ISFJ
Portrait of the Protector (iSfJ)
Copyrighted © 1996 Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.

In addition to being concrete in speech and cooperative in
getting things done, the "Protectors" are also informative and
attentive in their social roles. There 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.
The actor Jimmy Stewart and Mother Teresa are examples of
Protector Guardian style.
A full description of the Protector and Guardian is in Please
Understand Me or Please Understand Me II