply because they value having control. They can become frustrated when people who lack a certain level of intelligence and are an idiot or fcukwit seem to have control of those around them. This is a big reason why they search for some sort of power simply to keep from the ignorant people around them having this sense of control. They want to be able to spread the truth and dislike seeing ignorance and mediocrity in the world. They often want to take revenge. You have been warned.

Sometimes the Enhancer does sometimes need to be brought down to more practical levels. They can be perfectionistic - the plan must be perfect or else why bother?. They can rely on the Objective Thinker to help blend innovation with practicality.

MO: "Here is the way forward” - A confident, reasoned and convincing influencer, who presents an informed and intellectual argument.

Tips - to influence your Enhancer (and Developer). Be competent, credible and compelling. Acknowledge their expertise and listen to their ideas. See their questions and doubts as enabling everyone to get a fuller picture. DO NOT be overly emotional or fake goodwill. DO NOT be unprepared or lack focus. DO NOT have nothing to back up your claims.

Conclusion: Wonderful manager, excels particularly when left to their own devices.

Elizabeth Hunter™ is an Enhancer.

3. Pattern 13 - The Practitioner - ISFJ

A second introvert in the top 4, coming in third. This is quite a surprise as the Practitioner is a terrible leader and manager. They are absolutely terrific as followers - fabulous employees etc. On their own, one is an innocent turtle. But this one innocent turtle is backed by a cavalcade of loyal followers, all disagreeing and arguing with each other, but they are effectively a stampede of elephants waiting to happen. The Practitioner realises that their power base comprise all these followers and presses on accordingly. All the followers owe the Practitioner a favour. Also they use kindness, favours and gifts as a way to control the elephants. This is accomplished by doing a little bit here and there, giving a little bit here and there to eventually amass quite a degree of influence.

The Practitioner tends to know all the right people and appears as an expert on everything. On the surface, they are not anywhere near as threatening or as powerful as the others on this page but they actually can be. This is because the Practitioner is a defensive player (follower) rather than an offensive player (leader). They also tend to work hard and play nice which is precisely why they are so powerful. As sensors they are masterminds and it is wise to know this before you cross them. When held to account or when there is any criticism, there are always problems and the innocent turtle is neither innocent nor a turtle as their passive-aggressive style will be evident and they will duck and weave and play the victim.

They are not really power hungry people, per se, and rarely find themselves wanting this type of control alone. While they do care to protect their loved ones they are not interested in being someone who controls others. They might even be annoyed by people in power, especially if they abuse that control. For them being in a position of power means great responsibility and that should not be taken lightly. They often desire to live a more simple life and want to be able to care for and protect the people they love.

MO: “Let’s work together” - A practical, positive and collaborative influencer who empathizes with others to build a “real” relationship.

Tips - to influence your Practitioner. Lead by example, Remember that trust and honesty are at the heart of the interaction, Show them you have listened and understood them. DO NOT be deceptive in what you are doing. DO NOT exclude important facts and feelings. DO NOT use big words or technical information to make yourself look important.

Conclusion: Terrible manager, but often has lots of influence but what you see is often not what you will get.

4. Pattern 1. The Director - ESTJ

The Director is an excellent choice for being fourth. Their 'my way or the highway' attitude may indicate that they are not that powerful, say, when compared to the Results and Inspirational who have missed out on the final four. However the Director is an extremely effective manager and may be a little underhanded in their rise to glory. A Developer and an Enhancer would prevail mostly with the use of keen logic and intuition while the Practitioner would prevail with the use of kindness and connections. The Director would bulldoze their way to the top via performance and throwing people under the bus. A doyen of bureaucracy, they are masters of the rules and know how to use them against you to get ahead. They have dirt on everyone in the hierarchy because few can follow policies and procedures as meticulously as the Director. Very few can outperform them on key metrics. The Director is not scared to leverage others’ shortcomings to gain favour and the strings they pull stretch as far above them, as they do below them. If you are of no further use, you are finished.

The Director, on paper, may look to be of upstanding moral character and the majority are. If anyone had to decide between trusting a Developer or a Director, they might well let the Developer stab them in the back just to keep an eye on the Director.

They do crave power in some ways since they dislike losing control. They want to acquire the ability to take charge of a situation since they dislike having others control them. They want to care for their loved ones and will do whatever they can to become capable of doing this. For them obtaining power is simply an important part of being able to release the control to anyone else and it is necessary in order to help their loved ones feel provided for.

Dealing with the Director in the workplace is a nightmare whether you are the boss or the worker. They firmly believe that the way things have been done for decades is still the best way to do things. Oxor™ noticed that in the 1980s; the Directors would always be looking back at WWII. Even better if their dad was in it or a relative. They expected all to know specific battles in which their dad participated. And this applied to the workplace 40 years later. They are very inflexible thinkers, which is fine if they keep it to themselves. But they do not. They want to run the show their way and do not tolerate dissent at all. Years of experience trumps creativity and exploration. They are very unimaginative people who are unable to do thought experiments, which is why they loudly shout down anything creative and abstract which they cannot understand. They must see ‘X’ directly, and cannot infer ‘X’ inductively or indirectly. It usually takes a while for them to get there. They might view others as disrespectful and insubordinate but they could not care less.

MO: “Let’s do the right thing” - A straightforward, direct and efficient influencer.

Tips - to influence your Director. Outline the pros and cons of each alternative, Provide facts and evidence to support a viewpoint, Be clear, direct, honest and credible. DO NOT be too emotional or overly personal, DO NOT present inconsistent or flawed arguments, DO NOT hesitate or show a lack of confidence.

Conclusion: Effective manager, particularly if things are done their way. Loathed by everyone and they know it and do not care. The Captain George Mainwaring.

The runners up; not in any order of ranking

Pattern 3 - Results - ESTP They sometimes do crave a sense of power, simply because they do like being in control. They often feel this way because they dislike others being in control of them and would prefer to have the power themselves. They enjoy being someone that others can respect which might be a reason to obtain some sort of power. They do not often have ill intentions; they simply want to be able to maintain control of their own lives and to make their own choices.

Pattern 4 - Inspirational - ENTP They are not really power hungry people since they do not enjoy that level of responsibility. They prefer to have their own sense of freedom and want others to have that as well. They do not like being controlled by anyone and will fight against authority in most situations. They simply want to explore and discover knowledge wherever they can. They enjoy being able to live their lives without rules or obligations and, because of this, the idea of power rarely seems appealing to them.

Pattern 5 - Persuader - ENFJ They often crave a sense of control but this is often so that they can protect themselves and others. They care deeply for their loved ones and want to do whatever they can to keep them safe and happy. They might be fearful of not being able to provide for the people around them which is why they may work for a sense of power and control by manipulation. For them it is about being in a position to take care of others, not to feel superior to them. They have big hearts and a strong desire to please others and it is definitely something they work towards relentlessly.

Pattern 6 - Appraiser - ESFJ They care so deeply for their loved ones that there may be times when they crave some sort of power. This is often from a deep desire to protect and provide for the people they love and not to feel superior to others. They might be a bit afraid of power in some ways and realize that it means a lot of responsibility. They might search for some sort of control so that they can protect the people they care for and make sure they are happy and provided for.

Pattern 7 - Promoter - ENFP They do not often have an outright desire for power and prefer to have independence. They realize that too much power requires a lot of responsibility and this is not something that they are interested in. They prefer to feel free to do their own thing and to make their own choices in life. When they are around people who are power hungry it can actually frustrate them immensely. They do not appreciate when people attempt to wield some sort of control or power over them and this is why they often fight against authority.
They let others talk about feelings and emotions without making me feel stupid. They can also get others to open up easily and others can really enjoy seeing how they interact with the world. They are extremely charming and authentic people and remarkably open-minded. They can be great at introducing interesting people and at finding fun things to do. But they never finish anything.

Pattern 8 - Counselor - ESFP They want to have a sense of freedom in their lives and believe that everyone should also have this. When people try to control others it can truly upset them. They often feel like avoiding people in authority since they dislike those who seek to control others. They want to be able to explore their own options and crave a sense of freedom instead of power.

Pattern 9 - Specialist - ISFP They do not really have a desire to obtain power and might find people in positions of authority to be a bit obnoxious. They often see that people who crave power will abuse this and that is something that they cannot respect. They would rather have a sense of a freedom in their lives and want this for others as well. They are free-spirits who enjoy being able to make their own choices and be able to explore their own emotions.

Pattern 10 - Investigator - INFJ They are not often power hungry people, but they often live with many different layers to their personalities. While some will veer away from power and might even be bothered by it others crave the sense of control. They are complex people and they do not simply live by a set of rules that others can easily understand. Some might feel as if they require a sense of power in order to protect themselves and the ones they love. This is often simply to be able to be in control for positive reasons and not in order to be superior to anyone else.
They can see the world as others see it, but have completely different means of dealing with the same problem. Others can have discussions for hours on end and lose track of time. They are highly intelligent so they can keep up. They also have excellent advice on people situations. They are the most logical of all the feelers.

Pattern 11 - Agent - INFP They rarely crave power and often feel weary of it entirely. They dislike seeing people wielding their power over others and often feel strongly uneasy around people who crave control. They want to see a sense of freedom with the people around them and value being able to make their own choices. People who are power hungry often anger them and they have a hard time respecting anyone like this. They do not believe that people should be able to control others and have a strong sense of inner morals.
They are the best for self-discovery and helping to understand one's self to the core. They are very curious, innocent, creative, unique and sensitive (but sometimes tough in the traits that matter) individuals. They do seem to be tortured individuals and very philosophical they want others to help them solve their problems by providing new philosophical perspectives. They are a bloody nuisance.

Pattern 12 - Achiever ISTP They definitely do not care for power most of the time and prefer to be on their own. They are more like a lone wolf who prefers a sense of independence. They do not want to be in a position of power simply for the sake of it and often prefer to be on their own. Being in control of others is not really something they are interested in and they definitely do not enjoy someone else wielding control over them.

Pattern 14 - Objective Thinker - ISTJ They do want to acquire some sort of power at least enough to maintain control over their own lives. Their desire for power is simply to avoid having others control them or their loved ones. They prefer to be able grow towards a positive future and will constantly work to climb this ladder. In order to acquire a sense of power, they are not afraid to work for it and to continue building what they want.
They needs to be open-minded and willing to accept that things can and should be done differently if the idea proposed by them is logically sound. But they are closed minded. They need to be a bit flexible in their thinking. They will make the effort to try and understand new ideas proposed by the Enhancer. Away from the office, they can be extremely solid and reliable friends with plenty of deep insights into how the world operates and are open to discuss most topics in an honest and frank manner. They can be unfazed by the bluntness of an Enhancer, which is nice and refreshing. Friendship with an Objective Thinker can be mutually beneficial and intellectually rewarding.

Pattern 15- Perfectionist - INTP They do not usually enjoy being in positions of power and do not like that sense of responsibility. So never give it to them! While they rarely want to control others they also do not want to be controlled themselves. They prefer to be able live their lives freely and make their own choices without being told what to do. This is often why they will challenge authority or try to avoid it entirely. They want to feel free to do whatever they please without having someone try to control them or wield their power or influence over them.
Can sometimes bridge the work-personal life gap. They can me fellow research scientists at work and cool people and trusted friends to hang out with later. Great for conversations on many topics, except feelings, plus to explore new and unconventional ideas. They finish nothing.

What influencers missed out?

Two influncers who made the final four have NT in the Myers Briggs code - Developer and Enhancer.
The two who missed out are the Perfectionist and Inspirational.
The Practitioner who made the final four has SF as do the Specialist, Counselor and Appraiser who missed out.
The Director has ST and made it but the others who have ST did not - the Objective Thinker, Results and Achiever.
Missing are those with NF: “Here’s another way” - An encouraging, inspiring and 'impactful' influencer, who engages people and considers the overall benefits. i.e. Promoter, Agent, Persuader, Investigator. These are the idealists and potential Social Justice Warriors.
Any wonder this last group missed out!

What causes lack of self-confidence?

1. Negligent parents. Having parents that were not there when support was needed.

2. Disapproving parents. Never getting positive feedback as a child can leave a person chasing approval from others.

3. Physical insecurities. Not being able to fulfill society’s standards of what is deemed ‘good’.

4. Past trauma. A person who was abused might believe they deserved it and that is detrimental to their self-worth.

5. Anxiety and depression. These issues can hinder most areas of life, and lack of self-confidence is one of the outcomes.

6. Bad friends. Having friends who are fake and manipulative is not a good plan.

7. Negative self-talk. At some point, they developed this pattern and now it runs them.

8. Comparing themselves. People tend to compare their chapter 2 with someone’s chapter 57. It is irrational.

What causes The Power Hungry Leader™? Who Ego trips?

1. They are bullies.
‡ Bully team members to ensure dominance and kill any potential threat to their power.
‡ Overly criticize, take cheap shots and undermine the success of the team by creating chaos.
‡ May sabotage their team members as they think they can move forward without them.

2. They are empty individuals.
‡ Not whole individuals.
‡ Have a heightened sense of self, low self-esteem and constantly need to feed their ego.
‡ Not self-aware, not mindful of their actions and have an unhealthy work-life balance.

3. They hide deep insecurities.
‡ Weak minded and will do anything to fill that inner void.
‡ Cowards, fear their own shadow, do not actually have any real power and they know it. ‡ Are unstable and easy to break.
‡ Act tough and search for the weaknesses in anyone.

4. They possess jealousy with no boundaries.
‡ Become jealous when other people do better than they do or hold positions they want.
‡ Want to be the only one to shine.
‡ Will not hesitate to dim the lights of others.

5. They think that rank is enough.
‡ Believe that rank alone is enough to command respect (which it is not).
‡ Pull rank whenever they feel threatened.
‡ Tend to lose all the respect that they crave.

6. They shut down dissenting voices.
‡ Remove dissenting voices and anyone that opposes them.
‡ Favour 'yes men', force others to bow down and cave in and force others who submit to their will.
‡ Make others agree with them even when they are wrong.

7. They believe that status is everything.
‡ Often remind others of their titles and past accomplishments.
‡ Over share and over-exaggerate their achievements.
‡ Demonstrate a sense of superiority and use their status to build up a sense of self-worth.

8. They always compete with others.
‡ Compete with others or powerful leaders who may not know that the Power Hungry Leader™ is competing with them. This is to feed their own ego.
‡ Believe that life is a competition.
‡ Worse, may believe that life is actually a game and people are the pieces on a chessboard.

9. They only social climb.
‡ Only network with powerful people to try and use them to social climb.
‡ Look to climb the social ladder, have a thirst for notoriety and try to take part in the most influential situations.
‡ Name drop powerful leaders that they know in order to try and win respect and to feel superior.

10. They want to control everything and everyone.
‡ Tend to micromanage.
‡ Tend not to trust the people around them.
‡ These factors cause them to constantly seek control and leverage over others.

11. They encourage toxicity.
‡ Thrive in chaos and encourage toxic behaviour and competition.
‡ May gossip.
‡ May create false narratives to foster a negative environment.

12. Comments from Elizabeth Hunter™.
‡ Wanting and having power is not necessarily a negative thing.
‡ One has to want power for the right reasons in order to go the distance. Otherwise The Power Hungry Leader™ tends to crash and burn.
‡ Unless you are in the top 4 leadership behaviour patterns - Objective Thinker, Director, Developer and Enhancer - The Power Hungry Leader™ will tend to walk all over you; even when you are the boss.
‡ Experience says that if one comes across The Power Hungry Leader™, as described above, then the advice is not to be afraid to stand up for yourself.