Strengths & Weaknesses

Architect Strengths

• Quick, Imaginative, and Strategic Mind – Architects pride themselves on their minds, and they take every chance they can to improve their knowledge. This shows in the strength and flexibility of their strategic thinking. Highly curious and always up for an intellectual challenge, Architects see things from many different angles. Architect personalities use their creativity to plan for unforeseen possibilities.
• High Self-Confidence – Architects trust their rationalism above all else, so when they decide something, they have no reason to doubt their decisions or insights. This creates an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by what others expect of them. When Architects are right, they’re right. Nothing will change that fact. Whether it’s a person, a process, or themselves whose course needs to be corrected, they’ll hold their ground and have it no other way.
• Independent and Decisive – This creativity, logic, and confidence form individuals who stand on their own and take responsibility for their actions. Authority figures don’t impress Architects, and neither do social conventions. And no matter how popular something is, if they have a better idea, Architects stand against anyone they must to promote their plan. Either an idea is rational, or it’s wrong, and they’re happy to apply that standard to themselves.
• Hard-Working and Determined – If something grabs their interest, Architect personalities can be very dedicated to their work. They often put in long hours and intense effort. Architects are efficient, and if tasks lead to meeting a clear and relevant goal, they strive to accomplish those tasks.
• Open-Minded – Architects are open to new ideas as long as they’re argued well. People with this personality type are even (maybe especially) open to ideas that go against their own if the thinking is sound. They often apply their openness and independence when thinking about matters like alternative lifestyles. Mix this with their dislike for rules and traditions, and it’s easy to see how Architects might lean toward more tolerant social views.
• Jacks-of-all-Trades – Because of Architects’ open-mindedness, willpower, independence, confidence, and planning abilities, they are capable of doing anything they set their minds to accomplish. Skilled at hacking anything life throws their way, Architects are able to break down and learn from almost any system. They then use the ideas found there wherever they’re needed. Architects tend to have their pick of jobs, from IT system designers to political organizers.

Architect Weaknesses

• Arrogant – Architect personalities can carry their confidence too far. They may falsely believe that they’ve fixed all the issues of a matter. They might then call it a day, rejecting the opposing opinions of those they believe to be intellectually inferior. With their disrespect for social standards, Architects can be insensitive when offering their opinions if they aren’t mindful of their attitude and less-developed social skills.
• Judgmental – Architects have complete confidence in their thought processes because rational arguments are almost by definition correct – at least in theory. In practice, emotional considerations and history are hugely influential. A weak point for people with the Architect personality type is that they brand these factors and those who embrace them as illogical. They often dismiss them as people who think in an inferior way. This can make it all but impossible for others to be heard.
• Overly Analytical – A repeated theme when discussing the strengths of Architects is their analytical skills. But this strength can fail them when logic isn’t the most important factor. Relationships in all their complexities often resist neat explanations. Architects may be highly critical and sometimes reach a high level of picky thoroughness (this is even more often the case with Turbulent Architects) when dealing with others. At that point, most people – with the exception of extremely loyal and understanding friends – are likely to flee, sometimes not to be seen again.
• Loathe Highly Structured Environments – Architects hate blindly following… anything… without understanding why. They have a greater dislike for authority figures who go around forcing others to obey laws and rules without understanding the purpose of the standards themselves. Architects are likely not to get along with anyone who prefers how things “have always been.” However, by not going along with the standards – even when doing so might not be a big deal – Architects can make their lives harder than they need to be.
• Clueless in Romance – This resentment toward rules and their tendency to overanalyze and judge, even to the point of arrogance, adds up to a personality type often clueless in dating. Having a new relationship last long enough for Architects to understand what is going on and how to behave is difficult. Trying harder in the ways that Architects are used to can only make things worse, and, unfortunately, it’s common for them to simply give up the search for love. Ironically, this more-relaxed state is when they’re at their best, and only then are they most likely to attract that special someone without any effort.